On the Road: Central Avenue, Los Angeles, California
This post has moved to Littourati's new site at Squarespace. See it at
On the Road: Central Avenue, Los Angeles, California
On the Road: Central Avenue, Los Angeles, California
Labels: California, Central Avenue, Google Earth, Google map, Jack Kerouac, jazz, kmz, map, On the Road, Sal Paradise
posted by Michael L. Hess | 8:45 AM
6 Comments:
Hi, I found you through digg. I just went to see the OTR manuscript in SF, as I'm sure you've done, too, since you're nearby. Just wrote about it in my blog, if you want to stop by.
I am from Milwaukee and also am paired with a woman named Megan...
I thought of mapping Sal's travels myself online, but decided to google it first, and it seems you've done a far better job than I imagined I would. I'd love to see some info on Denver and the night-trip to the opera/party in Central City, CO. The trip south would also be cool...
Jonathan, if you go to some of my previous posts, you'll find an entry on the opera/night in Colorado and posts on Denver.
Unfortunately I'm on a forced hiatus right now, trying to finish the dissertation, but hopefully I'll finish Sal's first trip with some time.
Well done! At the time OTR takes place, Central Avenue was indeed in the nexus of the jazz scene in LA (they just held the annual Central Avenue Jazz Festival back in August, in fact, along the stretch of the Avenue in front of the Dunbar Hotel). There is a new mini-park across the street to commemorate the area's role in music history, but sad to say, other than the Dunbar and the Florence Mills Theatre (now a Spanish language church), there is virtually nothing else in the area that remains. Even the Dunbar, which has been preserved as housing for seniors, takes a stretch of the imagination to see Billie Holliday or Duke Ellington hanging around in the lobby.
A very nice piece - thanks for tying OTR to Central Avenue - i read the book long ago and didn't see the connection at that time.
I have just posted a piece about the meaning of WEST COAST JAZZ on my blog - you may want to check it out
http://jazzghetto.blogspot.com/
I HUNG OUT IN AN UPSTAIRS FRIED CHICKEN PLACE A FEW DOORS SOUTH OF CENTRAL ON VERNON AVE. IF MY MEMORY IS CORRECT. EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT AROUND 2 AM SOME JAZZ GREATS WOULD COME THERE AFTER THEIR GIG AND ART TATUM ON AN UPRIGHT WAS A REGULAR.
ANYBODY WITH MORE INFO - PLEASE GIVE ME A SHOUT AND PUT CENTRAL AVE JAZZ IN THE SUBJECT LINE.
MANY THANKS
MISCHA (BRIMISCHA@HOTMAIL.COM)
Post a Comment
<< Home