East River
Tidal strait
East River and the United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan, as seen from Roosevelt Island.
Country	United States
State	New York
Municipality	New York City
Tributaries
- left	Newtown Creek, Flushing River
- right	Westchester Creek, Bronx River, Bronx Kill, Harlem River
Source	Long Island Sound
- coordinates	40°48′14″N 73°49′30″W / 40.8039900°N 73.8251343°W / 40.8039900; -73.8251343
Mouth	Upper New York Bay
- coordinates	40°41′47″N 74°01′00″W / 40.696355°N 74.016609°W / 40.696355; -74.016609
Length	16 mi (26 km)
The East River is shown in red on this satellite photo of New York City.
Wikimedia Commons: East River

The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island (including the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn) from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland. In reference to its connection to Long Island Sound, it was once also known as the Sound River.^[1]

History[link]

The strait was formed approximately 11,000 years ago at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation.^[2] The distinct change in the shape of the strait between the lower and upper portions is evidence of this glacial activity. The upper portion (from Long Island Sound to Hell Gate), running largely perpendicular to the glacial motion, is wide, meandering, and has deep narrow bays on both banks, scoured out by the glacier's movement. The lower portion (from Hell Gate to New York Bay) runs north-south, parallel to the glacial motion. It is much narrower, with straight banks. The bays that exist (or existed before being filled in by human activity), are largely wide and shallow.

Channel[link]

Historical film of the East River, leading up to a final shot of the Brooklyn Bridge (1903)

The East River is dangerous to people who fall in or attempt to swim in it, although as of mid-2007 the water was cleaner than it had been in decades. Anyone in the channel would find there are few places from which to climb out. According to the marine sciences section of the city Department of Environmental Protection, the channel is swift, with water moving as fast as four knots (just as it does in the Hudson River on the other side of Manhattan). That speed can push casual swimmers out to sea. A few people drown in the waters around New York City each year.^[3] The strength of the current foiled an effort in 2007 to tap it for hydroelectricity.^[4]

A panorama of the Hell Gate Bridge and Triborough Bridge from Astoria Park

Historically, the lower portion of the strait (separating Manhattan from Brooklyn) was one of the busiest and most important channels in the world, particularly during the first three centuries of New York City's history. The Brooklyn Bridge, opened in 1883, was the first bridge to span the strait, replacing frequent ferry service. Some passenger ferry service remains between Queens and Manhattan.

The Bronx River drains into the East River in the northern section of the strait.

William Glackens 1902 painting of East River Park in the Brooklyn Museum

North of Wards Island, it is joined by the Bronx Kill. Along the east of Wards Island, at approximately the strait's midpoint, it narrows into a channel called Hell Gate, which is spanned by both the Triborough Bridge, and the Hell Gate Bridge. On the south side of Wards Island, it is joined by the Harlem River.

Newtown Creek on Long Island drains into the East River, forming part of the boundary between Queens and Brooklyn. The East River contains a number of islands, including:

• Upper section
  • Rikers Island
  • North Brother Island
  • South Brother Island
  • Mill Rock
• Lower Section
  • Wards Island and Randall's Island (joined by landfill)
  • Roosevelt Island
  • U Thant Island (Belmont Island)

Crossings[link]

New York City waterways:
1. Hudson River, 2. East River, 3. Long Island Sound, 4. Newark Bay, 5. Upper New York Bay, 6. Lower New York Bay, 7. Jamaica Bay, 8. Atlantic Ocean

Bridges[link]

The river is spanned by ten bridges, which from north to south are:

• Throgs Neck Bridge
• Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
• Rikers Island Bridge (From Queens to Rikers Island only)
• Hell Gate Bridge
• RFK-Triborough Bridge (East River Suspension Span)
• Roosevelt Island Bridge (east channel only)
• Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge
• Williamsburg Bridge (Vehicular traffic & Trains of the J M Z subway services)
• Manhattan Bridge (Vehicular traffic & Trains of the B D N Q subway services)
• Brooklyn Bridge

Tunnels[link]

The river is spanned by thirteen tunnels. From north to south, along with uses as of April 2012:

