The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter

[jtx]

Reprint from email newsletter...


The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter 4-12-2020 - Resurrection

Dear Friends –

Easter today – the celebration of rebirth, resurrection. Of course, it made me think of our clubs, now closed, dormant. The entire city of New York closed, dormant. It made me think about a rebirth in the future of our music. When the world and our city will the throw off the somnambulistic mind-set and return to vibrancy. Slowly, winter to spring and then to summer. The life will return. People ask me when the clubs will reopen. I can say only that we are tied to the fate of our city – when will our city be resurrected? Our great city of New York?

I spoke a few days ago with my old friend and partner Mitch Borden, the founder of Smalls Jazz Club. I was particularly despairing that day. Receiving his call and hearing his voice was a life saver. We talked about the state of things, the closed clubs, the closed city and he reminded me of another world changing event that closed us as well, September 11th. He reminded me of the 9/11-era and how long it took to revive. This was when Mitch was at the helm and me just working for him as a pianist. This crazy event hit us and the city was shut. Businesses closed and the tourists were gone for a long time. During this dark time, Smalls was closed, dormant. The club was closed for a full year and then it was another 6 months until Smalls could open again. Business was very slow and only a handful of cats played there. But slowly, slowly over time, the club became renewed.

Mitch has urged me to remain calm and be patient. He reminded me that our club was resurrected into a new incarnation from its former self and the music thrived. The spirit of our music has always burned brightly. Now we face similar circumstances and perhaps my own role has come full circle. But I have the wise consul of elders and the support of our musical family of artists and fans. I will be patient. I will try my very best to keep things floating and wait. Wait for the resurrection – mine, the clubs, our music and our city. Waiting for the chance to emerge from the slumber and awaken again the spirit of our music.

I thank everyone for their positive response to the new site for the SmallsLIVE Foundation. If you haven’t taken a look at our new site please visit http://www.smallslive.com Any musician who still needs help getting their musician account (this is for anyone who has performed at Smalls or Mezzrow since 2007 and is in the archive) please contact us at musician@smallslive.com. I know that I’ve been hearing about issues with the site in regard to credit cards or the PayPal interface. We are working to get all the kinks out. So, if you had any trouble please give it another shot in a day or two. Of course, you can reach us with questions to support@smallslive. We appreciate all the support we can get for the foundation. We are open to your communications, suggestions, criticisms. We want to be flexible and interactive.

I send everyone my best wishes and sincerest prayers for your safety and for that of your loved ones.

Regards,
Spike

[rlfun]

Good news from Smalls but still hanging by a thread. Do what you can.

Dear Friends -

Unprecedented times! From the comatose sleep of the city sequestered during the pandemic to the explosive rage of the people taking to the streets. New York has been turned around. Once high rent neighborhoods are now boarded up, abandoned - owners fearful of looters. The once vibrant bustling metropolis now a barren landscape. Last summer it would have been impossible to imagine. Now New York hangs on by a thread. Where will it all go? It remains to be seen.

And yet, in our little basement tucked away on west 10th street, some jazz musicians got together and played for the first time in months. It felt GOOD. It was swinging. It was a pleasure to play and see your brothers face and feel that music. We live streamed it to our site and to Facebook. The response was palpable. People worldwide, so happy and eager for this music. 20,000 views and hundreds of comments - "thank you for this", "my soul needed this", :AAAAAHHH". Like fresh clean water washing that filth out of the back of your throat. Fresh, real jazz. The response was amazing. People wanted this and needed this. It was so clear.

So now we have presented 6 bands to about 100,000 views and our second week is beginning. The good news is that supporters are reaching out and making contributions to the foundation. We have raised enough to carry July - that is to say 7 bands a week and one month rent. August is also looking good. If we can fund August completely and we survive the summer then we face a good chance of being back, really back.

My thanks to all the brave warrior musicians who weren't afraid to come down to the club and play and broadcast. My thanks to all the supporting members of our foundation who sponsored the concerts. My thanks to all the fans and Smalls people who tuned in and participated. We are encouraged and will continue on our plan of presenting live shows from the club until we are permitted again to open our doors.

Please sign up on our site, http://www.smallslive,com and consider becoming a supporting member of our foundation. If you are interested in sponsoring a band for a live show at Smalls Jazz Club, please email us at foundation@smallslive.com

I pray for peace and intelligent interchange.

Sincerest Regards,

Spike

[rlfun]

Smalls and Mezzrow Update from Spike Wilner

Spike Wilner
Yesterday, June 24, 2020, at 9:07 AM ·

As of today both Smalls and Mezzrow have been closed for 100 days. All my staff has been laid off. Our medical insurance policy has been canceled (we offered our staff a company policy). 500 bands have been canceled. Key members of my highly competent and experienced staff have permanently left the city and the country. The PPP loan we got from the government has now been completely spent and not only are we now further in debt but scrambling for resources. The landlords have been unrelenting in demanding rent for months. Our insurance company is claiming that COVID is exempt from our claim for loss of income from disaster regardless of the fact that we specifically insured against that. Neither the city, state, or country has given us any assistance or even guidance as to when we can reopen and under what restrictions. Mezzrow is a mess, uncleaned and abandoned for months. At Smalls, we pay bands to play to an empty room.

They're asking for donations: http://www.smallslive.com

[rlfun]

The latest with some good news from Smalls...

