Final Trumpets concert this Saturday, Sept. 28
By GWEN OREL
orel@montclairlocal.news
Trumpets Jazz Club and Restaurant will hold what will "probably" be its final concert this Saturday, Sept. 28, with shows at 8 and 10 p.m.
Montclair's Ty Stephens will perform in this final concert at the club, 6 Depot Square, with his band "The SoulJaaazz."
The club states on their website, "We have not yet sold Trumpets, but this will probably be our last concert; no better way to go out than with fabulous Ty Stephens."
The jazz club and restaurant was listed for sale in April 2019. Kristine Massari, who owns the club with husband Enrico Granafei, told Montclair Local then that she would be retiring in June after 45 years of public school teaching, and wanted to travel the world and play music with her husband. He plays harmonica and classical guitar; she the mandolin and piano. The couple had operated the club since 1999.
The asking price at that time was $3.6 million, which came with a liquor license. Trumpets also has a restaurant, bar, and two three-bedroom properties upstairs.
Saturday's performer, the Philadelphia native Stephens, was the grand prize winner of the 2006 Jazzmobile/Anheuser-Busch Solo Jazz Vocalist Competition. He is choreographer and star of the revue "Shades of Harlem," and co-writer and choreographer of the off-Broadway hit "On Kentucky Avenue." He has also appeared on Broadway in "Sophisticated Ladies" and "Marilyn, An American Fable."
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READ: TRUMPETS JAZZ CLUB & RESTAURANT IS FOR SALE
READ: BLUE NOTES; MUSICIANS ON TRUMPETS' CLOSING
READ: TAKE THREE WITH ERIC MINTEL TRIO, HONORING DAVE BRUBECK
READ: 'ON KENTUCKY AVENUE' NABS SIX AUDELCO AWARDS
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Local musicians are sorry to see the club close, but appreciative of the hard work Granafei and Massari put in for 20 years.
“Trumpets Jazz Club has been our base, our home for 15 going on 16 years" said Diane Moser, of Diane Moser's Composers Big Band, in April. "We are very thankful that we had the opportunity to carry out our mission of developing and performing new music for big band along with presenting the music of our guest composers and performers, and for the support from Kristine, Enrico, and all of the staff."
Massari told Montclair Local in April that she hoped to sell the club to someone who would keep it as a music club.
“I feel proud to have had Trumpets contribute to making peoples’ lives better. The wife of a famous jazz musician told me when they were looking for houses they bought a house in Montclair because of Trumpets being here.
“I’ll miss it,” she said.