When I reviewed Lorraine Gordon’s Alive at the Village Vanguard, I said I had never really met her, but she always seemed cool when I went to her club. After attending a book party in her club Wed. night I can say I briefly met her and she was very nice. My online book reviewing did not seem to mean much to her though, which is certainly understandable.
The publisher, Herman Leonard, put together a very nice event. To give it the society page treatment, those seen in attendance included: Joe Lovano, Bill Frisell, and John Mosca of the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. (No actual live music though.) It is great to see a house taking jazz titles seriously, and promoting them accordingly.
The Vanguard is a unique place in jazz history, and it is always good to be there. You can get a sense of that history from reading Lorraine Gordon’s entertaining book.
