Gordon
Polatnick's Big Apple Jazz Tours
"New York's Real Jazz Deal" ~ Manhattan
Times
Reservations: Email:
Gordon@BigAppleJazz.com
Phone: 212 283-JAZZ (5299)
Fax: 212 656-1057
"If you want to try to hear the music in the city's bones the way a New Yorker like me does, take a tour like Gordon Polatnick's Big Apple Jazz Tour..." ~ Gene Santoro from Welcome to New York

Gordon Polatnick's
References (more
photos and videos of my New York)
"I look forward to answering all your questions and am committed to helping you get the most out of your visit to New York."
1- 2-
(1) The Harlem Jazz Scene past and present is celebrated in this short video called the Saga of the Tree of Hope.
(2) A short documentary by Laura Palotie introduces jazz tour guide, Gordon Polatnick and EZ's Woodshed.
Harlem Jazz History Tours can be customized for your group. Email: Gordon@BigAppleJazz.com
group size
| Jazz tours are customized specifically for you or your group. A group can be any size. I have couples and families and small circles of friends calling me from around the world, and I have corporate groups and school outings looking for something different than the typical night in Times Square. (Individuals are welcome to enquire but groups of at least three guests are more economical - so invite your friends out for an exciting and memorable evening). |
guide service fee
| Guide service is $75 per hour and we need at least 4 hours. = $300 |
transportation
| Transportation
cost
is not included but I will help you with your choices - including: walking, subways, taxis, limos, vans, or buses. Prices will range from $0 on up. I will arrange hiring the transportation of your choice after consulting with you and giving you the best options to suit your style and budget. |
where we will go
| We will visit
clubs that have the atmosphere and music that suits your tastes -- choices
include seeing legendary players at legendary clubs like Birdland and the
Village Vanguard; and/or neighborhood dives and small clubs where you are
likely to find surprise guests with extraordinary talent and passion;
intimate clubs featuring vocalists and trios; Hammond B-3 organ lounges;
jam sessions that start late and end early from Harlem down to the
Village; and in great hidden restaurants in all 5 boroughs. New York is spoiled
with choices, and I can help you find the clubs that will make your jazz
dreams come true. And if you want to sit in, I will find you a jam session that will treat you like a long lost friend. Jazz history and commentary available throughout the tour if you swing that way, or an unobtrusive escort if you don't. Prices will range from $0 - $50 per person per club. We will choose clubs to fit your budget without sacrificing anything musically. TOURS ARE AVAILABLE 7 NIGHTS A WEEK. For Example
|
if you're new to jazz...
If you're new to jazz, or just want to spin the wheel of fate...just say so, and I'll take you along with me on my nightly jazz journey -- tracking down the insiders' tips on where the excitement is on the chosen night of your tour. We could discover a hidden neighborhood scene or a fresh talent destined for greatness. This is the tour where I set out to discover the next Miles Davis or Billie Holiday playing below the radar and get right up close in an off-the-beaten-path joint. |
Reservations: Email:
Gordon@BigAppleJazz.com
Phone: 212 283-JAZZ (5299) Fax: 212
656-1057
HARLEM JAZZ TOURS MEET AT EZ'S WOODSHED, 2236 7TH AVE., BETWEEN 131ST AND
132ND ST.
Blues Clubs are also an option on a Big Apple Jazz Tour
|
"If you want to try to hear the music in the city's bones the way a New Yorker like me does, take a tour like Gordon Polatnick's Big Apple Jazz Tour..." ~ Gene Santoro from Welcome to New York Gene Santoro is the author of Myself When I Am Real: The Life and Music of Charles Mingus and Highway 61 Revisited: The Tangled Roots of American Jazz, Blues, Rock, and Country Music. He covers music for the New York Daily News and is a columnist for Chamber Music. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The New York Post, the Village Voice, New York, the New Yorker, Discover, the American Scholar, the Atlantic Monthly, People, Entertainment Weekly, DownBeat, and Billboard. |
|
"Thanks so much for putting together an unforgettable jazz evening in Harlem . The group loved being able to take the A Train into Harlem (made them feel adventuresome) as well as the outstanding dinner and music. I’m really glad I stayed and had a chance to enjoy the speakeasy. Both places, the dive and the speakeasy, sure had a great atmosphere and I loved being able to hear such great music in such a small close-up setting." ~ Catherine J. Heeg International Professional Speaker and Trainer - Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| "...thank you for last Monday night and the invaluable tips which you gave us. I was a bit suspicious at the outset of our contact as I thought I could find out most or all things from the internet. But, there is in fact, nothing which surpasses local knowledge...There are venues around town that are tourist traps and there are other venues that involve the real thing presented by real people...I want to tell you about our experiences because I am so excited by them..." ~Mark Blumberg - President Jazz Action Society SOUTH AUSTRALIA Inc. "Promoting Australian Jazz and Jazz In Australia" |
| "Thank you so much for guiding me to that fantastic Monday Night Harlem Jam. Without your help I could have never been exposed to such a wonderful true jazz experience like that in my life. I now know what is the real jazz , the music and the atmosphere." ~Osamu - Chiba, Japan. |
