A few days ago, I saw a post saying that Swing 46 will close at the end of 2025. The post was by George Gee, a big bandleader who was my friend during the “RED BLAZER, TOO” days.
It was the late 1990s, and I didn’t know why Red Blazer, Too closed, changed its name and changed owners. I felt like I had lost my home in New York.
Here is an article about Swing 46, and now, finally, I understand the stories.
Red Blazer, Too was a restaurant where swing and Dixie jazz were played by bands. It was a rare kind of jazz club in New York City because it was hard to find a place for this kind of music.
One night, I went into a bar and had a few drinks. A pianist was playing old tunes. A little drunk, I said, “I can sing!” and grabbed a microphone. Most of the customers were elderly. The bartender was young and handsome. I would later learn that he was the son of the owner, Denis Cary.
I sang two songs. I don’t remember exactly which ones, but I think they were “All of Me” and “You Made Me Love You.”
I was in my mid-20s, but I looked much younger. They had never imagined a young Asian girl singing such old songs. The bartender said, “This is on the house,” and served me a drink. His father, the owner, Denis, liked me. I have visited the place since then.
Whenever I was there, Denis ordered the band leaders to make me sing. I couldn’t speak English well, but when I sang, most of the musicians and customers loved me. It was as if a miracle had occurred, opening the world to me regardless of language or generation.
One day, the bandleader told me to come sing with the band every Sunday at brunch. The bandleader was Sol Yaged, who had instructed Steve Allen in clarinet playing. Allen starred in the film The Benny Goodman Story.
I was in the U.S. on a student visa, so I couldn’t receive money, but the owner, Denis, said I could eat whatever I wanted.
Since then, Red Blazer, Too, has become kind of my home, and I met people and spent time with old American music and the people who lived during the era of that music: the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s.
I met George Gee there. We were young among them. We were like their children or grandchildren.
The place and people were heart-warming. Sometimes, we heard news that a regular customer passed away… because most of the people there were not young. Some bandleaders announced the news and shared memories. I am still sure that RED BLAZER, TOO, was a precious place for these people and me.
I met George Gee there. We were young among them. We were like their children or grandchildren.
People and musicians who gathered “RED BLAZER, TOO” have passed away. But memories and the gene of RED BLAZERS, TOO, are still alive in us.
If I couldn’t have times in “RED BLAZER, TOO”, I couldn’t have done my projects related the WWII music, and I couldn’t have met people and musicians such as Leonard Gaskin, Grady Tate, Monica Lewis, Bob Cranshaw, Donald Versaw, and David Valley.
Thank you to Mr. John Akhtar and my dear friend George Gee for keeping the place warm for the last 30 years. The place, its history, and the people’s energy who gathered there will be passed on to the next generation.