It’s been decades since live jazz enthusiasts and musicians have had an array of local clubs from which to choose.
Downtown Atlanta, Virginia Highlands, Buckhead, Sandy Springs have been among the destinations where musicians performed into the late night hours during the 1980s, ‘90s and 2000s. But most of the go-to clubs have closed over time, places such as Café 290, Sambucca, Churchill Grounds’ Whisper Room, the once nationally known Walter Mitty’s and many others.
Other than the The Velvet Note in Alpharetta, “Atlanta (metro) is considered a jazz desert,” Saxophonist Will Scruggs said.
Scruggs is doing something about it, leading a large group of partners in a $6 million project that he says will shift the dearth landscape for live jazz in metro Atlanta.
He has founded the Cornerstone Jazz Collective, an entity of fellow musicians and business advisers building a jazz arts center in downtown Decatur. The center will house Phoenix City jazz club, and lease commercial space for a separate restaurant, coffee shop, music education center and Atlanta ProWinds music instrument repair and retail store.
Credit: courtesy willscruggs.co
Credit: courtesy willscruggs.co
The jazz club will be open nightly, Scruggs said, adding that he wants the center to inspire a Decatur Jazz Festival.
“Part of what I’m excited about is we can expand and make a mark for ourselves as a jazz city,” he said.
The Cornerstone Jazz Collective is under contract to purchase the building and property on East Trinity Place that is currently owned and operated by Greene’s Fine Foods. The 1935 structure was Decatur’s original U.S. Post Office, co-owner Tommy Greene said. Greene’s family business is leaving Decatur after 16 years and planning to open in two other metro Atlanta locations, he said.
The jazz music project will total an estimated $6 million with the building and property purchase and construction, with plans to close on the purchase in August, Scruggs said.
Scruggs is investing $600,000 of his own funds earned through real estate investments, he said during a recent night of live music with financial supporters at the home of his attorney Dennis Zakas.
Scruggs foresees master classes for young musicians in the music education center with some taught by nationally-known musicians on a tour stop in Atlanta. A letter of support from Jazz at Lincoln Center shared with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reads that the organization helmed by Wynton Marsalis is “eager to collaborate” with the Cornerstone Jazz Collective.
“The Atlanta Market has been missing a venue that consistently presents performances of local jazz musicians ... and international touring artists, as well as an organization that will help build the foundation for the next generation of jazz musicians,” says the letter, signed by Georgina Javor, vice president of concerts and touring for Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Credit: Courtesy willscr
Credit: Courtesy willscr
Scruggs is planning a subscription service for Phoenix City jazz club to allow performances to be streamed live across the world, he said.
Scruggs, 44, received a master’s degree in jazz studies from Georgia State University after graduating as a summa cum laude student from Emory University with a bachelor’s degree in music and business.
The jazz band leader’s accomplishments include touring and recording with the late Natalie Cole.
He performed and booked musicians locally at Ray’s Restaurants for years until live music ended last summer. Ray’s on the River in Sandy Springs featured live band jazz music for 40 years.
“I was very disappointed on behalf of many musicians in Atlanta and specifically jazz musicians about losing yet another venue.” Scruggs told the AJC. “The lack of a jazz club in Atlanta makes it so there is (no place that appreciates their) economic value.”
Credit: Courtesy karlaharris.com
Credit: Courtesy karlaharris.com
Tamara Fuller, owner of The Velvet Note, said Scruggs plan to open a jazz center and club that is “conceived, owned and run by musicians” is surprising in today’s times ... “but in a very exciting way.”
“Musicians don’t just work hard on their craft,” Fuller said. “They work hard to ensure that clubs will be around when they are ready to have a place to perform. We certainly have been the beneficiary of that in good times and bad times.
The Velvet Note celebrated its 12th anniversary in June.
The Cornerstone Collective has 85 investors who also serve as advisers. They include corporate professionals and local musicians such as trumpeter Joe Gransden; pianist Joe Alterman; singer Karla Harris, who is a professor of jazz vocals at Kennesaw State University; and Gary Motley, who is the founding director of Jazz Studies at Emory University.
Credit: Courtesy joegransden.com
Credit: Courtesy joegransden.com
Scruggs said his business model will give musicians higher pay because the Collective will receive rent from its commercial leases and a percentage of sales.
“We justify that because we will be bringing customers to the center for the jazz,” Scruggs said. “If we just owned the building and we were just renting to a restaurant with no involvement in music, we wouldn’t be able to say we want a percentage of revenues.”
Gransden said the business model is “flipping things” from traditional club or restaurant owners being in control.
“It’s just a wonderful way to do this and not have it all rely all on ticket prices or cover charges,” Gransden said. He and his big band will perform at Eddie’s Attic on July 12 ahead of an appearance at Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center in New York on July 15.
“I’ve had this kind of dream for a longtime,” Scruggs said of creating a jazz arts center. “I call Atlanta a ‘jazz desert’ and I want to create the oasis.”
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