On Ninth Street, A Guru Of East Side Soul

Outside Katinka, the tiny and colorful store he’s owned since 1979, jazz musician and neighborhood fixture Billy Lyles often plays the saxophone and flute - and greets passers-by.

Local East Village, 2012 (750 Words)

On warm days, shouts of “Billy!” echo down the tree-lined block, and people wave at him from across the street. “It’s nice to get said hello to,” said Mr. Lyles, wearing his trademark glasses and old-fashioned flat cap. “To be a nice person, man: they don’t have that going on any more like they used to.”