Today, January 18th
DISCOVER THE VIRTUOSO'S VIRTUOSO OF GUITARS. While Albert Lee is a household name in his native England and recognized as "the guitar player's guitar player" in studios from Nashville to LA, he’s little known outside them. Fans of true guitar virtuosity can see the five-time winner of the "Best Country Guitarist" title at The Iridium tonight at 8:00PM. (Doors open at 7:00PM). General seating $25. 1650 Broadway, (212) 582-2121. Click to buy tickets.
Click to hear why Eric Clapton calls Lee, “The greatest guitarist in the world.”
SPACEX’S FALCON 9 ROCKET LAUNCHES FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. America’s space program has flown under the radar (no pun intended) since its Apollo program heyday, but it’s anything but grounded. At 8:00AM today, SpaceX is scheduled to launch an unmanned Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It’s one of the final tests of the transportation system that will carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
Sign up for Space Center launch alerts and let the countdown to fun begin!
76 YEARS AGO TODAY, THE MET SWUNG! The opera house’s first jazz concert featured a roster of talent that (in their own way) rivaled Caruso—Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Jack Teagarden, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, Art Tatum, and Billie Holiday. If that wasn’t enough, Benny Goodman (a mere 3,000 miles away) joined in via national hookup. “The all-star swing band shook the august walls with its hot licks and about 3,400 alligators beat it out through every number,” raved the next day’s Daily News. (I’m guessing “alligators” are shoes.)