“Rob is a jewel," says longtime Seattle jazz patron David Marriott Sr. of Rob Perry, the svelte, silver-haired manager of Dimitriou's Jazz Alley for the past 27 years. “After you come down those stairs, you know you've got a good friend there. He's going to take care of you. He sets the tone."
Perry, 60, the public face of Seattle's signature jazz institution (the 32-year-old club is owned by John Dimitriou) is retiring at the end of July. For two generations of musicians and fans, saying goodbye will be like losing a familiar old friend.
“He's going to be missed dearly," says Dimitriou. “He was a great asset."
As manager, Perry is not only the face at the bottom of the stairs. He manages 18 servers, five bussers and a front-of-house staff of 10, and oversees the kitchen and bar. It's not a job for the faint of heart.
Perry started working for Dimitriou in 1984, back when the club was a casual joint in the University District and a manager was needed to run a second club in Pioneer Square. Perry thought his first night might be his last. Pianist Ahmad Jamal was the headliner.
