Chad Willetts, a Chicago musician who drew crowds to the Rogers Park neighborhood at the intimate jazz club Le Piano, died earlier this month. Willetts - a pianist, drummer and longtime Rogers Park resident - died suddenly on Friday, Oct. 17, according to his former wife, Amy Willetts. A celebration to honor Willetts' life, coinciding with the seventh anniversary of the opening of Le Piano, is planned for Saturday, Nov. 22, and Sunday, Nov.
Rogers Park, Chicago
Early Life and Career Beginnings
A native of Monroe, Michigan, Willetts attended Michigan State University and Columbia College Chicago before restaurateur Gordon Sinclair brought him on as musical director at Gordon Restaurant, formerly at 500 N. Clark St.
Le Piano: A Haven for Jazz in Rogers Park
In 2018, Willetts and business partner Joe Quinlan opened Le Piano at 6970 N. Glenwood Ave. The bar, which opened in late 2018 at 6970 N. Glenwood Ave., is an instrumental listening room designed around a grand piano that will feature live intimate performances with some of Chicago’s finest pianists.
The space had a long history as a neighborhood draw. It had been home for more than two decades to the No Exit Café, a coffeehouse with roots dating back to 1958, where patrons drank strong coffee and smoked cigarettes as they enjoyed folk music concerts, indie acoustic open mic nights, and improv performances. Still using the No Exit name, the space was taken over in the 2000s by the Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre company before that operation moved to its current location on the Evanston side of Howard Street.
Read also: The Life of Chad Everett Harris
Le Piano succeeds the Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. “The iconic building we purchased has a long history of art and neighborhood culture that includes musical theatre, cabaret, folk, jazz, classical as well as spoken word, beat poetry and card playing,” says Willets.
The Ambiance of Le Piano
The ambiance and atmosphere of Le Piano is warm and inviting. The decorations are charming and eclectic, with an array of musical instruments like saxophones and trombones hanging from the ceiling, alongside old-fashioned telephones and stilettos scattered across the restaurant. The entire restaurant is candlelit, reminiscent of 1920s speakeasies and classic jazz eras.
What sets Le Piano apart from other jazz bars in Chicago, however, is the ambiance of the space. Additionally, Willets and Quinlan made use of a lot of the interior’s quirks and simply added their own personality to it. “We didn’t know what we were going to do with it so we tried to take the idiosyncrasies of the room and try to work with it rather than destroy it,” says Quinlan.
Some of the room’s eccentric traits include old support beams that can also double as swinging poles if any guest feels so inclined as to dance on them and an unresurfaced wall, part of which is now covered by a mural by artist Donna Arnold. Willets and Quinlan refused to resurface the rest of the wall because they believe the plaster added a rustic style to a modern space. Beneath the mural is a group of intimate round tables with a few lights hanging above to set a romantic mood. Old jazz records lie on top of the tables, what Quinlan hopes will serve as conversation starters.
Though their main focus was creating a balance of live music, drinks, and food, Willets and Quinlan have also designed a new place that offers space for artists and musicians in the city to gather and show their talent. “We want to be a conduit for the arts. We want it to be cultural nutrition,” says Willets.
Read also: "Married to Evil": Chad Graves
Inside Le Piano Jazz Club
Musical Performances and Unique Experiences
Visitors to Le Piano have had the opportunity to enjoy a different style of music every night - jam sessions, cabaret nights, Latin and swing jazz, Hammond B-3 organ performances, and Willetts' own quartet, with Willetts himself on drums, Bradley Williams on piano, Stacy McMichael on bass, and Dez Desermeaux on tenor sax. During the summer months, the live jazz action has spilled out onto Glenwood Avenue, which has been closed to traffic for the performances.
Willetts was also known at Le Piano for inviting guests to lie down on a pile of pillows under the grand piano as he played. Willetts told Franza at the time that as many as nine people had climbed under his piano at once to hear his music from a different perspective. The space beneath the piano was even once the site of a marriage proposal.
At Le Piano, Willetts also hosted visual artists who would create paintings and drawings in real time as the music was presented, Bailey said. Bailey emphasized how dedicated Willetts was to every element of artistry and service at Le Piano. So here I am inside a box that has an address on it - a return address on it like a real box, it was a large cardboard box my height with a front door," Bailey said. In the warmer months, Willetts also played an upright piano on the beach in Rogers Park, Bailey said.
Highly Recommended ***** I grew up in Chicago. Back in my day, there were night clubs galore. Entertainment was all over- downtown ( Rush Street in particular), south side and north side. We even had The Villa Venice in unincorporated Northfield where dinner, a show and even a gondola ride could make for a special evening. I had the good fortune to work for the Brothers Marienthal back in the 1960’s. The owned Mister Kelly’s, The Happy Medium Club and The London House ( the greatest jazz spot in town)- those were great years.
Read also: Vallow-Daybell Trial: Key Evidence
Sofiane Pamart live under the Northern Lights, in Lapland, Finland for Cercle
Legacy
Willetts is survived by his adult children, daughter Chloe (Willetts) Capaldi and son Mason Willetts, and his sister, Tal Dmytro. He was preceded in death by his mother Barbara and father Frank Willetts, and his brother Kip Willetts.
The Friday night show Nov. 10 was especially enjoyable, performed by the Chad Willets Quartet. The crowd contained couples, small groups of friends and the occasional individual patron. The music appealed to all listeners, with bright and snappy solos in addition to melancholic, tranquil melodies.
It’s best to make a reservation ahead of performances because the venue only has about 17 tables in addition to seats at the bar. A payment of $15 is required up front to cover the salary of the performers, which allows for flexibility in whether or not the guest wants to order food. The drink options are abundant but mostly suited to guests 21 and older. Although classified as a bar, guests of all ages are welcome. The cocktail list offers a margarita, old-fashioned and cosmopolitan all with variants like adding pomegranate or burnt orange.
The setting allows for patrons’ full attentiveness to the performance, while also accommodating quiet side conversations. While a jazz bar is not the typical haunt for college students on a Friday night, it’s definitely worth a visit.
“Destroy your reputation: jazz, booze, and butter.” That’s the slogan for pianist Chad Willet’s new establishment, Le Piano. Located in Rogers Park’s Glenwood Avenue Arts District, Le Piano is a return to what made Chicago great.
Let me be clear about what Le Piano is- It is a place where guests have a chance to indulge in the “art of listening” while having a cocktail, glass of champagne o a light supper”. Inspired by the Latin Quarter of Paris, located in the shadows of the “red line” ( Morse Avenue station) at 6970 N. Glenwood Avenue in East Rogers Park, Le Piano is a return to what made Chicago great. This is not to be confused with the term “Piano Bar”, because this is far from that. It is a music lovers get-away with musicians from all parts of the world stopping by to play, each night is special and I believe you could come here 6 nights a week and never get bored.
Popular articles:
tags: #Chad
