Columnist Jerry Fink: Owners strike right chord at Casa di Amore

Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 | 8:29 a.m.

Casa di Amore has become one of the most popular restaurant/nightspots in Vegas.

The food is great, the atmosphere friendly, the music first rate.

In the evenings there is soft jazz for the dinner crowd; late at night and into the early morning hours the music gets a little edgier as fans fill the room, especially on Fridays and Saturdays.

"It's all because of Paul," said trumpeter Rick Jones, who (along with keyboardist Dennis Mellen) performs from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

Paul is Paul Schiada. He and Robert Capozzoli own Casa di Amore, 2850 E. Tropicana Ave. Capozzoli once was co-owner of Capozzoli's at 3333 S. Maryland Parkway, which is now owned by his brother, Mike.

"Paul micromanages everything," Jones said. "And I love it. This way we have a uniform approach to everything. There is a united front, if you will."

I tried to interview Schiada, but he was on a limousine run. He drives the company limo to pick up guests who need transportation.

As I talked to Jones and Mellen, Schiada returned, but only long enough to run through the front door and out the back.

"There's a sign out," he explained.

When the sign was fixed, Schiada made another limo run.

"He even picks up cigarette butts in the parking lot," Mellen said.

Jones said Schiada's penchant for micromanagement resulted in a long search for the right music mix.

"Paul came in with a concept," Jones said. "It took him a long time to find the people who fit the concept.

"He really knows what he wants -- he wants it to be old Las Vegas; he changed all the pictures on the wall to reflect that. The atmosphere of old Las Vegas is what he has wanted all along."

Jones couldn't be happier.

"I love it," he said. "I don't think I've ever been as happy on a gig in my life -- I can play Ray Anthony, or Miles Davis. I can be anyone I want."

He and Mellen mesh well. Their yearslong friendship began in Phoenix 18 years ago. Both were into the jazz scene when it was hot, performing in a 15-piece band at J. Chew's jazz club.

Mellen came to Vegas 13 years ago, and he and Jones lost track of each other.

Jones moved to Vegas eight years ago.

"I targeted Las Vegas because of the music," Jones said. "My last gig in Phoenix was with the Guy Lombardo band."

He dropped out of music for about six years.

"I could have played Dixieland," Jones said. "I don't mind Dixieland, but I just don't want to do it."

And so he put aside his muted trumpet for a few years to be a stay-at-home Mr. Mom. While his wife worked he took care of their son during the day, operating a technical support service (a computer business) for musicians out of his home.

When his son started kindergarten, Jones picked up his trumpet again and began looking for work about 18 months ago.

"I looked in the paper and saw Dennis Mellen's name and got reacquainted with him," Jones said.

They began their gig at Casa di Amore almost a year ago.

"It fits like a glove," Jones said.

They describe their music as "conversational."

It doesn't dominate the room. People can talk, enjoy their meal or listen to the band.

"The music isn't in your face," Mellen said.

They do a duet from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. and then bring in a rotating list of vocalists from 8:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.

"Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald types," Jones said. "We have some very elegant singers."

The late-night music is more cutting edge.

"It's garage jazz," Jones said. "It's a new thing going on around the country -- jazz with R&B; Santana stuff; all the stuff guys would play in garage session."

On Fridays, Gary Anthony, who performs as Frank Sinatra in the Greek Isles' "A Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey and Dean" production, sings a few Sinatra songs.

"Paul didn't want Gary to do his show, he wanted him to do a tortured Frank," Jones said. "Not just Frank, but a tortured Frank -- now that's micromanagement."

Lounging around

Blues Storm will perform from 1:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday at The Emergency Room Lounge, 3550 S. Decatur Blvd.

The Punk Rock Bowling Afterparty featuring Bad Samaritans and Dr. Know will be at the Double Down Saloon starting at 10 p.m. Saturday.

Pianist David Osborne and bassist Bob Sachs can be heard at Caesars Palace's Cafe Lago Restaurant at 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and at 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Vocalist/pianist Bobby D is at the JW Marriott's Round Bar from 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays and from 7 p.m. to 11 a.m. Sundays and Tuesdays through Thursdays. The show is dark Mondays.