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Will The Bethesda Blues and Jazz Club Work?

By WTOP Staff

The multi-million dollar renovation of the historic Bethesda Theater is near completion, shows are selling out and an introductory press conference for the Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club is set for Tuesday with a tour and food samples from a menu that features entrees ranging from $18 to $35.

The venue says its goal is to become the D.C. region’s No. 1 live music supper club. Residents and county officials have anticipated its opening since last year. Its 1930′s era marquee, sitting prominently on Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda, is lit up and 300 table seats and a 40-foot bar await inside.

But can the Club succeed, especially in a place with a struggling live music scene and little tradition of venues of a similar scale?

“I think it’s a visionary idea because if you take a look at the area between D.C. and Strathmore, there’s nothing in terms of being able to present jazz and blues and other types of music like it,” said Charlie Fishman, founder and president of the D.C. Jazz Festival and a friend of Blues and Jazz Club director of operations Ralph Camilli. “So I think it’s a really excellent idea. If it works, who knows?”

Blues and Jazz Club owner Rick Brown, a Bethesda-based realtor, is hoping it does.

Brown, who attended movies at what was then the Bethesda Theater in the 1950′s, couldn’t be reached for comment for this story. The Club website says the renovation cost $8 million. Unlike the Filmore in Silver Spring, which the state and county contributed $11.2 million to build, the Blues and Jazz Club received no public contribution.

The theater (7719  Wisconsin Ave.) went to auction in 2010 with a $4 million debt attached. Built in 1938, a $12 million contribution from developer Bozzuto Group helped re-open the theater in 2007 when Bozzuto built The Whitney apartment complex above it.

But in 2009, the Broadway theater company that had been putting on shows in the theater stopped its operations. A flood caused by malfunctioning plumbing in The Whitney caused it to temporarily close in 2008.

“I do think a Bethesda venue has all the trappings to do well, my question going forward is does Bethesda have something inherently lacking that would make it hard for a music venue to succeed,” said Bethesda-based blues and rock musician Ted Garber. “Nowadays you have these bands playing at places like the Harp and Fiddle and people just aren’t coming out. The turn-outs can be really disheartening.

“The jazz scene is centered in D.C., but for a jazz club like this that maybe caters to more well-off folks, I think people would go out for jazz music,” Garber said. “It caters not only to the urban demographic but also the upper-crust. It’s considered a high art.”

A few shows at the Club are already sold out and the calendar is heavy with acts in March. The club opens on March 1 with a performance from Grammy Award-winning trumpet player Irvin Mayfield. A press release advising of the press conference next week says the Club will also feature national pop, country and comedy artists. In April, the Club will host a gala featuring jazz pianist Keiko Matsui for the D.C.-based S&R Foundation.

“I’ve observed that people who live up around there hate the concept of driving to the city and then parking in the city, etc.,” Fishman said. “From an economic point of view, that’s a plus, the fact that a lot of people who live in Bethesda I would think enjoy jazz music and now have a place to hear good music with easy parking.”

Fishman called Camilli, former manager of the Cellar Door and Blues Alley in D.C., “the best manager of a club I’ve ever met.”

“Between the two of them, Rick and Ralph, energy-wise and with the money they’ve put into the place, they got a chance,” Fishman said. “I think it’s a gamble with potential because there’s really no entertainment up there.”

Photos via Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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