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Ann Arbor's 'The Bird of Paradise'

Author
Michael Erlewine

I would spend many evenings at the Bird of Paradise. It was always dark in there. After all, it’s a jazz club.

Ron Brooks at Bird of Paradize
Ron Brooks in the building he hopes to turn into the Bird of Paradise Jazz Club, May 1984.

I remember it both on S. Ashley and after it moved to Main St. And of course, I remember Ron Brooks, who was always friendly. We were friendly. If I remember right, Ron and I used to date the same girl.

And I remember, all too well, when I was there, and the customers were few, and I would commiserate with Ron Brooks with just a look. The same thing happened to me when I owned and operated the “Two Sisters” restaurant in Big Rapids, Michigan. Even today, I can’t drive by any restaurant and see an empty parking lot without wincing.

At the “Two Sisters,” we had music almost every weekend, with a hand-made red curtain from Italy, mounted lights, a real sound system, and all that. Sometimes, I would be almost the only one there when an act was performing. It’s a tough business, IMO.

Ron Brooks in the Bird of Paradize
Ron Brooks in the building on Ashley, May 1984.

The last time I was at the Bird of Paradise, if I recall, I was sitting at a table for two with jazz pianist Marian McPartland, and we were listening to Mose Allison and David “Fathead” Newman on a double bill. Now, that was a time. I love Mose Allison, of course, but David “Fathead” Newman. Wow! Just my kind of music.

And when the ‘Bird’ moved to Main street, it had two sections, one room with a bar, open to all comers, and a second room for performance, and the two rooms were separated by folding doors with windows. I could sit in the performance area and look through those windows into the bar.

And in later years, I remember as a board member of the Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival, bringing Hammond organ player Charles Earland and his quartet to the festival, and hearing him perform at the Bird of Paradise on Friday September 17 and Saturday the 18, 1999. What a treat! Here is a photo I took of Earland at the Bird at that time.

And finally, here is a wonderful article by Ann Arbor News writer Roger Lelievre.

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Michael Erlewine