Free For All Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 (edited) I saw this topic on another site and I was curious to see how the folks here might respond. What do you think the ideal jazz club should be like? Be realistic, be idealistic, be sarcastic, whatever you want. It can't possibly be successful, so please exercise your fantasy. I'll get it started: - Me, I like the idea of a place that serves food and alcohol. It does help the income considerably, and I don't mind the social atmosphere that accompanies such a scenario. I think a good "cuisine" concept can be very complementary to the vibe of the place. Perhaps a separate room for those who want to eat and be noisy, with the music happening in a space that's a little more secluded and at least a little more dedicated to listening, although food and drink would be available. Personally, I don't think it's necessary to create a museum-type silent listening environment, although my room manager would be empowered to shush the clueless. I don't mind bar blenders and a little conversation, but if you are there to talk, go hang at the bar (which would ideally be far from the stage). My dad and I used to fantasize about buying the local abandoned train station, filling it with his train memorabilia (he was a avid model railroader) and serving up great barbecue, steaks, chili, onion rings, chicken wings etc. and first-rate jazz. Of course this was in a small town in Iowa, so it would have failed miserably, what with there being no audience for jazz there. Other considerations: - no smoking, not an unreasonable request these days - first-rate sound system - a well-maintained and decent quality piano - a real stage, no "in the corner" location - obviously, decent pay is essential, although it would be less of a deal-breaker if the venue and staff are music-friendly. Sure, I'd love to make a couple bills for a jazz gig, but in lieu of that I'd rather play with people I like to play with in a good environment. If I can have the last two things, money is a little less critical. The more the gig sucks, the more it should pay (that's the TUX/BUX/SUX formula). - local/area/less known groups booked as well as the "big names" - easy load-in/convenient parking - clean, minimally funky bathrooms OK, that's a start. Have at it. Edited July 11, 2006 by Free For All Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonym Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 You've just described AghARTA in Prague!! Well, apart from the parking (we walked). Dead right about the ambience; you want to be able to converse now and again without spoiling it for other punters. Food should be simple but good and wine and beers should be regional and cheap! The new Jazz Bar in Edinburgh, although being run by real enthusiasts has the stage set too far down the club with a bar running all along the left hand wall -- a bit of a queue and the listeners enjoyment/view is impaired. It does tend to attract The Sunday Times crowd too for whom listening isn't the most important experience. BTW my wife regularly plays concerts (chamber music) in an old Victorian railway station which has been converted to a partly alfresco bistro-type-thing. The paying crowd love it because of the surroundings; flagstones, inscriptions on the walls, etc., and the musicians love the acoustics (and a few glasses of plonk courtesy of the management) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted July 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 Thanks for your response, Tony. You've just described AghARTA in Prague!! Perhaps I should move there. Are they receptive to the trombone in Prague? The new Jazz Bar in Edinburgh, although being run by real enthusiasts I should have mentioned that a good single-malt selection is essential! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 hi everyone! chewy-chew-chew-reporting here 2 say u are have it so nice and good in your prauge and your edinburgh with you ideal jazz clubs and your efficent public transportation and your loose women and your quality beers and eye poppin tv programming. why dont you take a reality check over here in usa and see in order 2 get into a jazz club u buy a ticket, then u trade the ticket for a hand stamp and slip of paper. then u take slip of paper and clip it 2 chair. then after shows all over u have 2 pay AGAIN, this time for your food and for your drinks. then when its over u have 2 go home beacuse the city shuts down. u are so spoiled in prauge with your underground after hours fetish clubs and your klubkalash meat-on-stick stands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMX Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 You don't have to go as far as Prague, Free For All. Churchill Grounds in Atlanta has pretty much much everything you described - especially since they bought the space next door to set up a stage & bar separate from the tables & bar for those that didn't come for the music. Local acts most nights of the week, and better-known artists (Greg Osby, Greg Tardy, Tim Armacost) bringing their own bands or sitting in with the locals on the weekends. And occasionally a headliner playing a larger venue will drop by (David Sanchez was in the other night, but didn't play). Great menu, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 You don't have to go as far as Prague, Free For All. Churchill Grounds in Atlanta has pretty much much everything you described - especially since they bought the space next door to set up a stage & bar separate from the tables & bar for those that didn't come for the music. Local acts most nights of the week, and better-known artists (Greg Osby, Greg Tardy, Tim Armacost) bringing their own bands or sitting in with the locals on the weekends. And occasionally a headliner playing a larger venue will drop by (David Sanchez was in the other night, but didn't play). Great menu, too. The Jazz Kitchen in Indy is also very similar to your description....very good food at reasonable cost, a very good mix of local and national talent (though yet to book Organissimo), a very good listening room with no site problems and good sound system, lots of free parking in the vacinity and a nicely stocked bar this is separated by a wall from the main listening room (but not blocking out the sound of the band). Smoking is permitted in the bar only. Friendly, hardworking staff is a plus! If you're ever in Indy, a stop here is a must. m~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 What do you think the ideal jazz club should be like? Relevant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 The ideal jazz club already exists--it's called the Village Vanguard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 (edited) The ideal jazz club already exists--it's called the Village Vanguard. ...while I enjoyed my recent visit to the Vanguard, it's a little too cramped for my style and LG is a bitch (based on my recent phone conversation with her). She has done a good thing by keeping the club open for many years after Max's death, but that is one nasty woman, in my opinion. m~ ...edited for spelling! Edited July 11, 2006 by sheldonm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 u are so spoiled in prauge with your underground after hours fetish clubs and your klubkalash meat-on-stick stands. Proximity to an underground after-hours fetish club would be nice. I'm just bein' realistic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 The ideal jazz club? One that will hire organissimo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Wheel Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 I don't care, so long as it doesn't have a goddamn two drink minimum. What an annoying pricing model. This is why I absolutely love NYC's Jazz Standard, which has the sense to break with New York tradition and just let you order as many or as few drinks as you please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 i dont care about 2 drink min as long as the big fat waiter doesnt sneakup behind u and say WHAT WOULD U LIKE FOR YOUR SECOND DRINK? right in the middle of a solo. thats LA style Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 The ideal jazz club already exists--it's called the Village Vanguard. ...while I enjoyed my recent visit to the Vanguard, it's a little too cramped for my style and LG is a bitch (based on my recent phone conversation with her). She has done a good thing by keeping the club open for many years after Max's death, but that is one nasty woman, in my opinion. m~ ...edited for spelling! On my last visit, she was yelling at this poor Japanese woman (who had no clue why she was being verbally attacked) for using her cellphone in between sets. Notwithstanding that, the club has such great history, and the sound is pretty much perfect there--the more times you go there, the more you like it, I've found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 I don't care, so long as it doesn't have a goddamn two drink minimum. What an annoying pricing model. This is why I absolutely love NYC's Jazz Standard, which has the sense to break with New York tradition and just let you order as many or as few drinks as you please. Yeah, but the last (and first) time I went to the Jazz Standard to see Stryker/Slagel it was a $25 cover. Multiply that by four people, and... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Wheel Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 $25 is not cheap, but that doesn't seem particularly steep to me, compared to a lot of the other NYC clubs that feature similar acts. This is New York we're talking about here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 The old Ronnie Scotts in London was my ideal. £1 admission mid-week for students/Musicians Union members, top-flight US and UK bands selected by Ronnie, seating for the youngsters up-front, no hard drinks pressure, nice ambience, terrible jokes by Ronnie. The only problem is we are talking about 25 years ago here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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