• 63rd Street Tunnel (Trains of the F subway service – upper level; lower level – under construction for LIRR East Side Access project)
• 60th Street Tunnel (Trains of the N Q R subway services)
• 53rd Street Tunnel (Trains of the E M subway services)
• Steinway Tunnel (Trains of the 7 <7> subway services)
• Queens-Midtown Tunnel (Vehicular traffic of Interstate 495)
• East River Tunnels (Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak trains from Penn Station to points north and east)
• 14th Street Tunnel (Trains of the L subway service)
• Rutgers Street Tunnel (Trains of the F subway service)
• Cranberry Street Tunnel (Trains of the A C subway services)
• Clark Street Tunnel (Trains of the 2 3 subway services)
• Montague Street Tunnel (Trains of the N R subway services)
• Joralemon Street Tunnel (Trains of the 4 5 subway services)
• Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel (Vehicular traffic of Interstate 478)

Trams[link]

• Roosevelt Island Tramway (west channel only)

In popular culture[link]

The Brecker Brothers performed a song named after the river and is featured on their 1978 album Heavy Metal Be-Bop.

Kramer decided to swim in the East River for exercise in the Seinfeld episode "The Nap".

In the video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, the Russian Navy had taken control of the river as part of their invasion of the East Coast of the United States in the fictitious Russo-American War.

See also[link]

• List of New York rivers
• Lists of crossings of the East River
• Geography and environment of New York City
• Geography of New York Harbor

Gallery[link]

• 

  East River flows past Upper East Side

• 

  East River passes children playing football in East River Park

• 

  Powell's Cove, Whitestone

• 

  Blackwells Island, East River, From Eighty Sixth Street, Currier & Ives, 1862

• Sunriseclipper.jpg

  Loading at Pier 10, East River, Clipper ship Sunrise

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: East River

• East River NYC from the Greater Astoria Historical Society
• LIC Community Boathouse site for free paddling on the East River
• Hydropower turbines destroyed by East River current
• Western Queens waterfront information page

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (November 2007)

Jeffrey Lewis
Jeffrey Lewis performing at The Luminaire, London, England, 2006.
Background information
Born	(1975-11-20) November 20, 1975 (age 36) New York City, United States
Genres	Anti-folk
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Rough Trade
Associated acts	Schwervon!, Kimya Dawson, Major Matt Mason USA, Jack Lewis, Adam Green, Diane Cluck
Website	Official Site

Jeffrey Lewis (born November 20, 1975 in New York City) is an American singer/songwriter and comic book artist.

Early life[link]

Lewis attended State University of New York at Purchase and graduated in 1997 with a degree in Literature. His Senior Literary Thesis was on the comic book Watchmen.^[1]

Lewis also lectured on the topic of Watchmen at the Institute For Cultural Studies at the University of Leuven, Belgium, in 2000, and the text of his lecture ("The Dual Nature of Apocalypse in Watchmen") was published in the book The Graphic Novel, edited by Jan Baetens, in 2001.

Starting in 2000, he spent about 2 years living in Austin, Texas, playing open mic nights, working odd jobs and distributing his autobiographical comics to local coffee shops.

Music[link]

Several of his musical influences have been acknowledged in his songs such as "Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror", "The History of The Fall" and "The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song", concerning the song by Leonard Cohen. Lewis' lyrics are complex and literate, often combining a nihilistic world-view with a hopeful message and sharp wit. Growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan Island his songs are also highly informed by his home surroundings, with songs name-dropping places such as Williamsburg, the FDR Drive and the East River.

Lewis is often regarded as part of the antifolk movement, first and foremost because he was one of the many bands and performers (including The Moldy Peaches, Major Matt Mason USA and Lach) who played in the 1990s at New York's Sidewalk Cafe and its biannual antifolk festivals and open mic events. His music also possesses certain traits of a perceived antifolk style - a downbeat self-deprecating humor, an off-kilter singing style, a mixture of acoustic and 'punk' songs which feature themes of everyday occurrences and feelings. Lewis himself does not mind the 'antifolk' tag: "I think it's a cool title. The fact that no one knows what it means, including me, makes it kind of mysterious and more interesting than saying that you’re a singer/songwriter or that you play indie rock."^[2]

After being signed by the British record label Rough Trade in 2001, Jeffrey Lewis released his first official album The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane.