The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
6/2/920


It's a bizarre kind of place now, New York City. A dichotomy of attitudes and views. Restaurants are allowed "outdoor" seating and so have appropriated the sidewalks and streets with folks crowding and reveling. Others folks are wearing masks, fearful and highly cautious. No clear instructions on how we are to live or work. "Phase 2" in effect but no one seems to know what that means or how to behave. Lots of anger and tension among friends, neighbors. Our nerves are frayed. Some stores are still boarded up tight and others have begun service. The streets largely empty especially after 8pm when the city becomes a veritable ghost town with just homeless roaming the streets. What has happened to our great city?

Smalls remains closed to the public (phase 3?) but continues to present live bands each day. This afternoon with Ari Hoenig's group it will be #29 in a row. Each band playing incredibly and the people receiving the music with joy. We are seeing 20k+ viewers per show and from all over the world. Our music is still vital and loved everywhere. The musicians, although nervous to play, are invigorated and inspired to hit again with their bands. Joyful and sad.

Our shows now are all sponsored by our supporting members. Even though we've been failed by our government, our fans and supporters have not failed us. We have financed the club to present music each day through August and to pay the rent for the summer. We don't know what the future brings but each day is hard fought and we live to see another show. I personally thank everyone who has donated and supported us. We will persevere. I am confident. What will the post-covid New York look like? I can not say but just am focused on the day-to-day survival.

My thanks to everyone. If you are interested in sponsoring a band for a night of music at Smalls please email us at foundation@smallslive.com. We love to hear from you.

My Sincerest Regards,

Spike

Tuesday 6/30
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
FRANK LACY GROUP
Frank Lacy / Trombone

Sponsored The Joel Foundation

Wednesday 7/1
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
MARC DEVINE TRIO
Marc Devine / Piano
Fukushi Tainaka / Bass
Jackie Williams / Drums
Sponsored by Gloria and Junior Mance

Thursday 7/2
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
DAVID LIEBMAN TRIO
David Liebman / Tenor Sax
Dezron Douglas / Bass
Willy Rodriguez / Drums
Sponsored by Michael Watt - Ronnie Scott's

Friday 7/3
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
RODNEY GREEN'S JACKSON MILLER
Rodney Green / Drums
Nicole Glover / Tenor Sax
Tyrone Allen / Bass
Sponsored by Michael Watt - Ronnie Scott's

Saturday 7/4
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
SULLIVAN FORTNER TRIO
Sullivan Fortner / Piano
Russell Hall / Bass
Kyle Poole / Drums
co-presented by The Catskill Jazz Factory and The SmallsLIVE Foundation

Sunday 7/5
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
LEW TABACKIN GROUP
Lew Tabackin / Tenor Sax
Yasushi Nakamura / Bass
Jason Tiemann / Drums
Sponsored by Michael Watt - Ronnie Scott's

[rlfun]

Here’s the latest from Spike. I’m not sure how many people have enjoyed the live streams from Smalls. For the past several years, Ron Thorne and I would text each other if we were watching and listening to something special. What a gift it was, and is. The current concerts start early in NYC - like 4:30pm. That’s 2:30 in Colorado - lunchtime in Alaska! Sounds like Smalls is holding steady through August and maybe September. A true struggle for survival.

https://www.smallslive.com/


The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
7/13/2020


Dear Friends:

We are continuing with our "Get The Cats Working Again" campaign. With today's concert we will have presented 43 concerts consecutively, live from the club. My gratitude is with the musicians who I feel are acting bravely by coming into the club and presenting their music. Even though the club is empty and closed to the public, our virtual audience has been robust and worldwide. I get dozens of messages and emails from grateful jazz fans who really NEED this music. New York has become a strange place. As a life-long New Yorker it breaks my heart to see this city so transformed. What was once a vibrant and thriving environment is now a ghost town. In our neighborhood of Greenwich Village, one store or restaurant after another seems to be shutting their doors for good. The only recourse is to try to float through these rough waters and hopefully emerge to a place where we can reopen and begin again. The challenge is both financial and spiritual. It's not just about money but about faith - faith that we can survive this and create the musical landscape that used to be a fixture of New York life.

My gratitude is also to our sponsoring members. I'm touched by how many have donated to our not-for-profit. The SmallsLIVE Foundation has been active with help towards individual musicians in serious need (no rent or food). It has also paid some of the serious bills for the club. Supporting members have been sponsoring single or multiple nights of music at the club. We have funded ourselves through August and are now looking to finance September. If you feel like you'd like to sponsor a band for a live show from the club email us at foundation@smallslive.com. A sponsorship pays the band and a portion towards the clubs rent.

I wish everyone fortitude and clarity. I find it hard to control my temper and am working diligently to remind myself that we are all suffering and the key is compassion - compassion to your neighbors and friends, treat them kindly. We are all in the same boat here.

