Nillerbabs Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Hi guys, Sorry if this has been asked before - I tried searching, with no luck. Next thursday Im going to NY! First time in the States; Im thrilled and kind of swept off my feet since, well, ten days is hardly enough when you could spend a year and still not be bored. So, what to see? I'll leave out the usual suspects for tourists for starters. Then there's the venues; my American teacher suggested Vanguard, Smalls, Village Undergound, Zinc, Smoke and Fat Cat. Other than that, I'm a big questionmark so far. I'd love to see some wacky keyboard stores although sadly I have neither the money nor the capacity to bring anything home. So, yea, that's my humble request. Being a pianist/keyboardist/human being, where should I go? Thanks upfront Niels When in doubt, superimpose pentatonics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Manhattan is one of my favorite places to visit and I do so about once a month. There is a lot to do that is not overtly musical. Village Vanguard, Blue Note and Birdland still have incredible performers. Steinway Hall (if you are into pianos) and Carnegie Hall (tours and matinees can be relaxed and fun) are down the block from each other. There is a lot of cool history. Here's a blog from Steve Fortner: http://www.keyboardmag.com/Default.aspx?tabid=130&EntryId=412 ... which inspired me to visit that part of the Met. (You can get lost in the Met and not find some of these gems unless you know what you are looking for, just as you can in the Louvre and many of the other major world museums.) There's also a vintage synth store (about 40 minutes away in NJ?) but I haven't been and so I cannot recommend it. Someone else here probably will. I hope you have a ton of fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Oh, and if you are a bit of a geek like many of us here, you might have a hand held device. There are several apps to make your visit to NYC more pleasant, ranging from subway maps to making reservations to locating that elusive food cart which has moved a block from where you thought it would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus64 Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Central Park/Midtown (around W 57). From there you can see Carnegie Hall, the David Letterman Theatre, Lincoln Center (W. 60s). Staten Island Ferry will give you great views of the city. If you find yourself near 714 Amsterdam Ave, that building is a shrine to one of the greatest musicians that ever lived: it is the former home of Cygnus64. Lived there in the 90s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mizu Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Jazz: Smalls is my favorite. Iridium is good if you are into electric Jazz.Music stores: Sam Ash has a decent keyboard department (but is mainstream), more wacky: Rogue Music (depends on what second hand stuff they have in store) and Armen's music (in the same building). There are a bunch of piano stores on/around 58th street (I bought mine from Faust Harrison) "You'll never be as good as you could have been, but you can always be better than you are." - MoKen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I'll tell you where to go in NY. Up yours. "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 During my first trip to New York I went to Century 21 and bought 30 pair of socks. It was a wild time. This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Actually, my last post is no longer true. I'm still getting used to the fact that NYC is now very nice and tourist-friendly for the most part. Heck, the cabbies even stop before the crosswalks. "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana. Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I'll tell you where to go in NY. Up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Thorne Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 NY CPR: "Get up before you f**kin' die!" Is it true that Manny's is no more? I haven't been to NYC for a long time. You're making me want to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana. Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Niels, you picked a great week to be here: Craig Taborn is playing the Vanguard. I'll be going but I'm not sure which night. I'll also extend an invitation to Doughnut Plant. PM me if you'd be interested in meeting up. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-177U0dtenl0/TZITG9--ONI/AAAAAAAAAk0/37_WATqd6ro/s640/doughnut+plant+nyc+1.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana. Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Is it true that Manny's is no more? Yes, it was absorbed by Sam Ash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Lombardi's Pizza on Spring St. It's on the outside of what's left of Little Italy. 32 Spring St New York, NY 10012(212) 941-7994 "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveCoscia Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Go to the Carnegie Deli (7th Avenue at 55th Street) and order a huge pastrami or corned beef sandwich. Enjoy! Steve Coscia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Check to see what festivals or parades might be happening while you are there. I saw an Irish parade next to Central Park and happened upon an annual festival in Little Italy. The most striking view in my memory is the ring of buildings towering above the trees as I stood in Central Park. Timing is everything if you go to the viewing deck of the Empire State Building. We went up just before sunset and got to see NY in both daylight and dark with one trip. The site was very different than, say, Chicago. While most cities have a line of towers that spread along a river or a coast, NY spreads in all directions. Skyline in every direction. After dark the lights were beautiful and you really noticed the road layout from the trail of headlights and taillights. I learned quickly to act like I live there and dont make eye contact. Otherwise you attract every street hustler on the sidewalk. This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meisenhower Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 You have to go to Smoke (as mentioned before) but go on TUESDAY night. MIke LeDonne holds court with his Organ quartet (and there's no cover, but there is a $20 minimum). THIS IS A MUST SEE. What a bad ass! The other suggestions above are also spot on. Enjoy your trip. Yamaha C7 Grand, My Hammonds: '57 B3, '54 C2, '42 BC, '40 D, '05 XK3 Pro System, Kawai MP9000, Fender Rhodes Mk I 73, Yamaha CP33, Motif ES6, Nord Electro 2, Minimoog Voyager & Model D, Korg MS10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Find a TKTS booth and enjoy a Broadway play. See a matinee and it will not interfer with clubbing. This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord_Nord Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 If you get a chance, check out BB Kings nightclub on 42nd street in Times Square. A.J. Blues Manager and Keyboardist The Tash Brothers Band www.myspace.com/TheTashBrothersBand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Last time I was in Manhattan (last year), I went to the Dizzy's Club in the Lincoln Center for their "after" show, meaning, the show they put on after their main event. Dizzy's is very touristy, of course, but here's the thing, we paid something like a $5 cover and a one drink minimum to see a great set from some brazillian jazz artists, and had the great view to boot. Great bang-for-buck by NYC standards. If you want to go to the hippest nightclub for 20-somethings, that would probably be Pianos in the lower east side. There are no pianos there. Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Jazz Standard is a favorite club because they attract great artists and have the best food of the jazz venues. It's a barbeque menu from the Blue Smoke restaurant above the club: 3 types of ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork and great fried chicken. Pianist Chano Dominguez is there on Thursday doing flamenco-colored takes on Miles' "Kind of Blue" with the always killing Dafnis Prieto on drums. 55 Bar is another great club that is often overlooked. Chris Potter is there on Thursday. It's a very small room and will be packed. Get there early. The Vanguard is a good suggestion because, after all, it is the Vanguard. Even better with Craig Taborn there. Food choices depend on where you plan to be. For deli in Midtown, Carnegie Deli (cash only) is the place. In lower Manhattan, it's Katz' which is the king of NYC delis. If you're in Chinatown, New Green Bo on Bayard between Elizabeth and Mott is an excellent choice. You're likely to be the only non-Chinese diner. There are dozens of choices for Italian but I always recommend Becco on West 46th between 8th and 9th. My taste in art is modern so I'd recommend the Museum of Modern Art on West 53rd St near 6th Ave or the Guggenheim (itself an architectural masterpiece) on 5th Ave near 89th St. Hope you have great weather for walking around. Also note, available taxis are hard to find between 3-4pm because the drivers' shift change is 4pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fusker Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I love Joe's Pizza in the Village. Central Park is pretty damn amazing too. Time Square is pretty cliche for jaded locals...but the round the clock sea of humanity and the proximity to Broadway make it a must see once in your life. My first time, I really liked wandering around and having the eerie sensation of everything seeming familiar. You don't realize how much you see NYC in movies and television until you go there for the first time, maybe more so for North Americans, but it's still a pretty weird sensation for a city to seem familiar the first time you go there. Steinway L, Yamaha Motif XS-8, NE3 73, Casio PX-5S, iPad, EV ZLX 12-P ZZ(x2), bunch of PA stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus64 Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Find a TKTS booth and enjoy a Broadway play. See a matinee and it will not interfer with clubbing. +1. This might be only of the only NYC experiences that can't be duplicated elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nillerbabs Posted March 29, 2012 Author Share Posted March 29, 2012 Whup whup! Wauw, what an overwhelming and welcome array of suggestions. Thanks a bunch! Traiborn and LeDonne... sweet. But I guess I should just keep my eyes open for what concerts might be up. I don't figure I'll get to be lazy at any point, though. My drummer and bassist homies sure have a lot of things they want to check out too, instrument stores in particular. When in doubt, superimpose pentatonics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana. Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 The next two weeks at Birdland are also excellent: Billy Hart (with Ethan Iverson), then Vijay Iyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nillerbabs Posted March 29, 2012 Author Share Posted March 29, 2012 Cool. Too bad I can't be there. Might have a chance with Hart though, my aforementioned teacher plays a lot with him. When in doubt, superimpose pentatonics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveaudio Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 My taste in art is modern so I'd recommend the Museum of Modern Art on West 53rd St near 6th Ave or the Guggenheim (itself an architectural masterpiece) on 5th Ave near 89th St. Yes. NYC is one of the great museum cities on the planet. In addition to MOMA & the Guggenheim, I'd add the Whitney & the Metropolitan. If you don't go to at least one, you're missing out--like going to Paris & not visiting the Louvre. Also, there's a revival of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" at the Barrymore Theater now, directed by Mike Nichols (!), getting rave reviews..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Loving Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 NYC is one of about 4 cities in the USA where I feel naturally at home. I love New York City. Enjoy your stay, and welcome to the United States! "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus64 Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Also, there's a revival of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" at the Barrymore Theater now, directed by Mike Nichols (!), getting rave reviews..... Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Willy Loman. That's a once-in a lifetime experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iLaw Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Niller, Any chance that you are a student (or have a student ID)? Jazz at Lincoln Center often has concerts that are cheap with a Student ID. Joe Locke is going to be there with a quintet while you're in town. Tickets would probably be $15 with a student ID. Larry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Also, there's a revival of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" at the Barrymore Theater now, directed by Mike Nichols (!), getting rave reviews..... Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Willy Loman. That's a once-in a lifetime experience. Andrew Garfield is "Biff". So, it's like seeing Truman Capote beat up on Spiderman. (OK, I borrowed that line from somewhere.) "Salesman" is a tough ticket to get as is "Book of Mormon". If David Letterman or Jimmy Fallon are taping Thursday, you can try going past their venues midday to see if there are free tickets remaining. Letterman tapes at 5pm and you have to be at the theater 3pm so it kills an afternoon and evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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