Some musings from trip to the Big Apple

Stephen Woody

The Notebook

Some people go to the beaches. Some to Vegas. Some to Europe, or elsewhere. For me, New York has always been the place that trips my trigger. And as soon as I get back from one trip, I start conniving to go again.

It was our first family vacation since Key West in ’93, way too long a gap. This year, our family vacation included Jeana Woody, son William’s spouse, her first trip to New York.

I start giving out ever-changing itineraries weeks in advance, like a daily briefing, or a battle plan to attack the city and see as much as we can.

Let’s see. Three Broadway shows, three nights of jazz, a hot dog in Central Park (they change the brine the first of every month), cheesecake from Junior’s, a pastrami sandwich at the Carnegie Deli and some museums. Daughter Ryann and I stopped into the Hello Deli to give a shout out and buy a couple of soft drinks from David Letterman’s own personal comic foil, Rupert Gee.

  • Some other highlights:

  • ‘Spam a Lot’ is two-hours plus of giggling, sight gags, witty dialogue - audience participation, too. A bona fide “hoot.”

  • The Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center is spectacular. Patrons have intimacy, marvelous acoustics, and an incomparable view -- a large window that looks out onto Columbus Circle and Central Park and forms the stage’s backdrop. The ‘Birth of Cool’ series was led and narrated by Bill Charlap, Tony Bennett’s favorite pianist and one of the top jazz pianists and arrangers today. In his 10-member group that night were guys like tenor saxman Frank Wess, cornetist Warren Vache and singer Mary Stallings.

  • A trip to NYC always includes a stop at the Blue Note, a club in the heart of the Village. You line up outside, talk jazz with other fans, and if you’re lucky, get a face-on seat up close. The night I went, it was the closing week of James Moody’s 82nd birthday party, that also featured trumpeter Clark Terry and vocalist Denise Thimes. Moody hasn’t lost a step, or breath. His humor, stage charisma and legendary talent are all in tact. “Do something about the altitude, would you?” he told me backstage afterwards, referring to Telluride, where he’s performed three times at the Telluride Jazz Celebration and wants to return. Moody’s group Sunday night also featured the great pianist Renee Rosnes.

  • We also caught Les Paul, the guitar legend, who is still getting it done at 92. He’ll stop in between songs and joke with audience, recalling stories about Frank Sinatra, or giving advice to a young Paul McCartney. Such is the breadth of his career. Stand-up comedian Jackie ‘The Joke Man’ Martling was wickedly funny and part of the bill. Les Paul even had a jazz tap dancer, a first in my book, who tap-danced to ‘Love For Sale’. Really.

  • William and I toured the New York Times on his 27th birthday Monday. We saw all the Pulitzer Prizes for investigative reporting, public service, photojournalism and more. The Times has been awarded more Pulitzers than anyone else for journalism and is the nation’s “newspaper of record.”

    We visited with the Times’ publisher, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. He graciously showed us around, including the conference room that has a dazzling view, 14 floors above midtown Manhattan. We also talked of common issues, and the Times’ rich history. It’s been in his family since 1896. When I was kid in middle school, I read and re-read the book, ‘The Printer’s Devil,’ which was about his great-grandfather, Adolph Ochs. They’ll move into a new building, across the street, come June.

    We also sat in on a Times editorial meeting. There were remarkable dynamics, which are common to the Daily Press - where to place a story, who is assigned the follow-up pieces, what photos and graphics are applicable in the reporting.

  • One change about Broadway. The opening night celebratory telegrams wishing performers well are no more. Western Union stopped delivering telegrams last year. It was common for Broadway actors to display the telegrams in dressing rooms.

    These telegrams were also known for their witty messages. Maybe the most famous is the one from playwright George Bernard Shaw inviting Winston Churchill to opening night of his latest play.

    “Bring a friend, if you have one,” Shaw wired Churchill.

    “Will attend your second night, if you have one,” Churchill wired back.

    Actress Tallulah Bankhead was noted for her risqu/ first-night telegrams. When Helen Hayes opened in the comedy ‘Happy Birthday,’ Bankhead telegraphed: “A warm hand on your opening.”

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