Richie Cannata's Monday Night Jam
The Bitter End147 Bleecker Street, New York 10012
Richie Cannata’s Monday Night Jam brings an open, rotating jam session to The Bitter End. Rather than a fixed band, the night gathers performers to improvise and collaborate, with Cannata hosting and playing saxophone. The music can move through blues, rock, pop, R&B and soul, depending on who joins the session, and the changing personnel are part of the format. It is an open-mic jam, but one described as a serious meeting place for experienced players rather than a conventional showcase with a settled lineup.
Cannata helped launch the session more than 20 years ago, and it has been called one of New York’s longest continuously running jam sessions. His own background includes six years playing regularly with Billy Joel’s band. Reports on the Monday gathering describe the musicianship as “amazing”; an online review quoted in one report calls it “a Pro Jam” and says “the standard is incredibly high.” The session’s home is The Bitter End in Greenwich Village, where its Monday-night continuity and collaborative format have made it a durable part of the club’s live-music calendar.
The Bitter End has been a fixture of Greenwich Village since 1961, known as one of New York City's oldest rock clubs. It's a modest basement club with a stage and a bar, where the audience sits close to the performers. The room has exposed brick walls and a rustic feel, and the atmosphere is warm and conversational. Shows are typically ticketed with a small cover charge, and the evening combines listening to live music with casual conversation and drinks. The venue has hosted legends like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, and continues to be a place where songwriters and musicians share new material. It's a steady, reliable spot for live music in the city.