Poems and other words: To New York by rail

We said our goodbyes to Boston and Cape Cod and stepped onto an Amtrak train for New York.
The views along the way made the journey most enjoyable - lots of open spaces with sea/river views.

When we arrived at Penn station, New York, we went straight to using the subway.

This was the final leg of our journey - 4 nights in New York. Three of those nights included jazz gigs. On Monday we went to the Village Vanguard to hear the Big Band. This is an intimate venue. We were sitting right beside the pianist, Jim McNeely. Each member of the band was superb and it was obvious they were having fun.

John Philip Murray with Jim McNeely at the Village Vanguard

Afterwards we raced across to East village to the Nuyorican Poets Café. The open mic was in full throttle with some powerful voices. We paid the entrance fee and I put my name down to read. The atmosphere was alive with the audience clicking their fingers in support of the performer.

Nuyorican Poets Café

The formidable emcee was the actor Caridad de La Luz. She directed the event seamlessly and orchestrated a particularly warm welcome (popping their cherry) for those who were reading in public for the first time.

Bernadette Gallagher with Caridad de La Luz at the Nuyorican Poets Café

I entered with trepidation, read two poems and when I left it was with warmth and hugs.

Bernadette Gallagher after reading at the Nuyorican Poets Café

Mookie Mania, Bernadette Gallagher & John Philip Murray

outside the Nuyorican Poets Café

With a very kind friend, Fintan, we walked the Highline, marvelled at the staircase to nowhere and the construction workers dangling from steel beams on skyscrapers in the midst of creation. We visited Zabars, the grocery store that seems to have everything.

The Bloomberg building (on wheels) and the staircase to nowhere in the background.

On Tues night we went to the Zinc bar to hear Vic Juris, guitar, Jay Anderson on double bass and Adam Nussbaum, drums. Vic played a piece in tribute to Larry Coryell who we heard in the Crane Lane in 2016, shortly before he died. Larry was a lovely warm person as well as a brilliant musician. Vic played a piece he wrote for his wife and a Puerto Rican piece that I particularly enjoyed.

Vic Juris, guitar, Jay Anderson on double bass and Adam Nussbaum, drums

at Zinc

On Wed we went to Mezzrow's to hear the pianist David Torkanowsky who we heard in New Orleans. David was accompanied by Evan Christopher on clarinet. They brought the sounds of New Orleans to NY. It seems we were destined to be here on our last night and stayed for the second set.

David Torkanowsky and Evan Christopher

at Mezzrow's

Encouraged by Evan we went up the street to Smalls, a sister venue to Mezzrow's and heard Mike Karn's jazz band - Mike Karn, double bass, Harry Allen, sax, Larry Fuller, piano and Aaron Kimmel, drums. They were joined by John Pizzarelli on guitar. This was a mesmeric experience.

Aaron Kimmel

Larry Fuller, piano; John Pizzarelli, guitar and Mike Karn, double bass

John Pizzarelli, guitar; Mike Karn, double bass and Harry Allen, sax

During our stay we walked, stood, sat and held our breaths at the deep water holes where the Twin Towers once stood and ascended to a height of 102 floors to see the city from a different perspective.