The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn

I  first heard about these guys from a friend of mine who was so kind as to give me a CD. They're a Brooklyn based (obviously) ragtime jazz band that mixes both classics and their own material. On Monday nights, they play a weekly show at Chez Oskar's in Fort Greene, Brooklyn (conveniently just a few blocks from my abode), so I got the chance to check them out live a few weeks back. I've also seen them on occasion busk the Union Square subway station -- they sound good wherever they are!

That night at Oskar's, the owner of the place was especially peppy, and he ended up clearing out some tables for an impromptu swing session with the head waitress. You can hear him shouting "Special request! Special request!" in the recording of "St. James Infirmary" (I'd asked for them to specifically play that song). The second clip is the head waitresses rendition of "Summertime". I love how the audience quiets down after the first verse or two; her voice commands that kind of presence.