Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2014.

Eva Ayllón
“A guiding force of música criolla — a romantic and delicate blend of Peruvian regional forms — Ms. Ayllón has around two dozen albums and multiple Latin Grammy nominations to her name. She performs a new, collaborative set with the Cuban-American crooner Albita.” (NYT-Anderson)
Town Hall, 123 West 43rd St.
800-982-2787, the-townhall-nyc.org
At 8 p.m. / $55 to $65.

John Scofield Organic Trio
“In the past decade, Scofield, a long-venerated guitarist who is comfortable with both fusion and bop in their many configurations, sought room for his snaky improvisations with the likes of the Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh and the jazz-funk pioneers Medeski, Martin & Wood, among others. More conventional perhaps, yet no less vivid, are his interactions with two equally responsive collaborators, the organist Larry Goldings and the drummer Greg Hutchinson, who make up his Organic Trio.” (NewYorker)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village,
212-475-8592, bluenote.net
At 8 and 10:30 p.m. / $35 cover at tables, $20 at the bar.

Lykke Li
“Lykke Li returned to the studio with her longtime producer Bjorn Yttling (of Peter, Bjorn and John) to record her follow up to 2011’s “Wounded Rhymes.” The resulting breakup album, “I Never Learn,” was recently described by Pitchfork as an album “for the times when heartbreak is so life-affirming that you want to share the feeling with the world.” (DNA Info)
Apollo Theater, 253 West 125th St, Harlem.
at 8 p.m. / $40
Tickets are available from $68 on Stubhub.
800-745-3000, apollotheater.com

Al Kooper
“Kooper pops up nearly everywhere in the history of rock and roll. A product of Hollis Hills, Queens, he started playing professionally in junior high, joining the Royal Teens (who had a hit with “Short Shorts,” in 1958) and in the process becoming friends with Paul Simon. He wrote “This Diamond Ring,” which was a huge hit in 1965 for Gary Lewis. He plopped down, unbidden, behind the Hammond organ during Dylan’s “Highway 61” sessions and ad-libbed the unforgettable organ fills to “Like a Rolling Stone.”

He founded Blood, Sweat & Tears, splitting after just one brilliant album—and just before the band took off, on an artistically compromised but commercially lucrative arc. He led the aptly titled “Super Session” project with Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills. He discovered and produced Lynyrd Skynyrd. And that only covers the period up through the mid-seventies. Countless producing gigs, sessions as a sideman, and concerts followed, and he’s not done with the business yet—he writes a weekly online column called “New Music for Old People,” and he’s at the B. B. King Blues Club & Grill on May 15-16, celebrating his seventieth birthday. Special guests are expected.” (NewYorker)
B. B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St.
212-997-4144.

The Pinch Brothers in “The Bawdy House”
When THE PINCH BROTHERS (also sisters) are hired to save an ailing theater, they turn it into a BAWDY HOUSE, complete with ribald comedy, risqué magic, and of course, burlesque, burlesque, burlesque!

But on opening night, everything goes wrong — buttons keep popping, pants keep dropping, and the schtick keeps getting schtickier. Can this Marx Brothers-inspired crew of reprobates get through the show with their clothes intact? …Nope. Pinchbottom’s classic burlesque tribute to the funniest brothers in showbiz returns to the stage as part of MarxFest 2014.
“Daring, funny, imaginative and titillating to all tastes.” -The Sunday Telegraph (UK)
The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal St.
at 8:00 pm
Adults only. Admission starts at $29 (includes two beverages).
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♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.

♦ NYCity is a big town with many visitors where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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A PremierPub + 3 Good Eating places

Jimmy’s Corner / 140 W 44th St (btw B’way & 7th ave)

Jimmy’s Corner is right in the heart of Times Square, but you won’t find it on the corner, it’s mid-block. Enter this long narrow bar and you are struck by the walls covered with mostly black-and-white boxing photographs, and memorabilia. Soon enough you learn that “Corner” refers to proprietor Jimmy Glenn’s long career as a corner man for some of boxing greats – Liston, Tyson, even “the greatest”, Ali.

Jimmy’s is a sort of time machine, taking you back to a time and place that no longer exists. All around you Times Square has cleaned up, grown up, assumed a new identity. Jimmy’s probably hasn’t changed a bit since it first opened in 1971. Certainly the bar itself looks original and the prices haven’t changed much either. When I brought a friend, who owns her own bar, she was surprised when she got the small tab for a round of drinks. Figured there must be a mistake, that maybe they forgot to charge for all the drinks.

Times Square today is filled with neon glitz and wandering tourists from Dubuque, but not Jimmy’s. You’ll likely find some old timer’s at the bar nursing their drinks, some younger locals at tables in the back, and maybe a few adventuresome tourists clutching their trusty guidebooks. There’s no food served here because this is just a bar, and sometimes that’s all you need.

On nights when no local team is playing, it’s a fine place to sip some drafts and listen to a great old time jukebox (40s, 50s, R&B, and soul). On sports nights this very narrow bar can get a bit claustrophobic, filled with excited fans watching their team on the TVs. Either way, Jimmy’s is the place to be if you are looking for an old time bar in the new Times Square.
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Website: are you kidding !
(although there is a facebook page with lots of photos –
facebook.com/jimmyscornernyc)
Phone #: 212-221-9510
Hours: 11am – 4 am, except Sunday they open 12 noon
Happy Hour: not necessary, low prices all day, every day
Subway: #1,2,3 to TimesSquare 42nd st
walk 2 blks N on 7th ave to 44th st; ½ blk E to Jimmy’s

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“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, jazz clubs, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge (except for certain jazz clubs).

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
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3 Good Eating places

It’s not difficult finding a place to eat in Manhattan.
Finding a good, inexpensive place to eat is a bit harder.
Here are a few of my faves in this neighborhood:

Patzeria Perfect Pizza – 231 W46 st (Betw 7th/8th ave)
Perfect name for a pizza joint. On a street filled with Broadway theaters, this is a real hole in the wall, but don’t let the dive look scare you away. You can never go wrong with a slice of NYC pizza, and this one is a classic thin crust. Only a few seats here, but pizza was made to eat standing up.

Shake Shack – 691 8th ave (Betw 43rd/44th st)
Danny Meyer has revolutionized the high quality burger in this town. Now he has a branch on the West Side that was desperately needed, with none of the insane lines that you find at the Madison Sq. Park location. Plus, it may be the cleanest joint to eat in all of Hell’s Kitchen.

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“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”

That covers a wide range of food – pizza, burgers, food trucks/carts, vegetarian/falafel, ramen, chopped salad & salad bars, hot dogs, bbq, soup & sandwiches, picnic fixins’, raw bars & lobster rolls. No reservations needed. ================================================================================

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places and descriptions of my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods (plus 27 casual dining places with free Wi-Fi) order a copy of my e-book: “Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($3.99).
(available Fall 2014)