Today’s Super 6 > SUNDAY / SEPT. 13, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
>The Cookers
Dizzy’s Club, Broadway and 60th St / 7:30 + 9:30PM; $40
“Named for a classic 1965 Freddie Hubbard live LP, The Night of the Cookers, this all-star outfit led by trumpeter David Weiss features veteran players who have no difficulty living up to their fiery appellation. The latest edition of the magisterial septet, heard on the recent Time and Time Again, includes saxophonists Billy Harper and Jaleel Shaw, trumpeter Eddie Henderson, pianist George Cables, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Billy Hart. (TONY)

Albert Cummings
B. B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W42nd St./ 7:30PM, $20
“Born into a family of home builders, it was natural for Cummings to follow his father into the profession. But years of wielding a power saw during the day didn’t keep him from his passion for the blues. The guitarist and singer teamed up with Double Trouble, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan’s rhythm section, for his début album in 2003, and he’s taken off since then, having turned out six albums of full-throttle blues.” (NewYorker)

>Empress Of
Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N6th St / 8PM, $13
“Empress Of is the ambitious electronic pop moniker for New York–based singer-songwriter Lorely Rodriguez. She officially strikes out on her own via the debut LP Me, set for a September 11 release, and the few tracks that have surfaced thus far have Empress Of sliding into Björk’s electro-domain, sparkling with seething and aggressive lyrics.”(Silas Valentino, VillageVoice)

>Birdland Jazz Party, Hosted by Carole Bufford
Birdland, 315W44th St./ 6PM, $30
“Birdland’s very own jazz quartet hits the stage every Sunday to wrap up the weekend with jazz classics featuring jazz vocalist Carole J. Bufford, one of the most sought after young performers in the New York cabaret & jazz scene.”

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
>2015 Affordable Art Fair (LastDay)
The Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W18th St (betw 6th/7th Ave) / 11AM-8PM, $20
Affordable Art Fair is looking forward to an exciting fall 2015 edition with over 70 local, national, and international galleries offering an array of original artwork from more than 1,000 artists. It begins again, with a private preview at the Metropolitan Pavilion this evening and the public opening on Thursday.

TODAY’S TOP EVENT
Elsewhere, but absolutely worth the detour:
U.S. TENNIS OPEN (Day 14)

September 5, 2015 – Roger Federer in action in a men’s singles third-round match against Philipp Kohlschreiber during the 2015 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, NY. (USTA/Pete Staples)

The U.S. Open continues play today (12PM) at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. This is the fourth and final Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year.
subway: #1-2-3 to Times Square; transfer to #7 to Willets Point. (about 45 min. from Times Square)

Today we have the real heavyweight match of the tournament that everyone has been hoping for. The top two seeds on the men’s side have looked awesome for the entire tourney and deserve to play for the championship. I’m going with the old guy Federer, for one last Grand Slam title.

For another opinion here’s Matt Cronin @ USOpen.org:
4PM / NOVAK DJOKOVIC (1) VS. ROGER FEDERER (2)
“Head to head, Federer leads 21-20 over Novak Djokovic, which is phenomenal given how many times they have played since their first meeting in 2006, and how close it has been. They have faced off against each other on hard courts, clay and grass. They have gone shot-for-shot at each other at each of the majors–including five times at the US Open.

In 2011, Djokovic won three majors and became the No. 1 man. Oh sure, Federer, Nadal and Andy Murray have been able to beat Djokovic at times, and win Slams, too, during the past five years, but really, the Serb has been more consistent. Federer did spectacularly well to win the 2012 Wimbledon title over Djokovic, but that was the last time the Swiss has beaten Djokovic at a major. And while Federer has won the most Grand Slam men’s singles ever with 17 majors, since the start of 2011, Djokovic has grabbed seven titles, so that his Slam total now stands at nine.

Federer is now 34 years old, and the fact that he is still ranked No. 2 at that age is mindboggling, given that he is going deep at the majors nearly every single time. He has been phenomenal at the 2015 US Open, barely breaking a sweat. He may not be serving 140 mph, but he has been untouchable. His famous forehand has been dominating crosscourt, his slice backhand has been wicked, and when he charges the net, he almost never misses a volley.

