Nick's

Last updated
Pee Wee Russell, Muggsy Spanier, Miff Mole, and Joe Grauso, Nick's of New York City in June 1946 Pee Wee Russell, Muggsy Spanier, Miff Mole, and Joe Grauso, Nick's (Tavern), New York, N.Y., ca. June 1946 (William P. Gottlieb 06581) (cropped).jpg
Pee Wee Russell, Muggsy Spanier, Miff Mole, and Joe Grauso, Nick's of New York City in June 1946

Nick's (Nick's Tavern) was a tavern and jazz club located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of the borough in Manhattan, New York City, [1] which peaked in popularity during the 1940s and 1950s. It was notable for its position, because most popular jazz clubs at this time were located on 52nd street. [2] Nick's, however, was placed on an unusually-shaped property [3] off the northwest corner of 10th Street and 7th Avenue.

Contents

Ernie Caceres, Bobby Hackett, Freddie Ohms, and George Wettling, Nick's of New York City between 1946 and 1948 Ernie Caceres, Bobby Hackett, Freddie Ohms, and George Wettling, Nick's (Gottlieb 03631).jpg
Ernie Caceres, Bobby Hackett, Freddie Ohms, and George Wettling, Nick's of New York City between 1946 and 1948

Many artists performed at the club including Bill Saxton (a Friday night regular), [4] Sister Rosetta Tharpe , Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Pee Wee Russell, Muggsy Spanier, Miff Mole and Joe Grauso, among others. [5] Artists like Miles Davis and John Coltrane used to visit the pub to relax after their own gigs. [6] During the early 1950s, the club was noted for its regular Phil Napoleon and The Original Memphis Five Dixieland performances. [7] Dick Hyman, a regular at the club, remembered the club's "Sizzling Steaks," a kitchen specialty, and the signature wall decor. “We used to put lit cigarettes in the mouths of the moose heads, which would drive the maitre d’s crazy,” Hyman recalled. The club had a bar which served soft drinks and alcohol. [8]

History

Nick's was founded by Nick Rongetti in 1922, after 4 failed previous attempts to open a jazz club in New York. Rongetti was known fondly for his love of Dixieland jazz, which helped the club in amassing a close ring of like-minded followers. Immediately, Dixieland music became a staple of the club's sound (so much so that The New York Times once referred to the music as "Nicksieland"). The Nick's style was also influenced by the use of improvisation, as there was no printed music and there were "no rules" when it came to improvising.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Cab Calloway (among others) at Nick's. Untitled-2 008.webp
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Cab Calloway (among others) at Nick's.

In the mid 1940s, the term "Nicksieland" became more than just a Nick's exclusive, when Miff Mole, a frequent player at the club, formed an octet called "Miff Mole and his Nicksieland Band." [9] This band consisted of members who played at Nick's frequently, including Bob Casey, Bobby Hackett, Eddie Condon, Ernie Caceres, Gene Schroeder, Joe Grauso and Pee Wee Russell. [10] They recorded multiple standards such as Peg o' my heart and At sundown.

By the late 1950s, Dixieland music had long since moved out of the public eye, as newer movements like Bebop, Hard bop and Modal jazz grew in popularity. Inevitably, Nick's gradual decline eventually brought it to collapse, and the club was finally closed on August 10th, 1963. The New York Times says, “After 27 years of making jazz history, the Greenwich Village landmark closed its doors Saturday night. With scarcely any public attention, the final chorus of ‘Tin Roof Blues’ blared out and the neon message ‘Sizzling Steaks’ went dark.”

Legacy

Nick's left a hole where the heart of New York's Dixieland jazz scene once was, but it lived on in the memories of its musicians and patrons. Nick's Tavern was the first notable jazz club to open on 7th Street and helped to spread the influence of jazz all around New York. It was purchased and replaced by another jazz club a year later "Your Father's Mustache," [11] which was eventually replaced again in 1976. Nick's helped to bring jazz to Greenwich Village where other Jazz clubs now prosper, such as The Village Vanguard [12] and Blue Note [13] .

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Nichols</span> American jazz musician

Ernest Loring "Red" Nichols was an American jazz cornetist, composer, and jazz bandleader. He was one of the most prolific and influential jazz musicians in the late 1920s and early 1930s, appearing on over 4,000 recordings. In 1959, a biopic was made of his life and career, The Five Pennies, starring Danny Kaye.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miff Mole</span> American jazz trombonist and band leader

Irving Milfred Mole known professionally as Miff Mole, was an American jazz trombonist and band leader. He is generally considered one of the greatest jazz trombonists and credited with creating "the first distinctive and influential solo jazz trombone style."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commodore Records</span> American independent record label

Commodore Records was an American independent record label known for producing Dixieland jazz and swing. It is also remembered for releasing Billie Holiday's hit "Strange Fruit".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Condon</span> American jazz musician (1905–1973)

Albert Edwin Condon was an American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and bandleader. A leading figure in Chicago jazz, he also played piano and sang. He also owned a self-named night club in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pee Wee Russell</span> American jazz clarinetist (1906–1969)

