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Anthony Flood wrote on January 13, 2009 report
Great reminiscence of Elvin Jones. On my birthday in 1974, I was working as a ticket-taker at a folk club on West Third Street, and Elvin walked in and asked me what was going on in there. I nearly fell off my stool! He chatted with me in the manner you know so well for about five minutes. What a great birthday present that was!
One quibble: I believe the entrance to Birdland was ON Broadway OFF 52nd Street, not on 52nd Street? I often pass by the so-called "gentlemen's club" that now inhabits what was a mecca of jazz. (I pass it by; I do not go inside! (:^D)) You can see Birdland's canopy rendered here
http://www.illustration-joelspector.com/images/music/birdland.jpg
, and that definitely shows a view of Broadway looking south. -- Tony Flood -
Bertil Holmgren wrote on September 18, 2010 reportI am pretty sure my recollection is right, the entrance was on W. 52nd Street. The illustration you refer to probably shows 52nd St going east and Broadway running across. Or, a 2nd possiblity, the artist did not pay attention to reality or for some reason drew a picture that would look good. Additionally, I seem to have read somewhere that the whole building was demolished at some point?
Maybe not and I might be mistaken after all these years, but my memory is so stong about it that I doubt it.
Interesting to read your comment, and I am happy for you! --Bertil Holmgren -
Anthony Flood wrote on March 27, 2013 report
Bertil, I had the pleasure of re-reading your wonderful Elvin Jones story today. As for Birdland's location, I wrote and meant "definitely," with all due respect to your claim of certitude. The album cover illustration was based on a photo by William Claxton, posted elsewhere on AAJ:
news.allaboutjazz.com/news.php?id=24223#.UVMiKRfr6Sp
A few months after your comment I blogged about the club on my (dormant) hard bop site:
tonyflood.blogspot.com/2010/12/hard-bop-mecca-birdland-1949-1965.html
The public entrance was on Broadway, just north of the building's main entrance, cheek-by-jowl (for a couple of years) to the Band Box. The building, 1674 Broadway, which stands to this day, faced the Alvin Hotel when it stood. This blog post (by someone else) on Bob Dylan's being in that area may be of interest to you. (LOTS of historical pix!)
www.popspotsnyc.com/highway61revisited/
Reference is made to the Claxton photo and its orientation.
Best, Tony
