by James Wyllie
But what drew swing-era giants like Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Coleman Hawkins and Lester ‘Prez’ Young to Minton’s was the presence of CHARLIE CHRISTIAN on guitar: the most precocious axeman of his generation, he’d cut his teeth in the brilliant small groups of Basie and Goodman, and pioneered a new approach to his instrument which anticipated rock’n’roll – though, sadly, this hard-partying cat was hospitalized with TB in 1941 and passed away not long after.
MONROE’S UPTOWN HOUSE
Known as THE PIRATE’S DEN, Monroe’s is the go-to place for an after-hours jam, and is located at 198 West 134th Street in a dingy cellar-like basement – appropriately enough given its underground reputation. It is run by CLARK MONROE, a dedicated jazz head who inherited the club from the gangster Barron Wilkins after he was gunned down by a pimp called Charleston.
THE TRIP
You will arrive at 3.45pm on Sunday 15 February 1942 on the CORNER OF 125TH STREET AND 7TH AVENUE amidst the crowds of Harlemites gathered for their Sunday promenade, strutting their stuff and dressed to impress. For the duration, you will be based on 7th Avenue, the broadest boulevard in HARLEM, covering 23 blocks and referred to as Black Broadway or The Great Black Way. Most of the places you visit will be along here or within walking distance on Lenox Avenue, which runs parallel to 7th and almost matches it for length (21 blocks) and reputation: Langston Hughes, that fine Harlem Renaissance writer, dubbed it The Heartbeat of Harlem, and it inspired his poem ‘Midnight On The Legendary Street’.
To overcome the COLOUR BAR that runs through American society, and to ensure that you can enjoy your trip (whatever your ethnicity) without encountering any hassles, you will assume the identity of a French aristocrat. As a fugitive from Nazi Europe you have been travelling the continent before reaching the Big Apple. Your English is passable but not fluent. You love jazz.
Ever since that amazing performer Josephine Baker (The Black Pearl) hypnotised Paris in 1925, jazzmen have been big stars in France; revered as great artists and, most importantly, treated like human beings. For decades to come, the city will offer them a place of refuge. As a result, the tight-knit jazz community will welcome you with open arms. At the same time, being a member of the European aristocracy will ease your entrée into New York’s highlife (the VIP PACKAGE).
SUNDAY 15 FEBRUARY
Right in front of your arrival point is the HOTEL THERESA, the most upscale, exclusive hotel in Harlem – a very tall white building with Gothic features that takes up a whole block. Owned by Walter Scott, it is a magnet for the big names in entertainment – you might meet Duke Ellington in the elevator – plus business tycoons and politicians. Permanent residents, paying $8 a week to rent a room, include NAT KING COLE, the bandleader JIMMIE LUNCEFORD and pop sensations THE INK SPOTS.
As you approach the marquee entrance, you will notice taxis and limos disgorging guests, many from Chicago and Detroit, carrying sets of golf clubs – the ultimate status symbol – and wearing riding gear – the latest fashion for those keen to flaunt their wealth. You will go through the double doors into the wide foyer and lighted lobby with its green and beige floral wallpaper, and stroll past glistening mirrors towards the Registration Desk, manned by the slender, golden-brown Eloise Scott. Seated just behind her is Miss Mattye Jean, the college-educated switchboard operator. Adjacent to them are the elevators and three public phone booths.
Your $2-a-night room is on the first floor. Wandering the corridors, decorated by white square tiles with black stripes, you may smell the unmistakably pungent aroma of MARIJUANA, which is referred to as Reefer, Muggles, Mary Jane, or simply Tea. It is a staple of the jazz life and there exists a whole subgenre (Viper Music) of songs celebrating the mighty herb: “Gimme a Reefer”, “Reefer Man”, “Reefer Hound Blues”, “The Stuff is Here and It’s Mellow”. If you don’t come across any at the Theresa, you definitely will at Minton’s and Monroe’s. Rather than trying to score any dope yourself, which could prove hazardous, you are advised to loiter outside the clubs or out back by the kitchen exits, where much crafty toking will be taking place. Play your cards right and you will be able to drag deep on the odd joint.
By the deluxe double bed in your comfortable room, you will find a copy of Cab Calloway’s Cat-o-logue: A Hepster’s Dictionary. The veteran bandleader (his biggest hit is “Minnie the Moocher”), has put together a collection containing 200 jive (SLANG) terms, the preferred argot of the jazz world. Take a few minutes to absorb some key phrases that might come handy during your stay: hip = wise and sophisticated; blow their wigs = show great excitement; dime note = $10 bill; early black = evening; fine dinner = good-looking woman; slide your jib = talk freely.
