Mike Shaw | 27 FEB 2025
Johnny Scatena, the much loved owner of the premiere Atlanta music venue Café 290 for more than 30 years, passed away on November 15, 2024. More than a club owner, Johnny was a lover of music, the musicians who played it, and everyone who came to hear the music.
According to jazz pianist Kevin Bales, who played Café 290 from time to time during Johnny’s years there, “It’s an unusual thing about music in particular that we have this whole community of people there to support the musicians and provide places for them to play and help them with their careers. And Johnny certainly did so much for so many people.”
The musicians who led bands that played there most often through those years, for long stretches each as a time, gathered to pay tribute to Johnny and talk of the influence he had on them and their careers.
Joe Gransden (trumpeter, vocalist, Big Band leader; Café 290 Big Band Monday Nights, 2008 to 2020): Johnny Scatena was one of my best friends. I met him in the early ’90s. I was just finishing up at Georgia State University, had moved here from upstate New York, and I got to be a part of a weekly jam session that Bill Norman was hosting. I didn’t know anything about the club or the jam sessions, but I went one night, and I specifically remember seeing this big smile when I walked in, this guy, this larger than life personality with this big smile.
I sat in and played, and for a 20-year-old, it was very cool. I would come back Monday after Monday, and I started to develop a relationship with John over the months and eventually over the years. He would encourage me constantly with regards to my music. He really loved the musicians and really supported us.
In the mid-2000s, I wanted to put together a big band. I wanted Atlanta to have a premier, large jazz ensemble. The only problem was there was no place to do it. There were jazz clubs around town, but none of them were big enough for a band that size. Besides that, it would be very expensive to pay a 17-piece jazz ensemble at a club for a regular gig. I went to Johnny one night and said, “Johnny, can I please try this big band here at Café 290? I really think it could work.” And he said, “Let’s try it; we’ll do it once a month.” And thank God he did. Because if there wasn’t a Johnny Scatena, there’d be no Joe Gransden Big Band.
Joe Gransden, Johnny Scatena, and Bob Gransden. (courtesy of Joe Gransden)
Johnny would come to New York City when I was playing at the Blue Note or Dizzy’s Club. He became a great friend of my family, and without me signing any paperwork he became a silent manager for me, protecting me and handling a lot of the “behind the scenes” work. He would give me professional advice—and he always knew what he was talking about. He was just very fluent in the entertainment industry, but also could be your best friend.
Melvin Miller (trumpeter, composer; Café 290 Sunday Night Jam sessions, 1993 to 2000; 2017 to 2020): I met Johnny, around 1993 right when the original owner of Café 290 sold. Dan Coy was doing the jam sessions. In the 1980’s the Dan Coy Band performed regularly at the Café 290 and Creative Loafing readers voted them the best Jazz band in Atlanta several years in a row. That’s the beauty of Café 290. There were so many phenomenal artists that came through throughout the years.
John asked me to come down and take over the jam session on Sunday nights, and I did so for more than 20 years. The beautiful part about working with John over the years is that on Sunday nights, he didn’t feel like a club owner; he didn’t feel like a venue owner. He just pretty much allowed the artist to be in this space and be creative. So I learned so much about both sides of the business during those years. Because I was not only the artist, but I got to look at it from a business standpoint as well. All the pieces of being a well-rounded artist-slash-businessman came from my days working with Johnny at Café 290.
Joe Gransden: Café 290 was in the same parking lot as The Punchline, the comedy club. These great comics, many of them just starting out, would finish their sets at The Punchline and walk across the parking lot. So if you were in there, not only would you see Melvin and his guys killing it, you might see George Lopez. You might see Bill Murray. Jackie Mason would come in. And they all knew Johnny. Johnny was a celebrity in the entertainment world here in Atlanta and well beyond. I think what made him click with so many different people was that, no matter what, his personality was always the same. He was always welcoming and warm.
Kevin Bales (pianist, educator): I had moved to Florida and was just starting to do some gigs. And the great Sam Skeleton, we had a smooth jazz project. We were young and terrible, but we got this gig. We came up from Florida and did it. And it paid well—I thought it was a lot, 50 bucks a night. But it was four nights in a row at Café 290.
