Live and Free: Jazz and World Music in Manhattan

The Eric Paulin Band in Tompkins Square Park

Jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker lived in a brownstone row house on Avenue B overlooking Tompkins Square Park from 1950 until shortly before his death in 1955. For the past 27 years, SummerStage has honored the Bird, as he was nicknamed, by hosting the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival near his birthday, August 29, at Tompkins Square Park and other locations. This year, however, public health concerns forced the organizers to cancel what would have been a celebration of Parker's 100th birthday celebration. Drummer Eric Paulin, who has performed frequently with his jazz band in Tompkins Square Park over the past 10 years, is informally keeping the flame alive this year by hosting his own Charlie Parker festival. He is inviting jazz musicians to play in the park next Saturday and Sunday, August 29 and 30, weather permitting. The NYC Parks Department website asks participants to “please wear face coverings and maintain at least six feet of distance between yourself and others.”

In addition to the many jazz musicians who will jam in Tompkins Square Park this weekend, increasing numbers of local musicians have been emerging from isolation and reuniting with other musicians to perform live. Some are performing in public spaces, others are in restaurants. In some cases, the musicians perform inside a restaurant for the diners outside the venue; in other cases the musicians perform outside at tables. All the performances are free for your ears -- although the musicians are surviving from the tips offered by their listeners.

Besides the above-mentioned Eric Paulin Band, here are 12 other local musicians who have returned to performing live in recent weeks. Follow the bands' social media pages to see where they are playing next.

Nora Balaban

Nora Balaban (right) and friends in Tompkins Square Park

Nora Balaban and an informal collective of friends perform traditional spiritual Shona music from Zimbabwe on Tuesday evenings in Tompkins Square Park.

The East Village All-Stars

The East Village All Stars

Also known as the East Village Social Distancing All Stars, the brass band of troubadours roams up and down the avenues, playing for diners at sidewalk cafes long enough to collect tips, then moves on to the next restaurant.

Gabriel Hermida

Gabriel Hermida at the Anyway Cafe

Gabriel Hermida is from Argentina and plays flamenco, tango and other Spanish guitar styles.

Gokce & Tamer

Gokce & Tamer outside Dröm

Gokce & Tamer play Turkish music.

Kristina Camins

Kristina Camins at the Anyway Café

Kristina Camins, sometimes accompanied by guitarist Yael Dray-Barel, sings Latin jazz.

PANDEMIC!!

Pandemic in Tompkins Square Park

There are many bands named Pandemic, but this newly-formed quartet spells its name in uppercase letters and adds two exclamation points. PANDEMIC!! plays vintage salsa music.

Piers Lawrence

Piers Lawrence (center) outside David's Café

Piers Lawrence plays jazz guitar outside David's Café on Saturday nights.

Proud Yuma

Proud Yuma in Tompkins Square Park

Proud Yuma plays vintage salsa music that inevitably gets its audience dancing in the park.

Rebetiko

Christos Papadopoulos and Spiros Exaras outside Dröm

Various combinations of local musicians, often led by Christos Papasdopoulos and/or Spiros Exaras, play Greek rebetiko music.

Rob Mastrianni

Rob Mastrianni at Marshall Stack

Not really jazz or world music, Rob Mastrianni plays intricate guitar instrumentals, and one of his guitars sounds like both a sitar and a harpsichord.

Scott Stenten

Scott Stenten at Tompkins Square Park

Scott Stenten interprets vintage jazz on a custom-made double neck guitar, his left hand playing chords on the upper neck at the same time that his right hand plays melodies on the lower neck.

The Typsy Gypsy Girls

The Typsy Gypsy Girls at Nomad

The Typsy Gypsy Girls perform gypsy music and dance.