Village Vanguard   

178 7th Ave S
New York, NY 10014
212-255-4037
www.villagevanguard.net

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By virtue of history alone, the Village Vanguard has earned its putative title as best jazz club on the planet. The cave-like basement haunt has been home to jazz legends -- like Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk -- for over 60 years. Today their portraits clutter the club's red-hued interior, imbuing the modest space with the aura of a mausoleum shrine. But the Vanguard's story is still unfolding, and in a very present tense. Lorraine Gordon, widow of original owner Max Gordon, continues to program the club with an ecumenical approach that mirrors the current state of jazz. In the past few years, the club has featured not only mainstream stalwarts like McCoy Tyner, but also such younger turks as Mark Turner, Dave Douglas and Brad Mehldau. Among jazz's up-and-comers, a gig at the Vanguard is still the sine qua non. What hasn't changed one bit about the Vanguard, besides the plumbing, is its unfaltering commitment to the music. You'll find no clinking silverware here, or food of any kind. Cell phones and smoking were likewise prohibited long before Bloomberg's ban. And the room's unusual wedge-shaped construction makes for ideal acoustics. (There's a reason for all those "Live at the Vanguard" recordings.) For fans and artists alike, this spot's reputation stands secure. -- Nate Chinen