The closure of the Firefly Club this week leaves Ann Arbor without a full-time jazz spot for the first time in nearly 25 years. And while those in the local jazz community expressed hope Friday that it will reopen soon, they also spent time reflecting on what the club has meant to them and to the community.

The Firefly Club started out following in the footsteps of the Bird of Paradise, a jazz club that occupied a cozy space on South Ashley Street starting in 1985. When the Bird moved to a larger, basement location on Main Street in 2000, the Firefly stepped in to fill the gap on Ashley.

But when the Bird's Main Street experience didn't work out, that left the Firefly as the only full-time jazz joint in town. And — whether on Ashley or its latest South Main location — the Firefly has done its job proudly.

The club is known for bringing in a mix of touring headliners — including well-known names like Hank Jones, Mose Allison and Janis Siegel — as well as top local talent. It has offered valuable opportunities for student musicians and provided the local jazz community with a home.

With its candlelit interior, welcoming staff and impeccable music, the Firefly Club has, for many, been one of the attractions that make Ann Arbor what it is.

Some local jazz leaders reflect on the importance of the club:

Michael G. Nastos of the All Music Guide, former longtime on-air host and chief librarian at WEMU-FM, Detroit correspondent for Cadence Magazine and vice president of the South East Michigan Jazz Association:

"It would be a crushing blow for the nightclub scene to see the Firefly Club — like the Bird Of Paradise — just slip away. It is difficult enough to sustain jazz, much less live jazz performance from local, regional, national and international artists as these venues presented. To only be relegated to so-called big names in large venues every once in a while, instead of regularly in a more intimate setting, severely diminishes the cultural landscape of Ann Arbor. I certainly hope some well capitalized investor can step up and help Susan, a person who has only the most sincere interests of the music at heart.

"I've heard so many great performances at the Firefly, most notably in recent times at the new venue — Nik Bärtsch's Ronin, Tim Ries, Goran Ivanovic, Norma Winstone, Larry Vuckovich, Lionel Loueke and shows via the Edgefest — all artists that most other places would never consider. It is that bold stance, tacked onto a dedication in presenting our great local artists, that has made the Firefly Club singularly unique."

Jessica Webster, WEMU-FM program host, JazzTimes contributor, and former national jazz buyer for Borders:

"I have so many great memories of the Firefly Club. Friday night happy hours were always fun — swing music and dancing. My son was 4 years old when he asked his first little girl to dance there. Monday nights with the big band were always a blast. I loved to brag that a town this size had a regular working big band. And wow...the national acts Susan brought through. People loved to play the Firefly because Susan always took good care of them. We got David "Fathead" Newman every year. Sheila Jordan was a regular on the calendar. And I'll never forget the night Benny Golson played and Jon Hendricks showed up to sing with him. I'm not sure anyone realized how lucky we were to have Susan and the Firefly Club here in town. I'm hoping we can all pull together and help out."

Ellen Rowe, chair of the Department of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation at the University of Michigan, and jazz pianist-composer-arranger:

"The loss of the Firefly Club is a tragedy for the community and a disaster for jazz musicians, both here in Ann Arbor and around the country. The music is at its most vital when it is played in front of audiences; a recording just can't capture the same level of excitement. The Firefly Club was unique in that it not only provided professional players with a place to have their music heard but also gave young jazz musicians in school groups their very first opportunity to play in a real jazz club. I personally have had countless memorable performance experiences at the Firefly, from playing in the Paul Keller Orchestra and Sextet, to leading my own quartets and trios, to accompanying Jazz Masters like Frank Morgan, Steve Turre, Tim Ries, Barbara Morrison and many others. I even had the chance to dress up like Princess Leia and play Halloween music — where else am I ever going to get to do that?

As chair of the Department of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation at the U of M, a jazz pianist and a close friend of Susan Chastain, I am having a very difficult time dealing with this horrible news. I hope others will join me in pulling out any possible stops to see if there is some way to avert this. The state needs to do better by its businesses — this did not have to happen."

