HYDE PARK — Mo’ Better Jazz will move its weekly performances to the Quarry after being forced to leave the House of Bing.
“It was so unexpected to have to leave so quickly,” said Darius Lawrence, who organized the jazz concerts in South Shore with Joe Stroter for more than a year.
Lawrence said he found out June 26 that the House of Bing, 6930 S. South Shore Drive, was hosting their concerts without having a public place of amusement license and the city had caught wind and shut it down.
“We had worked really hard to build an audience and build a rapport,” Lawrence said, adding that he was left scrambling to find a venue to host the shows he had booked through September.
He said he was lucky that the Quarry, a new banquet hall at 2423 E. 75th St., opened July 1 and was looking for music events to bring in.
“This is better than good — it’s a great opportunity,” said Suzanne Armstrong, the co-owner of the Quarry. “We’re all excited.”
Armstrong said she was meeting with Lawrence Monday night so they could make the move as smooth as possible.
“What a blessing,” Lawrence said. “They needed us and we needed them.”
Lawrence said Mo' Better Jazz has had to reschedule only one performance so far.
Vocalist Tecora Rogers will perform at 7 p.m. July 11 at the Quarry after her June 27 show at House of Bing was canceled.
Lawrence said he never got an explanation from House of Bing owner Arthur T.O. Man about the licensing problems.
“Rather than applying for the license, he panicked,” Lawrence said. “He canceled us with no notice at all.”
Man could not be reached for comment.
According to the city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, the city told House of Bing to stop the concerts on June 6 and apply for a public place of amusement license.
Lawrence said he didn’t find out about the lack of a license until June 26 and hosted two shows at the House of Bing after the city’s reprimand.
He said he’s sorry to leave the House of Bing and its connection to jazz in South Shore.
Lawrence said the Mo' Better Jazz series was born out of late night dinners at House of Bing planning the South Shore Jazz Festival.
“We thought it would be great to do jazz year round,” said Lawrence, who helped plan the yearly jazz festival for 16 years.
The series launched in May 2013 and grew through word of mouth among fans of South Side jazz musicians.
“We’re trying to support our local artists, there are not as many places for them to play anymore,” Lawrence said.
On July 18, Mo' Better Jazz will host South Shore native pianist Reginald McCants.
Lawrence said the move to the Quarry will allow the Mo' Better Jazz to push performances later to midnight and accommodate crowds of around 200.
Doors open for all shows at 7 p.m. and tickets are $10.
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