I predict we'll soon be using the letters BP to broadly indicate a period in time that has past. During that period, the world stood a little closer, hugged a little more and did things like shake hands and share sodas. In 2019 BP (before the pandemic), there was a little place in Harlem where you could go to hear jazz with no cover or minimum. You just paid for drinks and food while you dug the regular jazz musicians.
The space was a community room in the basement of an American Legion post on 248 W. 132nd St. It struggled to remain active after the 2017 death of its founder, organist Seleno Clarke. And then the pandemic struck in 2020 and the space closed. It re-opened briefly about six months ago, but had to shut again. From what I hear, there are plans to re-open as soon as possible. [Photo above of David Lee Jones]
In 2019, director David N. Drake (above) filmed a short, 13-minute documentary on the space called Post 398. He was joined by producer Alec Liu, executive producer Sharukh Shaw, cinematographer Evelyn Lindberg, editor Ian Drake, sound designer Jack Brady Spelman and digital imaging technician Walter Chang.
I never made it up to the Post, but I spent a good portion of the 1980s at places like it—Barry Harris's Jazz Cultural Theater on 8th Ave., Rashid Ali's Ali's Alley in pre-boutique SoHo, the Jazz Forum loft in Cooper Square and others. Such clubs like the Post are vitally important in New York. They are exciting turn-ons to those just coming to jazz and for those looking to feel the art and camaraderie of jazz without the pressure of a stiff pending tab.
Here's David N. Drake's Post 398...
And here's late organist Seleno Clarke at the Post in 2010 with guitarist Jason Campbell (JC)...