In the wardrobe you will find three different OUTFITS. For tonight, men will wear a tuxedo with necktie, while women will slip into a sequinned evening gown and white gloves. For daytime tomorrow, both genders will be dressed more conservatively: men in a dark blue suit, women in a plain dress. For your jamming evening, men will sport zoot suits – broad shoulders, wide lapels, pinstripes and turned-up baggy trousers – and women a brightly patterned top and a pencil skirt. It’s February in New York, so men will be provided with a trench coat, women with a floor-length mink (fake).
At 4.30pm exactly, switch on the RADIO in your room; it will be pre-tuned to a local station that broadcasts a fifteen-minute performance by the new arrivals at the Savoy Ballroom. This Sunday afternoon it’s the JAY MCSHANN BAND, a hard-swinging outfit from Kansas City who have on alto sax the twenty-one- year-old CHARLIE PARKER (Yardbird or simply Bird). This is only Bird’s second visit to the Big Apple. His first saw him gain a few admirers but no paid work; he had to stay with a friend and wash dishes in a club for small change. Pretty much an unknown quantity up to this moment, the broadcast you are about to hear will turn the spotlight on him.
THE BIRD TAKES FLIGHT. CHARLIE PARKER (FAR RIGHT), PLAYING IN THE JAY MCSHANN BAND.
The Jay McShann Band will do five numbers; Bird will be the featured soloist on “Cherokee”, a fiendish tune with sixty-four bars and tricky harmonies. Bird’s improvisation – juggling the chord progressions, dancing both behind and in front of the beat, waiting patiently for exactly the right moment to unfurl blistering runs of notes – stuns everyone who hears it. Ears prick up all across New York, the Five Boroughs and beyond. His debut radio performance will draw packs of hungry jazzheads to the Savoy tonight to sample Bird in the flesh – and you will be there too.
STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY
When you are ready, leave the Theresa and walk the few blocks to the SAVOY, where queues to get in will already be forming; the cost of admission before 8pm is 60 cents, after that, 85 cents. Stepping into its spacious lobby you will be struck by its ostentatious glamour; more like a palace than a dance hall. Hanging above you is a massive cut-glass chandelier; ahead of you, a curved marble staircase. There is a roomy check-in for your coats, and carpeted and mirrored lounges to take five (try not to say ‘chill out’). Climb the staircase and enter the huge ballroom – 10,000 square feet with 4,000 capacity. This giant space is divided into two: one zone has tables and settees where you can sit, watch the action, rest weary feet and drink cheap beer; the other is for dancing.
The dense, heaving crowd includes all types of people of all ages. Such is the Savoy’s fame, you might glimpse a film star or two; Clark Gable and Greta Garbo have both been spotted here. You will notice a dozen well-built, heavy-set men in tuxedos prowling the room. They are the bouncers – ex-boxers and basketball players on $100 a night – under the command of JACK LA RUE. Troublemakers will be discreetly, but forcibly, removed. Also working the floor are the Savoy Hostesses, café au lait girls, mostly from Sugar Hill, a prosperous black neighbourhood. Their main job is to make sure everybody is having a good time. Male travellers should avoid getting too friendly, as the Hostesses can be fired for consorting with the patrons. However, if you buy a 25 cent ticket, one of them will be your dance partner for the evening.
The espec
ially sprung DANCE FLOOR, all polished maple wood and lined with coloured lights, is a thing of beauty. The main section is known as THE TRACK; 250 feet long and 50 feet wide, it can hold thousands doing much loved and imitated dances that originated on this very strip: the Jitterbug, Suzie-Q, Hucklebuck, Camel Walk, Snake Hips and the Flying Charleston, to name a few. The Track will be dominated by young African–Americans out to dazzle with their moves, demonstrate their prowess and look good with it: a local marijuana dealer, MALCOLM LITTLE (street name Detroit Red), a regular at the Savoy who would later change his name to Malcolm X, never forgot ‘the black girls in way-out silk and satin dresses, their hair done in all kinds of styles, the men sharp in their zoot suits and crazy conks’. For those who prefer a gentler pace, there is a space reserved for the Tango, Fox Trot and other classics; the top dancer here is known as The Sheik.
The most ambitious hoofers hoping to prevail in the Savoy’s hypercompetitive DANCEOFFS will congregate in the CAT’S CORNER, a 10-foot-square area to the right of the two bandstands, as will a throng of spectators, some taking side-bets on the outcome. The winners will be invited to join the 400 CLUB, allowing them to rehearse in daylight hours alongside the bands. Longevity and stylistic innovation are what counts and will separate the genuine contenders from the no-hopers. Don’t even think about stepping into the arena unless you are really hot to trot.
