Seymour Kushner: Setting the “Standard”

One of Seymour Kushner’s favorite jazz venues is New York City’s Jazz Standard. The Jazz Standard club is nestled in the basement of famous barbecue restaurant Blue Smoke on 27^th Street. Priding itself on its sleek and welcoming atmosphere, Jazz Standard is one of the more upscale venues in the New York City jazz scene. The club features two sets of live music every night, with an extra late night set on weekends.

While Jazz Standard is a newer venue, it quickly made a name for itself, hosting talent such as critic’s pick Mingus Big Band, Andre Previn, and others. The expansive red leather couches and lack of a drink minimum (though certainly no lack of variety), make Jazz Standard a comfortable and affordable destination when you want to liven up your evening.

Seymour Kushner: The “Vanguard” of Jazz

The Village Vanguard on 7^th Avenue in Greenwich Village has been around since 1935. This storied venue is another favored by jazz enthusiast Seymour Kushner. More than 100 live albums have been recorded at The Village Vanguard since it became an all-jazz venue in 1957. Some of the highlights of the club’s performance history include Wynton Marsalis, Bill Evans, and John Coltrane.

For decades, The Village Vanguard has been primarily a bar and performance space. The club has not served food since the 1960s, and expects patrons to be quiet during performances. The reverence that the establishment has for jazz musicians and the genre’s history are part of what makes it so appealing to aficionados like Seymour Kushner.

Seymour Kushner: Hitting a High “Note”

Another cultural landmark of Greenwich Village, the Blue Note club located on 6^th Street is another beloved venue of Seymour Kushner. Opened in 1981, the Blue Note is considered a cornerstone of the New York City jazz scene. This venue prides itself on letting guests see jazz legends in an intimate and relaxed environment. The Blue Note is credited with bringing several jazz greats such as Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughn back into the world of liver performance.

One of Blue Note’s points of pride is its bi-weekly Late Night Groove series, which offers exposure to New York City’s up-and-coming talent. Seymour Kushner knows that Blue Note is a world-class jazz venue, and it’s an essential stop in any jazz lover’s travels.