Room 623, Harlem's Speakeasy Jazz Club, Unveils New Piano

ROOM 623, Harlem's Speakeasy Jazz Club, located at 271 W. 119th Street, celebrated a very special and much-needed gift – a brand new Yamaha U1 PE upright piano – presented by Harlemite and arts patron Stuart Holland and officially unveiled on February 28 at a performance and reception attended by area residents, musicians, members of the press and other special guests. In addition to remarks by the club owner and manager and the Holland family, the evening also showcased performances by three of Harlem's great pianists: Bertha Hope, Danny Mixon and Luther S. Allison, sponsored by Karen Hayes and Lynnea Greene. 

During the celebration, Beatrice Greene, a member of Holland's family, opened the performances with an impromptu rendition of Black Orpheus, followed by Hope's Invitation, Allison's What a Friend We Have in Jesus and Mixon's Take the A Train. Holland was presented with a plaque for himself and one to be hung in the club to commemorate his generous donation.

For the club, nestled underneath Brunch Harlem (formerly B Squared/Billie's Black), owned & founded by Harlem-born restaurateur Adriane Ferguson and now co-owned by Joseph Bailey, the addition of the new piano is a noticeable upgrade from the electric keyboard donated by the club's Creative Director, Host and MC Marcus Goldhaber. “The piano is well-miked and mixed, and everyone's really feeling this uplift of a dream come true,” Goldhaber says. “There's a legitimacy that an upright acoustic piano lends to a jazz club. Having the acoustic sound spells out what people come out for. It becomes more palpable, and that joy is elevated for everyone.”

The story of how the club got the piano is an excellent example of, in Goldhaber's words, how “Harlem works when Harlem works together.” Some time ago, Goldhaber put out the word that the club needed a piano. He received several messages from people offering second-hand instruments; but from experience, he felt that “secondhand pianos don't always hold the action, they can't sustain the tune.” About nine months ago, another email came from a patron who was willing to donate a piano. Goldhaber asked to see the instrument, but to his delight, the patron, Mr. Holland, said he is thinking of purchasing a new piano for the space.  

Holland, a member of Room 623 and a self-described student of history was “impressed by the club's efforts to keep jazz alive in Harlem, and he was inspired to give the piano to the club by his musical family: The Greenes, The Hollands, The Jacksons & The Teasdales. “My mother attended the High School of Music & Art when it was affiliated with City College of New York in Hamilton Heights,” Holland proudly recalls. “My Uncle Richard was heavily influenced by classical music. His daughters played violin when they were young. He compiled a list of Black classical composers and supported their careers in classical music. He was also an avid jazz fan and introduced me to some well-known artists. My great Aunt Thelma was a music teacher and piano instructor, and my cousin William Moore Jr. was an arranger for Tommy Dorsey in the 1940s and later wrote songs for The Peters Sisters from 1953-1960.”

With that background of music running through his family, it's easy to see why Mr. Holland would consider such a generous donation. It is indeed a perfect example of how Harlemites join forces to keep the musical legacy of the neighborhood alive and thriving.

Adding the piano to the stage, Room 623 continues to be one of the premiere venues of its type in Harlem. With a seating capacity of about 45 people, the venue, housed in a building erected in 1895, is modeled after the 500 speakeasies and jazz clubs of the Harlem Renaissance, where Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and other jazz greats honed their craft. With excellent sight lines, Room 623 offers levels of tiered seating arrangements which include a premium blue velvet loveseat, a luxurious blue velvet couch, banquet seating and classic cabaret table & chair seating. The club also boasts an excellent menu, with an art deco bar serving succulent seafood dishes prepared by Chef José Luis Miguel.

The club's current weekly jazz programming features The Sunday Singers' Salon at 6pm, The Lab Session: Jazz Jam and Party with bassist Mimi Jones and Friends, on Sundays, 8pm and 10pm; The Harlem Jazz Session with tenor saxophonist Peter Brainin and Friends on Wednesdays, 8pm - 11pm; and a diverse mix of headliners presented every Friday night with showtimes at 7pm, 8:30pm & 10pm (until 1am). Every last Friday of the month is also Brazil Night. Thursday & Saturday nights currently feature a rotating roster of soul/R&B artists with two new series, Thursday Night Live and Soulful Saturdays. produced by co-owner, Joseph Bailey. 

Room 623's origin story is a tale of invention and collaboration that started in 2018 when Goldhaber, a singer originally from Buffalo, NY, and a 24-year Harlem resident, was drawn down 119th street by the festively lit awning of a restaurant called B Squared, (now Brunch Harlem). “I was checking out spaces in Harlem during the holiday season when I met the owner and founder, Adriane Ferguson. We chatted in the restaurant, and I shared my ideas to help revitalize and re-energize the live jazz scene in Harlem. She proceeded to take me downstairs to see Room 623 and I immediately saw the potential to actualize this vision and create a new home in Harlem for live Jazz.”

For Adriane, who had experience presenting jazz in previous venues, Goldhaber's pitch to turn that space into a jazz club was music to her ears. “It was kind of the perfect pairing,” Ferguson says. “I already had the space for private events, birthday parties and various things that required a private space. And then Marcus came and says, ‘Oh, wait, I have a good idea: Have you ever thought about having jazz downstairs?' and then it kind of just spiraled into a whole entity.” 

The duo worked to make their dream a reality, enlisting the help of interior designer and TV host Mikel Welch, and Room 623, named for the date Ferguson officially purchased the building (June 23, 2016), opened for business on April 5, 2019. The mission: To help revitalize the legacy of Harlem Jazz by creating a positive space for diversity, inclusivity and healing through an immersive celebration of live Jazz and Jazz history. “We made such great strides in soliciting talent to literally keep the doors open,” Ferguson proudly states. “But amid trying to celebrate our one year anniversary, we had to close in March 2020 with the rest of the world, because of the pandemic. So, that was a great challenge coming back, since the space is very intimate and small. We had to think of a lot of ways to be able to function safely.”

With its intimate atmosphere, cutting edge jazz, superior cuisine and livestreams, Room 623 is a worthy continuation of Harlem's legendary music venues, and is poised to continue that swinging musical tradition in the 21st century. “Every night we're open, we're representing that history,” Goldhaber exclaims, “and paying homage, while staying current and looking ahead. It is our goal to preserve this important legacy by presenting an egalitarian calendar of artists from around the world and around the corner.”

For more information on events, dining, membership and ticket prices at Room 623, please visit https://www.room623.com, connect on social media @room623nyc, call (212) 589-8979 or e-mail bluelight@623.com.