The weekend crowds have diminished somewhat
since the frenzy of the first few months when word
of mouth carries the news of a new restaurant near
downtown. It was a major event in a city that tears
down beautiful old buildings and theaters only to
replace them with parking lots. People were quick
to give their support to a venture that showed faith
in the city and hope for its future.
Jay's still gets a good crowd. The wait isn't as long
as it had been but immediate seating is rare. It is
one of the few places in town where waiting is not
bothersome. The bar is a marvel of beveled glass
and carved wood providing ample entertainment
in speculating as to its origin and the many types of
people who, at one time or another, leaned against
its polished wood quaffing favorite beverages. An
oyster bar provides the delicate mussels for those
whose tastes run toward raw shellfish. the décor is
authentic with posters and prints from a simpler time.
For those who just can't manage to enjoy their surroundings without something to do there are two non-electric, manually operated, absolutely original pinball machines that take only nickels and pennies to play. The whole place is a lesson in Dayton history.
Like everything else at Jay's the entertainments is good. Five nights a week Kathy Burch plays for the dinner crowd and later for those who come for a nightcap and to listen. Kathy is in her early 20s and has already worked in a number of different bands. She has gone the route from rock to show bands to the lounge act. Before starting at Jay's she was at Dominic's. As the story goes, Jay heard her one night and offered her the chance to come to the restaurant as a solo performer.
People who had heard her at Dominic's and now show up regularly for her show at Jay's talk of the great improvement in Kathy's act.
She notes the change herself. “When you do a single,” she explains, “and something goes wrong you get all the blame. There is no one to share it with. But if things go well all the credit is yours and it feels good. I'm glad I had to do this. It's given me the confidence I needed.”
That confidence is obvious. It is not easy for a performer to play a place like Jay's. There is no lounge; it's all one big room. Kathy is right next to the entrance, next to the people going in and out, behind the chairs placed for those who would rather not wait at the bar. She starts about eight o'clock and plays over the conversations at the tables and the P.A. announcements of table that are ready for different parties. Last week she was three days into a bout with strep throat and contending with a mouth full of new braces. With all of this she still did a good show.
Kathy likes the freedom in a solo act. It is easy to change to fit the crowd. There are no signals to learn to warn other band members of change of length or tempo of a song. Each set is her own.
Her voice has a quality, maturity, beyond her 23 or so years. It is soft and natural, perhaps a bit sexy. It seems ideally suited for the type of people Jay's attracts.
She does not command attention but it is not unusual to lose the thread of conversation and realize that you have been listening to her sing.
Kathy is still working at the piano. “I'd like to be good enough so that I don't have to sing five hours a night and can do an instrumental or two,” she says.
What she lacks in the mechanics of the instrument she makes up for in originality of her arrangements. Kathy feels her music. From songs like The First Time to Love Will Keep Us Together she makes the vocals part of her experience, not just words and melody memorized before taking the stage.
As the evening progresses and the crowd changes from diners to listeners she unpacks her guitar. Her days as a folk musician play an important part in this segment of her show. She draws from James Taylor and Carole King. The music is easy to listen to, the guitar work better than her piano style. She has the variety needed to hold the audience.
The management is very pleased with her work and Jay wants to keep her for as long as she will stay. Kathy is keeping her options open. She like this gig better than anything she has done before, but there is a recording session coming up in Cincinnati and she is looking ahead.
With Darwin 's theory modified to fit the music industry, she is developing talents in as many areas as she can. She is afraid of stagnation in any one facet of the industry. It makes little difference to her whether she makes it as a performer or a writer as long as she makes it.
The audience is usually filled with some friends who sit close to the stage to somehow share in the aura, the limelight for a while. They look around to see who is applauding and wonder why some are not. They are the faithful.
There are others who do not know Kathy but are equally caught up in her performance. they wait until a song is finished before the leave make it to the door before the next begins in order to tell her how much they've enjoyed her show. Few leave without at least a nod and smile in her direction.
Kathy Burch is good. Her people know it.
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