Deanna Relyea

The Kerrytown Concert House is one of the most intelligently programmed and intimate music venues in Ann Arbor, specializing in classical, cabaret and jazz presentations. The up close-and-personal setting of KCH makes it a pretty special place to see a show, and its Executive Director Deanna Relyea has a pretty admirable approach when it comes to lining up the artists who perform there.

From last weekend’s sold-out ‘Wine, Women & Song’ concerts to this fall’s Edgefest, which spotlights experimental jazz, Kerrytown Concert House is curated with the same inventiveness and flair of east-coast venues such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music and The Kitchen. Deanna Relyea recently spoke to me about the history of KCH, her role as executive director, and some upcoming concert highlights.

Q. How did you first get started at KCH? A. In 1984 I needed a job. I was a singer and a piano teacher and I thought I would find a studio in downtown Ann Arbor to teach in and perhaps hold master classes. I found this house (in Kerrytown) that was in a state of flux. The owner of it wanted to tear it down for parking for his new office building but he wasn’t allowed to do that. So instead he started renovating the house for commercial rental. I came in when the place was gutted and he thought it would be a good fit. The house itself determined what could happen; it sort of went from there and I’ve basically been the executive director ever since. We rented the house for many years and the rent was a lot for an arts organization. But the owner and I came to an agreement and we bought the house around 15 years ago.

Q. Are you a Michigan native? A. Yes, I went to the School of Music here; I was a piano major. I was born in Detroit but went to high school in Pontiac in the days when the arts program there was really something. I went to Michigan and then hung around as people do. But the house has become a force fueled by the community itself. It’s a place the community uses a lot for their events, things like senior recitals, people’s important events, private events with music attached.

Q. What has led to the increase of jazz programming at the Kerrytown Concert House? A. When there’s a need in the community, we try and fill in those gaps. If there’s no cabaret going on, we start that up. We’ve always done jazz concerts, although it wasn’t a major part of our programming. But when the Firefly Club closed a couple years back it became clear that the main players in town needed a place to do their projects, to play and be in front of the public and work on their art. So we’ve been just systematically thinking about that and we’ve been doing a lot more jazz with our area people.

Also when the Firefly closed, the national touring people needed a haven and we’re filling that gap. We’ve been doing this Kerrytown club series which is a collaboration with the Southeastern Michigan Jazz Association, a support group for jazz in the Ann Arbor and Detroit area. On Saturday, April 9 Susan Chastain, the former owner of the Firefly, is going to be here doing a show with (bassist) Paul Keller. Q. What are some of the shows coming up in the immediate future during February?

A. This February calendar is kind of a microcosm of what’s happening here. We have a wonderful Russian pianist, Ilya Blinov, playing Feb. 6 (tonight); a cellist (David Peshlakai) and violist (Csaba Erdélyi) from the Kalamazoo area doing an evening of eastern-European folk music on the evening of the 10th; then this Oblivion Project on the 11th is quite amazing. They’re great players and do the music of Astor Piazzolla. It’s always wonderfully attended and we’ve added a second show. Mr. B is here on the 12th with his Birthday Bounce concert, which he’s been doing for many years. He’s such a wonderful soul and it comes through in his music. Then on February 18th we have a show called Available Jelly; they’re great players from Amsterdam who do an eclectic mix including Balkan kind of stuff, Kurt Weill and Burt Bacharach, and then improvise upon it. The next night features a band called Atmospheric Disturbance, which is run by the great area trumpet player and teacher Paul Finkbeiner. There’s something for everyone here this month. Q. How would you describe the artistic philosophy of the Kerrytown Concert House? A. Our mission really is to do things that need incubating and may never have a huge audience but are very necessary to the creative life of a community.

The Kerrytown Concert House is located at 415 N. Fourth Avenue, with programming information available at www.kerrytownconcerthouse.com or 734-769-2999.

Martin Bandyke hosts the 6-10am morning program on Ann Arbor’s 107one, WQKL-FM. Follow him on Twitter and at www.martinbandyke.com