Article by Todd Matthews

On a Thursday evening last summer, a tourist couple arrived at Tula's jazz club in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood. The couple was visiting from Germany and clutching tour books of Seattle. "We asked the cab driver to take us to a jazz club," they explained, finding a seat near the stage, "so he dropped us off here."

Indeed, Tula's jazz club is a respected and revered staple in Seattle's jazz scene. A venue offering music seven nights per week, the interior at Tula's is evidence of its rich and storied history—with autographed photos of the most influential and popular contemporary musicians. When the city's cab drivers know your club and drop passengers off at your door, you must be doing some right. However, operating a jazz club in Seattle is not easy. "You can work your butt off and lose money at the same time," says Mack Waldron, owner of Tula's. "It can be rather heartbreaking."

Speak to Seattle jazz musicians, and their major complaints include lack of pay, small audiences, and few venues in which to perform (see 'Farming The Land' In Seattle's Music Scene / Jazz Steps Vol. 1, Issue 6). Speak to Seattle club owners, and you may find similar irks. Seattle, though mostly affluent and educated, has a small jazz audience. Among the musicians and club owners interviewed for this article, many agreed that jazz was a marginalized music, one with a small audience and, ultimately, small revenues. "Jazz is not necessarily a music for the masses," says Waldron. The biggest challenge operating a jazz club in Seattle, he adds, is financial—specifically, finding jazz talent that will draw a crowd and, subsequently, revenue for his club. "Warm bodies in the door are key," says Waldron, laughing.

When it comes to the economics of presenting jazz in Seattle, Waldron is gregarious if not entirely self-deprecating. In one sentence, he is laughing at some of the creative ways he has survived financially (in the business's seven years, says Waldron, he has yet to draw a salary for himself); in the next sentence, he is somber about the recent economic downturn—such as Boeing's announcement of layoffs, and terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D.C.—events that have reverberated financially across the United States, including Seattle. "People haven't been going out," says Waldron. "They haven't been celebrating or having fun." September was Tula's worst month, says Waldron. Weekend business at the club is down 30%; weekday business has taken a "big hit," he says, and overall business is down 40%-60%. "It's been pretty cold," adds Waldron.

Tula's may be on the top of Seattle's short-list of premiere jazz clubs, but it also carries with it a financial liability that many other clubs may not have. Clubs like Tula's, which cater to an already small audience of jazz fans (according to Waldron, 80-100 patrons on a weekend night is a 'good night'), are more difficult to operate than a restaurant that may host music as an aside. "Tula's is a jazz club," explains Waldron, "as opposed to a place that may have incidental jazz a few nights a week. I am constantly searching for new faces, trying to find a sufficient number of groups with enough of an audience draw." This is particularly difficult for Waldron, considering that many of his featured performers are local artists and musicians—something that Tula's is often applauded for, but suffers financially from. "This is a tough business," says Waldron. "There are not that many clubs around in Seattle. It is tough to run a jazz club in any city. My biggest challenge is keeping my head above water."

How do you survive as a club owner presenting jazz in Seattle?

Tula's is a case study in dedication and, at times, financial struggle. Though Waldron has earned the respect of many musicians and fellow club owners, it has not been without costs—both financially and emotionally. Surviving the swells and lulls of economic boom times and hard falls can be stressful for a club owner—and perhaps few feel it more than a small business owner does. Seattle has taken some notable hits recently: the WTO debacle shut down the city for a short period, resulting in property damage and financial trouble for some small businesses; dot-coms have asphyxiated and died in the past year—and the once flush and 'paper-rich' millionaire has become extinct and almost cliche; and the nation's economic downturn (a result of recent terrorist attacks) has meant a pronounced lack of consumer confidence. Small-business owners, such as individuals operating jazz clubs, have felt the repercussions of these events first.

The Bait House Cafe, however, is an anomaly. "We are getting a stronger fan base every year," says Mike Colvin, who operates the Cafe with his fiance. Colvin is enthusiastic about the role live jazz has had on the financial success of his business. He has diversified his business's sources of revenue: a steady lunch crowd keeps the register ringing at mid-day; on weekend evenings, the patrons are largely jazz fans; and, of course, the business does sell bait. This strategy is similar for many professional jazz musicians—namely, dividing one's sources of income—in order to survive financially in Seattle's jazz scene.

"It works out good for all parties," says Colvin, describing his niche in the Seattle jazz community. "We are really lucky to hire a wonderful group of musicians. And people come here to listen to fantastic music."

