On Saturday night I headed over the JW Marriott Hotel on Canal Street to check out Irvin Mayfield’s newest venture. The I Club is tucked into the uptown/riverside corner of the building and is accessed through the lobby on Common Street.
The press materials described the room as intimate and I would not argue with that. But what I really liked about the club is the fact that the stage is intimate as well.
The room itself is darkly lit conveying a sense of romance for many of the couples seated at small cocktail tables. But up front, by a very small side bar, you have a close up view of the stage. For people who would rather stand and groove a little, this is the perfect spot.
Los Hombres Calientes was in the middle of their set when we arrived. The two principals, Mayfield on trumpet (pictured) and Bill Summers on percussion, were joined by Jamal Batiste on drums, David Pulphus on bass, Steven Walker on trombone and Ronald Markham on keys. We missed Walter “Wolfman” Washington as the opening act, but the sight of a guitar amp by the side of the stage immediately triggered the thought in my mind that he might sit in. And indeed it did.
Alexey Marti, the Cuban percussionist who has been tearing it up around town with Otra! and other bands, also joined in for a spirited jam.
My only quibble about the I Club, and it’s a minor one, was the presence of a single table in the area directly in front of the stage. It is by far the best seat in the house and will be highly in demand when touring jazz acts visit the club. But for a highly danceable act like Los Hombres Calientes, as well as some of the other bands that are on the bill, they should remove the table and create the most intimate dance floor in the city as well.
