Major star coming to Blue Wisp... and change of location rumors
OK, it's all about location, location, location
But before we get to that, heads up on a big-deal star who's coming next week to play at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club, downtown. Steve Turre, who plays trombone with the Saturday Night Live Band, and is also a virtuoso of the seashells (I kid you not), performs at the club Wednesday and Thursday nights next week. The Mexican-born jazz musician appears with the Blue Wisp Big Band Wednesday night, and with the Ed Felson Quartet on Thursday. Info here.
Rumors are flying about the Blue Wisp moving to a new locale. The jazz club is under new ownership, and from the beginning, the co-owners have said they like the Eighth Street building, but wished there was more foot traffic and that it was closer to downtown hotels.
So, apparently it was brought up recently at a Clifton Town Hall meeting that the jazz club might relocate to Ludlow Ave. I've also heard rumors that they're looking at other locations downtown, from Tower Place Mall to the old Enquirer Building. (Now that would be interesting...)
So far, it's just rumors, says partner Ed Felson. They currently sign a month-to-month lease from the building owners.
"It's a big-money decision," Felson says. "They're all wonderful ideas, but it requires a lot of analysis. We've not decided anything, and we dont' want to rock the boat (with the current arrangement), but the good news is that we have options."
Stay tuned. Do you think the Wisp should move??
posted by Janelle Gelfand at 11:08 AM
2 Comments:
at 5/02/2008 10:46:00 PM 
Anonymous said...
-
-
at 5/05/2008 04:46:00 PM 
Anonymous said...
-
-
Post a Comment*Would prefer to see the club within closer walking distance of the new downtown restaurants and the Backstage area (soon to get the Bootsy Collins nightclub). Now that there is a critical mass of restaurants within a block or two of Fountain Square, would be good to see more entertainment options there. But the closer you get to the Square, the higher the rent. Current location of the Wisp is good in terms of parking, size, sound, sight lines. Clifton not as good as downtown for an evening out at a restaurant followed by jazz.
Even though I live in Clifton and personally would benefit from that move, I would prefer that the Wisp stay downtown. And although it's not in the heart of downtown, that makes it easier to drive there, park there, and walk there. Would foot traffic really increase attendance? Perhaps - I don't think people would drop in for a nightcap (cover too high), but at least they'd find out that it existed and maybe look into it for a future show.
The new owners are doing a great job of booking important jazz artists. Larry Coryell, Steve Turre, Sonny Fortune are superb. The club has become too expensive, though, for both national and local musicians. That is my one complaint. Everything else is perfect. Lower the cover for everything and get people used to coming in there - and then, MAYBE, raise the price. If people have been packing the place, I take back what I said - but I doubt they have. A jazz lover, I would love to see both local and national acts at the Wisp, but the cover charge has kept me and other people I know away.
* Our online blogs currently are hosted and operated by a third party, namely, Blogger.com. You are now leaving the Cincinnati.Com website and will be linked to Blogger.com's registration page. The Blogger.com site and its associated services are not controlled by Cincinnati.Com and different terms of use and privacy policy will apply to your use of the Blogger.com site and services.
By proceeding and/or registering with Blogger.com you agree and understand that Cincinnati.Com is not responsible for the Blogger.com site you are about to access or for any service you may use while on the Blogger.com site.
<< Home