My sincerest best.
Spike

[jtx]

rlfun, I was able to visit Smalls and Mezzrow and chat with Spike 4 years ago, while in NYC on business, and my dad was able to remote monitor from Alaska. It was a really fun night for all of us. I am hopeful that he can keep weathering the storm, but it certainly looks taxing, both figuratively and literally, as the most recent newsletter indicates:

==========

Dear Friends:

I've made one rule for myself over the years in regards to my newsletters - nothing snarky and always say something positive about the music and the scene. But it's getting harder for me to keep that credo. I'm not worried about being snarky but I am worried about getting dark. New York City is like the New York of Bizzaro World or Kamazotz from "A Wrinkle In Time". It's hard to describe but the feeling is gone, the vibe absent. The thing that made New York, New York is missing. What's it like now? It's very tense. People are very anxious and angry. Everything is closed or, if open, listless. There is no nightlife. If you leave your apartment after 9PM it's a complete ghost town inhabited wraiths and zombies, dangerous people. Some restaurants have built elaborate outdoor terraces to take advantage of the governor's rule that people can eat outside (but not inside, bars and restaurants have been indefinitely closed even past phase 4) so in certain parts of town you have a mob of folks partying outside, like a street fair. Other folks keep their masks tightly on and live in fear. The only place I've found some civility and warmth is the city playgrounds where I take my daughter each day. The children are oblivious to the pandemic and just play and climb. The parents and caregivers that are there are grateful to chat a little and try to feel normal.

The big failure in my opinion is how the city and state left all the small businesses high and dry, particularly the service industry and the arts. The loans were ineffective. The so-called PPP loans were only good for eight weeks and now all that money is gone. Maybe some of that debt can be forgiven but we are still closed with no end in sight. How are we supposed to float through this? The land lords are unequivocal in demanding rent even though we have been shut for 150 days. To make matters worse, the property taxes are being levied. In New York City, most business leases impose that the leasee pays the property taxes of the landlord. Smalls was just issued a $25k tax bill on property that has been closed for 4 months. This is the case for hundreds and hundreds of businesses, many in the process of folding. We have yet to really assess the carnage to the New York scene but I think when the dust settles it's not going to be pretty.

Some of the big clubs are now live streaming, the Vanguard and Smoke. Their model is to charge for a ticket to watch a show. I chose a different route which is an arts foundation supported by donating members. The advantage to this is that, if it works, it can be shared by many many people without everyone having to pay. We have been successful to our commitment of presenting one live band a day. So far we have presented 49 concerts with Monday being number 50. 50 concerts in a row in an empty club but broadcast world wide. People are so happy and eager to receive this music and the musicians are so happy and eager to perform. Smalls is a mess - a sewage line burst and we had to excavate the entire floor and replace all the lines. But the stage was untouched and we continued to broadcast. I can't believe we've had 50 concerts. I truly thought we'd be open by now. But it's not the case and we must soldier on. I want to thank all of our supporting members and to all the sponsors who have generously donated to keep the bands playing. If you think you'd want to sponsor a live show at the club, contact us at foundation@smallslive.com. A sponsorship includes the pay for the musicians and some for the club expense.

At least the weather is beautiful. The sky is blue and the sun bright and hot. New York summer. I thank everyone for their generous support and look forward to a future when we can see our friends again and try to rekindle the culture of the city.

Regards,
Spike

[rlfun]

Justin, I remember when Ron told me that you visited both clubs on the same night. Man, was I envious. Yeah, this latest update from Spike is ominous and scary. I don't see how it's going to work. And that will be a terrible shame. Several wonderful musicians are stepping up and stepping out every night to try to keep it going but it's tough. And with zero help from the city, what can you do? No good news in sight.

[jtx]

I realized that I actually did a small write-up with photos at the time.

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=1206&p=14555&hilit=smalls#p14555

[rlfun]

Very nice write-up, Justin. And great pics that offer different angles of the rooms - indoors and outside. I’ve walked by Smalls in the daytime when it was closed but that’s it. Nice Mezzrow shot. I can’t believe I haven’t seen this before. Really a treat. Thanks!

[rlfun]

Good news for Smalls. The governor is finally going to cut them a break. Here is Spike's post.


The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
9/14/20
Dear Friends:

Yesterday I heard George Cables and Victor Lewis (along with Alex Claffy and Stacy Dillard) playing on the streets. In normal times this would have been nearly impossible to imagine - one of the greatest living jazz pianists playing on a Nord keyboard in front of a coffee shop. But welcome to post Covid New York Jazz scene. I've said it before but jazz is like an tenacious weed that refuses to die, one that can grow in any crack in the pavement and rise strong to the sun. Here is our music popping up anywhere that it can be played - outdoor cafes, parks, tents. Jazz will live and so will our community. I remarked to my hardworking general manager, Carlos Abadie, that the community and scene is still intact but just needs a house to live in.

Hopefully, that house will be open again. The governor has in his royal decree allowed for restaurants and bars to open again on September 30th to a 25% capacity. There are other guidelines such as temperature at the door, contact tracing for at least one member of each party, masks and gloves for the staff and, of course, masks for the customers. We are also looking into HEPA filters for our air and germ killing ultraviolet lights to run in between shows. 25% for us is about 20 people. Definitely challenging but it's a chance and one that we are glad to take. We'll take anything we can get and we know that we will be safe and organized. It's too important to do otherwise. We are on the road to restoring our club.

The SmallsLIVE Foundation will continue to play a significant role in the support of the venue. We will continue to sponsor bands for performances through the foundation and subsidize the clubs until we can really be sustainable. Our sponsorship program, the Get The Cats Working Again project, has been really successful and has sustained us through the worst of this. My gratitude is all of our supporters and, of course, the musicians who play this music regardless to whether its on a stage or a sidewalk. Jazz will live and so will Smalls.

I wish everyone peaceful abiding and clarity of mind in this confusing era.

