The Blue Note, on 3rd Street in the Village, likes to refer to itself as the "World's Finest Jazz Club and Restaurant,
" allowing patrons the chance to see the top jazz players in the world "in a close, comfortable setting." (Quote taken from the Blue Note website.) Well, they got the close part right: ten minutes before the late set Saturday night, my friend Sean and I were shunted into the middle seats of a narrow six-seater to the extreme right of the stage, my waist pinned to the table by the chair immediately backing mine. And, just to get that, we had to haggle with the aggressively rude doorman. Sorry, but for $35 (plus a $5 minimum) I expect better. Which may have something to do with why this was my first trip to the club in nearly a decade. (I saw Lionel Hampton there in 2000.)Fortunately, the music - which was provided by veteran players Bill Frisell, Ron Carter and Paul Motian - was hushed and elegant, led by Frisell's ethereally bending Fender. And, while the set felt short at just over an hour, I, for one, was happy just to be able to breathe again. (More pics at the fan page.)