[78-L] Hotels and their bands

[Taylor Bowie]

The Taft was long famous for its tiny rooms.  I never stayed there but have 
heard stories.  The Pennsylvania needs a lot of work if they want to make it 
decent.  The near-by McAlpin is now low-income rentals,  but still has some 
of the old flavor from back when Joe Haymes and others used to play there.

The Edison,  Lincoln, New Yorker  and Park Sheraton (among others) are all 
still operating and charge reasonable rates (by Manhattan standards) 
although you won't see bands at any of them except when Vince G has his gigs 
at Sofia's.

One time when I was feeling flush and staying at The Pierre I asked the 
manager about the roof space where my Main Man,  Henry King,  had played and 
was sad but not surprised to be told that the roof cafe had been turned into 
apartments some years back.

Out here in the Golden West,  I often stay at the Mark Hopkins in  San 
Francisco,  where the manager and much of the staff are quite aware and 
appreciative of the hotel's dance band history.  I was given a tour of the 
old Peacock Court one time,  and one of the bellmen turned out to be very 
informed about the Anson Weeks orchestra,  which totally surprised and 
pleased me.

Taylor B


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bud Black" <banjobud at cfl.rr.com>
To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 9:49 AM
Subject: Re: [78-L] Pennsylvania 6-5000




-------Original Message-------

From: David Lennick
Date: 2/27/2009 11:17:24 AM
To: 78-L Mail List
Subject: Re: [78-L] Pennsylvania 6-5000

Sounds like my first stay at the Taft in 1968!

Dl

"But nobody laughed when we played the Taft!"

Bud

soundthink at aol.com wrote:
> While checking out prices on hotel rooms in New York, I came across this
listing for the still active Hotel Pennsulvania. It still has the same
phone number that Glenn Miller's Orchestra trumpeted all over the airwaves
more than 60 years ago, but the hotel has fallen on hard times. Here's one
recent review from an unsatisfied customer.
>
> Hotel Review
>
> So Disgusting â?" TravelerQual â?" Posted Aug 25, 08
>
> Horrible
>
> 1 reviews  with a budget, traveling for business
>
> Please stay away from this disgusting hotel. Door Knobs falling off, dust
on the night stands, some type of bug crawling around, the water pressure
was excessive, the bathroom smelled, the closets had stains everywhere and
the AC did not work properly. The hall is dark and smells and you feel
unsafe at night when drunk guests come home and try breaking into your room
as they get confused. Never again will I stay at that dump.
>
> Cary Ginell
>
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