| "It was a dream come true for Matt as he ably played his sax with the outstanding musicians assembled. He will never forget his many solos and especially the extremely warm reception." ~Jim Kane (Matt's Father) - Auburn, MA |
| "In addition to meeting and listening to some great characters the evening had a real bonus in that I enjoyed your company so much. Thanks again for a great night." ~Brain Mate Stoke on Trent - England |
| "Your tailor-made tour of jazz clubs was the indisputable highlight of our visit to New York." ~Kees Broekhof Trombonist and jazz enthusiast, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands |
| "When I tell people about the tour, I find that I am talking about you and your style as much as the music." ~Nat Carney, York, PA |
| "These places we went to...there is no way we would have seen these places without you. We want everybody to know that this tour is a must." ~Adrian Stoppelman and Graciela Rodriguez Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| "...Gordon proved to be so thoroughly knowledgeable of jazz locales and players that he could attune the tour to our personal tastes and experience with jazz...The others in our group of Philadelphia doctors, lawyers and professors thoroughly subscribe to the above." ~Dr. Jack Dobbyn - Philadelphia, PA |
Reservations: Email: Gordon@BigAppleJazz.com Phone: 917 863-7854 Fax: 212 656-1057
| This is a unique opportunity for seasoned fans and for the curious. New York City is the undisputed world capital of jazz. The New York music scene offers the world's top players in several clubs seven nights a week. N Y jazz fans are treated to an assortment of outstanding choices nightly: From the upscale Village venues such as Blue Note, to the vintage Harlem night clubs such as Lenox Lounge. You can experience the excitement of catching many performances around town in a single night -- often finding top players at after-hours jam sessions till 4:00 AM or later if you know where to go. Our service provides the guides and solves your transportation needs -- from individuals to large groups. Our expert consultants can also advise you where to go and how to get there if you're on a tight budget. |
Consultations -- for the do-it-yourselfers
who seek advice.
Terms and Conditions
-- Payment options, cancellation policy, refunds.
Member NYC & Company (formerly known as
The New York Convention & Visitors Bureau)

We're going "bricks and mortar!"
|
The Big Apple Jazz Store and EZ's Woodshed 2236 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. (131st/132nd Streets) in Harlem. If you'd like to be kept up to date with on-going festivities, and new tour offerings, as well as job opportunities... Please send us an email requesting to be put on our respectful mailing list. Email: Gordon@BigAppleJazz.com Call during office hours if you like and leave a message. Someone will get back to you. Phone: 212 283-JAZZ
Back to: BigAppleJazz.com |
Gift Certificates
For the jazz fan in
your life.
Click here for
General New York City Sightseeing and
Guide Service
Back to: BigAppleJazz.com
| Some people prefer to hit the
streets on their own. We
applaud that spirit and would like to offer our assistance. As far
as we know, there is no other service set up to help the New York
visitor with unbiased advice on where to go and how to get there.
Let us help you maximize your New York City jazz adventure by providing
the current information that no guide book or website could ever hope to
provide. The Consultation Process Step by Step: 1- E-mail us with your desired tour dates in New York City. 2- Let us know if you are interested in a particular style of jazz, or not. 3- Feel free to ask any initial questions. 4- We will set up a phone meeting for the consultation, or email you with the results of our research. 5- This usually lasts an hour and is payable by cash or Visa and MasterCard.
Reservations: |
|
General New York City Sightseeing We provide just the right touch for
Step-on Guides
-- all languages
EMAIL or call to make
your reservations today Here's a
sample 4-Hour Itinerary Starting at
any Midtown Hotel
Tour Guide Home Page |
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Copyright © 1997-2007 Gordon Polatnick / Big Apple Jazz. All Rights Reserved.
Keywords:
Visit some of these jazz clubs: The Blue Note, Sweet Basil, Sweet Rhythm, The Village Vanguard, Birdland, The Cotton Club, The Iridium, The Lenox Lounge, The Jazz Standard, Blue Smoke, Swing 46, St. Nicks Pub, or any of the many other hidden, smaller clubs that are popping up all over town from TriBeCa to Harlem; SoHo to Times Square. Bachelor Parties, Choose from New York's nightly variety of Living Legends swinging: Bebop, Big Band Swing, Avant-Garde, Straight Ahead, Acid Jazz, Blues, Bossa Nova, Jam Sessions, Local Talent, Vocalists, or the Latest Hip Thing. Visit some of these jazz clubs: The Blue Note, Sweet Basil, The Village Vanguard, Birdland, The Cotton Club, The Iridium, The Lenox Lounge, The Jazz Standard, Swing 46, St. Nicks Pub, or any of the many other hidden, smaller clubs that are popping up all over town from TriBeCa to Harlem; SoHo to Times Square. Choose from New York's nightly variety of Living Legends swinging: Bebop, Bachelor Parties, Big Band Swing, Avant-Garde, Straight Ahead, Acid Jazz, Blues, Bossa Nova, Jam Sessions, Local Talent, Vocalists, NYC jazz clubs, jazz clubs of New York, Harlem jazz jams, jam sessions, Harlem speakeasy, ny jazz.