Regards,

Spike




Monday 9/14
JOE FARNSWORTH QUARTET
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
Joe Farnsworth / Drums
Eric Alexander / Tenor Sax
Peter Washington / Bass
Christian Sands / Piano
SPONSORED BY STEVE AND LAURA KOLLER

Tuesday 9/15
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
SASHA DOBSON SEXTET
Sasha Dobson / Vocalist
Ian Hendrickson-Smith / Alto Sax
Dred Scott / Piano
Neal Miner / Bass
Mauro Refosco / Percussion
Kenny Wollesen / Drums
SPONSORED BY KENNY MCLAUGHLIN

Wednesday 9/16
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
JEREMY PELT QUINTET
Jeremy Pelt / Trumpet
Chien Chien Lu / Vibraphone
Victor Gould / Piano
Allan Mednard / Drums
Vicente Archer / Bass
SPONSORED BY NEWMAN'S OWN

Thursday 9/17
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
EMMET COHEN TRIO
Emmet Cohen / Piano
Russell Hall / Bass
Joe Saylor / Drums
SPONSORED BY NEWMAN'S OWN

Friday 9/18
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
FRANK BASILE/SAM DILLON QUINTET
Frank Basile / Baritone Sax
Sam Dillon / Tenor Sax
Jeb Patton / Piano
Mike Karn / Bass
Aaron Kimmel / Drums
SPONSORED BY THE CELLAR MUSIC GROUP

Saturday 9/19
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
AKIKO TSURUGA QUINTET
Akiko Tsuruga / Organ
Joe Magnarelli / Trumpet
Jerry Weldon / Tenor Sax
Charlie Sigler / Guitar
Joe Farnsworth / Drums
SPONSORED BY NEWMAN'S OWN

Sunday 9/20
4:45 pm to 6:30 pm
EHUD ASHERIE TRIO
Ehud Asherie / Piano
Peter Washington / Bass
Joe Farnsworth / Drums
SPONSORED BY NEWMAN'S OWN

[rlfun]

Smalls is OPEN.

The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
10/5/20

Dear Friends:

On Friday Smalls finally made the transition to open to the public. We are allowing 15 people to come in the club for our one set show at 5PM. Folks can reserve a place at the concert by sponsoring a seat through our site. Simply click on the event and then click on "Sponsorship Seats". We also accept any one that wants to walk in (less expensive option). We have reconfigured the club to be able to socially distance everyone. Masks are required as well as temperature checks. We are purifying the air with our HEPA filter and UV-C lights. We are following guidelines to a T. Of course it's been a very slow turnout so far, just a handful of people who have come. I don't blame anyone - it's a scary time and it may seem dangerous. We are going to continue to invite the public and anyone that is inclined to come and have a live jazz experience please come and see us.

It's clear, though, that we are going to have to continue to operate as if we are closed. This means that we will have to extend our "Get The Cats Working Again" program and continue to sponsor bands. A single night sponsorship for a band at Smalls is $800, tax deductible. $600 goes to the musicians and $200 for the club expenses. We are funded through November and are now working on sponsoring dates in December. Sponsors (if they choose) will have their names on the site, the newsletter and announced on the live stream. Our supporting sponsoring members have gotten us this far. We just need to keep going until some modicum of normal is restored. I'll tell you, though, the club looks and sounds beautiful and the music is stellar. I hope that folks can trust us to do the right thing and come by for a drink (and some food, new menu) and enjoy a 1 hr and 15 min show.

If you would like to sponsor a group at Smalls please email us directly at foundation@smallslive.com and we will give you all the details and set it up. As always, our heartfelt thanks as we press forward.

Sincerest Regards,

Spike


I wish everyone a peaceful week.

Regards,

Spike

[rlfun]

The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
11/2/2020

And.......Mezzrow opens. Hard to believe great jazz and very few people. NYC's spiking like everywhere else. That's why.

Dear Friends -

A slow crawl to normalcy. Mezzrow opened this week to run in conjunction with Smalls. Way earlier than we are used to (7pm and 9pm) but we'll take what we can get. No real crowds, in fact, pretty much empty. But from a spiritual/symbolic point of view a huge success. Thursday night, which was the reopening of Mezzrow and the first time music was played there since March 15th, was quite emotional. Some of our dearest fans and friends came by to see the club for itself. Socially distanced seating, masks, filters, etc are now the norm. It's still a personal choice whether to come or not to the club. However, the drinks are great and we got Marj back behind the bar. The music was stellar - Alan Broadbent and Don Falzone and then Johnny O'Neal. All we can do is try - "if you build it they will come" has always been our motto. It has been built. Now we must be patient, earn the trust of our clients and get back to the daily grind of cleaning the club, prepping the club, opening the club, introducing the musicians, paying the musicians and staff, clean the club, kill the lights and then to bed. Repeat. Crazy times but we need music and the musicians need to play. If you don't want to come down we understand but you can always watch our live stream right from both clubs.

We are still looking for sponsors to fund our concerts. The businesses are not yet viable and won't be for some time. Therefore all of the shows and expenses are being paid for through our not-for-profit foundation, The SmallsLIVE Foundation. Please sign up as a member (no cost). Free members can watch all of our live streams from the site. If you decide to become a supporting member then you get access to our enormous archive of live shows. If you actually want to sponsor a live band at Smalls or Mezzrow, it's an $800 tax-deductible donation. Your name will go on our honor role, included on the site, newsletter and announced at the concert. Please email us at foundation@smallslive.com for more information.

