Who: Suzanne Vega, Gerry Leonard, Jeff Allen, Jason Hart
What: Two livestreamed concerts
Where: Blue Note Jazz Club online
When: Wednesday, October 7, 9:00, and Thursday, October 8, $24, 3:00
Why: Beloved singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega might have been born in California, but she is a true New Yorker, raised in Spanish Harlem. She is celebrating the release of her live album, An Evening of New York Songs and Stories, with two shows that will be livestreamed from the Blue Note in Greenwich Village, where she will perform the full record with guitarist Gerry Leonard, bassist Jeff Allen, and keyboardist Jason Hart. On October 7, the show will begin at 9:00 for US audiences, while the October 8 show will start at 3:00 for overseas fans, although you can watch either or both concerts no matter where you are. The record, which was released on her label, Amanuensis/Cooking Vinyl, on September 11, features sixteen songs from throughout her career, focusing on New York City as a theme, including “Marlene on the Wall,” “Ludlow Street,” “Freeze Tag,” “Tom’s Diner,” “Luka,” “New York Is My Destination,” and “New York Is a Woman” in addition to a cover of Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.” (Ten years ago, Dutch DJ Ben Liebrand did a mashup of Reed’s underground classic with “Tom’s Diner,” which you can listen to here.) Vega, who has also written her own one-woman biomusical, Carson McCullers Talks About Love, has been a fun presence on social media during the pandemic, doing interviews (she discussed her part in the New Group production of Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice here) and playing songs and telling stories from her home (check out her Greenwich Village Folk Festival set here), so this full-band show is a don’t-miss opportunity to not just hang out with a New York treasure but fall in love with her, and the city, all over again.