Bluegrass in New York

A great article in today’s New York Times from music writer Amanda Petrusich:

New York isn’t typically considered a hotbed of Americana music, a genre sometimes defined by a scrappy, rural sound — it was recently showcased on the Grammys, when Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers joined Bob Dylanfor an extra-strummy version of “Maggie’s Farm.” But the city hosts a slew of Americana jam nights that reveal a rich and thriving scene.

These offer a chance to perform without the constraints and commitments of a proper band; to play for the sake of playing; and to revisit ancient and beloved folk songs in communal fashion. In the iPod era, when music has become more personalized than ever, the public jam can feel like a bona fide cultural coup.

Petrusich’s recommendations on where to jam:

BANJO JIM’S 700 East Ninth Street, East Village; (212) 777-0869, banjojims.com.

THE GRISLY PEAR 107 Macdougal Street, between Minetta Lane and Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village; (212) 529-3808.

LOWLANDS BAR 543 Third Avenue, between 13th Street and Seventh Avenue, Gowanus, Brooklyn; (347) 463-9458.

PADDY REILLY’S MUSIC BAR 519 Second Avenue, at 29th Street, Murray Hill; (212) 686-1210, paddyreillysmusicbar.us.

SUNNY’S BAR 253 Conover Street, between Reed and Beard Streets, Red Hook, Brooklyn; (718) 625-8211, sunnysredhook.com.

Bluegrass in New York asks: are there other jams you don’t want to miss?