A few little known facts about the Village Vanguard, New York’s oldest jazz club [photo above of Deborah Gordon, current owner of the club, daughter of the original owners, Max and Lorraine Gordon]:
The Vanguard wasn’t Max Gordon’s first club in the city. The Village Fair Coffee House on Sullivan Street opened in 1932 as a place to read poems. It closed a year later.
Next came space at 1 Charles Street. It nearly was called the Village Underground.
The name that all agreed on—the Village Vanguard—was suggested by Harry Simon, an electrician and jack-of-all-trades.
This version of the club opened on Feb. 26, 1934 and featured Village poets.
The original seats were small barrels, with large barrels used for tables.
Running afoul of city ordinances, Gordon had to run a gauntlet of issues before deciding to move the club to a new location.
Gordon reflected on that decision: “I knew if I was going to get anywhere in the nightclub business, I’d have to find another place with two johns, two exits, 200 feet away from a church or synagogue or school, and with the rent under $100 a month.”
He found basement space at 178 Seventh Ave. South, a former speakeasy shaped like an isoceles triangle.
Gordon originally wanted it to be a “quiet, gentle place.” The bohemian club first featured poetry readings, then comedians.
Jazz wasn’t regularly featured at the club until 1957.
On November 3, 1957, Sonny Rollins was recorded by Blue Note for the landmark live album A Night at the Village Vanguard. It was the club’s first live commercial recording.
These are just samplings of the many fascinating facts you’ll discover about the club’s evolution and staying-power in the new book Last of the Jazz Joints; An Incomplete History of the Village Vanguard. The lavish and handsome new coffee-table entry by Deborah Gordon, daughter of Max and Lorraine, who ran the club after Max’s death in 1989 until her own passing in 2018, is a treasure. Deborah today operates the storied club.
The 348-page book is co-authored by Jed Eisenman and Eric Allen and features a red cover that can only be called Vanguard cherry-burgundy. It’s highly organized, beautifully written and loaded with photos and memorabilia.
My three favorite personal Vanguard experiences:
Staying for all three sets of the Red Garland Trio in the winter of 1978, speaking with Red after and telling him my favorite recording of his was You Better Go Now from his Rojo album for Prestige in 1958. He then said, “Wow, right. I totally forgot about that one.” His next album, Feelin’ Red, recorded in May of that year, included a new rendition of the song.
Staying for all sets of the Bill Evans Trio in June 1980, seated at the last table on the left closest to the bandstand, which placed me right behind Evans at the piano.
Interviewing Tony Bennett at the club about 10 years ago while sitting opposite each other in directors’ chairs for a Dutch documentary. I’m still not sure if that film was ever released.
The new book is ideal for reading in front of the fireplace while you listen to live albums recorded at the Vanguard. This one should be on everyone’s list for the holidays. To buy, go here.
Here are 10 great tracks recorded at the Vanguard:
Here’s Sonny playing I’ve Got You Under My Skin from A Night at the Village Vanguard in November 1957…
Here’s the Kenny Burrell Trio in September 1959 on A Night at the Vanguard playing Will You Still Be Mine…
Here’s Gerry Mulligan & the Concert Band at the Vanguard in December 1960 playing Johnny Mandel’s Black Nightgown…
Here’s the Junior Mance Trio from the Junior Mance Trio at the Village Vanguard, recorded in February 1961…
Here’s the Bill Evans Trio playing Detour Ahead in June 1961…
Here’s John Coltrane playing Chasin’ the Trane from At the Village Vanguard in November 1961…
Here’s the Dizzy Gillespie Sextet at the Vanguard playing Tour de Force in October 1967…
Here’s the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra playing Bob Brookmeyer’s Samba Con Getchu, recorded in 1967…
Here’s Woody Shaw playing Escape Velocity from Stepping Stones: Live at the Village Vanguard in August 1978…
And here’s the Bill Evans Trio playing Emily from the box set Turn Out the Stars recorded in June 1980, three months before Evans’s death…