The Birdland

Lore & Background

The original Birdland (1949–1965) was at 1678 Broadway, below street level. Irving Levy, Morris Levy, and Oscar Goodstein—along with six other partners—purchased the venue in 1949 from Joseph 'Joe the Wop' Catalano. The name 'Birdland' was adopted to capitalize on the profile of Charlie 'Yardbird' Parker. The club was originally scheduled to open on September 8, 1949, but was moved to December 15 due to difficulties in getting a liquor license. The opening night featured Maxie Kaminsky, Hot Lips Page, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Harry Belafonte, Stan Getz, and Lennie Tristano. Parker performed at Birdland frequently, including many regular engagements. The neon sign read 'Birdland, Jazz Corner of the World'. The venue seated 500 and had a long bar, tables, booths, and a fenced-in bullpen. Irving Levy was stabbed to death at the club on January 26, 1959. In June 1964, Birdland filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Goodstein closed Birdland in 1965. A new Birdland Club, initially owned by John R. Valenti, opened on the Upper West Side in 1986 at 2745 Broadway at West 105th Street. In 1996, Valenti moved the club to 315 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues.

In Their Own Story

The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the infield dirt, glinting off the red brick of the warehouse that looms in left field. A young fan, wearing an oversized jersey with a number worn by a legend from decades past, grips a plastic bat tightly. The air smells of freshly cut grass and grilling hot dogs. As the pitcher winds up on the mound, the roar of the crowd swells into a unified hum, a sound that has filled this space since 1992, connecting this moment to every game played before it in the hallowed grounds of Birdland.

Reader's Guide

The original Birdland was located at 1678 Broadway, just north of West 52nd Street in Manhattan. The current Birdland is at 315 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues in Midtown Manhattan. The club features a full weekly schedule of performers.

Did You Know?

• The club's original master of ceremonies was Pee Wee Marquette, who was four feet tall and known for mispronouncing names if musicians refused to tip him.
• George Shearing's standard 'Lullaby of Birdland' (1952) was named in the club's honor.
• On August 25, 1959, Miles Davis was beaten by a New York City policeman on the sidewalk in front of Birdland.
• The club was frequented by Beat Generation writers and is referenced in Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road.