Klipsch Jazzes Things Up
By Sarah Knight
Over the past 20 years, JAZZIZ magazine has grown to become the undisputed authority on jazz and its many styles. With the recent opening of JAZZIZ Bistro and Live Music at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, this award-winning publication has become a destination that uses Klipsch loudspeakers to create a world-class jazz environment.
As the first of many JAZZIZ music/entertainment-themed locations planned over the next few years, this initial attempt is a strategic partnership between Lori and Michael Fagien, founders of JAZZIZ magazine, Burt Rapoport of Classic Cuisine Concepts, and building construction expert Gerard Klauder.
Much more than a restaurant with the word "jazz" slapped on the marquee, JAZZIZ Bistro and Live Music exists to educate and uniquely present the world of jazz to its customers. It offers top-tier dining and bar areas, prime retail space, an "ultra-wired" stage with professional recording capabilities and an advanced sound system that consists of over 70 Klipsch loudspeakers.
In the performance area alone, 23 Klipsch products are used to reinforce the vibe of local and national acts seven nights a week. Because many of these performances are recorded and later sold on CD and DVD, the Bistro relies heavily on Klipsch to deliver clean accurate sound with all the passion and detail of the live artists.
Patrons sitting away from the stage can also enjoy the full impact of the smooth tunes thanks to the 50 Klipsch all-purpose speakers broadcasting throughout the venue. When jazz artists aren't taking the stage, these models also bring a lifelike quality to the pre-recorded music that's delivered by DJs, satellite radio, and cable and television broadcasts.
"Lori and I have always been Klipsch fans. We wanted the JAZZIZ Bistro to have an edge that goes well beyond the typical pro audio systems found in clubs," said Michael Fagien. "In addition to finding the right sound for live performances, we needed to choose speakers that were highly efficient and could deliver clean sound for the recordings we take to market."
Jim Gabour, the Bistro's audio/video consultant whose team has done similar work for Norah Jones and the House of Blues franchise, said the venue's entire sound system, which was installed by Montero Electronics, is designed to offer incredible studio-quality sound reproduction. It completely satisfies both the world-class musicians and jazzophile listeners, yet it's versatile enough to provide quieter, more broadly-based sound for late night DJ-driven dancing.
The Bistro, however, serves up more than just great food, music and live entertainment. It also puts a major focus on jazz education by hosting a variety of scheduled clinics for various high school and high-level music students during the morning hours. In fact, many of these students have been invited to use the Bistro's unique audio, video and lighting capabilities to record their own music and videos.
"We hope these clinics will sharpen every student's skills and someday help them take their art into the world of commerce. Basically, we plan on making jazz education a fun and integral component of the JAZZIZ Bistro," Fagien said.
For the Fagien couple, the JAZZIZ Bistro is more than just a business opportunity; it's a privilege that allows them to share what they've learned about jazz during the last 20 years. So if you're ever in South Florida, be sure to stop in for the jazz experience of a lifetime.