Le Jardin

The New York Sound company which I worked for back in the days installed the sound sytem when it became Jouissance. It was in the lower basement level and I think it was in a hotel. I remember there was another club in the ball room upstairs. However, I do remember the most important thing about club jouissance was the DJ who was RCA records RA-Man David Todd. David was a magician with the turn tables, and I still say the he was by far the best DJ of that era, much better than Larry Levan, the crowd was pretty good and I remembered there were many couples doing the hustle, they also had a decent lighting system, nothing like club infinity or the garage. However, that sound system was very impressive, it was loud and clear but never overpowering. That is one motto I still live by today other than a good DJ, if a club has a s***** sound system it is not worth the time of day

Those were the days My friend..We thought they'd never end !

I was there often especially on Thursdays. In fact you can find footage of Myself being interviewed by Andy Warhol at Diana Rose's Birthday party held at Le Jardin (aired on CBS)

I use to dance the hustle with a very sexy Cuban man there. We stopped the crowed many a times to see people standing around us clapping !

I met Phil Black there...from Phil Black Studios when he invited Me to dance with him..a most enjoyable experience. I was studying under Robert Christopher at the time.

Vita's Gerulaitis ...Rod Stewart...countless of other celebs I met right at Le Jardin.

This was just 3 to 4 yrs. before acting in the Driller Killer..the Abel Ferrara film I stared in.

I can actually say today that I had some of the best moments of My life at La Jardin ! The dream dance I had with this Cuban man is one of the great high lights of My life.

Special times indeed.

thrilled to find out that I did not imagine Le Jardin ..when I hear some of the great music of our era I get flashbacks of the garden, fashionistas, dancers, wannabees and
especially beautiful boys everywhere. There were other sexy clubs out there w a great mix of celebs and kids dressed to kill but the moment u discovered that hideaway on W43 every place paled by comparison...dancing room to room , sitting on the white bar in the clouds away from the chaos of the real world. It belongs to the
revolutionary time of the 70s in NYC when the culture was on the brink
of change never to return to the norm..the joy is unforgettable

Hi Grandpa, I had a great time back then. I would go to 5 or 6 clubs on the weekends,always end up at LeJardin.One night just around 4;00 I am standing outside the entrance by the curb, went a black limo pulls up. The door opens, an out steps Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis,followed by 2 6ft 2 black male drag queens very thin wearing full length sable coats,good looking, beautiful shoes,flat.I spoke to her,she was very sweet.There was no one outside the club,so I said to her being just a young silly boy, Jackie you are a little late,the club about to close.She replied,we just getting some air.A moment go by went the back door on the street side opens an out steps Ari,alone. Out of nowhere at least 20 girls surround him all at once, wanting to touch him. I was a sight to behold.They came out of nowhere,an all this time I am standing next to Jackie O and nobody cares about her present. It was all about the man.Go figure.One night I was at after hours in Cisco Disco V.I.P. room when I gave my seat to John Kennedy Jr. He could not have been more than 17.I did not tell him the story.I just got up and left.All good. Best of life. Anthony

Was too young to get in, but for some reason was not carded. Great inspiration music-wise for a young guy from New Orleans, Louisiana! Really enjoyed the atmosphere and the early underground feel of the whole scene at the time.
David Wolf, now living in Ohio......

I went to Le Jardin in the early 70's and I was still in high school. I remember the elevator ride to the rooftop. I remember the black lights, the white sofas, the palms, the coolest crowd ever.....one person who stood out was a girl with cat eyed sunglasses, straight leg jeans , t strap heels and her hair pulled back tight in a chignon....so chic!
I also went to alot of gay clubs....c*** ring, infinity, criscos........another club not mentioned much was "Regines" I recall when she started the first night everyone was waiting to come in and she said it was filled to compacity and come back tomorrow night......and there wasnt a soul in the place, but the next night....people couldnt wait to attend and it became quite the hip place to be seen.
ahhh the good old days lol

JIMF,

I absolutley DO. It was in West Babylon in the Pathmark shopping center. I used to go there when they had "teen" night when they called it Shalimar! Funny, your right. Different times then~

Jennifer

Does anyone remember the lesjardin in Lindenhurst or Babylon Long island ? My freinds and i used to break dance the night away ! That was such a great club !

