Wednesdays At Wild Birds

Wild Birds was a little slice of heaven on Wednesday nights from 2020-2022. Anxiety, anger, fear, and the weight of the day were lifted as soon as the music hit your ear. Wayne Tucker and The Bad Motha’s would play your cares away. Could you see Wayne and the band on other days and in other parts of New York City? Sure, of course, you could, but there was something unique about Wild Birds. When you walked through the doors you didn’t just step into Wild Birds, you were stepping through a portal to another dimension. It felt like a New York City throwback in all the right ways. I once imagined someone like James Baldwin would have come to a place like this to meet the characters in his books or plays. The brightest stars shine brightest and last the least. For almost two years Wild Birds was my Northstar on a Wednesday night. We are all better because Wild Birds existed. Thank you.

Wild Birds, July 2022. Shot on Ilford HP5 film using a the FujiGW690III

Dave Linard, March 2022. Shot on Cinestill Redrum film with the FujuGW690III

Patrons enjoying Wild Birds’ intoxicating atmosphere, August 24, 2022. Shot on Kodak Portra 800 film with the Rollei SL 66

(Right) Derrick Tucker plays the Keys with the band, April 2021

(Left) Derrick Tucker during an impromptu dance session on Eastern Parkway, April 2021

On a night in mid-April of 2022, the audience at Wild Birds was blessed with “Blues For Mr. Tucker” a song written by Wayne for his (and his brother Miles) late father Derrick Tucker. Almost an exact year earlier I met Mr. Tucker at the band’s performance on Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights. They turned the small corner into a jazz party and Mr. Tucker didn’t hesitate to bust a move. He even played with the band. It was amazing. During one of the breaks, Wayne introduced me and Mr. Tucker told me how much he loved the photos I made of the band. He could not have been more kind, gracious, and funny. Little did I know it would be my first and last meeting with him. I thought about this encounter while the band played “Blues” and it touched my soul. I can only imagine how cathartic it was for Wayne to write it.

Miles and Wayne Tucker, February 2022. Shot on Ilford HP5 film with the Rollei SL66

The Final Show Playlist

About this page

During New York’s lockdown/shutdown Wayne and the band played fairly regularly at Prospect Park. The band’s guerrilla-style performances became a welcomed routine for difficult weeks and months in New York City. As the city started to reopen and they booked gigs, Wayne said I should check them out at Wild Birds. Suddenly, I was there nearly every Wednesday. I got to know one of Wild Birds’ incredibly charismatic owners, Julian Klepper. We chatted on and off for a bit and one day I said, “Wild Birds needs to be documented.” It felt special and Julian agreed. I’m a self-described, analog man living in a digital world so I loaded up some film and began documenting for a few weeks. The project was supposed to expand to documenting Wild Birds’ entire week of bookings, but unfortunately, it’s been cut short. We’re left with an incomplete yet serendipitous time capsule of one of the most magical places in New York City’s musical history. I hope you enjoy it.

This page will grow over the next couple of weeks as more rolls of film are developed. I hope you feel compelled to share your stories of Wild Birds. This could be our digital database outside the clutches of social media.

Did you find love at Wild Birds? How did you come across Wild Birds? What brought you back? What will you remember? Literally, tell us ANYTHING about Wild Birds.

Peace and Love,

Naeem