Made in New York Jazz Café and Bar, whose grand opening took place just last October, is closed indefinitely following a fire that badly damaged its building in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
The fire broke out in the early hours of January 22, in an apartment on the fourth (top) floor of the building at 155 Fifth Avenue. The apartment’s tenants, Steven Munoz and Destiny Marmolejo, both died from fire-related injuries.
In addition, the fire caused “irreparable damage to the entire club,” Made in Jazz co-founder Michael Brokvine said in a statement. “Our light, sound, instruments, stage and bar have either been destroyed or badly compromised by smoke and water. … We had intended to move the venue in the coming months in any case but, given the uncertainties of our new reality, we are going to have to put a pause on these plans.”
All scheduled performances from January 23 onward have been canceled. Tickets have or will be refunded.
“Our intention is absolutely to reopen eventually, but where and when is a question we won’t be able to answer for quite some time,” Brokvine said.
Brokvine, who is also the founder of the eponymous Made in New York Jazz Competition, established the venue with the purpose of attracting A-list jazz musicians (and audiences) to Brooklyn. Its October 25-26 grand opening weekend featured an all-star trio of pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Buster Williams, and drummer Lenny White. Subsequent performances included Svetlana & the New York Swing Collective; drummer Al Foster’s trio; trumpeter Alex Sipiagin’s quintet; and a six-night gala celebration of Lenny White’s 70th birthday.
The club’s two final performances before the fire were by drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts on Jan. 17 and trumpeter Vadim Eilenkrig on Jan. 18.
Brokvine’s Made in New York Jazz Competition is unaffected by the indefinite closure of the club. The online-based international competition for students will hold its annual gala May 16 at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center.