JIMF.

My first disco experience was at LeJardin dancing the night away..I remember the guys on roller skates wearing short-shorts...then going to Fire Island's Cherry Grove for the rest of the weekend. Great times, great memories.

Been there a couple times....I was blurry, very blurry. I do remember dropping something in the elevator though.......did someone find it?? can I have back????!

John Addison passed from AIDS in Florida in 1995.

Posted Jul 23, 08 | 2:07 pm by BillyNYC (Billy Smith)
John Addison is still alive and well and living in Palm Beach FL
He has done many great ventures while in WPB and Miami.

I do not remember omelets, but I do remember some BURGERS cooked out on the deck, with the TWO water beds. I am very sure that I was there the night of Gloria Gaynor of the post card on this page. Had some bad dope that night and could not get up the nerve to ask her to dance so I left :)

And so it goers. Whoever invents the first Time Machine is going to make Bill Gates look like a burger slinger at Micky D's :)

A day goes by, a week goes by, but I am not sure that a MONTH goes by without me thinking of Le Jardin. Dave I do not remember omelets, but I do remember some BURGERS cooked out on the deck, with the TWO water beds. I am very sure that I was there the night of Gloria Gaynor of the post card on this page. Had some bad dope that night and could not get up the nerve to ask her to dance so I left :)

And so it goers. Whoever invents the first Time Machine is going to make Bill Gates look like a burger slinger at Micky D's :)

A day goes by, a week goes by, but I am not sure that a MONTH goes by without me thinking of Le Jardin. Dave

I looked for "Le Jardin" specifically so I could find pix and articles and I came across this nice site.

LE JARDIN...omg

It holds such a high place in my imagination because it was the first really glam place I started reading about in Interview magazine when I was 18 in 1972 in Hinckley, Ohio. I started reading about how fabulous it was that Jackie and Lou Reed went there. Even now that I am much older and jaded from being in fun, wild and decadent places around the globe, Le Jardin still holds a place of incredible fascination to me.

(can anyone talk about the Gilded Grape?)

Thanks for talking about it!

Oh, and nobody mentioned the delicious omelets that were sometimes served in the wee hours on the rooftop, which we ate while lounging on those beds!! Heaven all the way around.

I met my husband on June 4th 1974 at Le Jardin when I was 18 and he was 27. It was my first visit to a disco, orchestrated by my dance teacher for 7 of the girls in the dance group. The man I met there was her "sometimes" boyfriend - she, already in an "open" monogomous relationship with another man. I am still married to that man and together we have raised two kids, both now out of college. We still love to dance and have always remarked on the Le Jardin years as being among the best in our lives. We party on cruise ships about once a year, and in Florida where we have a place and go every few months. Nothing ever even comes close. Not even in New York, where we still live and work. If we partied with you then you are probably our age - 50 and 60-somethings. Tell me, please, are there dance clubs in New York/New Jersey that you can recommend for our age group? Maybe we should start something.

Le Jardin was "the best of best" The D.J's played the songs faster than there usual tempo's. I remember steve Rubel when he was the doorman. My first night was Halloween. I never saw so many freaks in my life. Meanwhile, Andy Whorl Bianca Jagger. Lisa Minnelli and Truman Capote were just a few people we rubbed elbows with and snorted at least a pound of cocaine.
One night Andy asked me to take care of him. He was going into the hospital for a "simple gaul bladder operation." I explained I couldn't due to my "full time job." Well I reget not taking care of him at least part of the the time. It seems the person who did gave him a leathal does of potassium chloride I.V. and thats how Andy died. So no matter what you read in the newspapers that's the real story.