But Djokovic also has been dazzling, crushing the 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic in the semis as Federer was taking down Stan Wawrinka. Both men say that they know exactly how to play each other, and perhaps they do, but on court, in the match, they still have to decide what shots will employ. Federer’s forehand is better going crosscourt, and Djokovic’s backhand is also better going crosscourt. Federer is more competent at the net, but Djokovic is faster. Federer likes to twist his serves right on the line, while Djokovic loves to hammer the serve on the T. When they begin to play, they will find out quickly who is going where and will try to adjust accordingly.

But even if Federer continues to play great, and can tell which way Djokovic is going, I just cannot see the Swiss knocking down the Serb on hard courts at the US Open. Two months ago in the Wimbledon final, Federer played fantastic, grabbing the second set 7-6. The whole world was cheering, it was one set all, and now it looked like he would zone. But no, Novak got better and better and won in four. And that is what will happen on Sunday in the 2015 US Open final: Federer will be a heck of a lot of fun to watch, but in the end, the better player, Djokovic, will win in four sets.”

Get to the Tennis Center early (12 PM) for the Women’s Doubles Final and the Boys and Girls Juniors Single championships. Always worth your time.

Bonus – Jazz Picks:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:
Greenwich Village:
Village Vanguard – 178 7th Ave. South — villagevanguard.com / 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St., nr 6th ave. — bluenotejazz.com / 212-475-8592
55 Bar – 55 Christopher St., nr 7th ave.S. — 55bar.com / 212-929-9883
Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9 ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway, nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662
Special Mention:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St., nr Bleecker St. — caffevivaldi.com / 212-691-7538
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprises with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It’s my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.

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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, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 56 million visitors last year and is TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2015.  Quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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A PremierPub / Midtown West.

Russian Vodka Room / 265 W 52nd St (btw 7th/8th ave)

Sure, you could travel to Minsk or even Brighton Beach, for an authentic Russian experience, but why bother. On those days when you feel you must wash down your dish of kasha with a few glasses of icy, cold vodka, the Russian Vodka Room will definitely satisfy your urge.

From the outside this place looks a bit drab, and with no windows, a bit mysterious. Midtown tourists walk right by on their way to see “Jersey Boys,” just down the block.

Those in the know enter a secret hideaway, a dimly lit front room with soft jazz playing – a perfect spot for an illicit late-night rendezvous, or maybe a meet-up with your Russian spy handler, but that’s later in the evening. Early in the evening the large U-shaped bar fills with the after work happy hour crowd, a group made very happy by the much reduced prices.

Their website says: “Welcome Comrades”. Of course, this welcome focuses on dozens of different vodkas, including their own special infusions, which marinate in giant, clear glass jugs visible around the room. The large vodka martinis ensure that you won’t confuse this place with your mother’s Russian Tea Room.

But man does not live by vodka alone. Eat some food, especially the tapa like appetizers. Be decadent and try the cheese blintzes with chocolate, or try a main dish like beef stroganoff with kasha.

Your best bet is to go on a night when the piano man is playing. This guy, who looks like he has eaten a lot of those cheese blintzes, plays five nights a week from 7 to 12 (no Mondays and Thursdays). When the piano man is playing American pop tunes, and you are at the crowded, dimly lit bar testing the horseradish infused vodka, that’s when the RVR shines.

It’s the kind of place where the noise gets louder and the crowd gets happier as the happy hour goes on. I’m generally a beer guy, but I like to come here with a group of friends. We find a table in the back room near the piano man; we eat, and we drink vodka ‘till it hurts (and it will hurt).

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Website: http://www.russianvodkaroom.com/
Phone #: 212-307-5835
Hours: 4pm-2am; Fri-Sun closes 4am (that could be trouble)
Happy Hour: 4-7pm every day
$4 shots infused vodka (2oz), $5 cosmos; $4 czech draft beer
Music: FR-SU; TU-WE / 7pm-12am
Subway: #1 to 50th St.
Walk 2 blk N. on B’way to 52nd St.; 1 blk W. to RVR
Confusingly, the Russian Samovar is right across the street, on the S. side of 52nd St.
The RVR, your destination, is on the N. side of 52nd St.
Update: music now includes a sax player with a younger, trimmer piano man. “tiny” we miss you.

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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.