I wish everyone peaceful and positive vibes,

Spike

[rlfun]

The ever-changing NYC landscape:

The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
11/30/2020
Dear Friends -

Normally the time period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve is gangbusters. Every set sold out in advance and long lines of folks running around the corner. Normally at this time the Village is burgeoning. Late nights - done at 4 AM and home by 5. How odd it is now for me to walk through this barren landscape of what was once the vibrant Greenwich Village. Now by 10PM this neighborhood is deserted. Little pockets of restaurants have built outdoor structures (that are nearly indoor dining but outdoors) in an effort to catch whatever little business there is. Smalls has been operational with a limit of 15 people in the club since October 1. But none of these factors have tarnished the vibrancy of the music which is created daily at Smalls and Mezzrow, audience or not. The jazz artists of New York have been brutalized during this time and are eager to work. Professionals musicians who count on travel for performances, festivals, schools, workshops are now down to their bottom dollars. The jazz community is tight and, like any family, joyful to see one and other at any occasion. Smalls is still like this - a place to go and and a place to listen, either in person or virtually. We can do this safely and, as long as we are permitted to, will continue to presents shows.

Some things are definitely changing. The landlord for Smalls, a notoriously difficult and garrulous person, has offered us a 50% rent reduction for the year of 2021. He is sympathetic to what is currently happening and amenable to work with us. If you had told me this last year I would have never believed it and would have laughed ruefully. Well, things definitely are changing. The cut in the rent is helpful but at our current operation still not enough to make us viable and self sustaining. It has gone on far longer than we had planned but we will continue our sponsorship program called "Get The Cats Working Again". Any supporting member that still wants to can sponsor a night of live music. The sponsor will have their name on the site and newsletter as well as announced at the concert. It a tax deductible donation. We are lowering our sponsorship rates to $600 for a Smalls sponsorship and $400 for Mezzrow. 100 % of these sponsorships will go to the artists. If you are interested in sponsoring a show please email us at foundation@smallslive.com and we can get you more information. I'd also like to say a donation of any size to our foundation still goes towards supporting the musicians and venues and we appreciate all the kindness of our friends worldwide.

Music is a healing force, both by listening to it and playing it. Jazz people are sensitive folks and need this music for their spiritual sustenance. I have firm confidence that we will get through this difficult time and reemerge stronger and more committed to the great art form that was developed here and now exists all through the world. I wish everyone peaceful abiding and calm. The stress is a killer.

Sincerest Regards,

Spike

[rlfun]

From Spike Wilner:
In regards to the permanent closure of The Jazz Standard, I would express my gratitude to Seth Abramson and the entire staff at that great music venue. The Jazz Standard was a first tier spot with a very personal and relevant roster of serious jazz artists. The loss of another great jazz venue makes our lives more difficult and attests to the destructive nature of the pandemic towards the small businesses of New York City.
That being said I wanted to share two items of positive news. Yesterday we were notified that we were given 100% forgiveness of our PPP loan which we took in April. It will not be necessary for us to pay back a penny. More importantly, I just negotiated with our landlord and he granted us a 50% rent reduction for 2021. I am trying to keep a positive mindset. Smalls Jazz Club and Mezzrow are currently open to the public at 25% capacity until we are told otherwise. Regardless, we are committed to our daily live streams from the club. We intend to survive this motherfucker.

[rlfun]

The ever-changing landscape, indeed....
From Spike Wilner this morning.

It is with great sadness (as well as exhaustion) that I must announce that, by the order of the governor, Smalls and Mezzrow will be shut down to the public effective Monday. Tonight and tomorrow will be our last public shows for the foreseeable future. Our current schedule will be cut back significantly but we will try to maintain one live stream concert per day as we have previously done. We appreciate your support and will continue to look for sponsors to help us float through these uncertain times. My personal opinion (not that it matters) is that we have been operating since October with severe restrictions (25% capacity, 10 pm curfew) and safety measures in place. Anyone that has been in a bar or restaurant in the last couple of months knows that places have been dead. I believe that the restaurants and bars of Greenwich Village have been scrupulous in taking safety precautions very seriously. I don't believe the remaining 25% left for indoor dining is contributing to this "wave". I should also mention that there's been zero financial support from the city or state. I have to once again let go of my staff and cancel a roster of musicians.

[jtx]

The ever-changing landscape, indeed....
From Spike Wilner this morning.

It is with great sadness (as well as exhaustion) that I must announce that, by the order of the governor, Smalls and Mezzrow will be shut down to the public effective Monday. Tonight and tomorrow will be our last public shows for the foreseeable future. Our current schedule will be cut back significantly but we will try to maintain one live stream concert per day as we have previously done. We appreciate your support and will continue to look for sponsors to help us float through these uncertain times. My personal opinion (not that it matters) is that we have been operating since October with severe restrictions (25% capacity, 10 pm curfew) and safety measures in place. Anyone that has been in a bar or restaurant in the last couple of months knows that places have been dead. I believe that the restaurants and bars of Greenwich Village have been scrupulous in taking safety precautions very seriously. I don't believe the remaining 25% left for indoor dining is contributing to this "wave". I should also mention that there's been zero financial support from the city or state. I have to once again let go of my staff and cancel a roster of musicians.

This is seriously bumming me out. Although I am a big advocate of doing things to avoid public spread, I am also a big advocate of government helping when their mandates create substantial business losses, and when you only have the former, that needs to be fixed.

