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On May 29th 2011, the NY Post published this story, linked below, that was subsequently picked up by AP and is now becoming national news. Apparently a musician was handcuffed and arrested in a newly labelled Central Park 'Quiet Zone':

http://m.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/please_clear_the_aria_5Ih5ZOpqdHAUPUKWmwK8xJ

First amendment rights must be protected for musicians that can only be heard with amplification.

Mark Nejmeh
www.jobcreation.us

In my capacity as a performer, I have been to many major cities in the US and Canada and Mexico and Europe and found that the parks are considered the saving refuge from the air pollution and the unhealthy high decibel level of vehicles and honking car horns and hawking vendors. However, i can appreciate the earnest liveliness of music performed acoustically, not electronically blasting entire neighborhoods, intruding on others own "Space" and working havoc on some with low levels of noise tolerance, the old and the harassed by business or pesonal interactions. If one is concerned to accommodate the needs and wishes of others, they will not insist on their right to do whatever pleases THEM. Apply the Golden Rule! Kenneth Bennett Lane, Wagnerian heldentenor, opera composer: "Shakespeare" & "The Political Shakespeare" and director, the Richard Wagner Music Drama Institute. Website: www.WagnerOpera.com, where one may download 37 complete "Carnegie Hall LIVE" selections from my 4 solo concerts in the main hall of Carnegie Hall, now named the Isaac Stern Auditorium.

I left a comment earlier today but didn't get confirmation ... nor did I copy what I wrote ... want to make sure the message gets to John. Is it out there?

No Jack, commercialization. These are professionals promoting gigs. I miss the original amateurs looking to be heard who are drowned out by the wave of self-amplified acts.

There is no excuse for, at times, misogyny and profanity laden music blaring (loud enough to vibrate floors and rattle windows) up to 12 hours with absolutely no recourse for people in their homes because someone has a city permit and can do whatever they want.

What about the use on noise to help bring down property values? Could it be harnessed as a way to protest unfair rent practices?

I'm confused by the last caller, Ignacio. I live right across the street form Ft. Greene Park, but I don't have a real problem with the noise. What amplified sound is he talking about? Once in a while there are concerts in the park, but they are enjoyable community events and are usually done by early evening anyway. It's hard to believe he is hearing "blasting sound" 10 blocks away.

@#20 Dan, then what you are debating is taste. I'm not.

I love silence and hate all the blasting sounds in NY. But at the parks I think it's a choice we make to go into a public space to hear all the sounds of life. If it's too noisy, there are always other quieter places to go or stay home.

I play in an after-work softball league in Prospect Park. I always enjoy it when there is a band--especially something ethnic like mambo, Afro or reggae--is playing in the band shell. I hope these events continue.

#16, you bring up a good point. There needs to be a decibel limit to all NYC noise permits (in and outside parks). Calls to 311 and directly to the police are ignored saying anyone with a permit can make as much noise as they want as long as they want until 9pm. The system seems designed to heat passions and create caustic situations. The many are forced to suffer for the pleasure of the few.

What about the incredibly loud city-sanctioned rock concerts that happen in the summertime in the newish NY State waterfront park in Williamsburg Brooklyn? It thumps like mad. Way too much amplification if I can hear it AND FEEL IT in my apartment a long block away. (I'm told these concerts will be moved to Dumbo in 2011...)
Does anybody else give a damn?

I'm not. I've gone there for years. The new stuff is commercial not like the past. It's only the last few years since the construction you've seen the bigger bands. I'm not talking the NYU jazz band which has done summer for years.

I'm a Madison, WI resident who recently visited New York for my first time: NY is doing a beautiful job with their parks. Keep up the good work! In response to the 'New Yorkers being reasonable' comment... I couldn't believe how reasonable I found New Yorkers to be. I can't wait to come back and relax in NYC.

The jazz bands you referred to, in addition to any other musician(s), should be restricted to a particular area of the park so that folks who wish, may have quiet areas; that should take priority over anyone else.

@#14 Dan, why are you blaming the musicians in Washington Square Park—a tradition that has existed for decades—and not the city and NYU whose questionable "refurbishing" of the park is forcing this odd arrangement to exist due to crammed space?

i live near marcus garvey park in harlem and the parks dept RENTS OUT the stage to all sorts of people every weekend - including last year - a birthday party and latin dance teacher. there is NO CAP on the level of noise, which get blasted out. it is absolutely outrageous and ear splitting! it ruins my day - lasting for 6 hours.

in addition, often there are just a handful of people in the audience. the police say they can't do anything because the people have a permit!!

