It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere

Nu-soul stage

By Marguerite Marsh

WILL SHILLING PHOTO

Everywhere you look in the intimate Vonn Jazz Lounge, there's something to see. Red velvet fabric stretches from floor to ceiling, accenting black booths and zebra-striped sofas. A three-tiered chandelier hangs low, illuminating a baby grand piano. It's a great place to sit, relax and have a drink. And, perhaps, listen to some jazz.

Vonn Jazz Lounge owner Yavonne Sarber had a vision, and now she's living her dream.

"I always wanted a jazz lounge," she said. "I love contemporary and nu-soul jazz. That's what I love and that's why I opened this place. It's the feeling I want people to get when they come here."

WILL SHILLING PHOTO

Having opened only eight weeks ago, the lines on the weekend are an indication that Sarber's mission is accomplished. The lounge attracts musicians from all over Ohio, who audition for a spot on the stage.

"We like to work with local talent," Sarber said. "We get a lot of interest from new artists, too. And we always have a vocalist."

For the uninitiated, what exactly is contemporary and nu-soul jazz?

"It's smooth jazz," Sarber explained. "It's sax, keyboard, bass, drums and vocalist. It's big voices, like Billie Holiday, Sade or Anita Baker. I'm way more Billie Holiday than Frank Sinatra — way more soulful."

Besides music, there's food and drink. "We get a big coffee crowd in the morning, and a wine and martini crowd at night," Sarber said.

Patron favorites are the cosmopolitan and chocolate martinis ($7) and Stella Artois drafts ($4). Wines are available by the glass or by the bottle. On the food end, the homemade cranberry-brown-sugar meatballs with chili sauce reign supreme at $6, and paninis, salads, appetizers and desserts are also available.

In the end, it comes back to the music.

"Once the entertainment starts, people stay till it ends," Sarber said. "They take it as a show more than a band. I like to think of it as a destination. I want you to be intimate with the band, to have the music and the mood capture you — and leave with an experience you'll remember."

April 24, 2008

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