Page 30 - KC Cunningham Issue

Marsha Berkson,

Bringing Great Music and a Wonderful charity to San Diego

By Robin Dohrn -Simpson
Photos courtesy of Marsha Berkson

Marsha Berkson is every- you can hear music for everybody. Some of the singer/song-
woman’s woman. Like writers are younger and bring a younger crowd. Some classic
all other modern women, rock groups bring a more mature crowd. Whatever it is, you’ll
she struggles with jug- find somebody on their calendar.
gling home, kids, activities, The food parallels the sound. Anthology’s chef, Eric Bauer,
community service and a has created a tasty menu with foods with a simplicity of
full time job. Unlike most flavors. His goal is to create a menu with the freshest ingre-
women Marsha and her dients that San Diego has to offer. Most Saturdays you can
husband own the hot
new concert venue and
restaurant in Little Italy,
Anthology.
Marsha was busy rais-
ing her two sons, while
her husband pursued
a career as an attorney
and real estate devel-
oper. But her husband,
Howard, always had a dream of opening a music venue
where the sound was perfect, and where musicians loved
to play.
“My husband did his due diligence. He would go to clubs
everywhere when we were on vacations, for hours, and
30 he’d learn a ton of what to do and how to put them togeth-
er,” Marsha explains. He sought out the best sound people
in the country to figure out what to do.
Finally one day he said “I’m going to build my music venue
that I always wanted.” He converted a 1 story garage into
a 3-story state-of-the-art music venue, with nooks and
crannies throughout. But most importantly, with perfect
sound. He didn’t want to get into the restaurant or night
club business, all he wanted was to have a place with
great sound, and bring great music to San Diego. His
desire was a place that people would enjoy being a part of;
artists would enjoy playing and guests would enjoy listen-
ing to the artists.
The original philosophy of great music morphed into bring-
ing back “that old supper club feel” but with a contempo-
rary spin on it. Today you can enjoy fine dining with a value
added spin on it when you go to listen to an artist.
“It was built in the most efficient and effective way. The
room is built for sound. It is acoustically perfect.” Marsha
said. “All of the materials are here for a reason. How they
absorb sound. How sound travels.” She explained that the
ceiling was even made with waves in it to make the sound find him at the Farmers Mercado in Little Italy searching out
travel evenly. “You can sit in any spot in the room and have seasonal produce.
the same perfect sound at the same time as the person 2 The Berkson’s love the neighborhood feel of Little Italy. It
stories up hears it.” reminds them of their native Chicago. They have taken that
Artists love performing here due to the perfect sound. “There feeling into their creation. Tuesday is Fresh Vibe night where
isn’t an artist from Ramsey Lewis to Pat Metheney to Chick guests can walk around the area and pop in after work, enjoy
Corea that doesn’t walk off the stage and say ‘Wow, this a drink and Chef Eric’s appetizers and meals and listen to the
sound is amazing’. So when you hear that from their perspec- house band.
tive you know you got it right. And they want to come back Anthology is located at 1337 India Street. Check out their
and perform.” Marsha said. calendar at www.anthologysd.com to find when your favorite
Jazz isn’t the only genre of music that you’ll hear here. Today artist is playing.
March/April 2010