New Owner Plans to Reopen Donte’s

After months of uncertainty, plans are under way for the reopening of Donte’s, the North Hollywood room that was a jazz landmark for 22 years until its closing in April.

The property on Lankersheim Boulevard was recently acquired by David Robert Silvert, a real estate developer and talent manager.

“We are having the room restored and redecorated,” he said, “and we are hoping to be able to open New Year’s Eve. There will be no change in the musical concept; we will work with some of the record companies to present major talent showcases.”

In addition, Silvert will launch a Donte’s record label. The group known as L.A. Express will be reorganized under the direction of drummer John Guerin, an original member, to record for the label and play in the room.

Donte’s became the Southland’s most popular jazz rendezvous during the 1970s but had fallen on hard times in recent years. Four days after its closing on April 2, owner Carey Leverette was found dead in his office at the club. The building was sold soon after to a Japanese promoter, Ken Akemoto, who then changed his mind about reopening, and the fate of the room remained in limbo until Silvert’s acquisition.

Another club casualty, Concerts by the Sea, which closed three months ago, will apparently stay shuttered for the present. According to Howard Rumsey, who opened the jazz haven on the Redondo Beach Pier in 1972, there are no plans yet to reopen the property, which suffered from a decline in business aggravated by storms which damaged the pier. Rumsey, who last year withdrew from active participation in the corporation that owns the room, is now retired.