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Back To Baker's

Benefit concerts will be a tribute to trumpeter's late brother.

Ronelle Grier

Special to the Jewish News

C

Bloomfield five years ago, Rabbis Levi
Shemtov and Yisrael Pinson helped him
move his life in a positive direction. Today
Heller is a successful insurance broker
with Investor Ltd. of Farmington Hills, a
member of the Shul of West Bloomfield
and an active participant in the Daniel B.
Sobel Friendship House, which provides
support for Jewish people and their fami-
lies who are struggling with various forms
of addiction and other crises.
Friendship House will be one recipient
of the contributions made to the Mark A.
Heller Foundation during December and
throughout 2009.
"This foundation continues Mark's leg-
acy by bringing something positive to the
world:' said Rabbi Levi Shemtov, director
of the Friendship Circle. "These contribu-
tions will allow us to continue providing
programs to support people in crisis."

ary Heller made it. He's played at
the well-known Baker's Keyboard
Lounge in Detroit many times.
Now he's coming back to celebrate the jazz
club's 75th anniversary. On Sunday nights
during December and January, you'll have
the opportunity to enjoy the music of the
Cary Heller Quintet and support a vital
organization.
Trumpeter Heller, who has toured with
such musicians as Ray Charles, is per-
forming at Baker's in tribute to his triplet,
Mark Heller, who took his own life two
years ago at age 31. Mark, well-loved and
a huge music fan, had managed Detroit's
State Theater and St. Andrew's Hall.
Proceeds from the performances will go
to the Mark A. Heller Foundation, a non-
profit charitable organization dedicated
to suicide prevention through education,
Legends Of Jazz
awareness and outreach.
Baker's, the world's oldest jazz club, started
Baker's has special meaning for Heller,
as a neighborhood restaurant in the 1930s,
who has played in jazz clubs all over the
when Livernois and 8 Mile Road was the
world.
end of the bus line in what was then a
"I'd always wanted to see the place Miles rural area. After owner Chris Baker had
Davis talked about in his autobiography,"
a stroke, his son Clarence took over the
Heller said. "When I went to Baker's for
business and began booking solo pianists.
the first time, I felt like I'd walked into a
The long lines of customers that formed
time warp from the '50s. The music was
prompted him to change the name to
absolutely electric. Every time I go there, I Baker's Keyboard Lounge. By the 1950s,
still get that feeling."
the club became home to some of the
Heller attributes his musical success
best-known jazz musicians in the world.
to his father, the late Robert Heller, who
"If you loved improvisational jazz
bought him his first trumpet when he was pianists such as Oscar Peterson and
5 years old.
Thelonius Monk, there was a good chance
"Our neighbor played the trumpet and
you'd find one of them at Bakers:' said
I used to sit outside his window for hours
Norman Prady of Berkley, who used to
listening to him practice," Heller said. "One frequent the club.
day my dad came home with a used trum-
Baker's roster of performers would
pet he'd found at a
pawn shop. He was
raising four kids
on a policeman's
salary, but that's the
kind of person he
was."
After both of his
parents died, Heller
turned to drugs
and alcohol for
solace. His musical
career stalled.
When Heller
became involved
with the Friendship The Heller triplets, Mark, Daniel and Cary, with their first cous-
Circle in West
in Andy Heller.

A20

December 4 2008

make any jazz fan
catch his breath;
names like Charlie
Parker, Dizzy
Gillespie and Miles
Davis, along with
such famous female
vocalists as Roberta
Flack and Nina
Simone. Comedians
such as Redd Foxx
and Lenny Bruce
kept audiences
laughing with their
stand-up routines.
Baker's lore
includes stories
Trumpeter Cary Heller on stage at Baker's
about surprise
appearances by stars
such as Nat King Cole, who dropped in
to see," said Lynn Morrow of Bloomfield
unexpectedly one night and stayed to play Hills. "It was a nice way to end an evening?'
the piano, and Ella Fitzgerald, who came
"Baker's had far and away the best acts,"
to listen to the music and ended the night
said Maynard Flusty of West Bloomfield.
singing on the Baker's stage.
"You didn't have to go to Chicago or New
It's said that Liberace's piano-shaped
York. You could stay right here in Detroit,
swimming pool was inspired by Baker's
and Baker's was the No. 1 spot!"
trademark piano shaped bar with its black
In 1996, Clarence Baker sold the club
and white "keys."
to John Colbert and Juanita Jackson, who
have maintained Baker's intimate setting
Great Hangout
and incomparable acoustic sound.
By the 1950s, Baker's once-rural neigh-
"Baker's had the best acoustics, the best
borhood had become a hub of Jewish
performers, the best everything," said
life. Livernois, lined with upscale shops,
Allan Chafetz of Southfield. "It's still a
became known as the "Avenue of Fashion," great place."
and Baker's became known as a gathering
"We weren't drinkers; we went strictly
place where you could mingle with friends for the music," said Iry Tobocman of
and listen to extraordinary music.
Birmingham.
"Baker's was the place to be seen and
"My dad loved the city of Detroit;' Heller
said. "He used to show me all the impor-
tant places. One day we drove by Baker's,
and my dad smiled and said, 'When you
play there, you'll know you've made it.' I
remember that every time I step onto that
stage."

❑

The State Theater's marquee marked
the death of its manager Mark Heller.

Cary Heller's tribute concerts will be
held at 7 p.m. Sundays in December
and January, beginning with Dec.
7, at Baker's Keyboard Lounge,
20510 Livernois in Detroit (corner of
Livernois and 8 Mile Road). Secured
parking is available. (313) 345-6300.
No cover charge for the Sunday
night performances, but contri-
butions to the Mark A. Heller
Foundation can be made
at the door or online at
www.markahellerfoundation.org .