Gah, it pains me to write this, being such a fan of 14th Street institution HR-57, but the longstanding Logan-based jazz club is hosting its final performances at 1610 14th Street this weekend. Longstanding performer (and 14thandyou household fave) Antonio Parker and AJ Parham will send HR-57 off to their new digs on H Street in style.
When plans were announced this summer that the Border's bookstore, located at 14th and F streets, was going to be closing and replaced with a new restaurant from the Clyde's group, it seemed like a rather mundane announcement about a new downtown restaurant from a familiar chain.
However, when it was later announced that, in addition to the restaurant, Clyde's had plans to open a 15,000 sf nightclub in the basement of the building, that raised a few eyebrows. In a part of town not known for its nightlife--particularly not on that scale--many wondered what kind of operation Clyde's had in mind.
Now, we're beginning to get some idea of what's to come. From its liquor license filing with ABRA, we learn that the new concept--which is tentatively called "Hamilton Square Grill"--will be seeking a CX (multipurpose) license, which would cover the restaurant, live music venue, and proposed 96 seat outdoor patio. The 35,000 sf space, which includes a 20,000 sf restaurant plus the downstairs nightclub, will feature sushi, a raw bar and, according to Clyde's executive VP Tom Meyer, "comfortable, good food and a menu with drinks."
Perhaps most interesting, however, are the operatiing hours for the space: they are requesting outdoor seating until 2 AM Sunday through Thursday, and 3 AM on weekends, and plan to be a 24 hour operation inside.
That's right: a 24 hour restaurant/club in downtown DC. Those of you who are NYC transplants are likely wondering what the fuss is about, but 24 operations are hard to come by in DC--even in neighborhoods known for their nightlife options.
The Clyde's group plans on a tentative late 2011 opening, but we'll see if that materializes.
In what is sad news for Logan/Shaw/Dupont jazz fans, but great news for people around north Capitol Hill and the Atlas District, the City Paper is reporting that longtime 14th street jazz club HR-57 will be moving to a space near 9th and H Streets NE in January.
According to the City Paper, HR-57 owner Tony Puesan was quoted as saying "It's a very nice place, it's just in a little bit cheaper building." Puesan owns HR-57's current location, which seems to indicate that by "cheaper" he is referring to property taxes.
Though there is no shortage of jazz clubs remaining in the area--Bohemian Caverns, Twins and Utopia all have acts on a nightly basis, and many other restaurants and lounges feature jazz performances many nights throughout the week--HR-57's casual vibe, relatively low cover and top-notch acts will certainly be missed in the neighborhood, particularly by yours truly. Although the space could get a bit crowded on Friday and Saturday nights, the drink prices are high (although it is one of the few BYOB places in the city) and the food options aren't exactly options, it is also my favorite jazz club. Though I'm sure I'll make out to H Street for the occasional performance, the new location won't be particularly convenient.
HR-57's current building is up for sale, so it's a safe bet that something new will be moving into that space. Although what it will be is anyone's guess (trendy, small plate restaurant, anybody?)
Sometimes it's easy to overlook the embarrassment of cultural riches that our city has to offer, and that's no more true than in our very own neighborhood. U Street and Logan are blessed with a tremendous collection of jazz clubs that bring in some phenomenal talent. This was no more evident than it was this Friday evening, as 14th street jazz club HR-57 played host to local saxophonist Antonio Parker and his quartet.
If you've never been to HR, you're missing out on a wonderful neighborhood destination to catch some jazz. (It's also one of the cities rare BYOB establishments, so you can drink on the cheap.) The 14thandyous have been enjoying performances there for years, and this Friday decided to head out to catch Antonio, one of our favorite local performers. Antonio's group is a Friday night staple at HR, having been playing more-or-less consistently in that slot for the past couple of years
This evening, the band--Parker on tenor sax, William Knowles on piano, Kenny Thomas on bass and Jimmy "Junebug" Jackson doing a rather fine Buddy Rich impersonation on drums--were in splendid form. Parker is a Coltrane devotee, and in addition to the bop standard "Giant Steps", the quartet plowed through an original Coltrane-inspired Parker number that Coltrane himself would certainly have been proud of.
Parker has developed into as exciting a jazz frontman as you are likely to find in this area, and his on-stage energy is palpable. As a frontman, he deftly led the group through all manner of hardbop, ballads, Latin-tinged and even hip-hop inspired numbers. In addition, his quartet is both supremely talented and well-suited for playing with each other. The interplay between Thomas and Jackson was a particular highlight of the set, and the inclusion of pieces penned by Thomas (a ballad) and Knowles (a calypso-tinged Latin number featuring a fabulous syncopated beat from Jackson) served to indicate the depth of talent and musicianship on stage.
In other words, you don't have to head up to NYC to hear top-quality jazz. It's literally right outside your door.
On a slightly down note, it seems that DC audiences aren't quite familiar with the protocol of attending performances in jazz clubs. The presence of alcohol and a dimly lit room does not present one with a license to talk as obnoxiously loud as one wants, but try telling that to the several tables behind us, who as far as we could tell were not aware that they were actually taking in a performance. A chatty neighborhood bar this is not.
Crowd noise issues aside (and that's something we haven't experienced before at the club), HR is a lovely--and relatively cheap--venue to take in a performance. You can visit HR-57's website by clicking here (note that Parker's quartet will be playing next Friday as well). We certainly encourage you to check them out--but only if you aren't reuniting with your long-lost college roommates. For that, Stoneys is just around the block.