In 2003 he released the album It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through, with drummer Anders Griffen. His third record, City and Eastern Songs, was released in the UK in November 2005 and in the US in September 2006. All three of these albums also include his brother, Jack Lewis, who wrote and sang a number of the songs. In October 2007, Jeffrey released 12 Crass Songs, an album consisting entirely of songs written by the anarcho-pacifist British punk band Crass, reworked to match Jeffrey's antifolk style.

He has also performed and collaborated with Kimya Dawson of The Moldy Peaches as well as Diane Cluck. Some of his hand-drawn comics appear in the cover art of his CD releases.

In June 2008 Jeffrey Lewis with his brother Jack were the support act for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks in Europe. Other well-known acts that Jeffrey has performed shows or whole tours with include Devendra Banhart, Jarvis Cocker, Black Dice, Adam Green, Thurston Moore, the Fall, Kimya Dawson, Beth Orton, Frank Black, the Fiery Furnaces, Daniel Johnston, Scout Niblett, the Mountain Goats, Dr. Dog, the Moldy Peaches, Cornershop, Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, Wooden Wand, the Cribs, Danielson, Herman Dune, Los Campesinos, Roky Erickson, and Super Furry Animals.

The New York Times online Op-Ed page "Measure For Measure" hired Jeffrey Lewis to write a number of short essays on the topic of songwriting, some of which Jeffrey drew in comic book form. All went up on the New York Times website at intervals in Fall/Winter 2008.

Jeffrey has created a number of illustrated historical songs, usually sung while flipping through accompanying books of color drawings, including ten such pieces which are in use by The History Channel on their website.

In November 2011 The New York Times ran a feature article on Jeffrey Lewis in the Arts section of November 23, written by Ben Sisario.

Artwork[link]

Jeffrey has his own comic book series titled 'Fuff' (formerly called 'Guff') available via Olive Juice Music.

In March 2009, he designed the cover to the sixth issue of Bearded magazine.

Comics

• Reflections on Tomorrow thus a yesterday Flower Shall Doom (1998)
• The Worldwide Comix Scavenger Hunt vol 1 (1998–2003)
• Reflections #2 (1998–2003)
• Trip to Key West (1999)
• 1999 European Travel Diary (1999)
• Jeff's Austin Diary (2001)
• Come to My Show (2004)
• Fuff # 1
• Guff # 2
• Guff # 3
• Fuff # 4
• Fuff # 5
• Fuff # 6
• Fuff # 7
• Fuff # 8
• The Art of Touring (2007)
• Comic book press kit for Mountain Goats' album 'Heretic Pride (2008)

Discography[link]

Albums/EPs[link]

• When Madman Was Good - Version One (1997)
• When Madman Was Good - Version Two (1998)
• Indie-Rock Fortune Cookie (1998)
• Journey to the Center of the Earth (1999)
• The Only Time I Feel Right Is When I'm Drawing Comic Books (2000)
• I Am, Of Course, Glad (2000)
• Kimya Dawson And Jeff Lewis (2001)
• Songs From Austin (2001)
• Diane Cluck And Jeffrey Lewis (2001)
• The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane (2001)
• Guitar Situations: Musical Conduct (2002)
• AntiFolk Collaborations Volume 1 (2002)
• It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through (2003)
• Jeffrey Lewis "Four Seasons" Box Set (2004)
• City and Eastern Songs (Jeffrey & Jack Lewis) (2005)
• Gas Money EP (2005) (split with Schwervon!)
• Tapes From The Crypt (2006)
• 12 Crass Songs (2007)
• City and Eastern Tapes (2008)
• 'Em Are I (Jeffrey Lewis & the Junkyard) (2009)
• Come On Board (Peter Stampfel & Jeffrey Lewis) (2011)
• A Turn In The Dream-Songs (2011)

Singles[link]

