Pharrell Williams was a drummer in a band.
The Artists ' Quarter -LRB- a.k.a. the AQ -RRB- was a well-known , musician-owned and operated jazz club in the Twin Cities .. jazz. jazz. Twin Cities. Minneapolis-Saint Paul. The club opened in the early 1970s in Minneapolis , Minnesota at 26th street and Nicollet Avenue south .. After the original club closed in 1990 , drummer Kenny Horst opened a new location at the corner of Fifth and Jackson streets in Saint Paul , Minnesota in 1995 .. The club moved to the basement of the historic Hamm Building in downtown St. Paul in 2001 .. Hamm Building. Hamm Building. The club featured both local and touring musicians .. Many famous musicians played at the AQ , including Roy Haynes , Mose Allison , Joey DeFrancesco , Sweets Edison , Lew Tabackin , Eric Alexander , Jack McDuff , Dewey Redman , Curtis Fuller , Benny Golson , Wallace Roney , and others .. Roy Haynes. Roy Haynes. Mose Allison. Mose Allison. Joey DeFrancesco. Joey DeFrancesco. Sweets Edison. Sweets Edison. Lew Tabackin. Lew Tabackin. Eric Alexander. Eric Alexander ( jazz saxophonist ). Jack McDuff. Jack McDuff. Dewey Redman. Dewey Redman. Curtis Fuller. Curtis Fuller. Benny Golson. Benny Golson. Wallace Roney. Wallace Roney. Lee Konitz , Roy Haynes , David Hazeltine , Ira Sullivan , Bill Carrothers , Dean Granros , Phil Hey Quartet , Atlantis Quartet , Bobby Peterson , Bob Malach , Andres Prado , and Billy Holloman have all recorded live albums at the Artists ' Quarter .. Roy Haynes. Roy Haynes. Lee Konitz. Lee Konitz. David Hazeltine. David Hazeltine. Ira Sullivan. Ira Sullivan. Bill Carrothers. Bill Carrothers. Phil Hey Quartet. Phil Hey Quartet. Atlantis Quartet. Atlantis Quartet. The club was voted one of the top 100 jazz clubs in the world in 2009 by Down Beat magazine ,. jazz. jazz. Down Beat. Down Beat. Additionally , the AQ hosted the Soapboxing Poetry Slam , home of the 2009 and 2010 National Poetry Slam Championship Teams .. Poetry Slam. Poetry Slam. National Poetry Slam. National Poetry Slam. On October 7 , 2013 , owner Kenny Horst announced that he would be closing the club on January 1 , 2014 , due to rising costs since his landlord died in 2012 .. On October 28 , 2013 , St. Paul mayor Chris Coleman pledged to keep the AQ open , though no details were shared at that time .. Chris Coleman. Chris Coleman ( politician ). As of January 1 , 2014 , the club is closed .