[rlfun]

I couldn't agree more. Spike added a little more this morning....

The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
12/28/2020


Dear Friends:

I've spent a lot of time gnashing my teeth, rending my garments, and shaking my fist to the sky. But after a while this becomes a spiritual quicksand where my gumption and enthusiasm become sucked down into the muck and mire. I've found myself in this place where I'm trying to rationalize what has happened to our scene and city by looking for answers, scapegoats, anything. In the end, the futility of it is driving me mad so now I just need to stop thinking, look around and take stock. The old "count your blessings" always holds true and, no matter how bad it seems, it's best to be grateful and be in the here and now. One thing is for sure - I have a lot to be grateful for. I think about the last nine months and the outpouring of support from the fans and musicians and I can't help but marvel. This music is something that evokes passion. This music reminds us of values that are beyond financial gains. This music reminds us of the solitary mental path of the artist and the voyage to the inner self that all committed artists must take. The trial by fire. This pandemic and all its destructive implications will certainly shake the tree. The brambles and loose branches will certainly fall down. But I'm convinced this great tree will not itself fall. The storm will pass and the leaves will grow again. I feel that in the fiery and defiant attitudes of the musicians. I feel that in the love and need of the fans. Jazz will live and, if I can help it, so will Smalls.

This week is New Year's Eve and probably the strangest one in the history of the city. The holidays have effectively been canceled. The city that never sleeps is a somnambulist. But we will live-stream all night and present two great artists and their groups back to back starting at 5 PM and 7 PM with Johnny O'Neal and his trio followed by Stacy Dillard and his group "Brooklyn Circle" at 9 PM and 11 into midnight. At midnight we will pray diligently for better times, peace on Earth, and some return to our former lives, if at all possible. Just a chance to earn our livings again and to see our friends and comrades.

We hope you will consider sponsoring a live group for a performance at Smalls. For information on how to do this just email us directly at foundation@smallslive.com. Otherwise, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our site, www.smallslive.com. Funds are used to create employment for musicians, subsidize our venues during this insane period, and for emergency funds for artists in need.

My most gentle and sincere wishes to everyone for a blessed New Year. Peace to All!

Regards,

Spike

[rlfun]

I was struck by a couple of things in Spike's latest newsletter. The first was the dire, and as yet unconfirmed, prediction that there will be no indoor dining in NYC until October. I read about Mayor De Blasio and Governor Cuomo sparring over the fates of small businesses and then realize that small businesses in NYC are just about all gone. I was also struck by Spike's description of the Richie Vitale Band, playing brilliantly in a completely empty club and they were all wearing suits. Damn. Almost brought tears.

The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
1/25/2021


Dear Friends:

Tonight, a brisk walk down a completely desolate and windswept 7th ave brought me to Smalls. I wanted to check in on Richie Vitale's live stream show. Everything was completely closed in the neighborhood. But then the familiar weather-beaten door and that descent into the sanctum. Warm air greeted me and that gentle Smalls vibe that always seems to be there. Dimly lit and relaxing. Richie Vitale was playing with Ralph Lalama, Steve Ash, Paul Gill and Joe Strasser. The house was empty but here were these guys, all dressed in suits, playing their asses off like it was Carnegie Hall. I sat down at the bar and just had a listen. I looked around the room. Here in Smalls' warm bosom, Mama Smalls, the mother of jam sessions. This group of veterans, these hardened jazz warriors all, swung hard and played with great depth. They performed not just to the cameras but to themselves and to all the ghosts that permeated the air at Smalls. To the memories of many gigs and many hangs. The music was stellar and I considered myself fortunate to have this one seat in all of the completely shut down New York to listen to this.

I spoke with a colleague who told me that there would be no indoor dining (the category that we fall under as a bar) until October. This may or may not be true. Nothing surprises me anymore. I am committed to our Get The Cats Working Again program of having one band per day paid to perform for our live stream. So far we've kept ourselves in the game this way. Our supporting members are our heroes. We are always looking for sponsors. Just below my message is a list of shows that still need sponsorship. If you do sponsor a band we can dedicate it anyway you like. Your name goes here on our newsletter, on our site and announced at the live show. A minimum $600 donation sponsors a live band for a show. For more information reach out to us at foundation@smallslive.com. We greatly appreciate everyone's support. Please be sure to check out our archive of past shows and the calendar of upcoming live-streamed concerts direct from Smalls Jazz Club.

We sincerely hope to see you at the clubs in person one day in the future!

Regards,

Spike

[rlfun]

Good news in NYC....barely......

The latest from Spike.


The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
2/1/2021

Dear Friends:

I think about the enigmatic founder of Smalls, Mitch Borden. I never see him anymore. Know he's as rare as a Sasquatch. But I do get encouraging texts from him now and then and it charges me. I miss the guy, who's been retired nearly two years now. We spent years together down in this basement and spent countless hours discussing the fine-tuning of schedules, the merits and faults of different artists, the "regulars" and misfits that housed themselves at Smalls. Mitch was a navy nurse and worked in the submarine. He always had a focused presence of mind and thanks to him we survived a number of disasters. Once the water main broke right on 7th ave and 10th street looked like Venice. The water was pouring in and the club was threatened with inundation. But we relentlessly scooped and mopped and the water, thankfully, receded. Mitch nonplussed the entire time while I was in a panic. Same in any snowstorm or hurricane, it was against our credo to ever close for any reason. Right now we are socked in with a blizzard but I know Mitch wouldn't have batted an eye. I recall a serious, city crippling, blizzard several years ago. "We have to stay open", Mitch firmly stated. I'll never forget seeing the figure of Joe Magnarelli coming out of the limited visibility snow-fog which had descended on us. The musicians had no qualms about showing in up in the storm. The show must go on.

