Today’s “Fab 5″+1/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, MAY 29, 2014.
For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide check out:
♦ “9 Notable NYCity Events-May”, and also “on Broadway”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories check out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above. =========================================================================
Duke Ellington and New York City
Duke Ellington’s music is intimately related to the history, daily life, and, of course, nightlife of New York. In a presentation by noted jazz scholar Edward Green, these interconnections surface in surprising visual images and classic recordings like “Harlem Airshaft,” “The Mooche” (a Cotton Club favorite), and the band’s signature piece, “Take the A Train,” by Billy Strayhorn. Philosopher Eli Siegel, Ellington’s contemporary and fellow New Yorker, could easily have been describing the other man’s music when he said: “In reality opposites are one; art shows this.” With swinging tempos, depth of feeling, and high style, Ellington’s music conveys the drama of contrasts that defines the rhythm of life New York City.
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave.,at 103rd St.
212-534-1672
at 6:30pm / $16
Carole J. Bufford, ‘Shades of Blue’
“Carole J. Bufford is that rare Broadway-based ingénue who is equally at home with the blues as she is with show tunes. In her latest set, she vividly illustrates the various permutations of blues, from Bessie Smith’s time (“Send Me to the ‘Lectric Chair”), up through the European Broadway sophistication of Kurt Weill (“Lonely House”), the comic and sexual implications of vintage double entendre songs (“I Didn’t Like it the First Time/The Spinach Song”), the country blues of Johnny Cash (“Folsom Prison”), and more contemporary approaches to the form (Randy Newman, John Legend).
Ms. Bufford sings all of it exquisitely, the only thing her show lacks is contrast: There is an abundance of belting and not enough of the tender, vulnerable side of the blues.” (WSJ)
The Metropolitan Room, 34 W. 22nd St.
9:30PM / $20; 2 beverage minimum
(212) 206-0440 / metropolitanroom.com
Mark Skousen on “Bears Make Headlines, Bulls Make Money: My Favorite Maxims, Legends and Worldly Wisdom from Wall Street”
Mark Skousen, editor of Forecasts & Strategies, has been collecting ancient proverbs, rare financial books and pearls of Wall Street wisdom since he started writing his award-winning newsletter in 1980. Now in its new third edition, his classic work, The Maxims of Wall Street, is full of hard lessons and biting humor of financial gurus, brokers, plungers and peacocks of today and yesteryear. Dr. Skousen’s favorite tales and sayings of J.P. Morgan, Ben Graham, Joe Kennedy, Hetty Green, J. Paul Getty and Jesse Livermore, as well as modern-day legends Warren Buffett, John Templeton and Jack Bogle, will make history come alive in this delightful reminiscence down Wall Street
Talk will be followed by Q&A and book signing*.
Museum of American Finance, 48 Wall Street
At 12:30 PM to 01:30 PM
$5 tickets include Museum admission; Museum members and students free.
212.908.4110 / http://www.moaf.org
David Lindley
“Highly regarded session musician David Lindley is the founder of the band El Rayo-X (also the title of his first solo record), and has worked with the likes of Jackson Browne and Ry Cooder. The multi-instrumentalist performs world music, melding American folk, blues and bluegrass with elements of African, Arabic, Asian, Celtic, Malagasy and Turkish music.” (nycgo.com)
Iridium Jazz Club, 1650 Broadway, at 51st St.
212-582-2121, theiridium.com
At 8:30, $35 cover, with a $15 food or drink minimum
Jonathan Finlayson and Sicilian Defense
“Mr. Finlayson is an incisive and often surprising trumpeter, as he has demonstrated in groups led by the daring alto saxophonist Steve Coleman. The band he calls Sicilian Defense features the pianist David Virelles, the guitarist Miles Okazaki, the bassist Keith Witty and the drummer Marcus Gilmore.” (Chinen-NYT)
Greenwich House Music School, 46 Barrow Street, West Village
212-242-4770, greenwichhouse.org;
At 8 p.m. / $15, $12 for students.
PlusOne
World Science Festival 2014: Science and Story: The Write Angle
Joyce Carol Oates, E.L. Doctorow, Steven Pinker discuss humanizing science in literatur
Whether it’s a literary classic like Frankenstein or the blog posts of a renowned physicist, isn’t all successful science writing, at its core, the result of a compelling narrative? Join these award winning writers in conversation about the wide array of techniques they’re using to humanize science and challenge their readers. We’ll explore how their novels, articles, and best-selling books can offer a path to the rewards of exploring and understanding unknown worlds.
Moderator: John Hockenberry
The Great Hall at Cooper Union, 41 Cooper Square
at 5:30pm /$30
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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 – West Village
Corner Bistro / 331 W. 4th St.
Sometimes you just need a beer and a burger. If so, Corner Bistro is the place you want. Located just outside the hip Meatpacking district, this corner bar and grill is decidedly unhip, but it’s not uncrowded, especially at night. Seems that everyone knows this place has one of the better burgers in town.
In the maze of streets known as the West Village, where West 4th intersects with West 12th (and West 11th, and West 10th, go figure), you will eventually find Corner Bistro on the corner of West 4th and Jane Street. An unassuming neighborhood tavern, it looks just like dozens of other taverns around town. The bartender tells me that the Corner Bistro will be celebrating it’s 50th anniversary next year. The well worn interior tells me that the place itself is much older.
Corner Bistro has outlasted many of those other taverns around town because they know how to keep it simple — just good burgers and beer, fairly priced. The classic bistro Burger is only $6.75, and should be ordered medium rare, which will be plenty rare for most folks. Actually, it will be a juicy, messy delight – make sure you have extra napkins. I like to pull up a stool and sit by the large front window in the afternoon, where I can rest my burger and beer on the shelf, and watch the Villagers walk by.
Corner Bistro seems to attract very different groups of patrons depending on time of day. While it’s crowded with locals in the evening, in the afternoon you hear different foreign languages, and watch groups of euro tourists wander in, led by their guidebooks and smartphones.
For the classic Bistro experience, order your burger with a McSorley’s draft, the dark preferably. This is the same beer that you can get over at the original McSorley’s in the East Village, the pub that claims to be the oldest continually operating bar in NYCity. The only difference is that this McSorley’s ale is served with a smile by the bartenders here. Or you can get a Sierra Nevada, Stella, or Hoegaarden on tap if you want to go upscale a bit. Either way this is a simple, but quality burger and beer experience that is just too rare these days (sorry for the pun).
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Website: cornerbistrony.com
Phone #: 212-242-9502
Hours: 11:30am-4am Mon-Sat; 12pm-4am Sun
Happy Hour: NO
Music: Juke Box
Subway: #1/2/3 to 14th St. (S end of platform)
Walk 2 blk W. on 13th St. to 8th Ave.; 1 blk S. on 8th Ave. to Jane St.
Update:
NYCity 1-2-3 : What's Happening / Manhattan's WestSide 