Photo by myself on the subway platform at 34th Street, Herald Square.
Subway riders were greeted, Thursday morning, to a scrappy duo playing the accordian and trumpet.
Related posts: String Duet, Below Brooklyn, Jazz Players, on the Subway Platform, and The Morning Serenade.
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Friday, February 7, 2014
On the Platform, at 34th Street
Friday, August 16, 2013
Accordions Around the World, in Bryant Park
Photo by myself in Bryant Park, in Midtown.
Throughout this summer, Bryant Park has hosted special evenings with 'Accordions around the World'. The night I was there, I think there were thirteen accordion players scattered around the park.
Every Thursday evening, you can hear accordions playing every sort of tune. Accordion players from Norway, New Zealand, Brazil, Japan...you name it. Playing gypsy music, jazz, klezmer tunes...and so on!
There are two more Thursday nights to the summer left. For a description of this event on the Bryant Park website, click here.
Happy Friday, everyone!
Related posts: Animal Hats for Sale, All Wrapped Up, in Soho, and Fashionista, Midtown.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
On the Subway Platform, Below Atlantic/Pacific Streets, Brooklyn
Photo by myself on the Atlantic/Pacific Street subway platform, in Brooklyn.
Often, commuters on their way home to Brooklyn will hear the ambient sounds of modern music, played on the xylophone. The effect is a bit surreal.
The station at Atlantic and Pacific Streets is a major one, with several train lines passing though. The Barclays Center is just above, a large performance space and home of the Brooklyn Nets and New York Islanders.
Related posts: String Duet, Below Brooklyn, Commuting in the Hood, on the Atlantic/Pacific Platform, and Wednesday Morning, Below Brooklyn.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
A Brief Glimpse of Woodstock, New York
Photo by myself, in Woodstock, New York.
The main streets of the lovely little town of Woodstock, New York, are lined with wood guitars, each one with a distinct personality. Some are decorated with childrens' wood blocks, buttons or graphics. I liked the one above the most, with its artistic collage.
We thought that further north would be a good escape from the summer heat for a few days, but NO. It is just as hot and humid, with temperatures hovering around 90F. Fortunately, there are many little streams and lakes in Woodstock, which are perfect for humans and dogs to cool off.
People have been very laid back and friendly. Like typical city slickers, we completely forgot that things close earlier outside the city (!) and were almost stuck on July 4th without dinner.
A photo of one of the main streets, lined with little shops and restaurants.
Outside The Old Forge, one of the many antiques stores, which sells all sorts of music and psychedelic memorabilia.
A cardboard cut out of Jimmi Hendrix standing with his drummer, Mitch Mitchell. The town's main street is in the background, beyond.
The above photos were taken with my iphone. We'll be heading back to Brooklyn on Monday.
Happy weekend, everyone!
Related posts: A Last Look at Beijing, China, The Hotel Shangri-La, in Santa Monica, and Highlights from Japan, Part Two.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Stopped Mid-Song, on the Subway Platform
Photo by myself, on the subway platform at Times Square.
A musician caught me red-handed, taking his photo. He had been playing a keyboard and singing a jazzy tune into a microphone.
All was well a split second later, after I gave him a dollar donation.
Whether it's below Columbus Circle, Herald Square or Times Square, the platforms look very similar - there is quarry tile on the floor, some signage showing which trains stop at the platform, and a yellow stripe along the edge, with warning bumps.
All the support columns have large rivets and are painted green. There are signs showing the station name.
If you're in the city long enough, you start noticing some subtle differences among the stations. The art is unique to each station. Some stations have very wide platforms, with benches or newsstands in the middle. Other stations have platforms that seem dangerously narrow, especially at rush hour.
Times Square is a large station with many train lines. The station is a maze of tunnels, ramps and walkways. If you know where you're going it's pretty simple but it can be confusing for the first-time visitor.
Related posts: Jazz Players, on the Subway Platform, String Duet, Below Brooklyn, and The Morning Serenade. Read more...
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Serenade, Below 59th Street
Photo by myself, below 59th Street, Columbus Circle.
A musician serenaded the subway platform, Tuesday night.
Sitting on a suitcase, with his guitar plugged into an amp, the singer also used his left foot to operate a drum. A one-man band!
Related posts: Drum Circle, in Tompkins Square Park, Busking, Below Union Square, and Folk Singers, in the Village.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
6:24pm, Below Times Square
Photo by myself, on the Times Square subway platform.
A man played a steel drum at the Times Square subway stop, Tuesday night. It made for a lot of clanging. Meanwhile, trains were pulling up and the announcers were making their announcements.
As usual, there were tons of people about. If you live long enough in New York, you know exactly where along the platform to stand, so you're next to the exit at your destination.
