A blue note: Ortlieb's has closed
The plug is pulled on the jazz club, a victim of the economy.
A blue note: Ortlieb's has closed
Michael Klein, Philly.com
Filed Under: TableTalk
Kevin Mayberry, an owner of Ortlieb's Jazzhaus, confirmed that the Northern Liberties club closed after business Sunday after more than 23 years -- a little more than three years after he took it over from founder Pete Souder.
"It is what it is," Mayberry told me, adding that he managed to hang in a year longer than he thought it could run.
Comments (20)
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the jazz crowd buys one drink and sips it all night---- how is a gut supposed to make a buck???— reilly22- Sad. But expected since Kevin took over. I used to love dropping into Ortlieb's while in the neighborhood. But when you just want a beer and you are charged $12 for just walking in the door well, you go to the next place instead.— dbash
- Kevin Mayberry did not know what he was doing!! kevin mayberry is the reason that place is shut down, not the economy he was very rude to everybody in that place including Musicians, and customers. I am happy about it!!! Kevin mayberry deserve it!! I believe in Karma!!!— therealjazz
- Indeed it is a shame however the handwriting seemed like it was on the wall from the beginning of ownership change. The amount of players alone much less audience they alienated soon became insurmountable. Incidentally ... there is new weekly Jazz happening in Old City that seems worth supporting. This wednesday and my understanding is in MAY it will switch to TUESDAYS ... there is a JAZZ JAM @ GREY LOUNGE ... 132 Chestnut that starts about 8:30 PM. The house band are the original guys from Tuesday night at Ortliebs ... Byron Landham, Mike Boone and Syd Simmons. Rumor has it that if the owner of Grey (Darin) sees that this night is successful, he will open a Class A Jazz club worthy of national recognition .. wouldn't we all love to see that !! Denise King will be doing her going away party there the night they move the Jam to Tue / May 4th .. before the Jam starting at 7PM I understand. The place is GORGEOUS so I gotta believe if he builds a jazz club it will be the same. He's also a really nice guy and loves Jazz. So if we all want a Class A place in Philly it may be worth coming out on this night and telling him so. I have no reason to believe he won't build it.— hmmm101
- I don't think an MBA-owned blues club is an adequate substitute for what Ortlieb's USED to be ....— phillyjazz
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- I was there Friday night. We paid ten dollars cover to see a local group that was adequate, but by no means awesome (much less was it jazz). Having never been there before, I can only assume the stories of it being a great venue were true, but times certainly change...— NwK
- I love when people say "It is what it is."— Plastic Bertrand
- I fell in love with this club as a Philly-area college student in the late '90s. Great memories. Sad to see it go. Philly should make this place a landmark and save it.— ballark
- A Jazz club only survives when the management respects the music and the musicians. Ortleib's was a legendary joint that now joins Pep's, the Showboat, Aqua Lounge, Jewell's, The Click and a host of others. It would be great if someone would step in and run it the way Pete Souders used to. In the meantime, I have high hopes for Le Cochon Noir which should be opening soon on Parkside Ave (by the new Lowes.) There is a lot of promise for a great new first-class Jazz and Blues venue. As much as Chris' does a great job, Philly deserves more than one world-class Jazz club.— phillyjazz
- What a loss! That place was a gem!— Hayes
- kevin mayberry is the reason that place is shut down, not the economy— Monufrak
- SAD!! I knew once Pete sold it, that it would not last. Those new guys didn't know what time it was; trying to go "Euro" and alienating the musicians who gave the place the very appeal that led them to buy it. I hope that someone steps in and saves Ortlieb's.— 30M
- I always loved that musk ox or water buffalo or whatever that huge thing was mounted behind the bar.— Mr. Simpson
- Ortliebs was a very nice place...I can honestly say that I will miss it.! My brother used to take me there as a teenager and I have been going everysince..— Jerryiz
- Ortliebs was a very nice place...I can honestly say that I will miss it.! My brother used to take me there as a teenager and I have been going everysince..— Jerryiz
- Hopefully, given the rebirth of that neighborhood, someone will put the kind of money into the place that will make people want to go there. Philly deserves a first class jazz club.— Palestra Jon
- sad news indeed, a great institution that will be sorely missed.
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Michael Klein, the editor/producer of philly.com/Food, writes about the local restaurant scene in his Inquirer column "Table Talk." Have a question? Email it! See his Inquirer work here.
Reach Michael at mklein@philly.com.
Michael Klein
Philly.com
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