City Island, Bronx - The Original Crab Shanty

Yes, this blog is music based. However, what screams music more then some good eats? I know on more then one occasion I've found my body humming a slight heavenly resonance after gorging myself on some feast of the gods. After all, this blog is written by two New Yorkers that have dedicated our lives to the hunt and constant search for hidden things we love. It's not a hobby, it's how we're constructed as people and along with music, we love food. And so should you.

So the other week, I heard a rumor, and by heard a rumor I mean I read this on the establishment in questions web site. And I read THIS: The Original Crab Shanty up in City Island, Bronx has a lunch special for a whole mess O' quality crab insanely cheap.


Ok, I know what you're thinking; why should I care and what is this City Island anyway? I know this is what you're thinking because if you're not thinking the above, then you've already stopped reading this blog to make plans with a friend for the Crab Shanty's lunch special.

City Island is an amazing place. A tiny little Island smack dab in the middle of the Bronx. Well, it's to the side of the Bronx, but lets not be sticklers on details. I first read about City Island about 10 years ago on the superb forgotten-ny web site. Dave on the other hand used to ride his bike over there all the time when he was a kid. City Island is no less then a small New England town in the Bronx. A small island just off the mainland, they have just one bridge to get on & off along with one main road going down the center of their island. They have a long history in both ships & seafood and if you lay your ear to their sidewalk, it pulses with it. Fascinatingly, least you forget you're in the Bronx, you can still see mainland Bronx off the water to the west.



There's plenty of seafood haunts on this island, but it's the Original Crab Shanty that was calling to my soul. You see, as I alluded to earlier in this article, the Crab Shanty has a Lunch Special. Amongst many things on the menu, for 14.95, you start off with their (otherworldly) garlic bread, a choice of soup, get a choice of side dish (fries, rice, baked potato, linguine), and dessert along with coffee or tea. And, oh yes, more Alaskan Snow Crab Legs then you can shake a fist at. For an extra buck they'll season it garlic or baltimore style as well. Now, I wouldn't necessarily consider myself always the most humble of people, but I would call myself a somewhat glutenous person on a short budget and this my friends, filled me happily, merrily, for almost the entire day. Admittedly, the New England Clam Chowder & the desert both left a little to be desired, but we're talking Crab here. A lot of crab. Beautiful & delectable crab as part of a 4-course meal.


As I gorged myself like a Seafood King, accepting his tribute for the cost of but one Andrew Jackson, I could hear a small child cry in the background as a mother covered his eyes from the savagery. Yes, it was beautiful. My mass had increased in size. My heart had doubled with both love & density. Witness the devastation:



Afterward, I took a nice little walk since the weather was nice and the day was beautiful. Nearby, some beautiful old cars passed by (note the '52 Ford in the photo below), as someone nearby blasted Latin Jazz. Yes, these fine denizens of City Island know how to live life properly. So, do yourself a favor, if you find yourself in NYC, hop on the 6 train and take it all the way up to the end of the line at Pelham Bay Park, switch to the BX29 and City Island is but a bus ride over a bridge away.


You can find the Original Crab Shanty at 361 City Island Ave; Bronx, NY. The lunch special is done 7 days a week from 11am-4pm (till 3pm on Sundays). Go ahead, whether its for the lunch or their gloriously wonderful entrees, treat yourself: you're worth it.


Many thanks to my sister Kate Levin for providing all the photos for this article and not dying as we ate copious amounts of crab.

Fania Records Joe Cuba Album Release Party

On Feb 24th Noah and I joined Fania Records and Wax Poetics to celebrate Joe Cuba one year after his passing at Le Poisson Rouge in Manhattan. The free event was a treat to New Yorkers because the featured bands, while not from New York, played Salsa and Latin Jazz and Soul in the style that has been celebrated in Spanish Harlem for generations.



Paying tribute to Joe that night were California's Boogaloo Assassins who despite their West Coast origins have their roots very deep into the music of Spanish Harlem. I seriously encourage our readers to go check them out whenever they perform as you won't be disappointed.



Chico Mann played an energetic set that kept both feet within the old foundation and new steps of Afrobeat. Formed by a member of the Bushwick based Antibalas who follow the same mold as Fela's Africa 70 and the Harlem River Drive Orchestra.



In between the bands DJs Bobbito Garcia and DJ Turmix kept the crowd moving playing hot Latin soul and Jazz. The whole evening was real special to me having grown up in Spanish Harlem. It felt like I was being treated to not only my childhood, but my entire family's past.

Gilberto Miguel Calderón aka Joe Cuba was born and raised in Spanish Harlem on April 22, 1931 and is The King of Boogaloo. He is responsible for many ways Puerto Ricans play and enjoy music- he was the first to introduce vibes to Latin music as well as place Congas on a stand and founded the Museum of La Salsa. By playing music in both English and Spanish, Cuba's music would entertain all crowds in New York City. Joe Cuba passed away on February 15, 2009, but that night we knew that Sonny lives on in various and magnificent ways. His efforts and contribution to the musical community won't ever be forgotten.





El Alcalde Del Barrio The Architect of the Nuyorican Sound is out now on Fania Records.

Ginger Baker's Air Force!

What did Ginger Baker (ex-Cream Drummer), Steve Winwood (ex-Traffic) & Ric Grech do with themselves after Blind Faith (you know, that supergroup they did along with Eric Clapton)? They started one of the badest bands in the land that not many remember, Ginger Baker's Air force. GB's Air force had multiple lineups, all of which were amazing, divided on two 1970 releases, "Ginger Baker's Air Force" and "Ginger Baker's Air Force II". Here for your viewing pleasure is GB's Air Force post Winwood, Grech & Chris Wood leaving to reform Traffic. Fantastic viewing, I've watched it twice today alone.



Editor's note: I would love to recommend picking up these albums, but truthfully, the only version currently available is by Lemon Records & it's a travesty what they did to the sound, so don't buy it. Go buy the original version on LP through ebay or the Ginger Baker release "Do What You Like" which is out of print but collects both Air Force albums along with the equally good 1972 Ginger Baker solo album Stratavarious on one cd with terrific remastering, it's selling for $50 & up on the used market, but is worth the price if you have the money.

Extra Credit Reading:

Ginger Baker
Blind Faith
Traffic

We're here! Yeah!!!!! (an obligatory introductional post)

That's right folks. Welcome to the launch of Cyber RoboMonkey, Noah & Dave's music blog - 2 old school New Yorkers, who have a long friendship based in a mixture of NY arts, cool music finds & a long background in the Poetry scene.

We'd like to thank you for finding us and hope you find something here that excites you as much as us (or do we promise it?? dare we?! yes).

In a few days we'll have an article on a hot as hell Joe Cuba event that we both went down to last week, complete with photographic evidence. In the meantime, we'll post a few videos and what not that we hope you enjoy.

Welcome!

Check out our other work:
www.buffaloreadings.com
brickisred.wordpress.com

Any questions, comments or suggestions please email us at
CyberRoboMonkey at gmail.com