Assuredly, most individuals at some point have used the game “Rock, Paper, Scissors” to negotiate a decision, settle an argument, or make some kind of choice. A lesser known nickname for it is Ro Cham Beau. This is also the name of one of Detroit’s best new jazz listening rooms. And, no doubt, there is certainly a bit of negotiating when it comes to melding the worlds of show and business.
But for family entrepreneurs Christopher Hajek, his wife Lisa Rosenberg, and their son Ari Rosenberg Hajek, blending business and the arts has been a major part of their collective life since day one. And, in doing so, this musical triumvirate formed a pact to open a performance space that would, not only benefit them personally, but the artistic community at large.
“Mom was, and is, a freelance musician. So I would go with her after gigs and things and see other freelancers going from gig to gig,” says Ari. “I started playing percussion professionally at 11 with mom. And we’ve always been involved in that hustle culture of musicians around here going from venue to venue and orchestra to orchestra. The situations were never consistent, with repertoire and, even, the people. But we’ve seen a lot of what works and what doesn’t. I think what led to opening this place is we saw a lot of what wasn’t working and we were getting sick of it, especially with the pandemic and everything.”
However at this juncture, it is important to pause and back up because, their story actually began in 2015 when father Christopher Hajek, a real estate lawyer, purchased the initial building that currently houses the jazz club. The senior Hajek was looking for space for his law office, and the location at 3321 Michigan Avenue in Detroit seemed like a good investment.
Around this same time Ari was completing his post graduate orchestral music and percussion studies. And, upon returning home to Detroit, was contemplating his next move. “I was wondering if I wanted to keep doing auditions for orchestral stuff,” says Ari. “So, eventually, we thought it would be nice to have a venue of our own. We ended up buying the building next door and began making plans to combine the two together and then overhauling and renovating them.”
And so, in the spirit of a family that builds together stays together, they all, diligently, did their homework studying various aspects of carpentry, plumbing, construction, renovation and rehabilitation of an historic structure. “In the 1890s this stretch along Michigan Avenue was an upcoming commercial district,” says Christopher. “There were grocery stores, cigar stores, saloons and hardware stores. I would say in the 40’s and 50’s things started to decline. These particular buildings that we purchased have been many things and, with roof leaks and pools of water on the third floor, we had to do a lot of renovation from the basement on up.”
Christopher was the legal eagle that initially provided the spark for what this project would become. But he, as well, harbored that musical passion that resounded with the rest of the family. He studied trombone and voice at Interlochen in northern Michigan. And he also played trombone in the midshipman drum and bugle corps. In fact, he met his wife Lisa among these musical circles.
And that brings us to Lisa Rosenberg. The Yamaha-sponsored artist has been a steadily working woodwind player and pianist for several Detroit area ensembles, theaters and pit bands for several decades. She knows all too well the audition grind of which Ari speaks.
“The audition circuit is grueling and very, very destructive to your self esteem,” says Rosenberg. “You work for months and months on an audition, you’re on stage, you’re behind a screen and after ten minutes you hear from the darkness, ‘thank you’. And then you go pack up your stuff and fly back to where you came from. It’s tough. I really didn’t want that for my son. He’s done well and moved along in his career but, even still, it is cutthroat out there. So, it just seemed to me that, if we had the space, why not turn it into something where, not only we can perform in, but we can treat musicians in the way that we would like to be treated when we go on a gig.”
Everything about the Ro Cham Beau experience is geared toward comfort and accommodation for the performing musicians as well as the patrons. From dinner being provided for the musicians in the green room before the show, to a full service bar, relaxed seating, grand acoustics, beautiful sight lines and, even, sparkling clean bathrooms, no stone has been left unturned.
“This is very much a listening room,” says Rosenberg. “I feel like the audience can have a great experience. We only have 70 seats so everyone can see what’s happening on stage. There are no television screens. It’s kind of retro in that way. And it makes it great for the musicians. Imagine you are on stage and everyone is watching you and listening. You are the true star of the show, as it should be.”
Parking is conveniently situated along Michigan Avenue, parallel with city bicycle lanes, directly in front of the club and in the rear of the building as well. As you walk in you are greeted by a friendly ticket taker and one can then proceed to the spacious mid-century-themed living room area that is adjacent to the beverage and snacks bar. You can remain out in the living room and listen to a live band while lounging on their comfortable chairs and couch, or enter the performance stage area, where groupings of chairs, mini-tables and mood lighting set the scene for a great night of music. The natural wood trim, cement floors and exposed brick of the room offer a retro cool environment and high fidelity sound.
Construction and renovation took place in earnest throughout the early years of the pandemic. And the first shows opened in October 2025. Their very first show featured a group Ari plays vibes and marimba for called the Velvet Fluegeltones. They are a horn-based ensemble that specializes in jazzy pop and the instrumental music of the ‘60s. From there they’ve experimented with various styles of jazz, but have found that smaller configurations and more compact units work best.
“Bands with no more than seven or eight people seem to be our sweet spot,” says Ari. “We don’t want anything that’s too loud. We’re very critical of the acoustics and the sound in the room. We always want it to be enjoyable for people. If you want to sit in the front row because you want to see everything up close, you can without needing earplugs.”
Patterned after famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s design philosophy of a structure offering a welcoming and expansive vestibular experience for its guests and patrons, the hosts of Ro Cham Beau reach back to a time where one can escape all the hustle and bustle of the modern world and get lost in an experience of absorbing real and authentic music.
“Everything these days is electronic, fast and impersonal,” says Rosenberg. “And in this day of A.I. it’s got people wondering what’s real and what isn’t. But you can come to a concert here and see real musicians, using real microphones, and watch them interact on stage.”
Word of mouth is starting to spread among musicians and audiences alike. Folks are gravitating to this coveted spot because of that natural confluence that happens when artists and patrons are treated with care and respect.
“Paul Vornhagen, who plays sax for the band Tombao Bravo told us it’s so easy to sound good in our room,” says Ari. “And he doesn’t get that everywhere he plays. But it’s a combination of the acoustics, the wedges, and how we do the monitoring. I run the sound and lighting and always make sure that whoever in the band is doing a solo gets a spotlight on them. It’s little things like that that make a difference. People tend to clap more and the musicians really love it. Also, we’ve recently added a Yamaha digital grand piano that mom had shipped from California. It has great action and feels like a real piano.”
Currently Ro Cham Beau is open for shows on Fridays and Saturdays. But this fall they are looking into offering Sunday afternoon programs that may be more classical in nature. Educational programs, student groups and fundraisers for local charities are also being considered for their calendar.
“We’re very, very careful who we curate here,” says Rosenberg. “Whatever style we feature is gonna be good. We try to book people that can really put on a show. It’s not just background or dinner music. This is a concert. And some groups don’t get that until they walk through our door. And then they’re cool with it and the word spreads. So, it’s getting easier to find groups that fit that bill. But, you know, there was a lot of trial and error, and a lot of figuring out what our criteria for booking would be.”
For a full roster of upcoming events, ticket prices and booking information please go to www.rochambeau.club .
