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Jazz Sessions That Evoke an Earlier Era
Some regulars at Sankofa Aban, like Boncella Lewis, pictured here, have been active around the jazz scene for years. More Photos »
By AUSTIN CONSIDINE
Published: April 12, 2012
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MOST times, the Sankofa Aban bed-and-breakfast is scarcely distinguishable from the other brownstones lining the quiet, tree-lined streets of its historic part of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Only a tiny sign beside the stoop suggests the gorgeously restored 19th-century town house is not a private home.
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Elizabeth D. Herman for The New York Times
The owner of the Sankofa Aban Bed and Breakfast began hosting summer jazz nights in the backyard about two years ago. More Photos »
But starting about 9 p.m. every Friday, something's swinging in the parlor of 107 Macon Street. From the sidewalk, one can see dapper jazz musicians bounce and hear the thumping of a double bass. A singer does her best Billie Holiday just out of view; the piano is slightly — charmingly — out of tune.
Forget the high-priced clubs that long ago traded in their smoky glory to cater to out-of-towners. The weekly Brownstone Jazz concerts here are intimate affairs that recall a time when Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant house parties turned into all-night jams.
"In the evening hours, after a full week, you can get out somewhere and kick back with others while feeling at home, and listen," said Debbie McClain, the owner, noting that the parlors of brownstones like hers were sometimes used as ballrooms in bygone days. "People gathered in elegance," she said, adding, "We look to continue an old trend."
The series has drawn some headlining names since it began in August 2010, thanks partly to the efforts and connections of Eric Lemon, 53, an accomplished bassist who helped found the program and who leads the backup trio each Friday. Performers have included the saxophonist and Blue Note recording artist James Spaulding, the trombonist and euphonist Kiane Zawadi, and the singer Boncella Lewis.
The Brownstone Jazz series also draws from another old tradition: the Friday fish fry, included with the $20 cover. Proceeds go to the musicians and subsidize free music workshops offered during the week.
On a Friday night in early March, Lady Leah — a beautiful, softly graying singer in a form-fitting white blouse — performed for a mostly middle-aged crowd of about 40. The women wore slinky dresses, pearls and gold earrings; the men, collared shirts and coats, some wearing the nattiest of suits, rakishly tilted fedoras and bright silk handkerchiefs.
Once the main act had finished and the fish had been served, the band settled in for the night. Audience members joined impromptu sessions, wielding saxophones and trumpets, and Deborah Rollerson, a regular from Bushwick, seized the microphone. "Mostly I sing for the love of it," she said, adding: "They're very loving here. They treat my ego gently."
Before it was an epicenter of hip-hop, Brooklyn had at least as many jazz venues as Manhattan, and most were in Bedford-Stuyvesant, according to research from the Lost Jazz Shrines project undertaken by the Weeksville Heritage Center in Crown Heights. Jazz greats like Eddie Heywood, George Russell and Lena Horne called Brooklyn home.
"In the '60s, Bed-Stuy had about 20 clubs that were semi-major clubs," Mr. Lemon said. "We're talking about clubs that had Max Roach playing, clubs that had Hank Mobley playing, Miles Davis, right here on the corner."
No longer. "What really got us going was that there's no jazz in this community," Mr. Lemon said. "We're basically the last ones standing."
On this Friday, the atmosphere was well behaved but by no means staid. When Lady Leah broke into a regendered blues classic, "I Want Big Fat Daddy," the men laughed and the women erupted into a raucous sing-along.
"This feels like a more intimate house, where people come to appreciate the music," Lady Leah said, contrasting the scene with those at clubs where the music can be only a backdrop: "You're not just incidental here."
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