Keystone Korner, the San Francisco and (later) Tokyo club that hosted many legendary jazz performances in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, is coming back, this time in Baltimore.
NEA Jazz Master Todd Barkan—Keystone Korner’s owner since 1972—and Michelin-starred chef Robert Wiedmaier are relaunching the club in the city’s Harbor East section, which is undergoing a revitalization.
The venture marks the first large-scale jazz club in the region since the demise of Ethel’s Place and Blues Alley Baltimore in the late ’80s.
Keystone Korner Baltimore will officially open on April 30, to coincide with International Jazz Day, with three nights of performances by the Ron Carter Trio featuring Russell Malone and Donald Vega. The former Miles Davis bassist will be celebrating his 82nd birthday at the club.
Over the coming months, the venue will also host Kenny Garrett, Duduka da Fonseca, Joey DeFrancesco, Christian McBride, and more. For a complete schedule, click on the link below.
“Our mission at Keystone Korner in San Francisco from 1972 to 1983 was to provide the best music in the world for the most affordable prices in the most loving environment,” Barkan says, “and that is still our fundamental goal in 2019 at Keystone Korner Baltimore.”
The club will take the place of Wiedmaier’s former Mussel Bar, located at 1350 Lancaster St.
“This is in so many ways a dream come true—to partner with a master like Todd Barkan and revive the legendary Keystone Korner and bring world-class jazz to a great city like Baltimore,” Wiedmaier says. “And to be able to do it in this wonderful spot right on the water, in what we think will offer a new vision for the jazz club in this century, with a warm and lively vibe, a staff like family, great food, and the best musicians on the planet.”
To see the current schedule of artists or to purchase tickets, click here.
Click here to read Todd Barkan’s narrative on the history of the Keystone Korner.
Originally Published