Aki Ishiguro Group featuring Ari Hoenig @ the 55 Bar

Aki Ishiguro Group @ 55 bar

I broke the promise not to go to the 55 Bar anymore – it didn’t make much sense anyway.  Haven’t been there in such a long time, so it was actually kind of nice. And nobody gave me trouble this time and I didn’t give trouble to anyone   Yeah. In fact, the bartenders didn’t even ask if I wanted a drink. Which was good, I’ve been drinking way too much anyway.

So it was Aki Ishiguro’s Group with Alex Terrier on sax, Sean Wayland on keys, Aidan Carroll on bass and Ari Hoenig on drums. I really liked the bass player! Great band, burning young cats – I wonder what Aki eats for breakfast to get that kind of chops So I was sorry that I got there pretty late. Even though I heard them @ Coco 66 a couple of weeks ago. 55 Bar was really packed. Well, I got to go again some other time.

Four gigs and an open vodka bar

Hanna-Liina @ the vodka bar

First it was Rockwood for the happy hour band of Melanie Penn, the singer-songwriter. Seemed to be really popular, Rockwood was packed. I met a fellow Estonian Hanna-Liina Võsa there, so we went on for some Friday night gig hopping Next in plan was Dave Allen Trio @ Bar Next Door with Aidan Carroll on bass and Jared Schonig on drums (who was subbing for someone, did a great job sight reading there). Bass and drums were really loud and stole most of the attention – and I enjoyed it, they were killin. Bar Next Door was quite empty, I never got such a good seat there yet.  Apparently the 1st and 4th sets  are 50% off the cover charge which makes it $6. And the drink minimum – the season for beer is over, now is time for tea.

Beatbox Guitar @ Webster Hall

And vodka. Next stop was Webster Hall @ the East Village, more like a DJ venue there, besides an open vodka bar it featured a cool live music event with beatboxer Pete List and harp guitarist Rob Mastrianni. Sounded great!
We as Estonians both drank 5 vodka cocktails in a fraction of a second and felt great Open bars are so much fun

 

Aki ishiguro Group @ Coco 66

And then the final destination, Coco 66 in Greenpoint to hear Aki Ishiguro Group with Alex Terrier on alto, Sean Wayland on keys, Pascal Niggenkemper on bass and Nick Anderson on drums. For some weird reason the place was double booked so they actually played next door, it seemed to be 68 Greenpoint Ave not 66. But the band was great Some killin jazz playing And I got home with just one long train ride, the G train Was very gradual.