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The Jazz
Factory ceased operations after it’s last performances on March 29,
2008. For five years, the club presented the very finest local,
regional, national and international jazz talent five nights a week.
The Jazz Factory owners, managers and employees are deeply grateful
for the faithful and loyal patrons who frequented the club and will
always remember the remarkable musicians who played their hearts out
each and every night. THE
JAZZ FACTORY: AN OBITUARY© 2008 Martin Kasdan Jr. I first learned that the Jazz Factory was going to close when proprietor Ken Shapero called me to convey the news. Throughout the Louisville jazz community, as word spread, there was much sadness, yet it was tempered by an appreciation of all the wonderful music which was presented here over the past five years. As one with deep ties to New Orleans, my first coherent thought was a reflection on the traditional Jazz Funeral. New Orleans is a city where both birth and death are celebrated. In the New Orleans Jazz Funeral, a brass band will wind solemnly through the streets from the church to the graveyard, playing mournful hymns and dirges such as “Closer Walk with Thee.” Following the burial, the band will leave the cemetery and the music changes to happy and jaunty, as an affirmation that the deceased has gone on to a better life, and as a celebration of the joy of the decedent’s life for the survivors. Mourners are joined by people from the neighborhoods in a “Second Line” parade, waving handkerchiefs and twirling umbrellas, to the bouncy syncopations of upbeat songs such as “Didn’t He Ramble.” The time for the dirges has passed. It is time for a celebration of the life and times of the Jazz Factory. From its opening in April 2003, the club set high standards. Walking down the dozen steps from the street-level lobby of the Glassworks building was like entering a different world. The Jazz Factory’s long wooden bar spoke of tradition, while the metal etchings on the opposite wall, under the street-level windows, spoke of modernity, a visual metaphor for the tradition and innovation which characterizes jazz. From Opening Day forward, the Jazz Factory was a haven for those seeking to enjoy a musical performance without having to endure second-hand smoke, well before Louisville finally passed a no-smoking ordinance. Even more significantly, it was a haven for those seeking to enjoy jazz in an atmosphere in which the musicians were respected, and in which that respect led to consistently inspired and inspiring performances. Consider the challenge of not just presenting live music, but of presenting live JAZZ five nights a week. Louisville is not New York or San Francisco, yet the bookings at the Jazz Factory consistently brought in the star talents who played in those and other large urban areas. From legendary artists such as Mose Allison, Larry Coryell, David “Fathead” Newman and Frank Morgan, to top-of-their game musicians such as Kenny Garrett and Wallace Roney, to up-and-coming talents such as bassist Avishai Cohen and Zach Brock, the Jazz Factory brought the finest names to town for five years. The Jazz Factory was not just a “showcase for the stars,” however. Week after week, the artistry of local and regional talent was brought to the fore. John LaBarbera’s Big Band, ensembles led by Jamey Aebersold, Todd Hildreth, Ron Jones, Harry Pickens, and so many more, were given a local venue where their music was foreground, not background. Regional artists such as Bloomington’s Monika Herzig, Indianapolis’ Steve Allee, and Cincinnati’s Phil DeGreg were just three of the musicians who found a cordial home away from home at the Jazz Factory. Not content to book the best local, regional and national talent, the Jazz Factory also nurtured and developed talent by hiring and promoting student ensembles. Jazz, as a music featuring improvisation, is also a music in which the players react to the audience and vice-versa. The Jazz Factory provided not just a place for music to be played, but an atmosphere conducive to the best artist/audience interaction. The club’s intimacy was enhanced by dedicated sound engineers, an unobtrusive wait staff, and a kitchen where culinary delights from hamburgers to seafood specials were available. Jazz Factory proprietors Ken Shapero and his wife Dianne Aprile brought a profound level of love to what, for others, might have been just another business venture. Indeed, they hosted many benefits for worthwhile causes over the years. They deserve the heartfelt thanks of all jazz lovers for five amazing years of presenting America’s original music, jazz, with the respect and, indeed, the passion which it deserves. |
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