The Village Vanguard is famous for the large amount of talent that performed nightly in its triangular basement area. Located at 178 Second Ave, the club was opened in 1934 and was intended to be a place for poetry and folk music performance. However, with the rise in jazz popularity that accompanied the 50’s and increased interest in the Vanguard’s renowned jazz jams, the owner of the Vanguard, Max Gordon, decided to switch to an all-jazz repertoire in 1957. Afterward, the Vanguard became responsible for establishing the careers of quite a few well-respected jazz musicians, the most famous of which is Thelonious Monk. Furthermore, the likes of Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus and Stan Getz were booked to perform; many of them would come back for countless performances. Due to the sheer numbers of talented jazz performers that played in its hall, the Vanguard has garnered a reputation as an iconic landmark. It is said that part of its ambience lies in the spirit of the performers, which has remained long after their performances; a spirit that has been growing for the past half-century.
-Clusel, Maxime, photographer. “Village Vanguard.” Photograph.Wikipedia Commons. 19 October 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Villagevanguard.jpg#filehistory. Accessed May 10th, 2012
