Just as Ann Arbor's Blue LLama Jazz Club was getting ready to celebrate its first birthday, it was forced to shut down like all other clubs and restaurants in Michigan due to the COVID-19 pandemic. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with the owner of the club, Don Hicks, about how they, like many jazz musicians, have had to improvise to stay connected with the community.
The Blue LLama Jazz Club was preparing to celebrate its one-year anniversary this year. Sadly, like all local businesses, it had to close its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Club owner Don Hicks knew adjustments had to be made to keep his business going, while still complying with Michigan's coronavirus guidelines. Here's what the Blue LLama is offering:
LIVESTREAMED AND ARCHIVED ONLINE PERFORMANCES:
Blue LLama is providing online videos of great jazz performances. Many great artists, such as trumpeter Keyon Harrold and WEMU favorite Ellen Rowe (video can be found below), have been streamed live from the club. Check out the music anytime on Blue LLama's Youtube channel, and stay tuned for more online performances in the near future.
FOOD DELIVERY:
Great food can brought to your doorstep or be available for pick-up via the Blue LLama Express. If you want expand your pallette, new pop-up menus are available as well. They include Latin-inspired cuisine from Jibarito and Asian dishes from Of Rice and Men. Many more pop-ups are in the works.
To keep up with developments at the Blue LLama Jazz Club, check out itswebsiteand its Facebook page.
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— Lisa Barry is the host of All Things Considered on WEMU. You can contact Lisa at 734.487.3363, on Twitter @LisaWEMU, or email her at lbarryma@emich.edu