The spirit of Mitch guided me through this covid era. I have not quit yet. Bands have performed on our stage every day without fail since June of last year. We have been closed since March of last year. Now the governor is granting us to go back to what we had in September, 25% capacity and the same safety protocols. It's not really enough to sustain the business but we'll take it. Just the chance to operate and to have some public there. We will take it. I know Mitch would have wanted to. We've been successful because of the support of our members. Every show has been sponsored and our expenses have been covered. We are continuing our "Get The Cats Working Again" initiative and looking forward to increasing our operations again. If you are inclined to sponsor a live show for a performance at Smalls, please look at the list below. If there's an artist that inspires you to sponsor please email us at foundation@smallslive.com. All donations are tax-deductible, gets you access to our extensive audio/video archive of past shows and has a direct impact on the musicians and the clubs.

I look forward to a time when we can meet in person at the clubs.

Regards,

Spike

[rlfun]

Though I may be the only person concerned or interested, I must follow up!
The governor of NY had a little mercy on Smalls - again.

The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
2/15/2021


Dear Friends:

Smalls has re-opened to the public. With the permission of the governor, we can now operate at a 25% capacity (about 17 people) and have a curfew at 11 pm. Regardless of these restrictions, the vibe was back. It was Valentine's Day and Ian Hendrickson-Smith and his excellent group was playing. We were "sold out". Last year if I saw 15 people in the club on a holiday night I would have despaired but this time I cried tears of joy. The proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel" nearly one full year since closing. Maybe the city can rise from its slumber and slowly come back to life. The people need this.

We are going to continue to fund the concerts from the SmallsLIVE Foundation and are looking for sponsors who want to sponsor a live show. Below is a list of the bands in March that are looking for sponsorship. A full band sponsorship is a minimum donation of $600, all of which goes to the musicians. Of course, any level donation is so appreciated and everything goes to subsidizing our venues and the artists that perform there. Those interested please email us at foundation@smallslive.com for more information.

I send everyone my sincerest best wishes and look forward to seeing you at the clubs in the near future.

Regards,

Spike

[jtx]

A measured degree of good news, after so many weeks of bare survival. I wonder when I might be able to visit NYC (or any other place) and visit Smalls...

[rlfun]

Same here, Justin. I'll make every reasonable effort to visit Smalls and Mezzrow when the craziness ends. Adding another update from Spike, with a degree of optimism that I haven't seen since the pandemic began. I sent another small donation. I believe that every contribution, large or small, helps. The Smalls live stream continues to inspire and offers a rare glimpse of great players live on stage. A tip of the hat.

The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
2/22/2021


Dear Friends:

The pandemic has been devastating to the jazz community in New York. There's no question that our jazz world has been shaken to the core. Clubs permanently closed, no gigs, no teaching, no sessions, no travel - our community has been hit hard. At Smalls, we are committed to the continuity of our tradition and keeping performances happening. Thankfully, our supporters have kept us afloat and now we are beginning to see the signs of reawakening, albeit slowly. The governor has granted us the right to open again at 25% capacity and an 11 pm curfew. It's not much, but for a starving man, a crust of bread is a feast. We continue to battle forward and keep hope alive.

Reflecting on the nearly one year of closure has made me realize one thing - the high level of quality of the jazz artists on our scene is remarkable. During the normal busy hours of club operation, I am often running around frantically - back and forth between both clubs, making sure things are cool, solving issues with the bar, greeting customers and guests, getting bands on stage, sometimes having to eject an unruly or drunken patron. I actually have very little time to pause and listen to what's happening on stage. But during this slow period, I've been listening intently to our archive of past shows. I've been listening intently to the bands that perform each day for our "Get The Cats Working Again" concerts. It blows my mind. Each band, each musician, so great and of such high quality. Styles can be different, approaches to the music as varied as the people playing it. And yet, such passion and dedication. I know for myself that this has been a period of practice and study. When I do get to play it's so edifying. I sense the same from my peers. Playing music is cathartic and jazz, ultimately, is music born from pain. Charlie Parker once famously told Miles Davis: "To produce beauty, we must suffer pain. From the oyster comes the pearl, Miles.” and I believe this is true in our covid-era scene. The pain and loss have translated into a poignancy that I have not noticed pre-covid. Musicians a literally playing for their lives, not their livelihoods. The quality of our scene is high and all the musicians seem to rise to new levels.

We are still in a financial crisis and need the support of our members. Below is a list of bands that still need sponsorship for March. If you are inclined to sponsor a band, it's a $600 tax-deductible donation. Your name will be on the site, the newsletter, and announced at the show. However, even the most modest donation is helpful and goes to support the musicians and venues. Please consider becoming a member and making a donation to the SmallsLIVE Foundation. For more information, email us directly at foundation@smallslive.com. Otherwise, on-site it's very easy to join and donate and gain access to our remarkable archive of past shows dating back to 2007.

I send positive vibes to all of our friends, musicians, and supporters. I look forward to seeing you at the club in the near future.

