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Tag: Village Vanguard

Roots of Jazz Run Deep in Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village is, in some circles, considered the “Capital of Jazz.” As jazz critic, author, and president of the Jazz Journalists Association Howard Mandel put it: “Greenwich Village is the capital of jazz because it has welcomed adventurous thinking, artistic expression, and audiences eager to hear the best of what’s exciting and new.” Some things […]

Women Crush Wednesday: The Wonder of Villager Judy Holliday

Judy Holliday, the brilliant star of stage and screen, was a New Yorker through and through.  It makes perfect sense that while she was an up-and-coming superstar, she made her home in Greenwich Village in a floor-through apartment at 158 Waverly Place, a gorgeous 1839 Greek Revival townhouse.  It is also no surprise that Holliday […]

    The Hallowed Music Halls of the Greenwich Village Historic District

    This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District.  Check out our year-long activities and celebrations at gvshp.org/GVHD50.  Music is an integral part of the cultural legacy and impact of our neighborhoods! In March 2019 we explored the iconic music venues and punk meccas of the East […]

    The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a Visual Ode to the Village

    My favorite series in the past MANY years is The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel written by the amazing Amy Sherman-Palladino.  Not only is her rapid-fire dialogue and direction a joy to watch and listen to, but the actors who have been cast in the show are sublimely well-suited for their roles.  Then, of course, there are […]

      Women’s Work: Celebrating (More) Amazing Female Artists of the Village

      Scrolling through Off the Grid or any other collection of New York history, we’ve all become familiar with the legendary characters of the Village – Dylan, Kerouac, Hendrix, Duchamp, and the countless figures who have become synonymous with the neighborhood. Alongside them were incredible female creators who, although undoubtedly well-known, are sometimes forgotten. Today we […]

      Pete Seeger Anniversary

      Today marks the two year passing of folk music legend Pete Seeger. Seeger was an influential singer, songwriter, and civil rights and anti-war activist. Seeger also founded a nonprofit environmental organization in 1969, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, to advocate for the environmental clean up of the Hudson River. Like many artists, Seeger had a strong connection […]

      Landmarks of a Capital of Jazz

      It’s been a heavy spring so far, with troubling news around the world, the nation, and in our city. But the colorful blooms of spring are finally opening – crocuses, daffodils, forsythia, hellebores – and besides, it’s JazzApril. Why not celebrate, if you can? “If I were celebrating JazzApril in the Village I’d do a tour […]

        The Village Vanguard is Singin’ in the Rain

        On this particularly rainy Monday, an image of Gene Kelly singin’ and dancin’ in the rain sure does come to mind. Lo and behold, an exciting discovery was made: the writers of the classic 1952 movie musical Singin’ in the Rain (and countless other Broadway shows and Hollywood musicals) got their big break at the […]

          Music in the Village Past and Present

          A recent post by Rock Cellar Magazine entitled “Rock Meccas of NYC: What Are They Now?” had us here at Off the Grid lamenting the loss of such wonderful music venues as the recently closed Kenny’s Castaways and Bleecker Bob’s Record Store. The article’s then and now photographs are a must see.  But the music […]

          Storied Village Music Venue to Close

            Kenny’s Castaways, the music venue which has been located on Bleecker Street near Thompson Street since 1976, will stage its last performance tonight. Citing rising rents and a decreased audience, the storefront at 157 Bleecker will become a gastro pub that will also feature music, according to the New York Times.

          Then & Now: Seventh Avenue South

          When I was home recently I looked through one of my parents’ photo albums and happened to find this photo of Seventh Avenue South taken at some point in the 1970s. I thought it would make for a great then and now. Even though not that much time has passed, there have been a number […]