I am working on a fancy kitchen in a townhouse, two condo apartments being merged into one giant apartment, a tiny baby's room, and a duplex on Fifth Avenue. And I am helping a coworker with her project on Park Avenue. And a neighbor just asked me to help her with her plans to open a day care (!!!).
I'm usually at work until late but I had a meeting on Tuesday. Rush hour is something you want to avoid in the city. Just getting into a subway car can be a hassle.
Related posts: Strumming a Tune, Below Ground, Busking, Below Union Square, and The Morning Serenade. Read more...
Monday, January 14, 2013
Trumpet Solo, on the Ride to Brooklyn
Photo by myself, on the subway ride home.
A man played the trumpet for donations, the other night. On a strap hung a boombox that played background music.
As you can see, it hasn't been super duper cold here. Usually January is frigid. Temps have been fluctuating in the high 40s and low 50s (!).
Happy Monday, everyone!
Related posts: Jazz Players on the Subway Platform, Doo Wop, on Friday Morning, and Morning Serenade.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Intermission, at Carnegie Hall
Photo by myself in Carnegie Hall.
The stage was cleared for intermission at Carnegie Hall, Sunday afternoon. All that was left were the chairs and a double bass.
The interior of the concert hall is elaborately ornamented with certain parts painted gold. There are tiers upon tiers of seats. Unfortunately the exterior is undergoing restoration right now, so it's covered with scaffolding.
I attended a concert at Carnegie Hall this weekend by the New York Youth Symphony Orchestra. They did a terrific job, playing works by Shostakovich, Maurer, Zucker and Dvorak.
The orchestra has been dubbed the finest youth orchestra in the States. Performers range in age from 12 to 22, and the performance level is very high. The entire hall was filled for the concert.
2012 marks the orchestra's 50th anniversary season. For more about the New York Youth Symphony Orchestra, see their website here.
Related posts: A Dashing Performance, Below Ground, Playing Pianos as Public Art, and The United Palace Theater, in Washington Heights.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Bang on a Can, Below West 4th Street
Photo by myself at the West 4th subway platform.
The other night I was standing on the platform at West 4th Street, when my ears pricked up at this incredible sound. What I heard was something between a thunder and a rumble.
Two bucket drummers were riffing, without a care in the world. Different plastic drums, the kind used to store soy sauce and building supplies, made a whole range of tones.
When I got home, I showed my fiance Mark my photos. He said immediately, 'That's Larry the Busker!'
A quick look online made me a bit speechless - Larry was the first to use five-gallon plastic buckets as drums on the street. He's been drumming since the age of five. He even has his own Wiki page.
Nothing is off limits as part of the 'drum set'. Larry moved seamlessly between banging on the buckets, the ground, and the subway structure next to him. He uses his feet to manipulate another bucket, while twirling the batons in the air, no less.
Larry and his wife Sonia were in a world of their own, and didn't seem to even communicate while performing. I was lucky enough to find a video of them performing in the exact same spot (!).
A short movie made about Larry when he was 15.
Related posts: Early Snowfall in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, Even More Snow, in Central Park, and Fresh Snow, at the New York Public Library.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Baby Grand, in Washington Square Park
Photo by myself in Washington Square Park.
A pianist performed outdoors in Washington Square Park.
This was on a Sunday, and people were enjoying the weather. I don't recall what the pianist was playing, perhaps Chopin?
I never know what I will encounter in Washington Square Park. For whatever reason, it seems this is the location for music. Sometimes there will be a small jazz band. I've seen upright pianos, too.
Mark has been going through some health issues, and I came down with a cold. No fun. Plus, we're going through some dreary weather here.
The other day the police arrested a young man who was planning to bomb the Federal Reserve Bank. I don't think he got beyond the planning stages, but it was a startling announcement, coming on a typical day like any other.
Happy Friday, everyone!
Related posts: On Outdoor Piano Recitals and a Visitor's Point of View, Playing Pianos as Public Art, and Father and Son Serenade. Read more...
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Playing the Zither, Below Times Square
Photo by myself on the Times Square subway platform.
A woman performed what looks to be a Chinese zither on the subway platform. In her hands were tiny mallets that she used to hit the strings.
Related posts: Pulling Strings on the Subway Platform, Duet, on the 59th Street Platform, and The Morning Serenade.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Drum Circle, in Tompkins Square Park
Photo by myself, in Tompkins Square Park in Alphabet City.
A drum circle of sorts took place on some benches in Tompkins Square Park, Sunday afternoon.
You could hear the sound of drums across the park. A moment later, another musician joined in on the wood block, standing in front of all the conga drummers. Everyone was out and about, enjoying the vibe and park air.
We had a lovely weekend, after a string of insanely hot days.
Happy Monday, everyone!
Related posts: The Sound of Drums, in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, On Drums and the Brooklyn Bunny, and Swinging to the Welf Dorr Group, at 34th Street.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Hurdy Gurdy Player, in Union Square
Photo by myself in Union Square.
