Music Tour

The great jazz musician Randy Weston lived at 204 East 13th Street in the 1960s, during the peak of his jazz career. At this time this section of the East Village was a hub of jazz and blues music in the United States, when Charlie “Bird” Parker and Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter both called the neighborhood home. Throughout his career, Weston incorporated African musical elements in his work, and played an important role in advancing the argument, now widely accepted, that the roots of jazz trace back to African music. Some of his most popular compositions include “Hi-Fly,” “Little Niles,” and “Blue Moses.”

Several notable musicians and music venues found a home in this area, from jazz to punk, blues to folk. Listen to a playlist featuring a selection of songs by some of the amazing artists connected to this neighborhood. Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.