Jazzhus Montmartre

Jazzhus Montmartre is a leading jazz club in Copenhagen, Denmark that is described as "legendary".^[1][2] Many jazz musicians, including Dexter Gordon,^[3] Stan Getz,^[4] and Chet Baker,^[5] have performed there. It is sometimes also called Cafe Montmartre^[6] The Montmartre was located first in the Dahlerupsgade, then from 1961 on in Store Regnegade and finally since 1976 in Nørregade 41 before it closed here in 1995. Since May 1st 2010 is has been re-opened in Store Regnegade 19A by media executive and entrepreneur Rune Bech together with jazz pianist Niels Lan Doky and saxophonist Benjamin Koppel.^[7] It is considered to be one of Europe's major jazz clubs for live world class jazz.

History

It was opened in 1959 by Anders Dyrup with a two week stint by George Lewis. In the beginning the program was dominated by Dixieland-Jazz (then very popular in Denmark). Shortly afterwards Stan Getz, who lived from 1958 to 1961 with his Swedish wife in Copenhagen, played regularly in the Club. He was followed by other exiled US-American Jazz-musicians like Dexter Gordon (who lived from 1962 to 1976 in Copenhagen) and Ben Webster (from 1964 on in Copenhagen and Amsterdam). New Year's Eve 1961 the Club Jazzhus Montmartre reopened under the lead of Herluf Kamp-Larssen in the Store Regnegade. The Montmartre developed into one of the main locations for Jazz in Europe, for long years with Kenny Drew (p), Alex Riel (dr) and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen as regular rhythm group, who accompanied guest musicians. From 1976 on it was in the Nøerregade 41 with Kay Sørensen (1938–1988) as owner, known in Denmark as JazzKay. Already during Søerensens time the Club had to offer Pop and Rock for commercial reasons and after his death less and less Jazz was played. The Club was closed in 1995. For two years the new owner Pop Musician Anne Linnet continued a mainly Techno-Music-Club under the old name, and 1995 a Disco replaced the Club. The new main center for Jazz in Copenhagen was from 1991 on the Copenhagen Jazz House (Niels Hemmingsens Gade 10) but now Montmartre is back in its original place in Store Regnegade 19A.

From 1959-1976, the club made jazz history as the European home for jazz giants Dexter Gordon, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Kenny Drew and many other masters of the 60's and 70'. They all moved to Copenhagen because of Montmartre. The club got under their skin with its special atmosphere and extraordinary people. While living in Copenhagen, the great American jazz icons educated a whole generation of Danish jazz masters, including the famous Danish bass players Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Mads Vinding, Jesper Lundgaard and Bo Stief, drummer Alex Riel, trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg, and many others. Among the other giants playing on and off at Montmartre were i.e. Roland Kirk, Oscar Pettiford, Joe Harris, Buddy Tate, Coleman Hawkins, Don Byas, Bud Powell, Julian 'Cannonball' Adderley, Cecil Taylor, Brew Moore, Harold Goldberg, Lucky Thompson, Archie Shepp, Johnny Griffin, Art Taylor, Booker Erwin, Albert Ayler, Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim), Don Cherry, Rune Gustafsson, Albert 'Tootie' Heath, Eli Thompson, Sonny Rollins, Yusef Lateef, George Russel, Teddy Wilson, Paul Bley, Bill Evans, Eddie Gomez, Richard Boone, Herbie Hancock, Eddie Henderson, Billy Hart, Keith Jarrett, Miroslav Vitous, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Lee Konitz, Louis Jordan, Charles Mingus, Ken McIntyre, Nat Adderley, Donald Byrd, Tony Williams, Lou Bennett, Phil Woods, Charles McPherson and Dizzy Gillespie.

Re-opening

In May 2010 Jazzhus Montmartre re-opened in its original premesis in Store Regnegade (Great Rain Street) with a high-end international music profile. The re-opening of Jazzhus Montmartre made news around the globe, and the new Jazzhus Montmartre quickly made it back on the map as a top attraction of Copenhagen. The New York Times included Jazzhus Montmartre on its much-hyped list of must-see-places in the city under the headline "Rebirth Of Cool". New York Times: "Rebirth of Cool" - on the re-opening af Jazzhus Montmartre

The re-opening of Montmartre in May 2010 was initiated by serial entrepreneur, journalist and former media executive Rune Bech together with jazz pianist Niels Lan Doky (who after eight months was replaced as music director by saxophonist Benjamin Koppel as of February 2011). The original historic venue were run by former proprietor Herluf Kamp-Larsen in the 60's and 70's, who was present at the re-opening night. When the premises became vacant after many years as a hairdressing school the founders jumped at the opportunity and reopened Montmartre at its original location. Restoring the club became a passion project for a dedicated group of volunteers out of love for jazz and the history of Montmartre, which has often been called "The Village Vanguard of Europe" in homage to its legendary sister club in New York.

