On this week’s episode of “Live At Jazz, TX” we’re celebrating the one-year anniversary of the titular club. It isn’t easy to startup a music venue, let alone one dedicated to primarily jazz music. But Doc Watkins, owner of the club and bandleader, seems to have noticed that details do matter.
“My goal has always been that the music, the food, the drinks, the architecture, lighting, the environment, are separate legs of the same stool,” Watkins says. “Oftentimes with music venues, the music is 95% of the focus of the place, and maybe they have a kitchen, or a food truck outside, and even the bar is sort of an afterthought. But from the very beginning, we wanted to have a kitchen that was so good that even if there wasn’t music here, people would still come for the restaurant portion of it.”
Check out the menu, taste the food; you’ll find that’s evident.
Watkins continues:
“What I want people to experience here is the whole experience here of coming down, getting dressed up, and having a great time. Everybody’s been so enthusiastic about the music, but they’ve been equally enthusiastic about the drinks, and about the service, and about the furniture and décor. Everyone takes away something different. That was something that from the beginning was a huge priority to us. To create a larger experience.”
Special guests on this show include Pierre Poree and Johnny Panzarella, as well as Meg Bodi. Enjoy the show in the audio below, or tune in Saturday night at 7:00 on Texas Public Radio.
