Saw the movie La La Land a few weeks back. Although I usually don't go for musicals, I really liked it. One of the reasons I liked it is because it brought Jazz back into the mainstream consciousness, at least for a few months. It showed the problem of how there are few venues left where you can find and enjoy true classic jazz.
So I was happy to read today that one of the legendary old jazz clubs in New York is re-opening for business later this year. Minton's in Harlem was was one of the great spots to hear some of the legends of be-bop and hard bop back in the day. Some say be-bop was invented there. Everybody played there. Monk, Diz, Bird, Charlie Christian, Duke, Louis, Ella, Billie, Benny, The Hawk, Prez, Ben Webster, Sarah Vaughan, Eck, Erroll, Krupa, Miles, Art (Tatum and Blakey) and tons more jammed there. The pic above shows Thelonious Monk, Howard McGhee, Roy Eldridge and Teddy Hill hanging out in front of Minton's in 1947. Now, seventy years later, the place will hop again.
Anytime a jazz joint opens, that's reason to celebrate...but especially when a legendary place like Minton's comes back on the scene.
