Downtown Berkeley jazz club Anna’s Jazz Island closed unexpectedly last week. In an e-mailed statement (also posted on the venue’s web site), owner Anna de Leon cited issues with the developer of their larger-size venue on Allston Way — including “rowdy and disruptive events” next door at the Gaia Arts Center — as well as the desire on behalf of a new owner of the building to terminate her lease (de Leon says she accepted “an offer we couldn’t refuse”). Meanwhile, it looks like San Francisco’s Marsh Theater has found a permanent home in the Gaia Building next door to Anna’s. The theater, which has held events there in the past, tweeted nine days ago: “It’s official! Marsh Berkeley will open its doors on Jan 22nd with Don Reed’s “East 14th!”
The closing of Anna’s Jazz Island came about abruptly; indeed, there was no hint of problems in a recent profile on de Leon by Dave Newhouse. This may not be the end of the longstanding jazz venue, however. De Leon wrote: “We are now looking for a new space and a new partner, somebody who loves jazz, to participate in opening a new venue.” Read the full statement after the jump…
