A Great City Lives On
Fifteen years later, I do remember this day well- where I was, what I was doing and who I was with. But most importantly, I remember what NYC was like prior to that day, as having been really just around the block (a Connecticut boy making regular visits to the city with his family). Events of that scale tend to hit me much later and today is one of those days. Much has changed since then, but the energy and magic are still alive, I feel. Even with millennial hipsters, holding smart phones, roaming our streets, the feeling is there. Even with more tourists than this city can sometimes handle, the feeling is there. Even with rising rent and gentrification, the feeling is strong and present to this day. I first saw this video sometime last year, and it perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Manhattan during the times I visited in the 1990s. Towards the end of the song, you'll even hear the late Michael Brecker on saxophone soloing. Interestingly enough, you'll also notice some footage of Times Square circa 1993. See if you can find the advertisement for "Guys and Dolls" in the background. I saw that very production with my mom, directed by Jerry Zaks and starring Nathan Lane, Peter Gallagher, Faith Prince and J.K. Simmons. That show, that sound of New York is what I remember most. So, all in all, a tribute to this great city before and after and for all time.
Silvestri, Stefano. “New York 1990s HD” Video. YouTube 19 Mar 2013. 11 Sept 2016