A fellow named Davin sang along to an instrument called a hurdy gurdy in Union Square, Thursday evening. I'd never seen one of these before, though wikipedia says they are common in European folk music.
A crank on the bottom of the instrument turns a wooden wheel, which rubs against six strings. The result sounds like a nasally, stringed version of the bagpipes. Meanwhile, the player presses keys with the other hand to change the pitch.
At one point, Davin rubbed the wheel with a square of rosin, the same stuff that violinists use on their bows. The rosin maintains the friction between the wheel and the strings, which creates the nasally sound.
I managed to speak with Davin for just a minute, between songs. He said he fell in love with the instrument after hearing it by sheer accident. When I got home, a quick search on youtube shows Davin playing in the same area just last night (!).
Related posts: The Morning Serenade, Young Man, on the Subway Platform, and The King of Song, Below Ground.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Strumming a Tune, Below Ground
Photo by myself, on the R train.
A singer toting a guitar sang on the R train in Brooklyn, Tuesday night.
He was super cheerful, inviting passengers to join in. Not many folks were daring enough to join in, but the tired mood of the subway went up a few notches. How could it not?
Related posts: The King of Song, Below Ground, Singer and Sax, Below Ground, and Singing for Supper, in Washington Square Park.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Duet, on the 59th Street Platform
Photo by myself at the 59th Street subway station.
A violinist and a cellist performed together on the Columbus Circle subway platform, the other night.
Playing entirely by ear (the sheet music in front of the cellist was just for show), this pair performed the Beethoven Violin Concerto and various movements of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. The violinist had dreadlocks and the cellist had his hair up in a ponytail.
Most people haven't heard classical music played live. These photos were taken during a lull, but a few minutes later, a good-sized crowd stood around, utterly entranced.
Related posts: On a Musical Interlude and the NYT Hawk Cam, On Street Music and the Polar Bear Swim, and Serenade, in Tompkins Square Park.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Outside the Music Inn, in the West Village
Photo by myself on West 4th and Jones Streets, in the West Village.
For those with an interest for esoteric instruments from all over the world, the Music Inn would be heaven for you. For those with a touch of claustrophobia, on the other hand...
If you're on the market for a semsemia (an Egyptian harp with metal strings), mridangam (a South Indian drum made from a jackfruit tree) or a ransingha (a curved copper trumpet from India), this is the place for you.
The store opened some 40 years ago. They repair instruments too, and have a collection of records and comics in the basement. Unfortunately, I didn't get to step inside, since I was on my way to an appointment.
You can check out the huge assortment of instruments on the Music Inn website, here.
Related posts: Living in Style, in Williamsburg, Shopping on St. Mark's Place, and Shopping til Dropping, on Canal Street.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Outside the Blue Note, in the Village
Photo by myself on West 3rd Street and Sixth Avenue, in the Village.
A photo from the stash.
The Blue Note is a club for live jazz that has been open since the early 1980's. Nearly all the world's jazz greats have performed there at some time or other. I have never been inside, but the online reviews seem very good.
These folks must have gone to one the Sunday jazz brunch performances, which are held every Sunday at 12:30 and 2:30. You can just make out that the front canopy is in the shape of a grand piano.
To check out the online schedule of events, check out the Blue Note site, here.
Related posts: Bright Lights, at the Beacon Theater, Twinkly Lights, at the Breslin, and The Royalton, Renovated.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Jazz Players, on the Subway Platform
Photo by myself on the L train platform, at Union Square.
A group of musicians performed some squirrely jazz to commuters, Wednesday night.
The platform for the L train is usually packed with young people going to and fro between Manhattan and Williamsburg. I went there with the intent to take photos of the kids waiting for the train.
I felt strangely conspicuous, though, perhaps because the platform is relatively narrow. The inbound trains stop along one side of the platform, and the outbound trains stop along the other side. There are no other platforms of people to look at, that is, few distractions to occupy people. I found it easier to take a photo of the musicians.
Related posts: Father and Son Serenade, On Street Music and the Polar Bear Swim, and The King of Song, Below Ground.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
A Costumed Serenade, at 59th Street Columbus Circle
Photo by myself, below 59th Street.
Everyone has a schtick these days.
This three-piece ragtime band features a pink gorilla playing a string bass. A fellow in a dog suit and his young friend played the xylophone, at the 59th Street subway station.
From their website, it looks like they have been around for a little while. I saw them for the first time Tuesday night. Their suitcase was half full with donations.
This group calls itself 'Xylopholks'. They've been written up in the New York Times and Village Voice. Other band members include a giant frog, giant chicken and the cookie monster, who must have had the night off.
Here's a super authentic self-produced video of their tour through around New York, haha:
Related posts: What's Hoppin' in Park Slope, Brooklyn, Man of Steel, Hawkin' Stuff, and All Abuzz About a Bee, in Union Square.
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