By William Smith
David Hazell is one of those few people in the world who can make a living through superb musical taste.
Hazell owns and operates The Washington, acting as a kind of blues guru for Burlington. The live music selection at The Washington is often eclectic, but the focus has always been on top-tier blues acts from across the country.
Hazell knows good music. And he doesn’t have any trouble finding it.
“I don’t consider myself a musician,” said Hazell, who plays a bit of trumpet in his free time.
But he is a networker, and over the decades, Hazell has earned respect in a thriving blues scene that crisscrosses the country. He’s amazed that so many talented musicians make it a priority to play in Burlington.
He still finds the experience a bit surreal.
“I’ve become friends with so many great musicians,” he said.
Born in Iowa City during the summer of 1971, Hazell spent part of his childhood in Solon before moving to an old country farmhouse in North English.
“It was old school. No running water. I think we probably heated the home with wood. I remember going out to the outhouse to use it,” he said.
Hazell and his family eventually moved to Washington, Iowa, which provided a pretty and picturesque childhood.
“I was outside all the time. Playing with bicycles, go-karts, and running around the country fields. And I was always working, hanging out at the YMCA, doing paper routes. It was a great childhood,” he said.
When he was home, the house was filled with music. Not the pop music of the 70s, though. Hazell grew up listening to the backbone of American blues.
“I was old enough when I was five or six to just go select a song and put it on the record player,” he said.
Hazell grew up listening to the likes of Bo Diddley, Little Walter, and John Coltrane. By the time he was 10 years old, his Walkman was filled with the stuff. When he was old enough to drive, Hazell attended every concert he could. Fairfield, which was nearby, proved to be a surprisingly strong concert town.
“I was immersed in Chicago blues from an early age,” Hazell said. “I just kept exploring. I remember discovering King Curtis a little bit later as a teenager and was blown away by his saxophone groove.”
The musical influence came from his father, Pat, who was a regular touring musician. Hazell didn’t just watch the musicians, though. He took note of the club atmosphere and how the proprietor was able to create a hazy realm of music appreciation that permeated the atmosphere through alcohol.
When Hazell moved to Burlington as an adult, he had an idea for a club in his head — an idea that quickly became The Blue Shop. The beloved Burlington club was a predecessor to The Washington, featuring many of the same high-class blues acts.
Hazell obtained a history degree while attending college in Omaha, Neb. He taught high school history for a short time but viewed the position as a backup to his absolute dream.
Hazell was more interested in architecture than teaching, which is part of the reason he moved to Burlington. He already had family in town and was fascinated by the classic architecture.
Hazell even featured Burlington in a college project for his history of American architecture class. He was so impressed with the town’s flow that he wanted to become part of it.
That’s how Hazell ended up renovating a classic home and living in it. By February 1994, Hazell had become a full-time resident of Burlington. He started The Blue Shop shortly after.
Hazell started The Washington in 2008, the same year he shut down The Blue Shop.
He also owns several other buildings around Burlington, and The Washington — which has much more room than The Blue Shop — was a natural extension of his dream.
It’s more than a dream now. It’s Hazell’s baby — a baby that never grows up and requires constant attention. A continuing beacon of blues and live music entertainment for years to come — if Hazell has anything to say about it.
“I don’t have any grand plans. We’re just going to keep providing music to Burlington,” he said.