Seller Description:
Big Apple Jazz Tours founder Gordon Polatnick, is a life-long jazz fan who transformed this passion into a career which includes stints as a jazz journalist, artist manager, Harlem jazz club owner, jazz webhost, underground jazz festival producer and for the past 12 years jazz tour guide. He was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the Harlem Arts Alliance.
"This tour, hosted by New York jazz expert Gordon Polatnick, is the real deal for jazz buffs." ~ Brian Silverman, Frommer's New York City 2009 & New York City For Dummies
Big Apple Jazz has been featured in major TV, Radio, Newpaper, and Magazines around the world such as: New York Times; NBC-TV; NY1 NEWS TV; London Times (UK); All About Jazz; New York; Associated Press; NYC-TV show: $9.99; NY Daily News; and Live Door News.
“Gordon, Thanks a million for the fabulous Harlem jazz experience you mastered so wonderfully! I wish all my colleagues from the UN could hear your charming stories and insights, or the fantastic jam sessions you gave us the chance to enjoy in some cool clubs. My stay in New York would have been much poorer without this tour! Thanks for opening my eyes to the places where I can have the most authentic and thrilling jazz experiences!!! I’ll be back!” ~ Ambassador Simona Miculescu, Permanent Representative of Romania to the UN
Activity Description
If you’ve ever been curious about what’s really going on in Harlem after dark, this is the tour for you!
Your jazz guide knows all the hottest and most intimate hidden juke joints and will share the insider’s view with you. There will be at least two live music clubs visited, sometimes three.
To get the authentic feel for the neighborhood, this is a subway, taxi, walking and/or MTA bus tour that is limited to the first 8 people to sign up (exceptions can sometimes be made).
Your jazz guide will be checking around to put together the best tour for each given night, based on the talent performing that night in Harlem's best clubs --among them:
The renown “Birthplace of Bebop”
A Sugar Hill dive bar that dates back to the 20’s
A hoofers club
A Hammond B3 organ lounge from the 40’s
A soul food supper club
A bohemian café
A speakeasy with roots going back to Prohibition.
We’ll see vocalists in the Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington tradition, serious soloists in the Sonny Rollins and Dizzy Gillespie tradition, neighborhood spots so hidden even some neighbors haven’t spotted them yet, and great bits of jazz history in the warmest, most inviting neighborhood in NYC!
Best ages are 18 and over. And if you are a jazz musician or vocalist, you may get a chance to join the jam.
What Is Not Included?
There will be opportunities to eat and drink during this tour when we hang out in the jazz joints, but food and beverages are not included in the tour price. You may wish to bring some extra dollars to tip musicians, guide and servers.
Meeting Location:
Columbus Circle (New York City, NY)
(Exact meeting location details will be provided immediately upon purchase of tickets.)
