Brilliant Corners: Maureen’s Jazz Cellar in Nyack, New York

Prior trips to NYC having yielded the delights of Joe Lovano’s Trio Tapestry and European quartet with Marcin Wasilewski at the Village Vanguard, visiting last May meant your Jazzwise scribe needed his regular cup of Joe. Deep in the jazz listings he spied a birthday celebration for Lovano’s wife, vocalist/composer Judi Silvano at Maureen’s Jazz Cellarin Nyack.

Nyack sounds like Greenland (it’s originally the land of the Tappan Indians), but it’s a pretty village 15 miles north of Manhattan on the west bank of the Hudson River, 50 minutes’ drive from the Vanguard but an hour and forty by train, then bus. Maureen’s, at 2 North Broadway, was the brainchild of Brianne Higgins, who designed the place; “and wanted to build something lasting,” states hubby and business partner David Budway, who insisted on the inclusion of a Steinway grand to attract top-rank artists – including himself, a highly versatile, encyclopaedic pianist.

The venue, named after Budway’s sister, who was an outstanding Pittsburgh singer – check Sweet Candor (MCG), recorded months before her death from cancer in 2015 – has featured frequent Budway collaborators Hubert Laws and Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts, plus Ravi Coltrane, Geoff Keezer and Gunhild Carling.

Silvano’s celebration was an all-star sextet affair with ebullient slide trumpet master Steve Bernstein guesting also. The set included nostalgic gems such as Strayhorn’s ‘Day Dream’, ‘Looking Back’, (Jon Hendrick’s take on Monk’s ‘Reflections’), as well as Silvano’s signature meditation ‘Dust’ (recorded in duo with Mal Waldron on Riding A Zephyr, Soul Note, 2000). Jobim’s ‘Inútil Paisagem’ aka ‘If You Never Come To Me’ which followed, was recorded on Silvano’s Indigo Moods album (Jazzed Media 2012).

Mentored by Sheila Jordan, Silvano (who wittily created a portmanteau of her maiden name, Silverman, when she married Lovano) also sang ‘Jazz Will Set You Free’, Jordan’s ‘Workshop Blues’ but with lyrics by another Silvano friend and colleague, Judy Niemack.

Jordan sang at Maureen’s several times with veteran bassist Cameron Brown, who was in Judi’s birthday band alongside Budway and undersung drum ace Steve Johns. Silvano actually met Jordan at an NYC ’workshop’ in 1982 and they’ve jammed several times at another club in the Hudson Valley, The Falcon.

Lovano crushed with an architecturally monumental solo on Abbey Lincoln’s ‘Bird Alone’ and Silvano told to me she was present at Lincoln’s Over the Years session in 2000, on which hubby superbly features. ”

Abbey was present at the memorial service for singer Jeanne Lee at the Jazz Church in NYC, where she heard me sing in duo with Joe,” Silvano also recalled. “She was enthusiastic about our sounds together. It was a deep moment on several levels.”

Most captivating and atmospheric at Maureen’s was Silvano’s open-ended original ‘Our World’, which touched on the pollution of the planet with an ominous freeform build (Silvano wrote words for this for a duo album with Michael Abene in 2013).

The concert climaxed with a thunderous version of ‘Listen to Monk’ aka ‘Rhythm-a-Ning’ with burning solos from the horns and all concerned, Silvano kicking things off with Henrick’s lyrics.

“We had a great time and I loved the freedom with which we all connected between the originals and classic songs alike,” enthused Silvano. “A lot of space for improvisation too.”

Jazz per se isn’t the only music presented at Maureen’s: “We also feature a weekly Grateful Dead night comprising the tri-state’s greatest ‘Dead’ musicians,” says Budway, “including members of the Dark Star Orchestra and David Ganz, founder of the NPR show The Grateful Dead Hour. During the pandemic our Dead Heads rallied, helping us stay afloat with outdoor hot chocolate, merch sales and concerts. That community really stepped up to ensure Maureen’s survival.”

Brianne Higgins managed a Teaneck venue calledMexicali Blues for years before the couple opened Maureen’s in 2016 but also has a background in acting, directing, producing and set design: “We bring in some theatrical stuff as well, like monologue slams and acting showcases. Pre-covid we hosted acting workshops with Vincent Curatola from The Sopranos.”

The 50-seat basement also hosts piano bar nights, drag shows, bluegrass, the monthly original music evening ‘Clay Tablet’, even kids’ piano recitals/classical music some Sundays.

But with Budway aboard and his brilliant jazz singer sister eponymous, Maureen’s is staunchly jazz first.

“It’s a great club and we’ve played there a number of times through the years,” says Lovano, who has a knack for hatching catchy names for his aggregations. “Most recently with my Joyous Encounter Quartetfor the Nyack Jazz Festival, curated by pianist Richard Sussman.”

‘Joyous encounter’ might make a fitting title for this article, and Lovano’s longtime marriage. “Judi is an inspiration, we live a life of love, music and art, sharing the blessings!”.