Topic: New York City Area

[Mr.OMuck]

I'm curious how many members and most particularly lurkers there are here in the NYC area? If you could de-lurk momentarily if you are in the area it would be much appreciated. I'm trying to access what kind of audience exists for live performance of this here stuff.

[JTBlue]

Moi, Mr. O'Muck.  I am more an appreciative audience member than active musician, but I sing and have attended Blues Camp three years out in Port Townsend.  What a great experience!  I hope to go again this summer.  I love to hear about opportunities to hear blues and other live acoustic music here in the city in authentic, i.e. not tourist trap, venues.
Jean
JTBlue

[uncle bud]

So much for OMuck's plans to create a country blues tourist trap in Manhattan!

[Mr.OMuck]

And I was going to call it "O'Muck's Country Blues Tourist Trap in Manhattan" too

[Slack]

O'Muck, so far it looks like New York has only one more country blues fan... than El Paso. 

[uncle bud]

They're all in Brooklyn at the Jalopy.

O'Muck, what about Banjo Jim's www.banjojims.com. They seem like the kind of place that might have country blues. Haven't been myself, just heard about it, and I believe the Otis Bros. played there in the past.

[Mr.OMuck]

Yeah, Banjo Jim's is OK but tiny. Stands 20 comfortably. There needs to be a central focus (Weenie could serve that purpose admirably) for performers, venues and new recruits. Kind of a virtual version of the old Folklore Center here in NY.

[JTBlue]

Mr. O'Muck,

I like Terra Blues on Bleecker Street, but I think you had some objection to that venue in the past.  In fact, there is a very interesting group there this Saturday night at the early set, Hazmat Modine.  Blues meets gypsy meets klezmer music.  Check them out:

http://www.hazmatmodine.com/home.html

JTBlue

[GhostRider]

  Blues meets gypsy meets klezmer music. 

Eeeek!

Alex

[P D Grant]

Anyone got any other tips for blues in NYC? I'm heading over in a couple of weeks and have tickets for the Sunday afternoon of the Brooklyn Folk Fest to see Blind Boy Paxton, but other than that, the Jalopy and Terra blues? I'm more than happy chasing Jazz when I'm town, but blues stuff I've not come across before would be fun. 

[Kokomo O]

I live in the area--northern NJ, to be specific, or fairly specific. Don't get around much, but occasionally. To be honest, I don't much like going to Manhattan or Brooklyn due to the parking, and the issue of unpredictability of traffic, or perhaps I should say the near-certainty of bad traffic.

My favorite venue for hearing country blues/ragtime and the like in the last 15 years has been the Turning Point in Piermont, NY. It's far from the only kind of music they book, but, for example, they've got Paul Geremia in for a set on 4/13, David Lindley (I know, not really country blues and ragtime, but hey--and a comedy show to boot) on 4/30, Danny Kalb on 5/25, and in the past I've caught all three of them and lots of others there. And it's a great little room.

It's not clear to me whether you're looking at trying to book yourself, trying to book others, trying to book yourself with others, or considering opening a juke joint. If the last is what you want to do, I wish you luck, but do it with eyes wide open. This ain't Mississippi in the '30s, and it was risky there and then.

[deltaslim]

MrOMuck  -  Aaargh... I missed this thread...

I've been here since 2011 (for work). I'm in the UES area, work is Midtown.  I always wondered what was going on country blues-wise... and figured, 'not much'. Now I know why (and it's nobody's fault by mine, as BWJ would say).

In any case, what came of your plans?

[harriet]

Just saw this as well - thanks DeltaSlim.

I am retired in Queens past 3 years, but lived in NYC since the 70's. Here's a couple of thing I found internetwise but they probably aren't very useful - don't play out myself.

*www.jimsrootsandblues.com small list of venues & calendars for the boroughs. 
*http://www.meetup.com/guitar/seems to be an acoustic guitar club

[Mr.OMuck]

Ah well perhaps a New York Weenie get together is in order.

[Parlor Picker]

Ah well perhaps a New York Weenie get together is in order.

If we Euroweenies can do it, surely you New Yorkers can...