Swan Song for the Bistro
Bonnie Brett and pianist David Braid at the Montreal Bistro in 2005.
I was startled, if not exactly shocked, to learn of the shutdown of the Montreal Bistro, one of the city's few remaining and best-appointed jazz clubs, today on the front page of The Toronto Star. The news was announced with a handwritten note taped to the door.
Luckily, the Rex, the Red Guitar, Trane Studio, the Tranzac, Music Gallery and a few other venues continue to bring live jazz/improv and related musics to the city, but none of those are in the supper-club bracket, on the New York model, that Bistro owners Lothar and Brigitte Lang provided, just as Sybil Walker did at the Senator in the past. (This other Star story suggests one way that lack might be filled.) I practically never went to the Bistro - its jazz generally wasn't my scene - but it was an important plank to the supporting structure, economic and social, of this music in this town. Besides cultivating an audience, it offered work to local musicians supporting touring acts, etc. See my piece from last summer, when the Senator closed, on some of the issues involved for jazz in this city.
| Posted by zoilus on Thursday, July 06 at 2:22 PM | Linking Posts | Comments (3)
COMMENTS
Thank you for suggesting alternative venues as a beloved takes an abrupt curtain call.
Posted by Kathryn on July 11, 2006 11:17 AM
yeah The Concord actually has great food and good service.
It is important to support these small places any way we can.
Buy cds and go out. Avoid giving money to the big chains.
Posted by Carly on July 8, 2006 12:21 PM
I went to the Bistro for my birthday a few years ago. It was a really nice place, and the music was great. But then, I never went back. Shame on me.
Is the Resevoir Lounge still doing jazz? Also, the Concord Cafe has been doing a number of extrememly small jazz shows lately. They've got great coffee too.
Posted by Ryan M on July 6, 2006 8:21 PM