The Bitter End - Money

This is the second in a series of videos recorded at The Bitter End All Star Jam during August 2010.

The Bitter End (at 147, Bleecker Street, New York, New York) is one of the few Greenwich Village venues that have survived from the heyday of the exciting music scene that characterized 1960s New York City. Especially among those venues that promoted folk musicians in particular.

The song featured here is the old classic Money. The singer is Don Cazio, a Bitter End regular, and a musician and singer in his own right. Mark Greenberg (drums), Brett Bass (bass), Danny Thompson (wearing the hat) and Benny Landa both swap lead breaks on electric guitars.

I have been to The Bitter End numerous times on both my visits to New York City, and each time I have been amazed by the lineup of talent that is presented there. As you might imagine, New York has musicians and singers to spare, and many of the best of these are on show at the All Star Jam.

The Bitter End All Star Jam Band performs from 10pm until late, on the second and fourth Sunday of every month). There is also a regular Monday night jam with Richie Cannata.

 

Visit The Bitter End Jam website…
And since you are online anyway, check out their MySpace page…

 

Street View Comes to The High Line

I have no idea how they did it, but Google Street View has now mapped New York City’s High Line park. I’ve written before about the High Line, but to make it brief, the High Line is an elevated park that meanders above the streets along portions of some of Manhattan’s west side neighbourhoods.

Currently the High Line is about a mile long, but over time it will be extended at least another half mile or so to provide yet another unique New York experience to the millions of visitors and New Yorkers who had enjoyed promenading along its length. Last year Google donated $1 million to the High Line, so I guess it is only fitting that the company give the elevated park the Street View treatment.

The following video gives you a brief taste of the project and only adds to my desire to visit the park again on my next visit to New York City.

...

...

You can see another video (narrated by the actor Ethan Hawke) outlining the history of the High Line here…

The Bitter End – A Winner Never Quits

The Bitter End is one of those classic Greenwich Village venues that have been around since the 1960s. With regard to The Bitter End, the venue has been hosting live music, comedy and other entertainments since 1961.

So many famous and infamous musicians have performed at the Bitter End, that it would take a couple of pages just to list them all. However, how about these for starters: Woody Allen, America, Tori Amos, Joan Armatrading, Joan Baez, Jackson Browne, Harry Chapin, Tracy Chapman, Judy Collins, Shawn Colvin, Chick Corea, Jim Croce, David Crosby, Billy Crystal, Miles Davis, John Denver, Bo Diddley, Bob Dylan, Jose Feliciano, Steve Forbert, Steve Goodman, Stephane Grappelli, Arlo Guthrie, Bill Haley, Tim Hardin, John Hartford, Richie Havens, Gil Scott Heron, Norah Jones, Billy Joel, Kris Kristofferson, Patti La Belle, Jay Leno, Neil Young, Lady Gaga, and many thousands more.

I have made a point of going to The Bitter End (at 147, Bleecker Street), on both my stays in New York City. More specifically, I have made regular visits to catch the All Star Jam that performs from 10pm until late on the second and fourth Sunday of each month.

I filmed the clip embedded here, during one of the Jams in August, 2010. On drums is the shows host, Mark Greenberg, along with regular bassist Brett Bass. Singing duties on the number filmed here are by Danny Thompson (guitar and vocals). Unfortunately, I didn’t catch the other guitarist’s name, although at one point Thompson seems to refer to him as ‘Benny’.

I have a number of other clips waiting to be turned into videos and as soon as I have done so, I will upload them to my YouTube page and let you know via this blog. In the meantime, enjoy...

Visit The Bitter End website…