TOLEDO -- A cozy little jazz club in Toledo that has been a training ground for young performers has closed, leaving a void for musicians around the Midwest.
For nearly 40 years, Rusty's Jazz Cafe featured live jazz seven nights a week, 52 weeks a year. The club closed because owner Margaret "Rusty" Monroe decided it was time to slow down. She will turn 85 next month.
The new owner is turning the place into a sports bar. Rusty's earned a reputation as a favorite tour stop for nationally known artists as well as young musicians. Legendary trumpeter and big band leader Maynard Ferguson was one of Rusty's biggest fans. Other prominent players who performed at Rusty's include Gerry Mulligan, Red Rodney, Ira Sullivan, Phil Woods, and the Adderly brothers.