Linda Yohn, music director and program host at WEMU-FM, and 2009 JazzWeek Major Market Programmer of the Year award winner:

"All my memories of The Firefly Club are happy ones. I never felt uncomfortable, out of place or unappreciated by Susan, the musicians or the staff. Recently I celebrated my birthday there grooving to Bobby Streng And The Saxomble. I’m glad Susan gave musicians like Bobby an outlet for their unique expression. It made a special day even more meaningful because Bobby’s music is fresh and portends and exciting future for jazz.

"Another very special and personal moment at The Firefly Club was the night Paul Keller and Susan Chastain premiered their arrangement of “Linda” in 2007. I was due to have cancer surgery later that week so this was my final day to 'hang.' They sang Paul’s original lyrics and the band gave it their all. I was speechless. I will never, ever forget that day and how loved I felt.

"Sheila Jordan, Johnnie Bassett, David “Fathead” Newman, Anat Cohen, The University of Michigan Jazz Festival afterglow parties, Larry Nozero, Barbara Morrison, Ben Jansson’s live recording session, Rick Burgess peeking in the door of the Ashley street location, Patricia Barber, Marla Weed’s 50th birthday party, Arturo Sandoval sitting in on piano, Chris Smith’s J.J Johnson tribute, Steve Turre, Pontiac Pete & The Bonnevilles, the Mr. B-George Bedard-Steve Nardella reunion shows and Doug Deming and The Jewel Tones are just a few of the memorable shows I recall.

"Laughter, little twinkling lights, an excellent sauvignon blanc, music with melody, passion and purpose along with hospitality featuring a sense of humor are aspects of the Firefly Club I will always treasure."

Paul Keller, musician and leader of the Paul Keller Ensemble and Paul Keller Orchestra, which has essentially been the Firefly Club's "house band":

"The Firefly Club has been a community treasure in Ann Arbor for almost nine years [ed. note: The Firefly Club celebrated its ninth anniversary in May]. It is one of Michigan's most important venues for artistic expression, cultural diversity, musical entertainment and community camaraderie. In fact, as I travel around the USA, people everywhere comment about how unusual and wonderful it is that Ann Arbor and Michigan support such an important cultural and entertainment gem.

"Through her incredible and heroic efforts, the Firefly Club's indefatigable owner, Susan Chastain, has made a lifetime commitment to the arts and to the community. Susan has maintained a standard of excellence in presenting music of all kinds yet remained inclusive and in touch with her community. She has demonstrated a deep love and commitment to music education by hosting over 1,000 middle school, high school and college musicians in 2009 alone. Over the years, the lives of over 20,000 student musicians have been touched by Susan's generosity, nurturing and care. She is a pillar of our community and she has done a lot to make Ann Arbor a better place to live. In the Firefly Club, Susan Chastain has provided something really positive and special in the world and we, the musicians and lovers of music, are deeply grateful to her!

"The Firefly Club has been an irreplaceable creative outlet for so many musicians and other performers. The Firefly Club means so much to so many people! Dozens of musicians have put their hearts and souls, creativity and energy, sweat and love into helping the Firefly Club remain vital and viable. It has always been a labor of love for those who perform there and a source of pleasure, comfort, safety, and fun to those who come to enjoy the entertainment. The FFC has become an important tourist destination in Michigan and the jazz world. It is world famous. Every important jazz performer across the nation knows about or has played at the FFC. It is one of the most important music venues in our state and the USA.

"The Firefly Club employs about 55 musicians every week. Additionally, every year the FFC employs another 40-60 out of town and out-of-state musicians traveling through our area. If the FFC closes, over 100 artists/musicians jobs will be lost, not to mention the devastation to the arts community that will be left behind and huge cultural void that will never fully be filled again. If the FFC closes this will be a tragedy of epic proportions for Michigan's arts community that the state has never seen before and may never fully recover from."

Bob Needham is director of entertainment content for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at bobneedham@annarbor.com.