Baird Jones

JONES--Baird Baird Jones, 53, died last week at home of natural causes. Lively and irreverent, he blazed a swath through New York nightlife as a writer, photographer, party promoter, art critic and raconteur. The son of the late Cranston and Jean Campbell Jones, Baird had a notable collection of academic credentials, from The Buckley School, Groton, Columbia University (undergraduate and two masters degrees) and NYU (a law degree and master of social work), all printed on his legendary nightclub party passes. A witty and skillful interviewer, he wrote under his own byline for "The East Village Eye," various British tabloids, the Daily News "Rush & Malloy" column, artnet.com, and contributed freelance items to others. He was the author and photographer of "Mark Kostabi and the East Village Art Scene 1983-1987." His intentionally provocative and daring promotion of nightclubs, from Studio 54 to Webster Hall, earned him the tabloid nickname "Bad Boy Baird." Behind this invented persona, Baird found solace in art and in helping artists. He will be missed by his family, his friends and the many people all over New York who enjoyed his parties. Fittingly, a memorial party is in the works. He is survived by his sister Abigail Jones, his brother-in-law Jeffrey Mandell, his niece Juliana and his nephew Alex Mandell, all of Beverly Hills, CA.