Jazz at Pearls

I haven't done one of these posts for a while. There are a few things that I have wanted to write about; so there will be at least three or four in the next few days.

Something special happened this weekend. I came back from a trip to New York early to attend the last night of Jazz at Pearls. Jazz at Pearls is a San Francisco landmark that has the best ambiance / vibe of just about anywhere in the city. It's down the block from the Condor club, which I think is the first all nude strip club in the country. Around the corner is the Hungry I, which was a huge beatnik hangout long ago. Also near Vesuvio's (I think) and City Lights books where all the beat poets hung out in the '60's. Basically, it's a helluva neighborhood. The club itself is small and kind of dark. The stage area is pretty small. It accommodates a Piano, stand up base and drum set. The stage is next to the window. When sitting in the audience you can see into the AliBaba smoke shop across the street. Part of the fun is watching the pedestrians walk by, stop and enjoy the music for a minute before moving on. The music is usually great and sometimes special. I was pretty sad that this fantastic place was closing.

So, I got home from New York and home from the airport by about 6:30, walked/ran to the store in a mad dash, got back and cooked steaks and spinach with mushrooms (the boring kind) for me and my friend and made it to the club by 7:50. Six of my friends were there waiting for us. We got drinks and seated about a minute before Kim Nalley began. She began the night by telling us the Pearls as of yesterday was NOT closing and that she was exhausted. Apparently, some people that loved the place bought into it at the last minute to keep it open. Awesome! She managed to get a month worth of acts lined up in the previous 48 hours and kept all of the staff.

....and she sang her usual absolutely amazing show. She did some Ella Fitzgerald and a bunch of songs that I'd never heard before. This whacko at the end of our table kept singing along. When I asked her to be quiet she flipped me off. Nice. Later, someone else asked her to stop talking and she said, quite loudly, come to think of it: but, I was whispering! A few people around us asked her to be quiet at that point. I didn't care. My favorite Jazz club was staying open and that means hearing more great acts in a small venue with no reservations.

hmmm mmmm

hmmm hmmm hmmm....

Nothing like a week or two of crazed partying on a beach in the middle of Mexico to get your head back on strait.