Greenwich Village Gazette

VILLAGE VANGUARD

The House Jazz Built..
by Ron Samuels

"Max Gordon has been a catalyst by which thousands upon thousands have known resoundingly memorable evenings of music and mordant comedy on his premises"- Nat Hentoff in his introduction to Max Gordon's autobiography, "Live at the Village Vanguard", 1982
 

Max Opened the doors to the Village Vanguard back in 1934 to  neighborhood poets, with readings mc'd by Eli Siegel, a philosopher who began the Aesthetic Realism teachings, that continue to this day, under the practice of many.  

Poets Joe Gould, Harry Kemp and Max Bodenheim (left) read there almost nightly. Soon enough, Folk music found a home there. Artists like Lenny Bruce, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul and Mary, Burl Ives, Leadbelly. And when Calypso rose to the forefront, a young unknown named Harry Belafonte played the Vanguard.

Twas JAZZ that made the Vanguard the Vanguard! The 50's crowd: Charlie "Bird" Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Jimmy Garrison! That's Young Miles on the right!

Adolph Green and Betty Comden started at the Vanguard back in 1938, along with actress Judy Holliday. They had a comedy repertory, much like Saturday Night Live. The Mel Lewis-Thad Jones Big Band held sway from the mid 60's, every monday.

If you are a Village native, a visitor to our fair Village, or a visitor from outer space...check out the vanguard. There's been some of the most creative energy of the last half century in that basement. I'll never forget one night my sculptor friend Neal Pace and I went to see Gato Barbieri (below right)there. Gato and his forty piece Brazilian bossa nova rhythm makers. Then there was the night Tex Allen and I went to see Gil Evans... Do yourself a favor...you'll never forget it, I assure you!

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