Montmartre's co-founder and part-time director, Rune Bech, was originally a foreign correspondent for Politiken from 1989. In 1998 he co-founded the successful health portal NetDoctor.com, and in 2001 became the internet director for the leading Danish broadcaster TV 2 and a member of the executive management team. Rune Bech donated the funding capital for Jazzhus Montmartre that is his con-amore hobby project. In his spare time the serial entrepreneur is helping out at the front desk of Montmartre together with the many dedicated volunteers. Rune Bech had a vision to establish Montmartre as a non-profit organization from which it should not be possible for any private person to take out profit. As a consequence Jazzhus Montmartre is set up as a charity foundation with DR chairman Michael Christiansen as Montmartre's chairman, and Rune Bech and lawyer Christian Schwarz-Hansen as fellow board members.

Before re-opening Jazzhus Montmartre the founders wrote eight missions for the club, The Montmartre Manifesto. In short, Montmartre should be an international landmark of great jazz and a place that discovers and presents new talent with world class potential. It is the ambition "to create a paradise for life lovers with a cozy and sincere ambience". And, most importantly, "Montmartre should be known for its warm, welcoming and homey atmosphere attracting good people that follow their heart in life". The Montmartre Manifesto

The Danish saxophonist Benjamin Koppel is the Music Director of Montmartre. He is backed up by an Artistic Council whose members are drummer Alex Riel, bass players Mads Vinding and Bo Stief, trumpet player Gerard Presencer and jazz publisher Christian Brorsen. The club is run by a few of part time staffs together with a great team of dedicated volunteers. With a limited audience capacity of only 85 seats, Montmartre is dependent on donations and membership fees from its club, Friends of Montmartre. Some of Denmark's large foundations have supported the re-opening. With its high level of artistic ambition, Montmartre is dependent on support and donations.

The old Jazzhus Montmartre was known for the plaster masks that became an icon for the club in the 1960's. They were created in 1959 by the artist Mogens Gylling and attracted attention around the world as a remarkable work of art. When Montmartre closed in 1976 the masks disappeared, but the Montmartre team convinced Gylling, who still lives outside Copenhagen, to make a reincarnation of his famous wall art with a twist. The ten new masks were put back on the wall by the artist himself during Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2010, an event heavily covered by the media. Official website http://jazzhusmontmartre.dk Official website

Discography

Live albums documenting concerts in Jazzhus Montmartre include:

• Dexter Gordon & Atli Bjorn Trio: Cry Me a River (SteepleChase, November 1962)
• Roland Kirk: Kirk in Copenhagen (Mercury Records, October 1963)
• Stuff Smith: Live at the Montmartre (Storyville Records, 1965)^[8]
• Thad Jones: Live at Montmartre (Storyville Records, 1978)
• Cecil Taylor: Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come (Arista Freedom, 1976)

Literature, Film

• Article in Barry Kernfeld (editor) The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, MacMillan 1991
• Frank Büchmann-Møller, Henrik Wolsgaard-Iversen: "Montmartre. Jazzhuset i St. Regnegade 19, Kbhvn K 1959-1976", Syddansk Universitetsforlag (University Press of Southern Denmark), 2008 & 2010, 300 pages, ISBN: 978-87-7674-297-3 (Danish, with list of concerts)
• Erik Wiedemann "Montmartre 1959–76: Historien om et jazzhus i København", 1997 (Danish)
• Jens Jørn Gjedsted, Thorborg, Niels Christensen "Montmartre gennem 10 år (1976–1986), 1986 (Danish book on occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Club in the new place)
• Between a Smile and a Tear, 2004, Film by Niels Lan Doky

References

1. ^ "Accomplished composer continues to produce" (subscription required). The Philadelphia Tribune. 7 February 1997. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-3298417.html. Retrieved 2009-01-21. 
2. ^ Auzias, Dominique; Jean-Paul Labourdette, Nathalie Boisdet-Singh, Jean-Marie Chazeau (2005). Danemark. Petit Futé. p. 92. ISBN 9782746911444. 
3. ^ "First-call Danish bassist". Jazzhouse. The Jazz Journalists Association. http://www.jazzhouse.org/gone/lastpost2.php3?edit=1114012881. Retrieved 2009-01-21. 
4. ^ "Romantic jazz from a master". The Hindu. 3 December 2002. http://www.thehindujobs.com/thehindu/mp/2002/12/03/stories/2002120300330200.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-21. 
5. ^ "Stan Getz Discography". All About Jazz. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician_discography.php?id=7013. Retrieved 2009-01-21. 
6. ^ for example in the title a live recording by Stan Getz
7. ^ New Grove Dictionary of Jazz
8. ^ "Live at the Montmartre". allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r163602. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 

External links

• Official website of the re-opening Jazzhus Montmartre

Coordinates: 55°40′53″N 12°34′54″E / 55.6815°N 12.5817°E / 55.6815; 12.5817