‘Cornelia St. in Exile’ lives in Brooklyn
BY GABE HERMAN
The Cornelia Street Cafe is back, though after
its West Village closing on Jan. 2, it is now taking
its show on the road.
On the evening of Wed., March 27, owner Robin
Hirsch sent out an e-mail announcement that there
will be three nights of shows in Brooklyn on April
5, 6 and 7.
“Well, my dears!” the message began. “It’s been a
long and diffi cult time. We have been in the wilderness.
A lost home to mourn, a long history to celebrate,
a present and future to ponder and devise.”
Hirsch went on to write, “Cornelia Street in Exile
(as the great David Amram so eloquently calls us)
will pop up in Brooklyn for 3 nights next week.”
The events will be held at Brooklyn Commons/
Commons Cafe, at 388 Atlantic Ave., on the southern
edge of Downtown Brooklyn, just a quick subway
ride from Manhattan.
“Many of our beloved stalwarts will be performing
in the beautiful and congenial space,” wrote Hirsch.
The schedule so far includes international poetry
on Fri., April 5, at 6 p.m. — featuring Italian-American,
Greek-American and Russian and Romanian
poets — and legendary musician David Amram and
Co. performing later that same evening at 8:30 p.m.
Sat., April 6, will include Cafe Stories at 6 p.m.,
featuring the cafe’s owner.
“Our longstanding Minister of Culture, Robin
Hirsch,” reads the description, “regales us with 41+
years of cafe stories (hopefully not in real time) with
carefully timed interruptions from various co-conspirators.”
Also performing Saturday, at 8:30 p.m., will be
Arturo O’Farrill, legendary Afro-Cuban pianist/conductor
of the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra.
The Sunday shows on April 7 will include an installment
of the cafe’s long-running “Science Series”
at 6 p.m. — plus subversive music/performance by
Evan Eisenberg — and Israeli Jazz at 8 p.m. and 9:30
p.m.
Hirsch wrote that another message will be sent out
soon with updates, instructions on how to book and
“various other juicy tidbits.”
“In the meantime, hold us in your heart — as we
hold you!” the message fi nished.
David Amram, 88, who performed at the Cornelia
Street Cafe for 14 years, told this paper that he’s happy
Hirsch adopted his idea to call it Cornelia Street
in Exile. And he said he’s honored to be performing
on the opening night.
“I’m happy to be there and just to be a part of it,”
Amram said. “And just to bear witness to what Robin
has been doing for 41 years, and what New York City
still has to offer the world.”
Amram said he hoped to focus on the positive aspects
of what the cafe offers, instead of negatives related
to its closing.
“Rather than being a ‘whine-ologist’ or ‘blameologist’
in criticizing landlords and that type of
thing,” he said, “I hope this could be a positive thing,
to show and encourage young people that they have
something to look forward
to and for them to
create their own
venues.”
PHOTO BY DUSICA
SUE MALESEVIC
Robin Hirsch, longtime
owner of the Cornelia
to
St. Cafe, will be telling “cafe
stories” on April 6.
14 April 4, 2019 TVG Schneps Media