MACDOUGAL STREET STOOP IN

The People of New York Declare
Monday, June 8 is
MACDOUGAL STREET STOOP IN

Bring your acoustic instruments and grab a stoop to play.

Find space and practice, rehearse, sing and make music.

Music Heals. Music Unites.

Still not back to work? No excuse to miss this.

Share and spread the word.

Help re-establish live music in Greenwich Village ASAP.

All day. Open for all ages.

Bring your guitars and flutes. Sit around. Stand around. Play. Patronize open businesses.

Peaceful stand for music in New York City.

CURBSIDE PICK UP

Please share the link. Tell a friend. Tune up!

https://www.facebook.com/events/254208402479566/

The People have declared
MacDougal Street OPEN.

Let's all be a-stoopin' when the City opens.

MUSIC HEALS
MUSIC UNITES

All day
All ages




https://www.facebook.com/events/254208402479566/

NOTHING ISRAEL

Israel Goodman Young

has left the building.

We slept in this morning. We watched his documentary on himself

called

TALKING FOLKLORE CENTER. 

We packed the bag and had some cheesecake for breakfast,

then used public transportation to Newark where it smells.

I raced back to Washington Square and reflected on my time with Izzy.

Words cannot describe, unless you know Izzy.

Integrity. Gritty. Alive and well.

Izzy says "Bob, you are positively awesome!''

krishna at Union Square

Should there not be a statue of Izzy somewhere?

IZZY YOUNG LIVING IT UP

Something has been planned for Israel Young each day of his visit. Today, we had plans for dinner with his long lost cousin who lives uptown by me. But first, pack up, leave Bleecker and settle in at my place before going out for chow.

Tomorrow,

I'll be making my yearly trek to the great Clearwater Festival.

The big difference is that THIS TIME I'll be going with the Wizard if Iz

which means ACCESS and escapades.

It's like parading around with Santa Claus. He'll have a blast. Check back to see what we done did.

Izzy watching Izzy

Izzy seeing a picture of his young parents

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And while Izzy napped on Wednesday, I spent time with a couple guitar giants on Macdougal Street.

Marc Silber and Erik Frandsen 

DOMINIC CHIANESE AND VINCE MARTIN - BROTHERS IN ARMS

Vince Martin, Dominic Chianese
(a Still from documentary footage)

The Cafe Reggio has been an institution on MacDougal St for decades. It's seen dozens of other clubs and shops along the strip thrive, close and re-open under aliases. The original Kettle of Fish is a Vietnamese eatery today. The Folklore Center is a clothes boutique. The Cafe Wha? Is one if the few venues still thriving just a half a block south.

The Reggio, at 119 MacDougal, is not only still open but it still sports the same decor as it has for many years. It's reminiscent of McSoreley's on 7th where oil paintings depicting the inside done in the 1920s can be used to describe how it STILL looks to this day.

The Reggio is known for being the coffee shop where musicians, actors and luminaries would meet or hang out to "kill" a little time. It's central to everywhere and yet out of the way. It was a perfect place for us to wait for the call to begin shooting the next interview for my GERDE'S FOLK CITY DOCUMENTARY IN PRODUCTION.

However, we didn't wait to shoot and the patrons of Reggio's this past rain-drenched Friday were treated to a two hour show featuring the guitar playing and sweet singing of Vince Martin and Dominic Chianese.

Vince, the one time recording partner of legend Fred Neil, was a hit entertainer for decades on these streets. I wanted to hear my friend Vince talk on camera about my grandpa Mike Porco.

Dominic, known for roles in feature films and -most notably- as family patriarch Corrado Soprano on HBO, was instantly recognized by many of the patrons who stuck around extra to listen to the show. What they may not have known was that Dom is a musician at heart. Case closed.

He spent many years emcee-ing at Folk City for Mike Porco and because of his Italian upbringing, forged a bond with the Porco name that lasts to today.

These men are family. The outpouring of love for life and song was palpable. I thought the rain would dampen our original plans to shoot video in Washington Square. Boy, was I wrong. 

Vince, Dom, Bob and Jonathan Levin

Set and crew at 130 W3rd

Familia

Satisfied Minds