TAKE A WALK ON THE....

...Highline! But first, it's downstairs to have a bagel for brekky - not my cup of tea (or coffee, but when in New York....) We're heading Uptown to West 102nd Street and so we wrestle with the underground ticketing system. Just as the London tube has its iconic 'Mind The Gap' announcement, so too does the NY subway, except here they use Mr Ed the talking horse (are you old enough to remember?) to announce "Mind the clowwwzing dorrrrrzzzz" - it's very funny.

Train advertisement

One of the great things about travelling is the people you meet. As we ponder where to have a cawfee, a nice lady asks us if we need assistance. After giving us her recommendations (none worked for us!) I politely said to her "thanks, it was very nice of you", a statement to which she took umbrage - "Aren't all New Yorkers nice?" was her parting comment and she huffed off...c'est la vie.

JJ decides to walk back via Central Park and meet us in Times Square. Tinno and 'the chronicler' (i.e. me) have a date with greatness, and we are suddenly standing in the lounge room (now a home studio) of none other than OZ NOY! Tinno's currently working on his new blues album (presumably to be called 'Blues Cats'?) and Oz has agreed to guest on a track. Over two hours, he weaves some magic whilst I sit on the couch wondering what the neighbours must think when he starts crushing riffs through a Marshall amp in a tiny one bedroom apartment! He intuitively improvises each piece over and over again until he knows he's got the best of what he has to offer, then moves on. He's happy and, more importantly, Tinno's very happy; watch this space for details of when the album will be finished and available.

We get to Times Square and meet up with a wide eyed JJ who has walked down to the John Lennon Imagine memorial and taken in all the sights.

Strawberry Fields in Central Park

The John Lennon Imagine Memorial

The Dakota building - home to the Lennons

Times Square

No King Kong on the Empire State Building

As we head off in the direction of the Highline, we pass the Sam Ash Music Store and the lure is too great - Tinno nips in and tries out a Johnny Marr signature Fender Jaguar - fortunately, the neck's too think for him and we walk out empty handed!

The Highline looks nearly completed now. It's interesting, but such is the paucity of natural (green) space in NYC, excluding Central Park, that much is made of it. The converted freight rail line isn't the essential tourist attraction it's made out to be, but it is a pleasant walk, even if the imbecile at the coffee stand tries to ruin my day by refusing to put my triple shot into a small cup (unusually for me, I give him an appraisal and cancel the order, prompting Tinno to utter - not for the first time - "tell him what you really think Trev"!).

Visible from almost anywhere

Livin' the high life in the Highline

Purple Haze

Tonight is special. We head to The Village again (in a cab as our feet are worn out!) and go to the famous jazz club The Blue Note.

We have the best table in the house for dinner and the show - none other than the pioneering jazz bassist Stanley Clarke, a founding member (at 20) of the incomparable Return To Forever and hugely responsible for making the bass a front-of-stage solo instrument; a true visionary. First, our waitress gives us another unique NY soundbite; in response to the innocent question "How much is a G&T", she matter of factly responds "I want to say $15"...we wait in anticipation for what she will say ($18, $20, $25??) then realise this is the answer and not an apology. Linguistics tickles me!

Clarke has three outrageously talented musicians in  his band. Beka Gochiashvili is a 19yo pianist from the Republic of Georgia, Michael Mitchell a 20yo drummer from Dallas, and Cameron Graces a 21yo keyboard player from L.A. For the next 75 minutes we are treated to some of the most mesmerising jazz Don L has ever witnessed, as each member took solo turns, constantly rising above the base patterns to issue a challenge to the next soloist. Clarke played double bass for the whole set, intermittently flexing his fingers (RSI must be the bane of a musician's life) and it was exhilarating, played at breakneck speed by both virtuoso and prodigies alike. I have never openly laughed in sheer amazement at the dexterity and inventiveness - and I wasn't alone. I mention to JJ that it reminds of the famous Miles Davis quote when, in response to jazz guitar virtuoso John McLaughlin asking him what to play, he simply stated "play like you don't know how!" (clearly, genius operates on its own level!!). At the end, the SCB and the audience were totally spent and the endorphins were humming. Stanley Clarke, the Hendrix of the bass guitar - tick that box!!! (Music Tip: If you want a real treat, check out Stanley's Journey To Love [1975] and School Days [1976] albums - as essential to any record collection as Miles Davis's 'Kind Of Blue').

All that's left to do is walk around the corner to MacDougall Street and have a slice of cheesecake and coffee at the famed Caffe Reggio, where in 1927 the first espresso in the U.S. was served (the first espresso machine, made in 1902 is still there and in working order) and featured in the film 'Finding Llewyn Davis'.

First espresso machine in the U.S. (sorry, it was very dark inside!)

That should have been a happy conclusion to an outstanding day, but wait....

Don Legsy is locked out of his room again! The reason (and you just know what's coming!)? "According to our records, you haven't paid for your room sir" was Frank's response. Needless to say, there were plenty of red faces when the previously insisted upon receipt was produced, and Don L retired with a perverse sense of satisfaction. (Travel Tip: Seriously, do not stay here!).