NYC jazz notes (11)

The Ear Inn dates from 1817. It's a bit of a trek to get to the pub, as Jon-Erik Kellso said, it's 'way west', near to the Holland Tunnel by the Hudson. As NYC watering holes go, it's a proper pub. For the last seventeen years Kellso's Earregulars have maintained a Sunday evening residency at 326 Spring Street.

This Sunday evening found Kellso working in the company of Scott Robinson, Chris Flory and Tal Ronen. The place was busy; jazz aficionados, barflies, punters on a NYC weekend pub crawl and a fair few diners. 

Our musicians set up in a space measuring little more than 3m x 2m, in other words, a typical pub gig! All seated, bar bassist Ronen, guitarist Flory tucked away behind (by choice?), never in the spotlight, Robinson with his usual, bewildering collection of (often unusual) instruments. In amongst his plumber's bag, a 'normaphone'! A normaphone has been described as a valve trombone masquerading as a saxophone.*

A gentle, largely unobtrusive hubbub as background, Kellso and co were as relaxed as could be, choosing numbers to play as they went along, from Way Down Yonder in New Orleans to I Double Dare You, You're Driving Me Crazy to After You've Gone. Top class musicians in a most informal setting, the Ear Inn more than lived up to its reputation. If you find yourself in NYC, be sure to call in on a Sunday evening to listen to Jon-Erik Kellso and a week-to-week changing cast of some of the Big Apple's finest musicians.        

* Perhaps John Hallam (that's Tyneside's J. Hallam) has a normaphone in his extensive collection of weird and wonderful instruments... Russell