WILLIES’ CORNER
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
“AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE WITH THE RIGHT TEAM. I AM CONSTANTLY REMINDED OF THIS ON A DAILY BASIS AT THE DIRTY DOG JAZZ CAFÉ. SOMETIMES WHEN I RETURN FROM VACATION I AM REMINDED OF THE VALUE OF MY TEAM KEEPING THINGS CONSISTENT AND TOGETHER IN MY ABSENCE. WHAT A GREAT FEELING. IT’S THE SAME FEELING WE TRY TO ACHIEVE WITH OUR GUESTS ON A DAILY BASIS BY DELIVERING TO THEM GREAT SERVICE, GOOD COMFORT FOOD, A SUPER RELAXED AND INTIMATE ENVIRONMENT AND OF COURSE GREAT JAZZ.
THE MUSICIANS ARE ALSO PART OF OUR STAFF SO YOU CAN EXPECT TO BE TREATED WITH GREAT ENTERTAINMENT BY GREAT ENTERTAINERS. THE MUSICIANS ARE JUST AS ACCESSIBLE TO YOU AS YOUR SERVER. THEY LOVE TAKING CARE OF THE DIRTY DOG AUDIENCE, NOT JUST MUSICALLY. YOU CAN ALSO EXPECT TO SEE THE ALREADY BEAUTIFULLY APPOINTED CAFE GET TRANSFORMED INTO AN EVEN MORE GORGEOUS AND HOLIDAY GRACED DECOR THIS DECEMBER.
DON’T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, COME ON OUT AND SPEND AN EVENING WITH US AT THE DIRTY DOG.”
WILLIE JONES
Willie has put together a great team, because Willie is a really good team leader. The staff at the Dirty Dog work with the kind of teamwork that makes tasks smaller, lessens risk of failure and gives us one of the best jazz clubs in the world. Some of the traits that Willie infuses in his staff could possibly come from the proximity to the jazz artists.
Teamwork and Jazz
Jazz is a unique genre because it is the unpredictable result of a group of musicians with varying ideas and skills making the decision to work together. Jazz artists are dependent on teamwork and I think that we can all learn by looking at a few things that jazz musicians know to do.
Jazz artists trust and respect their bandmates
Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, and great teams know how to balance these differences. Jazz greats often collaborated with other greats and welcomed newcomers. Jazz artists inspire each other to do their best. Jazz artists have each other’s backs.
Jazz artists listen and communicate
Jazz is mostly about listening, as improvisation requires a great deal of communication. Musicians communicate with each other using a variety of cues, either musical or visual (a nod, wink or smile ). These cue systems may be specific to musicians, but we can imagine a different set of cues for a team project that would work just as well.
Jazz artists share goals
All musicians want to share their personal visions and use their unique skill to move the story to a new place. They also know enough to get out of each others way. They work together and are committed to doing their best.
Jazz artists think it should be fun
Having fun is contagious and it starts at the top. A joyous workplace happens when we know that hard work and a good time are both possible, when there is respect, when there is communication and when there is a shared goal of excellence.
John Osler
Willie Jones, Chef Andre and all the Dirty Dog team have learned to listen to and respect each other. Maybe that is why musicians and customers have so much fun being around the place.
THIS DECEMBER AT THE DIRTY DOG JAZZ CAFÉ
This month the Dirty Dog Jazz Café will present four of Detroit’s most emblematic jazz artists. Four good people who have special gifts, big hearts, and stories to tell. They will provide us with four weeks of hot jazz for our cold December days.
As the great Fats Waller said back in 1937: The piano’s thumpin’
The dancers are bumpin’…The joint is jumpin’.
December 3-8
THORNETTA DAVIS
Tis the season to be jolly,
Thornetta knows that Detroit knows that the blues are all right. She will take all our concerns on her shoulders and and replace them with some upbeat blues and a few seasonal tunes.
December 12-15
DAVE McMURRAY
One of the jazz world’s greatest spirits will strip away any of your late winter blahs this week. Bring your most youthful attitude. David deserves and accepts applause
December 19-22
SHAHIDA NURULLA
Put your snow shovel aside and discover what Shahida Nurullah is up to. Sometimes we overuse the word resilient . Whatever, resilient is the first word that comes to mind that best describes Shahida. Hers has been a life of bouncing back and then being asked to bounce back again. The bumps in her life included a serious accident that left her challenged to speak. Well, her beautiful voice is a testimony to the recuperative power of music. Don’t miss Shahida. We are blessed to be able to hear her inspirational voice which will be on display Wednesday through Saturday.
December 26-29 + New Years Eve
GENE DUNLAP
Gene Dunlap will edit out everything except his personal thoughts, his power and his compelling spirit. Gene is one of the most respected jazz artists in Detroit. He will bring power and grace to the Dirty Dog on New Years Eve to finish out a grand year of jazz.
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