LimeWire Music Blog

Comparing New York City jazz institution Smalls to other, more well-known spaces like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center is like comparing an ant to an elephant: exponentially smaller but no less strong relative to its size. For many jazz aficionados, the small club was the place where late-night jazz stayed alive and vibrant in New York; where smoke-filled rooms, red couches and nonstop jamming was not just the stuff of movies, but a place to wile away the (after) hours. For a “small” taste of the club, guitarist Peter Bernstein leads a formidable group of musicians in six original tracks and “Vida Blue” from drummer Jimmy Cobb. Bernstein has been playing around New York for nearly 20 years, recording with everyone from Lou Donaldson and Brad Mehldau to Christian McBride and Joshua Redman. The club itself may have moved to another location, but the vibrancy, urgency and immediacy can all be found in these recordings.

Jason Newman