Johnny was so encouraging. We’re just, you know, kids trying to play music. And he encouraged us and told us what to do to make the audience happier. I didn’t know him at the time like other people knew him, but he certainly made an impression on me and a bunch of other young musicians at the very beginning of our careers, giving us a place to try to play some music. When I moved back to Atlanta in 2004 and showed up at the jam session, he remembered me. He remembered my name, he remembered Sam. That meant a lot to us.
William Green (keyboardist; Café 290 Friday Nights, 2000 to 2021): He had a sincere connection to music, the quality of the music. There was a fire in Café 290 one night, on the outside at the entrance. I think it was coming down from the top floor. But nonetheless, it was enough of a fire That several of the Café 290 staff had to use fire extinguishes to put it out. There was lots of smoke and the fire trucks came. Within 35 to 40 minutes, maybe an hour tops, Johnny says, “Okay, well, you guys get back inside and finish the set.” And listen, none of us had a rebutting word. We politely went right back to the equipment. And played like nothing ever happened.
I’ve been in Atlanta since 1978. I’ve played at any venue you can think of. There will never ever be anybody to substitute for that great man. John Scatena, I wouldn’t be the performing musical artist I am in terms of recognition here in the Atlanta area and the Southeast if it were not for John Scatena, Café 290. Much love to you, John. Live on, man.
Kipper Jones (singer/songwriter; Café 290 Friday Nights, 2011 to 2018): I came here in 2006. I got a call from this guy, William Green, one night. He says, “You know songs?” I think it was Thanksgiving weekend 2011. And I’m like, “Yeah, I know songs.” “Well, you got time to come down to Café 290 tonight?” “Yeah, actually, I do.” So I went down and that started it; we were together there for a little over four years.
Then I did my own band, Kipper Jones R&B Circus, for the next three or four years. It was such a family atmosphere. I mean, Joe’s [Gransden] there on Monday, Reggie’s [Hines] there on Saturdays, Gary [Harris] on Sundays. I’m there on Fridays, William [Green] and I. And John was, well not like the father, he was like the camp counselor guy. He was like the coordinator of all the different personalities and all the acts and everything. It wasn’t so much a parental situation. I mean, we kind of ran wild. But it was really cool that we had this central figure to count on.
My history is a little different. I mean, I’m a songwriter. I’ve been doing this songwriter thing for years. And so I had some connections in the business and stuff. So I had the awesome opportunity to whenever friends are in town, Vanessa Williams or Cedric the entertainer or Sinbad, they’d come out and Johnny would light up like a Christmas tree. I brought Vanessa over. She happened to be in town on a book tour with her mom. And it was a Monday night. She’s a jazz big band, Broadway kind of girl. She’s going to love Joe’s show. So I tried to get her over there. They were wrapping up so we didn’t get a chance to see Joe’s show, but Johnny’s like, “No, stay for dinner. I’m going to keep the kitchen open.” So we stayed for dinner and oh, man, you could have bought that guy for two cents.
Joe Gransden: John was star-struck in a positive way. He loved celebrities. He loved getting his picture taken with them. If he would have lived in L.A. or New York, he would have been a host of a TV show or in that industry in some way. He loved all the celebrities. He loved taking care of them. And he loved introducing them to other people.
l-r: Joe Gransden, Johnny Scatena, Clint Eastwood,and Angie Johnson at Café 290. (courtesy of Joe Gransden)
He was such a celebrity himself, just the way he would dress, those Italian shoes. And he’d always smile. His teeth were always perfectly white. His hair was always perfectly black. I used to tell a joke on stage about how he didn’t want to put the heat on in the winter, because it was so expensive to heat that old place. I would say to the crowd, “It’s so cold in here Johnny’s teeth are chattering. And they’re still in the glass.”
Before I’d go on the stage, he’d say, “Make fun of me. Make fun of me.” He loved it. Jerry Farber used to kill him. It was hilarious.
When you went to Café 290, whatever night of the week, it was more than just a music thing. It was a show. And it helped me become a better performer. Here I am in this small club in Atlanta, but maybe next week I’m playing a big venue, so I could try out songs. I could try out jokes. I could work on my stage presence. The audience loved it when I would try things out. Especially if my new things failed. The crowd loved watching me fall on my face! We used to have an open sound check every time we would play there. We would want the crowd in there during sound check so they could hear our mistakes, then an hour later, hear us try to get it together.