• The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song (2001)
• Back When I Was Four (2002)
• Graveyard/Spirit of Love (2002)
• No LSD Tonight/Don't Let The Record Label Take You Out To Lunch (2003)
• Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror (2005)
• Had It All (2005)
• To Be Objectified (2009)
• Roll Bus, Roll (2010)
• Cult Boyfriend (2011)

Compilation Appearances[link]

• Antifolk Vol. 1 (2002) - "You Don't Have To Be A Scientist To Do Experiments on Your Own Heart
• Call It What You Want This Is Antifolk (2002) - So Long (I'm Gonna Go Draw All Alone In My Shack)
• Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before (2003) - "Part-Time Punks"
• The Art Star Sounds Compilation (2005) - "Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror"
• Still Unravished- A Tribute to June Brides (2006) - Waiting For A Change
• Anticomp Folkilation (2007) - "The River" (with Diane Cluck)
• Tallahassee Turns Ten: a Mountain Goats Cover Album (2012) ^[3]
• Audio Antihero Presents: "Some.Alternate.Universe" for FSID (2012) - "Dog Eat Dog"

External links[link]

• The official Jeffrey Lewis website
• Russian-english podcast about Jeffrey Lewis in Moscow

References[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jeffrey Lewis

Grover Washington, Jr. (December 12, 1943 - December 17, 1999)^[1] was an American jazz-funk / soul-jazz saxophonist. Along with George Benson, John Klemmer, David Sanborn, Bob James, Chuck Mangione, Herb Alpert, and Spyro Gyra, he is considered by many to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre.^{[citation needed]} He wrote some of his material and later became an arranger and producer.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Washington made some of the genre's most memorable hits, including "Mister Magic," "Reed Seed," "Black Frost," "Winelight," "Inner City Blues" and "The Best is Yet to Come". In addition, he performed very frequently with other artists, including Bill Withers on "Just the Two of Us" (still in regular rotation on radio today), Patti LaBelle on "The Best Is Yet to Come" and Phyllis Hyman on "A Sacred Kind of Love". He is also remembered for his take on the Dave Brubeck classic "Take Five", and for his 1996 version of "Soulful Strut".

Washington had a preference for black nickel-plated saxophones made by Julius Keilwerth. These included a SX90R alto and SX90R tenor. He also played Selmer Mark VI alto in the early years. His main soprano was a black nickel plated H.Couf Superba II (also built by Keilwerth for Herbert Couf) and a Keilwerth SX90 in the last years of his life.

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Washington was born in Buffalo, New York on December 12, 1943. His mother was a church chorister, and his father was a collector of old Jazz gramophone records and a saxophonist as well, so music was everywhere in the home. He grew up with the great jazzmen and big band leaders like Benny Goodman, Fletcher Henderson, and others like them. At the age of 8, Grover Sr. gave Jr. a saxophone. He practiced and would sneak into clubs to see famous Buffalo blues musicians.

Early career[link]

Washington left Buffalo and played with a Midwest group called the Four Clefs and then the Mark III Trio from Mansfield, Ohio. He was drafted into the U.S. Army shortly thereafter, which was to be to his advantage, as he met drummer Billy Cobham. A music mainstay in New York City, Cobham introduced Washington to many New York musicians. After leaving the Army, Washington freelanced his talents around New York City, eventually landing in Philadelphia in 1967.^[1] In 1970 and 1971, he appeared on Leon Spencer's first two albums on Prestige Records, together with Idris Muhammad and Melvin Sparks.

Washington's big break came at the expense of another artist. Alto sax man Hank Crawford was unable to make a recording date with Creed Taylor's Kudu Records,^[2] and Washington took his place, even though he was a backup. This led to his first solo album, Inner City Blues. He was talented and displayed heart and soul with soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones. Refreshing for his time, he made headway into the jazz mainstream.

Fame[link]

Whilst his first three albums established him as a force in jazz and soul music, it was his fourth album in 1974, Mister Magic, that proved a major commercial success. The album climbed to number 10 in Billboard's Top 40 album chart and the title track reached #16 on the R&B singles chart (#54, pop). All these albums included guitarist Eric Gale as a near-permanent member in Washington's arsenal.^[1] His follow-up on Kudu in 1975, Feels So Good also made #10 on the album chart.

