There have been a few soft openings including a performance by Wyclef Jean during Jazz Fest and last night’s invitation only fete. But tonight marks the beginning of a new era in New Orleans music.
Irvin Mayfield, the trumpeter and impresario behind Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse on the Royal Sonesta Hotel, is the mastermind behind the new venture in the JW Marriott Hotel on Canal Street.
There are two major differences between the two clubs. I Club will feature a wide range of local talent, the Playhouse is dedicated to jazz in its various iterations, and the I Club will have a cover charge.
Mayfield has indicated that the I Club will also be a place for local artists to experiment and collaborate. He also expects more national level artists to perform in the space that formerly housed the restaurant Henri.
The next three nights feature headlining performances by Los Hombres Calientes, Mayfield’s long-dormant partnership with the percussionist Bill Summers. The opening acts for the three nights are Rockin’ Dopsie Jr., George Porter Jr., and Walter “Wolfman” Washington respectively.
