October 2024 – Middle C Jazz, a cornerstone of Charlotte’s jazz scene, is thrilled to announce the celebration of its 5-year anniversary. Since opening its doors on November 1, 2019, the venue has become a beloved hub for entertainment, community events, and cultural enrichment.

To mark this significant milestone, Middle C Jazz will host a grand anniversary celebration on November 1st and 2nd featuring a few of the beloved musicians that were there on opening day, the one and only Noel Freidline and Maria Howell Quintet. The event promises to be a memorable occasion for both longtime patrons and new visitors.

Meanwhile, we look back at what 5 years means to Middle C Jazz and to the music scene in Charlotte.

Larry Farber, Experience and Vision
Entertainment booking agent mogul Larry Farber had a vision for Charlotte. A 1973 graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, Larry Farber, Senior Partner at EastCoast Entertainment, helped open the Charlotte office, as it evolved into the country’s largest regional entertainment agency, one that books thousands of acts per year for weddings, country clubs, fairs, festivals, and parties of all kinds.

Farber retired from EastCoast Entertainment in 2019 and immediately dug into his decades long vision: to bring a world class club to Charlotte.

Charlotte’s History of Jazz
The last significant jazz nightclub in uptown Charlotte had been Jonathan’s Jazz Cellar. Open from 1984 to 1994 at Seventh and Tryon streets, it was well named: a tiny stage at the head of a cave-like room, a space for local and regional talent and the occasional big name. When it closed, it left a decade-long disconnect in the jazz community.

Eventually, several great jazz nonprofits like JazzArts Charlotte and The Bechtler formed monthly events and other programs to serve that gap, shoring up the jazz community sufficiently to warrant several years of Charlotte Jazz Festival and a Mayoral declaration of Charlotte Jazz Appreciation Day April 30th 2013.

Idea to Life
Larry Farber envisioned the opportunity for more frequent performance, in the kind of jazz room style club you find in other cities like LA, New York, and Chicago. He spent years traveling across the country identifying what works and what doesn’t, pulling ideas from his favorite jazz clubs like NYC’s famed Blue Note, Georgetown’s Blues Alley, Seattle’s Jazz Alley, and Hilton Head’s beloved Jazz Corner, asking jazz musicians to share what they love and hate about some of the places they’ve played.

Larry and his son Adam Farber created the concept from the ground up, seeking high quality sound to support exceptional music, coupled with just the right ambiance. Adam, a commercial real estate agent, was instrumental in identifying the perfect location. Middle C Jazz sits just off the beaten path, with walkable access for visitors at uptown hotels as well as perfect parking for locals.

It was a big vision, and a big bet. The first sentence of the Charlotte Observer article about the launch in 2019 was “Larry Farber knows, in his heart of hearts, that he could be making a colossal miscalculation.”

Grand Opening
Middle C Jazz opened its doors Friday November 1, 2019 with staples of jazz, Noel Freidline and Maria Howell. The next weekend, the club showcased international piano prodigy Joey Alexander. Launching without even a liquor license in place, it was off and running with performances every weekend. Within 3 months, Middle C Jazz brought in its first national act, smooth jazz saxophonist Ronnie Laws.

From there, Teddy Johnson joined the team as Operating Manager, eventually becoming partner in the club. As the club continued to evolve, Reid Farber, Larry’s son and phenom agent at EastCoast Entertainment, joined the programming team and has been instrumental in curating shows, including national names like Gerald Albright and Marion Meadows, along with regional musicians.

COVID Shut Down Less than 6 months from Opening
Within only a few months, Middle C Jazz was already feeling some momentum. And then March 2020 happened.

Every door closed on that fateful March day. As weeks, and then months, passed, the situation became more and more uncertain. In its infancy, Middle C Jazz was faced with a tough decision. Investors decided to double down and keep the brand alive. In those first few months, Noel Freidline and Maria Howell partnered with Middle C Jazz – they were the first to create an online streaming series, from their home, in the name of the club.

Licensed as a food establishment as well as performance venue, Middle C Jazz was allowed to open at 25% capacity. Keeping overhead low to tread water, the club set up the space for a few dozen patrons according to all the limitations. At the time, it was one of the few clubs open in Charlotte.

In evolution of its vision, Middle C invested in equipment infrastructure to create quality livestream content and Middle C On Demand streaming service was born. Recordings are now a staple of the club’s capabilities, generating exceptional live video for artists and viewers alike.

When the emergency status of COVID finally broke, a year and a half later, Middle C Jazz had developed a pillar of awareness and a core physical and digital audience to build off of. The bet seems to have paid off.

In 5 years, what is Middle C Jazz Proud of
Middle C has welcomed well over 4,000 musicians and 1,000 performances, representing an incredible breadth of music. Middle C hosts local, regional and national names. Across any given month, Middle C showcases a huge variety of genres: smooth jazz, contemporary, classic rock, straight-ahead, blues, and more.

“Over the last five years at Middle C, I am most proud of the fact our music has brought together a diverse crowd who all share our love of music,” says Larry Farber. Truly, the club demonstrates one of the most diverse audiences in Charlotte. A given Wednesday night audience is unlikely to be anything like the following Saturday night audience. But all are brought together with one common denominator – a love of live music.

Middle C Jazz has been recognized several times as a “Best of” in Charlotte. Always tracking and evolving with attendee’s surveys and feedback, Middle C consistently receives world class ratings on every aspect of its core values, from music quality to exceptional service to the unique ambiance.

This commitment is as strong now as it was 5 years ago. Middle C Jazz is grateful to the investors, community partners, Baby Grand members, loyal patrons, musicians and staff in the important roles each play toward that vision. Keep an eye out over the next few weeks and you will hear from a few.

Join us November 1-2 as we celebration our first 5 years of incredible music, looking forward to decades to come.

Middle C Jazz has become an important part of the music community. It provided a place where people could go during COVID even in its limited capacity. A safe haven to get out of the house and safely enjoy music, a place for artists to play again. Middle C Jazz gave music lovers and musicians an outlet.

Staying ready and flexible, Middle C played a part in helping revitalize Charlotte and get back on its feet. My brother Fred and I have seen it have an impact on major business influencers for the region. We have even hosted private events there on non-performance nights.

The quality of musicians and of sound are critical, and because Larry [Farber, owner] is a musician, they are at the forefront of his mind. People know there’s going to be good food, and Middle C Jazz is always making little tweaks to keep the experience fresh.

It says something that major artists, like Marion Meadows and Alex Bugnon, come back year after year. Artists appreciate the level of hospitality and service they get there. Artists talk when they have a good experience. Audiences anticipate their return.

Middle C Jazz has established itself as a go-to place in Charlotte for live jazz, whether contemporary or other genres and styles. I know it is important to Larry, and it’s important to Charlotte to have that.