Charles Ellsworth "Pee Wee" Russell was an American jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but he eventually focused solely on clarinet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Village Vanguard</span> Jazz club in New York City

The Village Vanguard is a jazz club at Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. Originally, the club presented folk music and beat poetry, but it became primarily a jazz music venue in 1957. It has hosted many highly renowned jazz musicians since then, and today is the oldest operating jazz club in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Wilber</span> American jazz clarinetist, composer and saxophonist

Robert Sage Wilber was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and band leader. Although his scope covers a wide range of jazz, Wilber was a dedicated advocate of classic styles, working throughout his career to present traditional jazz pieces in a contemporary manner. He played with many distinguished jazz leaders in the 1950s and 1960s, including Bobby Hackett, Benny Goodman, Sidney Bechet, Jack Teagarden and Eddie Condon. In the late 1960s, he was an original member of the World's Greatest Jazz Band, and in the early 70s of Soprano Summit, a band which gained wide attention. In the late 1970s, he formed the Bechet Legacy Band.

Victor Dickenson was an American jazz trombonist. His career began in the 1920s and continued through musical partnerships with Count Basie (1940–41), Sidney Bechet (1941), and Earl Hines.

William George Maxted was an American jazz pianist.

John Sheridan was an American jazz pianist and arranger born in Columbus, Ohio, perhaps best known for his work with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernie Caceres</span> Musical artist

Ernesto Caceres was an American jazz saxophonist born in Rockport, Texas. He was a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra from 1940 to 1942.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Sbarbaro</span> American drummer

Antonio Sparbaro, known professionally as Tony Sbarbaro or Tony Spargo was an American jazz drummer associated with New Orleans jazz. He was the Original Dixieland Jazz Band drummer for over 50 years.

Richard Durant Cary was an American jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger.

Theodore Gerald Roy was an American jazz pianist.

Dixieland jazz, also referred to as traditional jazz, hot jazz, or simply Dixieland, is a style of jazz based on the music that developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century. The 1917 recordings by the Original Dixieland Jass Band fostered awareness of this new style of music.

Jimmy Ryan's was a jazz club in New York City, USA, located at 53 West 52nd Street from 1934 to 1962 and 154 West 54th Street from 1962–1983. It was a venue for performances of Dixieland jazz.

Harry Blons(néHarry Raymond Yblonski; 29 November 1911 Saint Paul, Minnesota — 20 July 1987 Minneapolis, Minnesota) was an American jazz clarinetist from Minnesota. He performed with the touring groups of Hal McIntyre, Red Nichols, and Red Dougherty. He had performed with jazz combos in Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clarinet Marmalade</span>

Clarinet Marmalade, later Clarinet Marmalade Blues, is a 1918 dixieland jazz standard composed by Larry Shields and Henry Ragas of the Original Dixieland Jass Band. It is played in the key of F major. It was recorded by Fletcher Henderson in 1926 and Frankie Trumbauer in 1927.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jazz trombone</span> Role of the trombone in jazz music

The trombone is a musical instrument from the brass instrument family. Trombone's first premiere in jazz was with Dixieland jazz as a supporting role within the Dixie Group. This role later grew into the spotlight as players such as J.J. Johnson and Jack Teagarden began to experiment more with the instrument, finding that it can fill in roles along with the saxophone and trumpet in bebop. The trombone has since grown to be featured in standard big band group setups with 3 to 5 trombones depending on the arrangement. A person who plays the trombone is called a trombone player or a trombonist.

Robert Hanley Casey was an American jazz double-bassist.

References

  1. ↑ "Riverwalk Jazz - Stanford University Libraries". rwj-a.stanford.edu. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  2. ↑ "52nd Street – New York's Hippest Street of All | Postcard History". 2022-07-28. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  3. ↑ Walsh, Kevin (1999-09-27). "GREENWICH VILLAGE STREET NECROLOGY". Forgotten New York. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  4. ↑ Silverman, Brian (4 September 2007). Frommer's New York City 2008. John Wiley & Sons. p. 366. ISBN   978-0-470-14439-8.
  5. ↑ Brinkofski, Elizabeth Dodd (1 July 2013). New York City Jazz. Arcadia Publishing. p. 53. ISBN   978-0-7385-9914-4.
  6. ↑ Carroll, Myka (18 October 2012). New York City For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. p. 271. ISBN   978-1-118-49540-7.
  7. ↑ "Phil Napoleon". Redhotjazz.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  8. ↑ Whittaker, Katie (2015-12-25). "Nick's Tavern, the Jazz Joint That Went Down Swinging". Bedford + Bowery. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  9. ↑ "Irving "Miff" Mole (1898-1961) - The Syncopated Times". 2020-09-28. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  10. ↑ "Miff Mole and his World Jam Session Band". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  11. ↑ "Stories From Nick's: Joel Schiavone | riverwalkjazz.stanford.edu". riverwalkjazz.stanford.edu. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  12. ↑ "Front Page". Village Vanguard. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  13. ↑ "About". Blue Note New York. Retrieved 2024-09-13.

40°44′3.9″N74°00′9.5″W / 40.734417°N 74.002639°W / 40.734417; -74.002639

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.