Great club. I still have a Le Jardin Halloween party poster from Oct. 1973
"La Paris Party de Pernod"
Remember seeing Sal Mineo there one night

John Addison passed from AIDS in Florida in 1995.

I am so happy to see those who remember Le Jardin. I swaer it was the most fun I ever had. The waterbeds and the smaller version of the same dance floor way upstairs in that little elevator, which even had an ELEVATOR OPERATOR! Palm plants and black lights and white and green motifs. Cocaine, dancing, booze, music, sex. It has never gotten any better than that. Time machine anyone? Straight myself, I always found Le Jardin, at least in the early days, had a darn near perfect mix. Everyone got along and life was good. I also went to thta after hours club near 14th street once or twice, lord help me I cannot remember the name. Not even close to "The Garden", though.

At 110 west 43rd they would flap down signs on the awnings to cover up the coffee shop signs with Le ardin signs. I would KILL to have some good photos, much less videos of that club in its heydey, heck, I might even be IN them! Thanks everyone, for the memories. Dave

Let me know when the date is negotiated. I got the gear and records at the house. Two trusty 1200's and a couple of new fangled ones. A numark CDX and HDX CD turntables that handle just like 1200's (well almost).

Agreed Vinil
Why don't we have a spinoff and settle it on the turntables?
(though my bet is on you)

That sounds like a great Idea Barry, call me when we are on!!

Okay guys, let an expert weigh in.
Most of you know me as the guy that wrote the Disco Mix column as well as one of the pioneering djs of yore.
Yes I have been around, so let me try to put this in perspective.
First off,many New Yorkers have opened clubs in Miami. But on the other hand there are many that were opened by others not from the Big Apple. Just because, New Yorkers go to Miami for their winter vacations, does not mean that there are not home grown people there.
I knew Bill Kelly (as well as Bob Vitteretti/Robbie Leslie-all from there)- from day one and he and Bob and Rob have assured me that there are tons of clubs in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, both past and present that are owned and operated by people from NY as well as others from the local area. That area has always had some of the top clubs to say the least. And now, well South Beach is just streaming with clubs. And Luc, Vinyl was pulling your leg, so get a grip and chill out. So guys why don't we all go down there and party
later
Barry Lederer

Hey Luc
Yes vinyl is for real
This Barry
I did the sound for Salvation way back when. He might have some facts mixed up, but he is ok

IS VYNILJUNKIE FOR REAL? I-95 is a highway with strips of parkland and fences around it, FEDERAL HIGHWAY is the road with discos on it! THERE ARE NO MAJOR DISCOS in MIAMI! AND AS EVERYONE KNOWNS, MIAMI and FT LAUDERDALE's producers, djs, customers, and the owners of the venues, operators and real estate, are overwhelmingly NEW YORKERS! I have never read so many ERRORS OF FACT in postings as VYNILJUNKIE manages to get in. THANK HEAVENS THE OLD QUEEN WITH INTIALS RH or ACW is too broke to afford a trip to EUROPE!

As a young deejay in the BIG APPLE, LE JARDIN was one of the first places I went to. The music was always fantastic, the crowd was more mixed than you realized. I picked up a few females there, and YES I am sure they were women! LUC DYRKAZC, I am not sure where you went, but there are plenty of great big clubs here in Miami. And how do you equate Manhattan and FT. Lauderdale/Miami as one area?? There are over 1800 miles between them, I am sure that somewhere along I-95 there is a DISCO big enough for your tastes??!!!!

What a memory walk down memory lane...I was first introduced to the club around xmas of 1975. I remember going down stairs to what I thought was a secret garden because I asked the person who was with me.. what does les jardin translate too.

Fred's post of November 20, 2007 sure brings back my memories of my youth. The palms, oh, I remember the palms. The Painted Pony! This New Year's Eve German tv had the"Sensations" disco in Duesseldorf. Everyone was in White with a NY dj Erik Morill (?) and there were lots of gay couples. It was South Beach '95 and Manhattan '74 all over again. I am going to Duesseldorf for Carnvale/Fasching and hope to see the Place.

