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Scene and Heard
There's nothing small-time about New Haven's popular music business
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Business New Haven
3/15/2004
By: Gavin Stegmiller
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The music scene in New Haven can be described in one word: diverse. For the city's size, New Haven has abundant nightclubs, theaters, music halls and bars to promote the music scene. There is also a core of local people struggling to make it in the music business.
Paul Mayer and his partner, Gary Mezzi, recently purchased Café 9, a longtime music-scene fixture on the corner of State and Crown streets. For 14 years Café 9 has been a part of the New Haven music scene, serving up live music everynight of the week. Mayer describes the bar as a "funky neighborhood joint."
Mayer started off as a musician. When Café 9 went up for sale last year, Mayer jumped on the opportunity. "It's a good place to come see music," Mayer says, "where people appreciate good music."
Café 9 can hold some 80 to 100 people. A small stage is in the front corner of the building. Before Mayer acquired the business, the musical fare was primarily blues and R&B. Mayer has since been branching out. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, he features original bands that range from rock to blues to punk rock. During daylight hours on Saturdays, there is an open jazz jam. On Sundays, Café 9 offers an open blues jam.
Mondays feature "Beatnik 2000," a night dedicated to poetry and acoustic music with a featured band afterwards. Beatnik 2000 is run by Ed Lemard. Open-mic nights on Wednesdays give anyone a chance to play.
With all of these changes to Café 9, Mayer has a philosophy behind it. "Our goal is to take Café 9 and create a networking place for bands," he says. "We try to pair up local New Haven bands with bands from New York or New Jersey."
Mayer is himself an active member of the local music community. Last Christmas, Café 9 staged a program called "The Nine Days of Christmas." Nine local businesses donated money to sponsor happy hour for nine days. Mayer donated the money he made from the promotion to a local homeless shelter.
The future looks bright to Café 9's new owners. The initial few months of business have been good for Mayer, he says. The city of New Haven has also helped repair and clean up the façade of the building. Mayer also hopes to bring in bigger acts. And beginning April 1, Café 9 will start offering lunch.
"It's a comfortable place to come express yourself musically," Mayer says. "That is the spirit of Café 9."
Another apparently unassuming local bar in New Haven that features live music is Rudy's Restaurant on Elm Street. Owner Omer Ipek bought the bar two years ago. He books live music on Friday and Saturday nights, typically rock and punk music. On Tuesday nights, live jazz is heard in the bar. According to Ipek, rock and punk generally bring in the most people.
Coming from New York City, Ipek is used to a much bigger music scene. "New Haven needs more places to play music," he says. "There's not too many places to play."
The musicians Rudy's highlights are typically from Connecticut and New York. "We have good bands," Ipek says. "People like the bar and the live music. The smoking ban hasn't changed it much. I have no complaints."
Steve Rodgers, owner of the Space in Hamden and singer and guitarist for the band Mighty Purple, has strong opinions about the music scene in the New Haven area: "I think New Haven is the only real unified music scene [in the state]. The difference between New Haven and any other city is that New Haven is a walking city. And everybody knows each other. It's not like a competition in New Haven."
The Space is one of the only all-ages venues in the New Haven area. The large building and comfortable seating make the Space a relaxing and fun place to see music. The Space also offers a tea bar with literally hundreds of teas to choose from.
The music played at the Space ranges from folk music to punk rock. And it hasn't suffered for acts that want to play there. Since the Space opened nine months ago, more 500 bands have submitted audition tapes or CDs in hopes of performing.
"There's something about this town that makes it conducive to a good music scene," Rodgers says. "Different clubs look out for each other rather than stepping on each other's toes. Paul [Mayer] is doing an awesome job with Café 9."
Not only is Rodgers bringing live music into his club every night, but his band Mighty Purple is releasing its seventh album on April 30 and May 1 at the Space.
"I think the music scene is having a growth spurt," Rodgers says. "The only thing New Haven's lacking is a 24-hour coffeehouse."
The last decade or so has seen a wealth of indie rock acts bubbling just under the surface of the New Haven music scene. Keith Cotlier, president of Forge Records, has contributed to this genre by producing a local New Haven band called Hotel, and a band from Massachusetts called Tipping Canoe.
Indie rock can connote a variety of musical types: hardcore, punk, metal or acoustic. Like its name suggests, indie rock is independent of most mainstream rock. "Alternative rock," Cotlier explains, "is the FM radio form of indie rock."
Cotlier started in the music business as a musician. In the 1980's, he and a number of his friends played and frequented the Anthrax Club in Norwalk. The club was run by kids under age 20. "We realized that we could do this ourselves," says Cotlier, who had his first record produced when he was 16 years old.
When deciding to go into business for himself, Cotlier looked to other record companies. "Dischord Records' work ethic and the way they handled their artists was inspiration for me," he explains. That way, he says, was letting the artists do what they want.
Cotlier started Forge Records with his brother, Sol Cotlier, and his wife Moira. "We go slow and steady," Cotlier explains. "We'd rather have a good release and be happy with ourselves than expect a monetary value out of it. I know that sounds strange, but it's what I do."
Forge Records' first release in 2001 premiered Tipping Canoe, a Bay State band. This album was released on vinyl, of all things. Cotlier explains that vinyl is a huge part of the underground music scene. "The vinyl music is there. People still buy vinyl. It's almost a specialty."
Forge Records just released its second album last month. The band, Hotel, is from the New Haven area. "This album is a little more mellow than the last album we did," says Cotlier.
"New Haven has always had a big music scene," Cotlier explains. "It's easier to make it here than in New York. Here you're a big fish in a little pond."
There is another dimension to the music scene of New Haven: hip-hop and rap. Justin M. Mills Sr. (MillsMega is his professional name), a New Haven native, is trailblazing a path of his own toward success.
In 2001, Mills started Silent Thug Records. When he applied for the business license, the clerk asked Mills to sing him a song. When Mills finished, the clerk paid for the license himself. "He saw a young, black male trying to do something," Mills says of the experience.
Silent Thug Records is in the process of producing its first record, scheduled for release in late spring. Until now, Mills has concentrated on performing and getting his name out there. "I've always wanted to write, but I always wanted to be the boss. I looked to people like Dr. Dre."
Mills has produced a number of bootleg albums of his own. The album due in the spring features himself and his partner Wiz-dome. They pair are playing in the New York International Music Festival on April 29, he says.
"I'm not going to get discovered," Mills comments. "So I'm going to do it myself."
The hip-hop scene in New Haven is still developing. "There is a lot of hate in the hip-hop scene," Mills explains. "Everyone is in different crews. There is no support."
Another identity problem with the New Haven hip-hop scene is that many artists who achieve some success claim New York City as their base.
"Most hip-hop around here is hardcore," Mills says. "New Haven is afraid to cross over to popular music. I am willing to diversify."
Hardcore music is often violent. Mills is attempting to cross hip-hop over from hardcore. His music relies more on word play and dance. "I'm a storyteller, and I base [stories] off of real experiences."
His experience in the music business has been rewarding. Says Mills. "Ownership is very important to me," he says. "But I would sacrifice ownership if another label was willing to produce my album."
Mills also hopes to diversify into acting and directing. "I'm full of emotion and the best way to do that is through my music and acting. I feel that I'm going to be very successful."
Culturally, New Haven is diverse - it only makes sense that its music should be just as varied.
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