The Bait House, located in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood and overlooking Puget Sound, offers live jazz each weekend, and rarely has a cover charge over three dollars. The business went through many incarnations—operating exclusively as a bait house in 1980. According to Colvin, the owners and managers were music lovers, and decided to introduce a Cafe hosting live jazz. Since changing the direction of its business, the Bait House has found a new interest and area of exploration. "It's important to us to support the jazz community," says Colvin. As such, he has often paid out of pocket and operated at a loss in order to see jazz exist at his Cafe.

Colvin's economic challenges are different from Waldron's. Located on the waterfront, the Bait House is a seasonal business. When the weather is nice, says Colvin, the number of customers increases. The addition of live jazz has helped increase revenue during slow winter months. In return for the boost in business, the Bait House has opened its doors to local talent seeking to build a fan base. The cover charge is minimal, and jazz musicians have recorded live performances at the Bait House without paying any associated costs to the Cafe.

"We're happy with what's going on here," says Colvin. "It's a wonderful thing that's happened to us, and we feel like we need to be here."

Presenting live jazz at Avenue One -- the sophisticated French restaurant in downtown Seattle -- was a trial-and-error endeavor at first, according to the owner Arnie Millan. "Live Music at Avenue One was always something that we wanted to do," he says, "but we had to ask, 'Where do we find good musicians? Where do we find good singers?'"

Many of the musicians early on had difficult keeping their gigs, and hosting live jazz was somewhat of a chore for Millan. However, patience has paid off, and the initial problem of finding talented musicians with notable audiences and reliable schedules worked out well. The restaurant hosts live jazz once a week ('Jazz Tuesday,' as it is commonly named), with performers such as Edmonia Jarrett, Lisa de Costa, Greta Matassa, Pearl Django and Woody Woodhouse. "We are building an audience," says Millan, referring to 'Jazz Tuesday' at Avenue One. "People now know about us, and the audience is a great group of people coming out to applaud the music."

Hosting live jazz one night per week isn't too much of a task for Millan and Avenue One. Whereas Tula's has the challenge of presenting live music seven nights per week—and drawing a consistent crowd to listen to the music—the music at Avenue One compliments its main purpose: a restaurant inspired by great bistros of 1930's Paris, featuring classic French bistro cuisine prepared with fresh Northwest ingredients. "We have it all down to a science," says Millan, who is fond of the quality audiences and entertainers enjoying live jazz on Tuesday nights at Avenue One.

Limiting the music to one night per week is hardly an option for the Hopvine Pub. Known as much for its local beer as for its folk, blues and jazz offerings, the Hopvine is a popular Capitol Hill spot for listening to live music. Despite an extremely small stage and relatively cozy setting, the calendar for live music at the Hopvine is filled with local songwriters and musicians. "Overall, live music adds to our ambiance," says owner Bob Brenlin. "It's a lot of fun." Brenlin is nonplussed about the amount of work that goes into providing live music at the Hopvine. He does all the booking and keeps the calendar listings 'turned' and up to date. Speaking with him, it is clear that he is more of a music fan than business tycoon. Still, opening his space to live music is a chore, which is why he appreciates booking musicians that are professional and equally as hard working. "Musicians have to do their part," says Brenlin, stressing those bands that do their own PR work, maintain their own mailing lists, and produce posters and fliers tend to draw the biggest crowds. "Hard-working musicians have a good following," he adds.

Restaurant and club owners have varied reasons for hosting live jazz. Tula's has established itself specifically as a jazz club, and with that comes its own set of challenges and rewards. The Bait House is just discovering the impact that live music can have on the contemporary dining experience, and appears to be changing the direction of its business in order to cater to the Seattle jazz audience. Avenue One has found a nice niche providing live jazz on a limited basis. In addition, the Hopvine serves as a musician's pub, a place where performers and audience members come to have an often-raucous good time. Yet, the question exists: Does live music equal an increase in revenue for a local dining establishment?

The answer is not so clear. Many restaurants, pubs, and Cafes rely on food, beer, and wine sales in order to survive. That is how their businesses started, and live music was often an addition to their business, according to many owners interviewed for this article. The majority of restaurant owners opened their doors focusing on food; music was an afterthought—something to "try out," as one restaurant owner told me. That does not mean that restaurant owners do not appreciate the live music and level of musicianship local performers offer their dining patrons. But it is clear that the music often adds to the ambiance of a dining establishment, and doesn't necessarily define the restaurant. Still, restaurant owners are appreciative of the music, as it adds to the dining repertoire. Simply put, live music can be a rewarding experience for musicians, diners, and restaurant owners alike.

"If you can create a vibe for certain nights," says Hopvine owner Brenlin, "that's a lot of fun."

Part One | 'Farming The Land' In Seattle's Jazz Scene
Part Two | 'Creating A Vibe' At Seattle's Jazz Clubs
Part Three | 'Taking Care Of Business': Promoting Jazz In Seattle

This article originally appeared in Jazz Steps and All About Jazz