Birdland (jazz club)
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Birdland is a jazz club started in New York City in 1949. The original Birdland was closed in 1965, but a revival began in 1986.
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[edit] Original Birdland
As the name implies, the original Birdland was inspired by Charlie Parker, nicknamed "Bird", who served as the headliner for the club. He is perhaps most associated with the club, but other jazz musicians also made recordings there. This includes John Coltrane's Live at Birdland, Live At Birdland (Toshiko - Mariano Quartet), and George Shearing's hit song "Lullaby of Birdland." Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Bud Powell, Stan Getz, Lester Young, and many others made appearances. The club's original concert master was a colorful character who stood under four feet tall, Pee Wee Marquette.
During its height, Birdland also became a fashionable place for celebrities, with Gary Cooper, Marilyn Monroe, Joe Louis, and others as regulars. In addition Sammy Davis, Jr. performed there at times. Despite this illustrious history, the club began to decline during the 1960s and closed in 1965.
[edit] Birdland revival
The current version of Birdland began in Uptown, Manhattan in 1986, but has since moved to Midtown Manhattan. Notable performers include Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Lee Konitz, Diana Krall, Dave Holland, Regina Carter, and Tito Puente. It is also notable as the club where Toshiko Akiyoshi's band, on December 29, 2003, played its final concert. As mentioned above she had also played at the original Birdland.
[edit] Pop culture references
Birdland was popular with many of the writers of the Beat generation. Reference to Birdland is made in Jack Kerouac's novel On The Road: "I saw him wish a well-to-do man Merry Christmas so volubly a five-spot in change for twenty was never missed. We went out and spent it in Birdland, the bob joint. Lester Young was on the stand, eternity on his huge eyelids."
The Manhattan Transfer performed a song about the club, entitled Birdland, in 1979.