Sincerest Regards,

Spike

[rlfun]

Smalls Jazz Club, Emblem of Pandemic Perseverance, Shifts Gears Yet Again

WBGO | By Nate Chinen
Published March 22, 2021, at 1:49 PM EDT

Spike Wilner, owner of Smalls Jazz Club, at the piano with Minnow the Jazz Cat.
Through all the ups and downs of the coronavirus crisis, no independent music venue has been more of a bellwether than Smalls Jazz Club. And its experience over the past week reveals just how challenging the situation continues to be, even with a vaccine rollout underway and new indoor capacity guidelines in effect for New York City.

It was just over a year ago that Smalls closed its doors as part of an across-the-board shutdown of bars and restaurants — a hallmark of the city's early response to the coronavirus, which Spike Wilner, the owner of Smalls, contracted at the time.

By mid-May, Wilner had recovered and set in motion a new phase for the club, including nonprofit status for the SmallsLIVE Foundation and an individual sponsorship program, the "Get the Cats Working Again" fund. "I believe it's just a matter of hanging on, hanging in there," he said in an email newsletter. "To survive we must be tenacious."

And tenacity is precisely the trait that Smalls has embodied in the ensuing months. Last June the club began presenting bands in a daily livestream, each underwritten by a sponsor. There's a longstanding tradition of live webcasts from the club — I first wrote about it back in 2013 — but in other respects this was new terrain. The SmallsLIVE Foundation benefited from a one-time donation of $25,000 from Billy Joel, otherwise relying on individual donations and some foundation support.

Mike Moreno at Smalls
Courtesy Of The Artist
The Mike Moreno Quartet performing a livestream from Smalls Jazz Club in July 2020.
Last fall, Wilner began opening the doors at Smalls to an extremely limited in-person audience, in compliance with capacity guidelines from New York State. "Many people are too afraid to come and many musicians have refused to come in," he wrote in a November newsletter. "We understand, of course, but still have to continue somehow. Those that have chosen to come to the club to perform or to listen have resoundingly been overwhelmed by how much they needed to play or hear our music."

Greg Bryant, whose "In the Club" feature airs on Jazz After Hours at WBGO, attended a show at Smalls last October. He also caught Wilner's trio at Mezzrow, a companion club, earlier this month. "Including myself, there were only six people at either show," Bryant recalls in an email. "Everyone was masked that I encountered, our temperatures were checked and we were all at a safe distance. I completely understand that everyone may not feel safe going out at this time, but I also understand that the community of listeners and musicians need each other. We need a safe space to test the waters in getting the scene back into action. Smalls had assumed that burden and I felt comfortable and renewed in my experience there."

Last week, an anonymous complaint to the State Liquor Authority brought Smalls' operations to a halt. At issue was a restriction imposed by the SLA decreeing that live music at any establishment must be offered as a complement to food service. A venue that advertises music, or sells tickets to an event, is in violation of that rule.

And while a state judge declared the ban on ticketed live events "not only excessive but also irrational," it still stands in New York City, at least for the time being. "Please note that until April 2," reads a recent statement by the SLA, "only incidental music is permissible. This means that advertised and/or ticketed shows are not permissible. Music should be incidental to the dining experience and not the draw itself."

On April 2, the statement adds, "live entertainment will resume under specific and forthcoming DOH guidance."

In an email distributed on Saturday, Wilner wrote that the SLA inspector insisted on classifying Smalls as a restaurant, despite its tavern license and lack of a kitchen. At a meeting of the SLA commission, the club avoided termination by a vote of two to one. "I am not clear why we were spared," Wilner wrote, "but I'd like to believe that they knew who we were and didn't want to extinguish a cultural institution. We will still get fined and probably significantly, but Smalls will live to see another day."

In fact, the Smalls livestream picks up again this evening, with the Ari Hoenig Trio. The club will once again be presenting bands to an empty room, at least until the new guidelines are announced on April 2.

Smalls calendar March 22

[rlfun]

The SmallsLIVE Foundation Newsletter
4/20/2021

Dear Friends -

It was a pleasure sitting "on the front stoop" greeting patrons and telling them about who's playing and what's going on. Many folks eager to come back to Smalls and Mezzrow and experience a live show. We are limited to 15 people per set and have to social distance using plexiglass barriers but the vibe is still there - for both the artists and the audience. I had one grateful and energized listener after another come up the stairs and thank us for being open. Even though the limitations are severe we finally began to go to midnight as of last night. So now our "late shows" are at 9pm and 10:30pm. A slow but steady climb back. If you'd like to see a live show at either club, we highly recommend purchasing a ticket from our site. Click on any of the links below or at our website. This guarantees your place. Otherwise, try walking in and if we have space you'll get a discounted ticket for just walking up to the club.

We are still broadcasting one show per day from the sponsorship of the SmallsLIVE Foundation at 6PM. These are closed to the public but broadcast for free on our site, Facebook and Youtube. If you'd like to sponsor a live band at the club have a look at the list below. A $600 donation pays the bands fee and gets your name (or anonymous or dedicated to whomever you choose) on the calendar, site and announced at the concert. Please email us at foundation@smallslive.com for more information.

I wish everyone a peaceful and productive week. I look forward to saying hello to you at the club.

Spike

[jtx]

The news keeps getting a little bit better with each passing of 2-3 weeks. Hoping that this progress does not get reversed again.