PLEASE limit the volume!!! Thanks!

Yeah, the Sheep Meadow itself may be a quiet zone but there is regularly noise coming from drummers or skaters blasting music, even over on the mall, or along the paths just along the perimeter. Ruins any chance at peace and quiet.

In Washington Square Park, recently shrunk by construction, you can have three or four bands competing at lunch time.The resulting cacophony ,especially in the overlap zones, can be quite annoying. In the past you'ld have obviously amateur one man guitar acts but now professional horns & percussion playing hipster nostalgia, predominate to get around the amplification ordinance. Many are promoting appearances in Brooklyn. I miss the old ecletic. I IPOD the new. The construction sounds better

echoing r.w., why is the riverfront park land north and south of state park at 145th street allowed to be crowded with cars, all blaring competing, blaring, music all weekend? the walking/bicycle path that runs through them is a nightmare for a woman walking or cycling alone, and the noise is atrocious and unhealthy. how to change this?? isn't it illegal?

Pretty subtle John, "that area of prospect park.." HA! in regards to the drum circles... Is that code for the non white section?

Lunkheads, schmunkheads. If you don't like the noise move. This city will be a lot quieter without a lot of whiny, complaining ninnies around.

I live across the street from Roanld McNair Park in Brooklyn which is being given over to a weekly flea market. I am really concerned that concerns about quiet and peace are addressed at parks in upscale neighborhoods, while parks in less well-organized nabes can be freely commercialized.

There should be designated areas like smoking sections in restaurants in the old days. Some part s should be music and other parts should be non-music.

Shhhh! Forest Park is by far the most peaceful and quiet park I've been to in NYC.

I have been a part of the Central Park Rumba drumming scene along the lake next to 72nd street boat basin since I was 17, I'm now 56 and plan on continuing until I'm 76.

How about State parks in the city?

I live a full block, a busy highway, a railtrack away from the rollerskating/ice rink at Riverbank State Park.

At weekend the music is blaring over the neighborhood. It kills our peace and quiet but surely it also hurts the eardrums of the skaters.

It's loud music for no purpose whatsoever.

At risk of becoming a pariah, why must every park created in the city also include play areas which become sources of… um… increased volume instead of letting the park be an oasis of quiet leaf rustling and bird songs when we have dedicated playgrounds that disallow anyone without children from using them. What’s the point of parks if they’re just as loud and chaotic (including vendors) as any city sidewalk.

I was trying to take a walk in Fort Tryon Park last evening and once again there were about six cars parked in the general vicinity of the Cloisters blaring music.

Why is it allowed? I thought the park was a quiet zone of some sort.

So much money/time is put into the lovely flowers and trees, why make it unpleasant by allowing lunkheads to blast music?

warning- mr. softee jingle earworm can create permanent aversion to pumped out ice-cream.

Isn't it true that Commissioner Benepe is actively soliciting for vending concessions, corporate promotions and even huge private parties to take place in all of our public parks? These include a 200 stand commercial vendor tent taking up much of Union Sq Park for a month at a time, and similar vending markets in Bryant Park, Central Park by Columbus circle and many other locations? The only sound the Commissioner seems to want in NYC Parks is the Ca-ching of concession revenue.

Almost every day, I walk to and from work through Central Park, passing alongside the Wohlman rink, up the Mall, past Bethesda fountain, the model boat pond and the Met. On Friday, there was some sort of musical performance going on every 100 yards or so. The solo saxaphonist, violinist or guitarist/singer is one thing but it's the bands with drums! Jazz bands, jug bands... At Bethesda, a hip-hop dance troupe had set up with a full drum kit and two percussionists. Not only could it be heard all the way down at the other end of the mall, but space taken over by the performance and the crowd gathered around occupied the full width of the mall. I realize that the First Amendment limits what the City may do, but that wouldn't seem to be the case at Wohlman, over which the City has some control, where hard rock music is still being blasted out over its loudspeakers from early morning until evening, even though it's been closed for weeks. At the very least, couldn't the Parks Department require the rink operator to cease and desist?