Also featured in the Cat’s Corner are the SAVOY LINDY-HOPPERS (from the dance the Lindy-Hop, conceived in 1927 to honour Charles Lindbergh’s maiden flight across the Atlantic), professional dancers under the control of their mentor and erstwhile agent, HERBERT ‘MAC’ WHITE, an ex-boxer who came through the bouncer’s ranks and has been in charge of the Lindy-Hoppers since 1938, recruiting fresh talent and helping to get his dancers work on movies like Hellzapoppin’ (1941). With a distinctive white streak running through his black hair, he will be hard to miss. Look out of for his star performers: FRANKIE ‘MUSCLEHEAD’ MANNING, who has a highly original technique, positioning his body at an acute angle to the floor, like a runner waiting in the blocks for the starting gun, bent low so he can execute his flying aerial leaps; the youngster AL MINNS, known as Crazy Legs because of his dazzling speed; and the indefatigable multi-contest-winner NORMA MILLER.
LINDYHOPPERS SWING-DANCING IN THE CAT’S CORNER OF THE SAVOY.
The pumping heart of it all, which keeps everything moving, is the turbo-charged music coming from the bandstands. First up is the JAY MCSHANN BAND. You will see Dizzy Gillespie – with his distinctive horn-rimmed glasses, beret and goatee, trumpet case in hand – and the inscrutable Monk amongst the coterie of musicians assembled close to the stage, all eager to catch Bird in flight. During Jay’s set, BIRD, a slight figure in a shabby, crumpled suit and sunglasses, will solo on “Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie” and “Cherokee”, his rapid fingers unleashing sizzling pyrotechnics, driving the band to ever-heavier heights.
Having left the bandstand steaming, it’s the turn of the resident outfit, the LUCKY MILLINDER ORCHESTRA, with the wonderful CLYDE HART on piano (in a few weeks Dizzy will join them, having been fired by Cab Calloway because of his onstage antics). Though they are no slouches, Lucky Millinder’s crew are out-gunned by McShann and co; once the BATTLE OF THE BANDS commences, Jay’s mob will blow them away.
AFTER-HOURS
For POST-SAVOY EATS AND DRINKS, you could do worse than BRAD-DOCK’S BAR AND GRILL, right next to the famous Apollo Theatre, situated on 7th Avenue and 125th Street; its two-for-one policy is popular with musicians and the steaks are pretty good. Club Baron is a very sophisticated and luxurious venue on 132nd and 437 Lenox; here you will be entertained by the MC Larry Steele, some up-and-coming comedians, and the talented singer ETHEL WATERS. If you fancy something a little less swish, head over to the DAN WALLI CHILI HOUSE on 7th Avenue between 139th and 140th, often host to impromptu jam sessions.
Otherwise, you can return to the Theresa, which is still very much alive and kickin’. You can get a decent meal in the restaurant and then head to the bar which is open until 2am. The manager, John Thomas, has a team of seven bartenders working under him, all male and wearing white tunics, and you can get a shot of whiskey for 75 cents. Asides from other late-night drinkers, high-rollers and city gents, you will notice a number of stunningly beautiful women loitering here, some prostitutes, others local girls hoping to land a rich husband, and a smattering of fellow European aristos. If you are not yet ready for bed after the bar closes, then head down to the lobby, where there will still be fun to be had; you may run into members of the Lucky Millinder Orchestra who are staying at the hotel.
For a more rough-and-ready, but no less jazzy scene, check out the Woodside Hotel, just round the corner from the Savoy on 7th Avenue and 141st Lenox. Many of the clientele reflect the criminal demi-monde inhabited by its owner, Love B. Woods, a slum landlord with flop houses and shabby apartments all over Harlem; you will encounter pimps, gamblers, hustlers and sassy dames. However, mixed in are the jazz fraternity: the hotel is Count Basie’s base in New York (he penned “Jumpin’ at The Woodside” in 1939) and Jay McShann’s boys are in the house. Head for the basement restaurant, where you will catch the musicians working on their chops (technique).
VIP PACKAGE: THE STORK CLUB
For a small additional fee, you will have the chance to check out New York’s most exclusive late-night venue, THE STORK CLUB on 3 East 53rd Street. Opened in 1929, the Stork Club is owned by former bootlegger SHERMAN BILLINGSLEY and attracts A-listers like CHARLIE CHAPLIN, BING CROSBY and FRANK SINATRA; literary heavyweights like ERNEST HEMINGWAY; real heavyweights like JOE LOUIS (world champion from 1937 to 1949); and major players in business and finance. Throw in presidents and the occasional royalty, and you have the full array of the East Coast elite mingling here.
A limo will pick you up outside the Savoy and whisk you across town to the club, which opens at 11am and shuts at 4am. From the street, the entrance appears fairly nondescript; an ordinary door with a narrow marquee leading to the sidewalk. The only hint of what lies inside is the fourteen-carat solid gold chain barring your way. But don’t worry; the top-hatted doorman is expecting you. Once inside, be on your best behaviour. Sherman will not hesitate to eject you if you get out of hand. Even big celebs are not immune: HUMPHREY BOGART is one high-profile victim of Sherman’s no-nonsense approach.
