Did you know the legendary Les Paul plays two shows in NYC every week of the year? It is one of those NYC events you can do all the time but put off because you can do it all the time. Well, I finally can check this off my to-do list.
Last Monday the wifey and I met a couple friends at the Iridium Jazz Club for Les's second show of the evening. The set was just over an hour and was quite enjoyable. Somehow, we showed up 15 minutes before the start and ended up with really great seats at one of the front tables. Sweet.
Les turned 96 this past June and it shows. One should go check him out but definitely don't expect him to shine like he did when he was Bing Crosby's band leader. Overall, just being in the room with him, seeing him play, joking with the crowd...all while hitting on his hot bass player...is more than enough to warrant the trip. Bonus points were two of Les-guests: Eight year old Yuto Miyazawa, Guiness World Record holder as the youngest professional guitarist and former Howard Stern guy, Jackie "The Jokeman" Martling.
View the rest of my pics here.
Yuto Miyazawa & Les
Jackie "The Jokeman" Martling