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Losing Legends hurts local jazz scene
The silence on the North Side is a little scary to anyone who loves jazz.
Legends James Street Tavern closed a little more than two weeks ago, its owners citing “undercapitalization" and a feeble cash flow.
The dark shadow of blame could be cast anywhere, but the most important point is simple. Right now, there is not a good jazz club in this area.
The Crawford Grill on the Square in Station Square, South Side, is a great space for jazz, but doesn't have much to speak of. Big-name guests are virtually unheard of. Local performers do a nice job, but they are the people whose faces get all too familiar.
Places like Martini's in Jefferson Hills, CJ's in the Strip District or the Wooden Nickel in Monroeville present a steady stream of players, but none of them will make you go out of your way to get there.
Dowe's on 9th, Downtown, would seem to offer the biggest hope, but it's been in a jazz coma of late. Club owner Al Dowe insists he takes such a summer break every year, saying summer is a lousy time to program acts. Dowe has brought in some good-drawing pop acts, but there hasn't been a name jazz guest there since Kevin Mahogany in May.
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Legends James Street Tavern closed a little more than two weeks ago, its owners citing “undercapitalization" and a feeble cash flow.
The dark shadow of blame could be cast anywhere, but the most important point is simple. Right now, there is not a good jazz club in this area.
The Crawford Grill on the Square in Station Square, South Side, is a great space for jazz, but doesn't have much to speak of. Big-name guests are virtually unheard of. Local performers do a nice job, but they are the people whose faces get all too familiar.
Places like Martini's in Jefferson Hills, CJ's in the Strip District or the Wooden Nickel in Monroeville present a steady stream of players, but none of them will make you go out of your way to get there.
Dowe's on 9th, Downtown, would seem to offer the biggest hope, but it's been in a jazz coma of late. Club owner Al Dowe insists he takes such a summer break every year, saying summer is a lousy time to program acts. Dowe has brought in some good-drawing pop acts, but there hasn't been a name jazz guest there since Kevin Mahogany in May.
Continue...
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