A special presentation by the storyteller of eras past, Vincent Livelli. Ten years ago, at 87, Livelli launched Salsa Livelli, a blog captivating his audience with memories of the nightlife and culture of Greenwich Village and beyond. As a toddler on Sullivan Street, Livelli consumed paint chips that later resulted in brain damage and hearing impairment from lead poisoning. That didn’t stop him from attending multiple universities, mastering various languages, becoming an entertainment director on more than 80 cruise ship voyages around the world, becoming a gran rumbero and an expert of La Musica Cubana; all while suffering from hearing loss. A pivotal aspect of Livelli’s Greenwich Village life was his friendship with Anatole Broyard, New York Times Literary Critic, who he met while attending Brooklyn College. Livelli and Broyard had an instant connection. They opened a bookstore on Cornelia Street and established a center of intellectual life at the San Remo cafe on Bleecker and MacDougal Streets. As a grand voyager, Livelli met, hosted and entertained countless celebrities, including the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Anais Nin, Orson Welles, Marjorie Merriweather Post, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Sullivan and Carmen Miranda. Vincent Livelli is now 97 and still occupies the very Perry St. apartment he left for months at a time while at sea. His life experiences include equal parts Greenwich Village and life as a global circumnavigator. Livelli is still a valuable source of historical information and enjoys sharing his robust historical perspective. A rare digital presentation is being provided by Henry Medina Jr., private researcher of Latin music and dance, has interviewed and filmed Vincent Livelli for almost 25 years. Mr. Medina has documented the unique life of Livelli as part of his ongoing oral history project. This valuable footage includes Livelli’s close association with Anatole Broyard and the 1946 Cornelia Street Bookstore, cherished memories of the San Remo (1938-1964), a local social club that became their literary salon.
New York City, NY; NYC