NICOLE JONES/THE SOUTH END
The Scott Gwinnell Orchestra sets a sultry mood at Cliff Bell's.
Nicole Jones
Staff Writer
The Scott Gwinnell Orchestra is a 16-piece army of percussion, strings and keys. The ensemble performs every Wednesday at the revamped Cliff Bell’s jazz club in Detroit.
A restored speakeasy turned classy bar, Cliff Bell’s looks exactly as it did in 1935. The heart of the 4,500-square-foot stretch is the original U-shaped bar that boasts unusually delicate, ornate cabinetry filled with fine liquors and beers.
Officially reopened to the public on
April 10, 2006,
Cliff Bell’s is a joint project of Traffic Jam and Snug owner Scott Lowell and
The Bronx’s Paul Howard.
Cliff Bell’s presents a majestic stage ideally set for jazz. Keeping the bar as
traditional as possible, it hosts only jazz performances to keep its original
soulful spirit alive.
“Aesthetically, the art deco designs are beautiful, and you can sit 20 feet away from the band and not be blown away,” said Gwinnell, a Detroit native.
Cliff Bell’s not only has classy tunes and brews, but also contains elegant pool tables and eventually the club will feature an open kitchen with a limited menu.
The crowd on Wednesday is a mix of jazz listeners, musicians, sport fans, and members of the theatre crowd. “Like the ingredients of jazz itself,” Gwinnell said, “the listeners on Wednesday night are an eclectic mix.”
The South End caught up with Scott Gwinnell earlier this week.
The South End:
What do you love most about jazz?
Scott Gwinnell:
I love that I’m able to express myself through improvisation and structured
creativity. To do this and interact with other musicians on the same level is
like nothing else.
TSE:
What makes your performances different than other jazz nights in
Detroit?
SG: The
performances with the jazz orchestra are different from other gigs because in
most circumstances, I am a sideman who plays piano in other musicians’ groups —
I am hired to play other people’s music. On Wednesday nights, we play my
compositions and arrangements. Being the leader, I have much more control over
the situation. Having this control, I try to make Wednesday nights as enjoyable
and laid-back as possible for the musicians involved so they don’t have to look
at the jazz orchestra as work, but instead a fun night out to play challenging
music with friends.
TSE:
What can we expect from Wednesday nights?
SG: You can
expect hearing some of
Detroit’s
best musicians playing interesting, dynamic, original music that you can’t hear
anywhere else.
TSE:
What other places have you played at?
SG: The Scott
Gwinnell Jazz Orchestra started out in 1999 at the now defunct Music Menu Café
in Greektown. We then moved to the Berkley Front briefly, and then to the
Cadieux Café on the east side of
Detroit,
where we spent a few great years. The Cadieux was really where we started to
come together as a group. We’ve also played at jazz festivals in
Detroit
and in
Toronto.
TSE:
What are your greatest achievements as an artist thus far?
SG: First and
foremost, my greatest achievement is being able to pay the mortgage as a full
time musician. Seriously, I actually consider my greatest achievement as
creating a life for myself where my passion and work are indistinguishable; a
life where I can make a difference to people and enhance their spirits; a life
where I can get up in the morning, practice for 3 hours, compose music for 4
hours, go to a gig for 5 hours, come home and practice or write some more, and
never feel for one second like I was working.
TSE:
What style of jazz do you perform?
SG: The Jazz
Orchestra performs almost every style of jazz, sometimes all in the same set. We
might start with an avante-garde rendition of a Charles Mingus tune to feature
the outstanding soloists, play a swinging arrangement by Thad Jones, move on to
a slow ballad, play a funky jazz tune, and finish off with a couple arrangements
of mine. It all depends on the mood of myself and the band.
TSE:
How did you get your start as a jazz conductor?
SG: That’s
hilarious! That is the first time someone has called me a “jazz conductor.” I do
almost no conducting besides counting off the tune and ending it. For 95% of the
night, the group doesn’t really need a conductor; they need a piano player more
to provide chords under the soloists. I try not to get in front of the band too
much — I’m a sideman at heart. I really just want to hear my arrangements, as
well as other great charts, played by a great group.
TSE:
What are your favorite things about Cliff Bell’s?
SG: There are so
many great things about Cliff Bell’s; where do I start? I love their commitment
to jazz. From my first gig there, they have been improving their club to
accommodate jazz bands. They’ve added a beautiful grand piano and stage lights.
The stage is the perfect size for a 16-piece group, the place is clean, and the
acoustics are wonderful. The owner, Paul Howard, is great too; he is a real
supporter of jazz music in
Detroit
and has a good ear for music.
Cliff Bell’s is located at 2030 Park Avenue in Detroit. The performance is free, is 21+ and starts at 9:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.Cliffbells.com. To purchase Scott Gwinnell’s “Basement Vibe” visit www.wsgmusic.com.