Luv u all

Le Jardin West 43 Street
Owners: FeFe and John Addison
DJ: Bobby DJ
Michael C.
Nicky

I did the White Party there in 1973 with Barry White for his movie on 20th Century Records "Together Brothers", b/w me and you John and FeFe and I made about a little over $10,000 each, LOL!
Thanks 20th Century!

Billy Smith 1/19/08
Alive and very well living in NYC/Maui

I rembember Le Jardin: down the stairs off 43rd into the disco, with the wite palm trees, white banquettes...and I seem to recall a long bar topped with little mirror tiles. The elevator was draped with red and white striped fabric like the inside of a sheik's tent and...up to the juice bar and the roof. Outdoors there was a waterbed (maybe two) where people would lounge. I was dating someone who was already in an "open" relationship and this was all just too glamorous for a kid from the Jersey burbs across from Philadelphia. We'd lean out over Times Square on balmy nights, smoking a little something. It really was quite magical.

I also spent a few memorable nights at the old Ruby Foo's AND a fabulous little piano bar on the upper east side called The Painted Pony, where I think the cabaret performer Steve Ross got his start.

It's all gone, I guess. *sigh*

JOHN ADDISON, That's a name from the past! The Gallery and Le Jardin, but there was a third club of that era, wasn't it just below 14th Street, just east of Broadway? There as a small elevator there, too. That was the first "after hours" club I ever sent to.

I am in Europe and tried to find a decent disco in Manhattan or Miami Beach, NONE! Apparently the Colliseum in Ft. Lauderdale, on Federal Highway or US 1, just before you get into the City from the airport going north appears to be the last large disco in Miami-Ft.Lauderdale-New York. How sad!

I spoke to a straight cousin, like me in real estate, who operates in London, but also has connections to New York and Miami. It's real estate that killed disco! You can't have disco music without discos to dance to it, and with real estate prices what they are, there is no way you can get the space.

Even a relatively small operation like LeJardin, which is in a neighborhood who has seen rental apartments for under $300 a month in 1990 disappear and become 3.5 Million dollar coop apartments could not exist now.

Hi
No.
Ray never played there. He was a dj at The Pines for a short time,the 10th Floor and possibly Flamingo. However he was never a top dj and could in no way live up to the the grest djs of the era.
Barry

I remember it, visiting my cool NYC friends while still in college in Boston. Wasn't one of the DJ's Ray Yeates ?

Yes, I remember going to the Grand Ballroom which was the greatest! It was so elegant and the lights and music(Does anyone know who DJ'd there) were fantastic-especially remember MFSB, Love is the Message being a total experience. One night leaving, the elevators were too crowded so we decided to take the stairs. I guess the Le Jardin and Ballroom stairs were connected somehow. Anyway we ended up in Le Jardin. The music was pumping and we couldn't resist. We danced until they closed. What a great time! Wish there were videos of this time. I remember people taking movies-don't know what they were for.

Hey everybody,
Read all your comments.
I wrote the very first one on this site.
Also, I was good friends with John Addison.

But as I said in my first post, it was the magic in Bobby DJ's mixing and selection of music that made dancing there such a pleasure
Barry

I was a senior in high school and Le Jardin was the first club I ever went to. I changed the BD on my passport that I used to travel to Italy with my cousin the summer before and used it as ID to get in. Crazy, I know! Anyway, I remember the great music, doing the walk and the bump. The place was very chic with white leather sectional sofas downstairs and upstairs in the penthouse. Thanks again, Phil LeBash for posting the invitation. It reminded me of something funny that happened. I too got that invitation but never went that night. My mother was on my case about my grades so I passed up going to study for some tests. I thought it was strange that no one was home that night. Until the next day she told me that she and our neighbor used the invitation and had a great time! She grew up in NY and I guess she wanted to see what this new place was all about. After that I hid the invitations from her...LOL. I met so many nice people at LeJardin and it was actually the beginning of that whole crazy disco era.

