With Smoke Jazz Club celebrating its twenty-fifth year, co-owner Paul Stache joins us to discuss the challenges and rewards of maintaining an essential venue for Manhattan's jazz community.
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The Spotlight shines On Paul Stache, co-owner (with his wife and partner Molly Sparrow Johnson) of Smoke Jazz Club, one of New York City’s premier live music venues. Smoke is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024, and Paul joined us in talking about the storied venue’s past, present, and future.
In addition to the club’s 25th Anniversary Celebration plans, we hit on topics like how their business has navigated the transition to a digital world, insight into managing an independent venue, and many of the amazing artists who have graced their stage over the years. Enjoy.
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0:00 Introduction
1:16 25th Anniversary Festivities
2:00 Jazz Genres at Smoke
2:50 From Concept to Stage: Creating Unique Performances
3:50 The Record Label Journey
5:02 Evolving in the Digital Age
7:46 Live Streaming: Challenges and Opportunities
11:16 Balancing Venue Capacity and Intimacy
14:18 Ticket Pricing Strategies
17:42 Adapting to Change: From 7 to 5 Nights a Week
20:08 Family Business and the Next Generation
21:03 The Piano's Moment in Jazz
23:10 Relationships with Other Venue Owners
24:37 The Importance of Location and Community
26:20 The Unique Nature of Jazz Club Experiences
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Visit Smoke Jazz Club online at http://www.smokejazz.com
Follow Smoke Jazz Club on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/smokejazzclub
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/smokejazznyc
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SmokeJazzClubNYC
Visit Smoke Sessions Records at https://smokesessionsrecords.com
or on Bandcamp → https://smokesessionsrecords.bandcamp.com
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