Birdland: The Jazz Corner of the World
by Jessica Verderame
New York City's music scene is as varied as the city itself. Genres such as folk, rock, electronica, blues, hip-hop, musical theater, and jazz are all comfortably represented in this city. However, these genres would have nowhere to thrive if it weren't for the music venues that these artists play in, and New York certainly has plenty of them. Ranging from places like Carnegie Hall where world-renowned artists play to thousands of people, to tiny, hole-in-the-wall clubs that can barely fill up each night. Right in the middle of these two is Birdland. It's a small jazz club on 44th street, but for such a small venue, it certainly holds a lot of history.
The quote describing the club as "The Jazz Corner of the World" on the front awning, and various other places it could be squeezed in throughout the club, is credited as being said by Charlie Parker. Not surprisingly, Parker an incredible jazz saxophone player whose nickname was "the Bird," served as the inspiration for the club, due to his creative genius and dedication to his music. He combined recognizable jazz influences with his own innovative technique and style to produce a style that has earned him a place among the best jazz musicians in history.
The original Birdland opened in 1949 and was located on Broadway and 52nd street, right during the height of jazz’s popularity in New York City, and Charlie Parker headlined opening night. Throughout its first 10 years, Birdland was one of New York City's biggest hotspots, with an impressive list of regular customers. Gary Cooper, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and Ava Gardner are only a few of the regulars who loved the club, and that wasn't surprising considering the musicians that Birdland featured on some of their bills. Other world famous jazz musicians aside from Parker, such as Count Basie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Dizzy Gillespie all appeared at the club. Though its popularity was incredible during the 1950s, when the popularity of rock and roll gained momentum over that of jazz, the audiences at Birdland slowly deteriorated and by 1965 the club had shut down.
This was obviously not the end of the famous club. 11 years later it reopened, far from its midtown roots. The new home of Birdland was on the corner of 105th and Broadway. This location had its successes; thousands of jazz artists graced the stage during Birdland's stint uptown, including artists who used to play in the original location. However the owner, John Valenti, didn't believe that it was the club's rightful home, "After ten successful years uptown, I felt the mystique of Birdland returning to midtown—it would be the natural continuation of the legendary jazz corner of the world."
In 1996, the new and current home of Birdland opened up on 44th between 8th and 9th avenues. The ambiance is cozy and intimate, and due to its tiered structure, it is difficult to get a bad seat. The artists vary from famous jazz musicians to local artists you may not have heard of. Some of today's biggest names in jazz have played there, including Oscar Peterson, Pat Metheny, Diana Krall, and John Scofield. Of course, a night at a place like this doesn’t come cheaply; there is a $10 drink minimum and a music charge that varies with each show. Also, unless you’re willing to spend a bit of extra money on their relatively high-priced menu (which is actually really good), you may want to eat dinner before you go.
Birdland is definitely a venue that is worth a visit for any music lover. It's the perfect place for a special occasion, an impressive date, or just a variation from a typical night out.