OMG. Just reading this brings back the memories. THe 70's were the best for partying. I remember LeJardin very well. Well maybe not that well... it was a "juice bar". I went with my boyfriend and another couple. Although we were straight the music was the best and everything else that came with the club was awesome. Had so much to offer in the way of "fun". The gay clubs were the best for patying. Does anyone remember INFINITY and Jay, the owner? That was another very cool, underground kind of place. So fun!! Yes those were the days never to be duplicated. I do miss them. These kids have no clue what they missed.

THIS WAS ONE OF JOHN ADDISON'S
EARLY VENTURES! DO YOU REMEMBER HIM AND FIFI? THERE WERE MANY FIRSTS INTRODUCED AT THIS CLUB AS JOHN WAS VERY MUCH AHEAD OF HIS TIME....DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER THE GRAND BALLROOM THAT WAS OPENED UPSTAIRS IN THE SAME HOTEL? THERE ARE A LOT OF STORIES THAT ARE STILL UNTOLD ABOUT THE OLD DAYS!

I met Paul Lynde there one night and that started our friendship until his death. The same era as The Gallery...
12 West... and The Original Limelight on Broadway. Love Unlimited in the earlier years...then to Gloria Gaynor being crowned Queen of The Discos and being changed to Jouissance.. Rudy/Tommy/ and Nicki.

The private elevator to take you to the penthouse. The white statues holding balloons. The blended "juice bar" drinks. The sounds of Love Unlimited made this place a very chic place. I remember I would buy an outfit every week to go there Nik Nik shirts with high waisted pants and platform shoes were very popular, thin glitter belts were a very important accessory for the times.
What was nice about the place was that there was no attitude; I think back nobody had 6 paks then lol things have changed a bit miss those days :-)

Always loved this club, among so many others. Was at them all during the '70s. Yes, was a real party animal and frequented just about every gay bar, club and restaurant in Manhattan, and some in Queens too. Oh, and don't forget Fire Island. Anyway, loved Le Jardin how everyone would crowd in the small elevator from the basement nonstop up to the roof bar and garden. Simply heaven! To get a drink and sit out on the roof and get some air. Beautifully decorated as I recall in white and green and very tropical feel to it. The '70s in NYC WERE the days.

I've had my original postal card from the club on my site for a while. Check it out:
1974 -- A gala affaire pour les monsieurs
http://www.radardan.com/FIP.html

no problem- how would you like to contact each other. i will add a profile soon.

exdj: you are really good!! Soul city walk, the bump, WOW, i am sure we crossed each other's path a thousand times!!! If you can lets chat about all the other clubs we must have up our sleeves. This is so much fun, thanks for sharing.

these artist's or songs might jog your memory- the trammps, double exposure, salsoul orchestra, mighty clouds of joy- "mighty high" archie bell & the drells- "let's groove everybody" my 2 favorites at this club, and many more. this was the era or time when everyone did a dance called the (soul city walk) seems like yesterday does'nt it. all of our memorie's are a little fuzzy. enjoy!

You are so right about Le Jardin. i wish I had a better memory, but the beautiful tables and chairs, and the stained glass it was so great. It was a great dance club, but i think it had a short life, i always stopped there on my way to somewhere else.

IF THERE WAS EVER A CLUB THAT I WOULD CONSIDER BEING TRUELY UNDERGROUD, IT WAS LE JARDIN ON 44TH OFF 6TH AVE. IN IT'S EARLY DAYS.
I PERSONALLY DON'T REMEMBER THE DJ'S NAME AT THAT TIME, BUT HIS SELECTION OF MUSIC WAS VERY INFLUENTIAL TO ME. THIS CLUB WAS RENAMED OASIS IN THE LATER 70'S BUT IT WAS NEVER THE SAME. A TOTALLY DIFFERENT CROWD.

ONE OF THE REAL GREAT CLUBS OF THE SEVENTIES WITH MUSIC BY BOBBY DJ
BARRY