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World-Class Jazz and More at Jazziz Nightlife
By Skip Sheffield
When Michael Fagien first decided to open a nightclub and
restaurant to complement his Jazziz magazine, he considered a space in the
former Cartoon Museum
at Mizner Park in Boca Raton
As luck would have it, Fagien got a better offer from the
owners of Hard Rock Cafe, so Michael and his twin brother Steven opened a
Jazziz nightclub as one of the first special attractions at the Seminole
Hard Rock Live in Hollywood .
Seminole Hard Rock was not an ideal fit and after three and
a half years, Jazziz left the building. The Fagien brothers returned their full
energy to the music magazine they founded in 1983.
Jazziz is now the largest-circulation jazz magazine in the
world, and it finally has a companion Jazziz Nightlife restaurant and concert
facility in the very same spot the Fagien brothers first considered in Mizner Park
“We always wanted to have a Jazziz club in Boca Raton ,” Michael Fagien said recently
during a tour of the facility. “Both my brother Steven and I live in Boca Raton . Steven moved
here in 1988 and I followed from Gainesville
in 2000. Opening Jazziz Nightlife is the culmination of our dream.”
Media were invited to a pre-concert tour conducted by Michael Fagien before actress-singer
Molly Ringwald took to the stage with her virtuoso jazz quartet. Ringwald is a
perfect example of the fact that jazz music has many facets, not just one narrow
definition.
“The problem with jazz is that many believe it is just for a
certain kind of people,” Fagien explained. “There is an image of jazz snobs. We
are not that way at all. Jazz is what you believe it is. To prove that we often
book people who are not primarily thought of as jazz musicians.”
Molly Ringwald is better known as an award-winning film and
stage actress, but her interest in the “Great American Songbook” and jazz
classics is real. Ringwald’s father was a professional jazz musician and she
grew up with music. She proved her vocal prowess powerfully with a killer set that
underscored the allure of her sultry, husky singing style.
Both the Fagien brothers have medical degrees earned at the University of Florida Boca Raton .
It was at the U of F that Michael developed a passion for jazz, and began
writing about it. When he decided to start a magazine, Michael got a big boost
from Dr. Robert Cade, inventor of Gatorade.
“The University
of Florida
One thing that brought Jazziz to international prominence
was its innovation of a free 5-inch CD with each issue.
“We became the de facto promoters of the 5-inch CD format,”
Fagien notes. “We still include CDs with our print issues.”
As good as CD quality is, there is no substitute for live
performance. The Fagiens poured untold amounts of money to transform what had
been Zed 451 restaurant into a state-of-the-art restaurant and live concert
facility. Jazziz pledges to bring in top artists of all descriptions. Private memberships
are offered as well as are New Orleans-style brunches on weekends.
National acts tend to be booked Wednesday and Thursday with
7 and 9 p.m. dinner sets. Tickets are required only in the “Live Room” where
the stage is. Live entertainment is offered other nights at no charge.
Coming attractions include Larry Carlton May 15-16;
Yellowjackets May 22-23; Nestor Torres May 29-30 and Bobby Caldwell June 5-6.
Call 561-300-0732 or go to www.jazziznightlife.com.
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