Upon a recent trip to New York, I stopped by ZirZamin, Paul Oveisi’s new club in SOHO. Funny thing, it was a just block away from my Dad’s business, which was at the corner of Prince and West Broadway. Back in the day, it was an industrial section of the city which started getting gentrified in the 70s. There is now a Coach Leather store in the building I spent so much time in while growing up. Watching it change over the decades is nothing short of miraculous. It seems that all the once less desirable neighborhoods of Manhattan are being reclaimed. The new club ZirZamin on Houston Street ( that’s HOUSE ton, not HUE ston, as in Texas.) You walk down the stairs to twinkling candlelight into one of those underground grottos of instant enveloping magic. Music and food, what can I say…I had the most amazing salad there which topped with curlicues of shaved fennel. I bought some today to try it at home!
Paul moved up to New York from Austin several months ago with his girlfriend, chanteuse Suzanna Choffel. He was the proprietor of Austin’s legendary club, Momo’s, which is closed now, I am sorry to say. Momo’s was a constant source of happening music in Austin. Suzanna held court there, among many others, including Band Of Heathens and Warren Hood. Suzanna was on the bill the night I stopped by ZirZamin. She is such a unique combination of elements: sultry voice, electric guitar, powerful as a solo figure on stage. There are hints woven through to all the elements that have informed her music: Motown, Folk, and World Music from Reggae to Brazilian to African. Though she is Austin born and bred, I predict she will thrive in New York City, the perfect melting pot for her to percolate in. Music Fog filmed Suzanna Choffel during our Spring Music Fog Marathon in March at Threadgill’s in Austin. Here is the MF version of one of the songs you will find on her 2011 album, Steady Eye Shaky Bow, “Animal.”
-Jessie Scott