Walking Down 10th Street

 

Hanging on Tenth St in the 70's

I lived in several different buildings along East 10th Street, on the Lower East Side during the 1970's. My first book, Belinda and Her Friends, published in 2008, was based on the block between First and Second Avenue. Belinda was the real name of my friend Cougar, who lived across the street from me in an abandoned building with a number of other people who kept it going, including the famed late jazz saxophonist known as C Sharpe and his wife, China. The second poem in the book was originally titled "Belinda sits at her window" but was later changed to "Walking Down Tenth Street." Under that title, it has been recorded and filmed.

In May, 2016, while visiting Prague and opening for New York Junk at their shows,

I had the opportunity to do some poetry events of my own. This one was filmed by Jackie Barnett. "Walking Down Tenth Street" is the second poem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPou2ICapRg

With Louie's father, Jon, outside our apartment at 223 East 10th St, 1975, pregnant with Louie.

More recent days on Tenth Street.

Photo, Alice Espinosa-Cincotta   

The closing of Anyway Café

 We are sad to report that, after a great 28-year run, Anyway Café was forced to close its doors. Since its final night, 2/27/23, a group of former employees have banded together to find a new space where they can recreate the great food, music, and general ambiance of Anyway, albeit under a new name. Rumor has it that a clothing store will be leasing the East 2nd Street space. 

Because we really need another clothing store.

We will dearly miss our monthly residency. Two photos from our final show below.

First one by Charley Crespo, with, L-R, Dave Donen, Gass Wild, Puma Perl, Joe Sztabnik and Dina Regina.

Second on by Dina Regine.

Valentine's Day at the 11th St Bar

 We had a great Valentine's Day show at the 11th Street Bar.

SoulCake opened at 8:30 and Puma Perl and Friends played love, anti-love, and apathetic songs 9:30-11. Saxophonists Danny Ray and Seaton Hancock aka Chuckie aka Raven joined us and Chuckie did a killer solo of "My Funny Valentine."

We will be back July 18, 2023.

First three images by Eileen Spinfree, fourth by Dina Regine.

East Village Art Festival

 The Sixth Annual East Village Art Festival took place at the Tompkins Square Library on 12/10/22, 3-7. The theme was "All About the Neighborhood." It was a pleasure to join a great group of artists of any genre including writers, musicians, poets, painters, clothing and jewelry designers, and illustrators. 

I performed a few poems with musicians Joff Wilson and Laura Sativa and even sold a few books.

Group photo by Bob Krasner

My books and Delphine LeGoff's artwork. Delphine was one of the organizers of the festival.