Vic’s Las Vegas

At Last… The Love of Jazz has Come Along at Vic’s Las Vegas

BY STACEY GUALANDI

Who knew the cowboy hat and boots-wearing Vegas Vic was really a jazz lover at heart?

Standing high atop Vic’s Las Vegas, the newly opened downtown jazz club and Italian eatery, the namesake neon icon—albeit a smaller 20-foot version—proudly welcomes back live jazz music to the masses.

Inside the 8,560-square-foot space, you feel like you’ve passed through a portal to the golden era of cool cats and jazz aficionados.

With warm walnut wood tones, comfortable half-moon banquettes, time-honored touches (one-arm bandit slots!), and the purr of all that jazz permeating throughout, the wait is finally over, thanks to Las Vegas legends the Lowden family.

“It’s not new,” says owner Paul Lowden. “It’s really a throwback.”

Paul is the world-famous jazz keyboardist and the one-time owner of the Hacienda, Sahara, Santa Fe, and Pioneer casinos; Sue is the former Nevada state senator and popular Channel 8 anchorwoman.

Together, they’ve opened over 40 dining venues and produced numerous jazz festivals. Back in the day, they were famous for filling lounges with big names like Monk Montgomery, Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, and Jack Jones.

(The Lowden’s recently produced a soon-to-be-released album with Jones —the man responsible for The Love Boat theme—and the late great jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco, which could mean a future Jack Jones appearance if we’re lucky!)

“Lounges were so popular,” says Paul. “You could go in and hear music, but today, there is too much distraction. That’s not what Vic’s is about. This is about music. This isn’t cabaret; no one has to entertain. You come to hear the music, and that’s the big difference.”

Since turning in his casino ownership chips, the Lowden’s admit they missed the vintage vibe of the Vegas jazz scene.

“If you’re going to be in the business, you’ve got to build a mega-resort, and the cost of entry is unreal today,” laments Paul. “It’s crazy, but we’re involved in music….”

“…and we know what we like,” says Sue.

Cue Vic’s.

Nestled in the middle of a growing “cultural epicenter,” Vic’s sits adjacent to the Smith Center in Symphony Park downtown.

You can take five for an intimate drink at the gaming bar, enjoy dinner and a show, or come back ’round midnight for a nightcap in the lounge lined with Las Vegas memorabilia.

“The wonderful part is that you park, have dinner, and see a show…and you don’t have to move your car,” says Sue. “Ever.”

Two huge headliners have already hit the stage since Vic’s opened in February: Jeff Hamilton (“the greatest jazz drummer ever!” per Paul) and vibraphonist Chuck Redd.

“We’ve contacted pretty much everybody,” says Paul of his musician wishlist. “We see Randy Brecker here. We see Tom Scott here. Christian Jacob. Tamir Handleman. Diana Krall might come here…for dinner. HA!”

But what makes this jazz joint so joyous? The juveniles. That is, the high school students from the Las Vegas Academy’s jazz studies program who play nightly.

“This place is like a jazz lab!” says a proud Paul. “How wonderful it is with the kids. If they want to play music, they need to get their feet wet, find a place to play, and make a few bucks. What do we call it?”

“A paid internship,” jokes Sue.

It’s not only a special showcase for this next generation of jazz artists but also a touching tribute to the Lowden’s late son Will, who was a student at the Academy and the bass player for the award-winning Las Vegas Academy Jazz Band. A painting of Will hangs in the 14-seat private dining room.

“The students are really in shock,” says Sue. “We invited the parents of the kids, and some are professional musicians themselves. They were just blown away. It’s an unbelievable thing for the kids to have an opportunity like this…and to play the Great American Song Book.”

Vic’s is truly a family affair. Their sons, Chris (of Stoney’s Rockin’ Country fame) and Paul IV, run Porchlight Hospitality. They had a vision for this latest venture, and Sue says they “figured it all out and put it all together!”

“The whole time that we were building this, we were told there was such a void of places to eat and things to do,” says Paul IV. “I think there was a promise of more stuff coming down the road, so I guess that’s us. We’re the first ones to make good on that.”

Now, the neighborhood can’t get enough of this hot new hang, and they’re quickly learning what jazz appreciation is all about.

“People are respectful,” says Paul. “Not that it has to be like church, but it’s very cool. There is professional respect there.”

This made me wonder, is there an unwritten rule in a jazz club?
“Oh yeah, don’t talk,” says Paul, only half-joking.

“If somebody’s there to party and not listen…that’s why we have the lounge [separate from the main room],” adds Sue. “We have the bar area, too, because you can’t hear anything from the bar; everything is double sealed with a glass wall.”

If you’re thinking Italian food and jazz don’t mix, think again. Chef Miguel Magana’s menu has the perfect pitch. I had the Shrimp Fra Diavolo; my husband had the Mahi Mahi. The coda to my meal? Chef Miguel’s own invention: ratatouille! I can’t say enough about the ratatouille.
Sue says they hope to add a Prime Rib night, a gospel brunch, and clam chowder on Fridays.

“I really want guests to enjoy their dining experience, and we’re trying to get that down first,” admits Sue. “We want it to be like Ronnie Scott’s; people ask, ‘Where do you go for jazz in London? Go to Ronnie Scott’s.’ Everybody knows that. We want it to be that kind of place.”

While it hasn’t been an easy trip back to the future, Vic’s is definitely on its way to being a Las Vegas live music destination…if these self-described workaholics have anything to say about it. The Lowden’s 40-year partnership is certainly a love supreme.

“We just got really lucky,” says Sue. “It’s a sense of accomplishment. It feels good to look back and think, ‘Yeah, we did that.’”

Adds Paul, “We have the same interests. The same outlook on life. We agree on everything.”

So whether you drive, ride-share, or take the A Train, we can all agree it’s time to bebop downtown to Vic’s. If you play your cards right, you may even see Paul Lowden himself strike up the band!

“Oh, I definitely think so,” says Sue.

“He could empty the room. Ha!” quips Paul.

Vic’s Las Vegas
361 Symphony Park Avenue,
Las Vegas, NV 89106

vicslasvegas.com
(725) 755-5299