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By Farqot Gustafson, Reporter
SLReports.net Like many of you, hardly a week goes by that this reporter doesn't hear about the latest and greatest new club opening. A lot of hot air and hype gets generated, but in the end, most new clubs are a lot like the old standbys. Earlier this month, I found the newly built Greeneyes Lounge in Oleg, which has a style that's a little different than many other jazz clubs. I recently sat down with the owner, BlueRock Dimsum, to talk about the club, and what sheís doing to make it stand out. As BlueRock put it, "What made me do it is my love of jazz, and the absence of small, intimate Jazz clubs from the special era when Frank, Dean, and Ella where swinging, and the patrons drank real Gin martinis the kind of place where the 'Rat Pack' might hang out after the show."
"Also, I wanted a place I'd enjoy singing in. I've had so many requests from friends, strangers, and other musicians to sing, it just inspired me!" "What makes Greeneyes unique," she said, is "we're small, we have Bob (the club mascot), and we don't take ourselves too seriously. I mean, what Jazz club has a shoes-optional dress code? Why have all that great sound out there, if you have to keep your shoes on, LOL?" Is a jazz devotee, one of BlueRockís favorite hangouts is the Steel Pier. "MidKnight Auer is the best Jazz musician in SL, and the Steel Pier is his place. He'll be playing here too, and is a MUST see! It's like listening to the Rat Pack, he's that good. He plays with his music, as well as makes cracks in between songs. And I will say that good Jazz musicians are a little bit hard to come by in SL." When I asked her what she was doing in SL before opening the club, she said "I've tried several different things in SL but the one thing that I love dearly and continue to do is DJ, I'm just a music fiend. I've been DJ'ing in SL for over a year." "I started out at SimKast radio; they are an awesome group, willing to give a newbie a try. They got me started and had such a high standard in what they expected. It made me damned good at it."
"I also DJ'd at TeaZer's University when it was still TeaZers and on its own Island. And I still DJ at Kryss Wings on Sunday evenings that place rocks, and at the Cartier Lounge. At some point, I'll DJ'ing here too." We also talked about changes in the SL music scene. "I would say that in main stream music they are still homogenizing music and bands, but there really seems to be a grass roots effort for quality musicians, one's that actually have talent." "See, now that's the thing... if 'Big Music' gets a hold of it, it seems to loose some of its charm; it seems to become flat. I really don't like how 'Big Music' companies control musicís flow. There are some really great bands and the like out there in the rest of the world, which you can't get in the States. As a DJ I've had to go to my listeners and see what they are listening to, and get them to send me their music. But don't get me wrong there are some great bands our there that are main stream too!" "Let's just call it enlightened self-interest. I have very eclectic tastes, so I'm always on the hunt for new music for myself, and the side benefit of that is I pass it along to my listeners. Lately, I've been really digging Lifehouse's 'Everything' and Damien Rice's 'The Blower's Daughter.' "
One of the biggest names in the SL live music scene is Circe Broom, whom BlueRock credits a lot; "I don't think [live SL] jazz would have really gotten as well organized as it is if it were not for Circe! I like how she is always hunting for new artists to debut, as well as keeping the older ones playing. I feel that she has inspired the rest of all us to do our part in creating great venues for live jazz to play."
"It's a team effort, you know, or at least I'd like to think it is. I'm not here to compete to be the best club in SL; I'm here for the love of the music." When she's not singing, DJ'ing, or just hanging out with the music, BlueRock likes to hang out with my friends, be silly, cause mostly harmless mischief, help others where possible, and make the SL experience enjoyable for others as well. But then again, what would you expect from someone who ends her conversations with "Be well!" ?
For more information on performers and events, you can check the "Greeneyes Lounge" group listing, or IM BlueRock Dimsum directly. The SLURL is http://slurl.com/secondlife/Oleg/11/151/23 .
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