Farewell to the Jazz Cafe
The weather today was unusually warm, more like May than January, and so I took a little more time than usual in strolling to court this afternoon. As I walked by the Artist Loft building, I noticed a small printed sign on the front door of EJ's Jazz Cafe. Apparently EJ's won't be with us much longer; the sign on the door said that the cafe is no more, and in it's place will soon be something called the Wild River Grille. The sign pointed me to this link, but apparently the website is still under construction.
I don't want to make this into the passing of an era or anything, but I always had a soft spot for EJ's. It was an eclectic environment, and one of the very few places in Reno that you could see live jazz and have something approximating real Cajun and Creole food. When I moved downtown in 2004 I used to hang out there pretty regularly since it was just a block or so up the Truckee river from the old Fortress of Solitude.
It's hard to get too nostalgic about it since it wasn't there very long and had more than it's share of problems. The place was so small that even a moderately sized crowd would make it difficult of find a seat, and although I liked the fact that they brought in some decent jazz bands (jazz is always much, much better live) the compact dimensions of the place made the music so abrasively loud that it was impossible to talk to anyone. Frankly, between the noise and the jostling of the crowd sometimes you felt like you might as well be at Brew Brothers.
Still, EJ's was one of those places that you had to appreciate the idea of, even if the execution wasn't always perfect. EJ's took a chance on downtown Reno back when that idea was still laughable, long before anyone thought of turning derelict casinos into stylish condos and the riverfront was still pretty much considered the exclusive domain of junkies and schizophrenics. I admire the owners for taking a chance on creating the sort of venue that most people would never expect to find in Reno and somehow making it work, at least for a while. I hope the new owners find success.
I don't want to make this into the passing of an era or anything, but I always had a soft spot for EJ's. It was an eclectic environment, and one of the very few places in Reno that you could see live jazz and have something approximating real Cajun and Creole food. When I moved downtown in 2004 I used to hang out there pretty regularly since it was just a block or so up the Truckee river from the old Fortress of Solitude.
It's hard to get too nostalgic about it since it wasn't there very long and had more than it's share of problems. The place was so small that even a moderately sized crowd would make it difficult of find a seat, and although I liked the fact that they brought in some decent jazz bands (jazz is always much, much better live) the compact dimensions of the place made the music so abrasively loud that it was impossible to talk to anyone. Frankly, between the noise and the jostling of the crowd sometimes you felt like you might as well be at Brew Brothers.
Still, EJ's was one of those places that you had to appreciate the idea of, even if the execution wasn't always perfect. EJ's took a chance on downtown Reno back when that idea was still laughable, long before anyone thought of turning derelict casinos into stylish condos and the riverfront was still pretty much considered the exclusive domain of junkies and schizophrenics. I admire the owners for taking a chance on creating the sort of venue that most people would never expect to find in Reno and somehow making it work, at least for a while. I hope the new owners find success.
posted by Yukon Sully | 8:20 PM
3 Comments:
I will miss EJ's! I stumbled across EJ's about two years ago and found it to be a great escape. My husband and I looked forward to our date night out...with a movie at the Riverside, dinner, dessert or a cocktail at EJ's and then an ice cream at Marble Slab Creamery. Downtown Reno needed something as upscale and unique at EJ's, yet you felt quite at home in jeans too. EJ's we'll miss you and Bob Greenwood playing there too.
Pam Farris
I went there a few times when it first opened and got absolutely horrendous service during both weekend brunch and dinner hours. So I stopped going.
Then I went back earlier this year. The service was better and the food was so so. Definitely the closest thing to creole food in Reno, but still lacking something.
It will certainly be missed as a place for great live music.
My wife and I went there for our aniversary two years ago... And were about to go this year. We showed up, and boom, it has a sign in the window saying it was closed that day. I don't think it ever reopened... It'll be missed.
The Liberty Belle won't be.
Post a Comment
<< Home