A string of acclaimed records brought Washington through the 1970s, culminating in the signature piece for everything he would do from then on. Winelight (1980) was the album that defined everything Washington was then about, having signed for Elektra Records, part of the major Warner Music group. The album was smooth, fused with R&B and easy listening feel. Washington's love of basketball, especially the Philadelphia 76ers, led him to dedicate the second track, "Let It Flow", to Julius Erving (Dr. J). The highlight of the album was his collaboration with soul artist Bill Withers, "Just the Two of Us," a huge hit on radio during the spring and summer of 1981, peaking at #2 on the Hot 100. The album went platinum in 1981, and also won Grammy Awards in 1982 for Best R&B Song ("Just The Two of Us"), and Best Jazz Fusion Performance ("Winelight"). "Winelight" was also nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.^[1]

In the post-Winelight era, Washington is credited for giving rise to a new batch of talent that would make its mark in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is known for bringing Kenny G to the forefront as well as such smooth jazz artists as Walter Beasley, Steve Cole, Pamela Williams, Najee, and George Howard. His song Mr. Magic is noted as being influential on Go-go music starting in the mid-1970s.^[3]

Death[link]

On December 17, 1999, while waiting in the green room after taping four songs for The Saturday Early Show, at CBS Studios in New York City, Washington collapsed. He was taken to St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 7:30 p.m. He was 56 years old. His doctors determined that he had suffered a massive heart attack.^[1]

Tributes[link]

A large mural of Washington, part of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, is just south of the intersection of Broad and Diamond Streets.^[4]

Discography[link]

As leader[link]

• 1971: Inner City Blues (Kudu Records)
• 1972: All the King's Horses (Kudu)
• 1973: Soul Box (Kudu)
• 1974: Mister Magic (Kudu)
• 1975: Feels So Good (Kudu)
• 1976: A Secret Place (Kudu)
• 1977: Live At The Bijou (Kudu)
• 1978: Reed Seed (Motown)
• 1979: Paradise (Elektra Records)
• 1980: Skylarkin' (Motown)
• 1980: Winelight (Elektra)
• 1981: Come Morning (Elektra)
• 1981: Baddest (Motown)
• 1982: The Best Is Yet To Come (Elektra)
• 1984: Inside Moves (Elektra)
• 1986: House Full Of Love (Music from The Cosby Show) (Columbia Records)
• 1987: Strawberry Moon (Columbia)
• 1988: Then and Now (Columbia)
• 1989: Time Out of Mind (Columbia)
• 1992: Next Exit (Columbia)
• 1994: All My Tomorrows (Columbia)
• 1996: Soulful Strut (Columbia)
• 1997: Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection (Columbia)
• 2000: Aria (Columbia)
• 2001: Discovery - The First Recordings (Prestige)
• 2010: Grover Live (G-Man Productions, Inc.)

As sideman[link]

With Kathleen Battle

• So Many Stars (Sony, 1995)

With Kenny Burrell

• Togethering (Blue Note, 1985)

With Dexter Gordon

• American Classic (Elektra, 1982)

With Urbie Green

• Señor Blues (CTI, 1977)

With The Mark III Trio

• Let's Ska at the Ski Lodge (Downhill, 1964)

With Gerry Mulligan

• Dragonfly (Telarc, 1995)

With Don Sebesky

• Giant Box (CTI, 1973)

With Leon Spencer

• Sneak Preview (Prestige Records, 1970)
• Louisiana Slim (Prestige, 1971)

With Mal Waldron

• My Dear Family (Evidence, 1990)

With Randy Weston

• Blue Moses (CTI, 1972)

With Bill Withers

• "Just the Two of Us" (Columbia Records, 1981)
• "In the Name of Love" (Columbia, 1981)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Grover Washington, Jr. at Legacy Recordings
• Grover Washington TV Interview from C Music TV
• Jazz Conversations with Eric Jackson: Grover Washington Jr. from WGBH Radio Boston
• Grover Washington Jr. At Find A Grave