Gary Harris (saxophonist, sound engineer; Café 290 Sundays, 2000 to 2017): I met John on one of the jam sessions before Melvin Miller had it. Always friendly, nice, smiling, taking care of you. Eventually, I had the jam session, and when folks used to come from The Punchline, the first major star who came when I was running the session was Jamie Foxx.
I’m trying to do my best. I’m a new leader and this server comes to me and says, “Hey, Jamie Foxx is here, but he doesn’t want to be recognized.” And I was thinking to myself, “Why would you tell me he’s here if he doesn’t want to be recognized?”
So I’m back at the soundboard and Jamie Foxx sitting back by the soundboard. So I said, “Hey, I heard you don’t want to be recognized.” He goes, “What? No. Invite me up.” So I’m coming back up and I invite him up and he comes up and plays piano. He played and sang, like two, three songs. Of course, John took care of everything, everything at the table, took pictures and everything. And it was like that like a few times a year. And John was so accommodating to all these people coming through.
To be able to go into that place and work your chops, get your stage banter together.
And, have that immediacy with the fans. And they’re basically right they’re on stage with you because it’s so close. I mean, that opportunity, I am so very grateful for that.
And then, to meet Joe [Gransden] and have Joe come to me and say, “Folks are telling me I need a hit song. What is that?” And I’m like, “I know exactly what that is for you, bro. I got it, you know.” And then to be able to write a song for him and have that record come our, I mean, that was a high point for me.”
Joe Gransden: That’s all because of John, and his network of artist,. Because we wouldn’t have crossed paths probably otherwise. He had Kipper write a song, “Go Getta,” and we got Kenny G to play tenor sax on it.
A more casual Johnny Scatena.
He liked to introduce the shows. He’d love to come up on stage, and we’d say, “Here’s Johnny,” and play the Johnny Carson theme. And he would come up and tell a joke or two. Jerry Farber would write him a joke. And he would do these jokes and they would bomb because he didn’t have the comedic timing needed for the joke. But then Johnny’s reaction to his own bombing would be funnier than the joke and everybody would laugh.
A favorite story of mine: We were in New York City, and I played a show at the Blue Note. Johnny wanted to take me to Sparks Steakhouse in Manhattan, which is where Paul Castelano was killed by John Gotti, right on the sidewalk there. Johnny said, “This is the best steakhouse. It’s got this crazy history.”
I’m wearing jeans and a decent shirt and a warm winter jacket, and Johnny’s got an Italian suit on. Those Italian shoes. He looks like a million dollars. And there’s a long line of people—Johnny looks like he’s from the Gambino crime family or something. We’re waiting in line, and the maitre d’ walks past everybody, comes up to John and says, “Hey, how you doing? How you been?” And he’s hugging John, and John’s looking at me like, “Who the heck is this guy?”
The guy’s saying, “Come on. I got your table.” And we go in. I said, “Johnny, who is that guy?” And he says, “I have no idea. Just go along with it.”
They gave us the best table in the house. They kept bringing us wine. Everybody in the place is like, “Who is that guy?” We’re eating steaks—I wish Johnny was here to tell this story, because he tells it so good—and they’re bringing us all this food and wine on the house.
The guy kept coming over and checking in with Johnny. He asked him, “Hey, how’s Vinny doing?” Now Johnny’s got a little bit of an Italian in his voice. “Yeah. He’s doing good. But I haven’t seen him a while. You know, he’s been gone for a minute.”
Gary Harris: If you went to Café 290, whether to perform or just to hang out on a night off, if he wasn’t there that night, it wasn’t the same. If Johnny’s not there, the electricity’s off. Even if the power’s on, the electricity’s off.
And we’d be running wild, doing whatever the hell we wanted to do. But again, I owe that to John. He stayed on us about timeliness and order and those kinds of things. And it was so cool to be able to work that and get your professional chops up. And it was great for me, and I still use all those things to this day. Thank you, John.
It is the sentiment of so many musicians and those of us who got the chance to hear them play. Thank you, John.
For the complete conversation, listen to the Music Life and Times podcast, episode 49, at musiclifeandtimes.podbean.com or wherever you get your podcasts. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Music Life and Times: musiclifeandtimes.podbean.com
- Schwartz Center for Performing Arts: schwartz.emory.edu
Read more by Mike Shaw.
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