The Stork Club provides a variety of spaces to meet your entertainment needs; there is the tropically themed ISLAND BAR; a COCKTAIL LOUNGE; the glassed-in main DINING ROOM with a band and dancing; the CUB ROOM, a small, intimate venue; while upstairs you will find a LONER’S ROOM for singletons and the BLESSED EVENT ROOM for catered parties. By now you will have built up quite an appetite, so make your way to the dining room, where the menu offers haute cuisine with an American twist: dishes like Tournedos Baltimore (tenderloin steak with mushrooms, onions, sliced veal kidney and stewed tomatoes), Pheasant Casserole Derby, Royal Squab Knickerbocker and Aiguillette of Duckling Florida, followed by Gallic cheeses and rich desserts.
Though you may prefer wine with your meal, you’d be a fool not to try the club COCKTAILS, which are without doubt the best in New York. The barman, JULIUS CORSANI, will mix you up his own creation, the Julius Special, made with Cointreau, Jamaican rum and a twist of lime, or the house speciality, the Stork Club Cooler – gin, sugar, the juice of half an orange, shaken, strained and served with shaved ice. Other unique concoctions include the Champagne Cocktail Gloria Swanson – a pint of very dry champagne, Cognac and lemon peel; the Alexander the Great – vodka, crème de cacao, coffee liqueur and fresh cream, shaken together until ice cold; the Snow White – Southern Comfort, vodka and orange juice; or the Millionaire Cocktail – sloe gin, apricot brandy, Jamaican rum and a dash of grenadine.
At MIDNIGHT, female travellers should gather in the main dining room to participate in a Sunday night ritual. As the clock strikes twelve, masses of balloons will be released from the ceiling, New Year’s Eve style, each one containing
a RAFFLE TICKET. Only women guests are allowed to take part in this light-hearted scramble to grab a balloon and be part of the prize draw; you could win anything from a charm bracelet to a motor car (at least three of the balloons have a $100 bill inside).
At closing time, your limo will be waiting to drive you back to the Theresa for a well-earned rest.
MONDAY 16 FEBRUARY
Given the late hour you hit the sack, you may opt for a lie-in on Monday morning. However, if you are determined to cram in some sights, the familiar Manhattan landmarks await you: TIMES SQUARE, FIFTH AVENUE, CENTRAL PARK, etc. For lunch, we recommend the RAINBOW GRILL on the 65th floor of the ROCKEFELLER CENTER, with its stunning views of Midtown and the ice-skating rink down below. Opened in 1934, the Rainbow Grill’s menu contains mostly French dishes, prepared to a high standard, while more regulation American fare is available from the Cold Buffet and Hot Grill selections.
If you can’t summon the energy to venture out of Harlem, then a great spot for lunch is WELL’S CHICKEN SHACK, serving moreish waffles and fried chicken. Plus it’s a favourite hangout for musicians; you may be treated to a spontaneous solo set from the exquisite pianist TEDDY WILSON – Billie Holiday rose to prominence in his band – who likes woodsheddin’ (practising) here in the afternoon.
Having eaten, take the time to explore 7th Avenue. You will see RADICAL SPEAKERS on street corners preaching revolution, real preachers preaching the Word of God, and all manner of folks going about their daily business. Of particular interest are the BLYDEN BOOKSTORE, run by Dr Willis Huggins, and the NATIONAL BOOKSTORE, owned by Lewis H. Michaux; both stock unrivalled selections of African-American literature, history and political thought.
CELEBRITY NIGHT AT MINTON’S
Having returned to the Theresa and changed into your jazzy evening wear, head over to the Cecil Hotel, with its dark-blue awning extending over the sidewalk. Go up to the first floor, where you will find MINTON’S itself. Walking in you will see a long bar to your left, its stools occupied by big-wig politicos, penniless dancers, wannabe gangsters, and anxious aspiring jazzers hoping to sit in during the jam and leave with their reputations intact. The barman, Herman Pritchard, dispenses beer at 25 cents a glass and fine sippin’ whisky at 35 cents a pop. To your right is an extremely attractive coat-check girl, who will look after your coat and lid (hat). Passing through swing doors, you will enter the music room; on the left-hand side is the tiny bandstand about twelve inches off the ground, and an equally titchy dance floor in front of it. Behind another set of doors is the kitchen. Take a pew at one of the dozen tables, each one draped in a white tablecloth and displaying flowers in a little glass vase, and tuck into Minton’s excellent home cookin’: fried chicken, ham hocks, barbecued ribs, grits, black-eyed peas and hot biscuits.