Jazz in Brussels

[EKE BBB]

By the end of September, I´ll go to Brussels for a few days with my wife (she goes because of a work affair, I go as a tourist, that´s life ).

I´d like to know all jazz-related things you could tell me about: jazz clubs, CD stores...

Y´all know what I mean!

Thanks in advance

[EKE BBB]

Anyone?

[brownie]

Agustin, I have not set foot in Brussels in several years and I'm sure the information I would have would be obsolete by now. Last time I was there (a decade ago), I managed to get some interesting vinyls in a couple of stores.

After your visit, let us know if you find interesting stores. I plan to go to Brussels one of these days. Great city!

[couw]

Once did a city tour (by foot! crazy me...) based on a listing of BD (comix that is) shops from the yellow pages. Find yellow pages in some hotel/post office and plan your trip. I hear public transport is pretty good too.

It's been ages since I visited the town, but it was always a pleasure and there are always some unexpected finds.

If you have the time and interest I can recommend the comix museum (Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée, Rue des Sables), pretty impressive stuff they have there.

[EKE BBB]

Thanks for the tips, John! And welcome back from your vacation!

Much beer? Guess so!

[couw]

still sober

[EKE BBB]

I´ll finally go to Brussels next Sunday, returning late at night on Monday. So I´ll have to pick just one club, from the list I´ve found at http://www.jazz-clubs-worldwide.com/docs/belgium.htm :

À Table! Koningsstraat 290, Rue Royale. Tel: +32 2 2234868 Fax: +32 2 2234823 [contact: Cihan Sezer. Piano bar-restaurant.Live Music Performances, French kitchen, historical building decorated in a thetrical way (maison de métier), closed Monday nights, Saturday & Sunday Lunch time]

Archiduc. Regular concerts on Sunday afternoons, with occasional presentaions on other days. Great ambience. Top flight musicians. A well preserved thirties-decor bar. 6 Rue Antoine Dansaert. Tel: 512 06 52

Athanor Studio. L'Hôtel Arlequin. 17-19 Rue De La Fourche [contact: Jacques Remacle. Friday and Saturday. Comfortable clubs in the basement of city centre hotel. National and internaional musicians and groups]

L' Arts-Ô-Bases. Rue Ulensstraat, 43, Tel: 0477/464.806 [New club situated close to the historic "Tour et taxis" Tuesdays, Jam Session. and Fridays]

Blue Note. Rue de Facqz 32. Tel: 02539.05.02 [contact: Michelle. Blue Note is a night club which focuses on 40+ audience.Every evening (even on Sundays) from 19.00h till 4.00h : Remember Old swing Jazz, with live piano.At weekends, live acts]

Makin' Whoopee. Koninklijke Sinte Mariastraat 65. Tel: 02/215.30.39 [contact: Alexander Deneckere. A less ordinary Jazz 'n' Bluesclub with great gigs on the 1st saturday of the month. Open from 4pm till 3am or later.Nice snacks all hours]

The Music Village. Rue des Pierres 50. 1000 Brussels. Tel: 0032 (0)2 513 13 45 Fax: 0032 (0) 513 50 52 [situated near the historic Grand-Place. A new and classy venue presenting well known local, national, and international names. Wendnesday - Saturday evenings 7.00pm - 1.00am Yearly membership fee: 350 FB Entrance 300 - 400 FB. Meals are avaliable. Good range of Belgian beers.]

Sheraton Brussels Airport. Jazz brunch every Sunday. Local top performers, plus international groups and guest artists. Zaventem Airport. Tel: 725 10 00

Sounds. Presenting jazz every day except Sunday. Small groups. Big Bands. Special concerts with visiting guest stars. Italian food menu. 28 Rue de la Tulipe. Tel: 512 92 50

The Wild Geese. 2, Avenue Livingstone. Tel: 02.230.19.90 [Traditional Jazz first Tuesday in the the month 9 pm till 00.15 am played by The Dixie Ramblers.(contact : *32.476.90.52.21)Free entrance]

Any idea?

Edited September 24, 2004 by EKE BBB

[B. Goren.]

My last visit to Brussels was more than 4 years ago. Unfortunately I didn’t find the time to go to a jazz club but I remember that there are several very nice music stores on the main street of Brussels, not far from the conventions center of the city. Most of the store have very nice jazz department. I got the impression from this short visit to Brussels that Jacques Brel is still a national hero in Belgium. I saw his pictures in every music store.

[couw]

Jacques Brel is in a different league than any other singer. He deserves to be the national hero he is.

[B. Goren.]

Jacques Brel is in a different league than any other singer. He deserves to be the national hero he is.

No doubt about it.

[Claude]

I remember that there are several very nice music stores on the main street of Brussels, not far from the conventions center of the city. Most of the store have very nice jazz department.

Some of them have recently closed. The FNAC (in the City 2 shopping centre at the north end of the Rue Neuve) is still the best CD store, with a large jazz selection and knowledgable staff.

There is also a very good vinyl record store next to the Bourse, which gets most of his LPs from the US. Prices are rather high though.

I go to Brussels almost weekly but rarely have the occasion to spend an evening there, so I don't know much about jazz clubs.

Edited September 24, 2004 by Claude

[EKE BBB]

Some of them have recently closed. The FNAC (in the City 2 shopping centre at the north end of the Rue Neuve) is still the best CD store, with a large jazz selection and knowledgable staff.

Yeah! That FNAC store has a very good jazz section. Just a little bigger than Madrid store, but the selection is better, by a mile. And the staff there knows his thing.

[EKE BBB]

Well, I finally went there (for the second time in my life, I had been there about seven years ago). Spent Sunday and Monday.

No time to go to jazz clubs, as my wife had to wake up early for work reasons....

... while I spent a couple of hours in that FNAC store... the results you can take a look at in the "What did you buy today?" thread.

BTW: I strongly recommend to visit the Musical Instrumens Museum (near the Royal Palace). It has a huge collection of world instruments, an incredible collection of early pianos and their ancestors (spinettas, vertical pianos...) and a good ammount of jazz-related instruments (saxhorns, rotophones, sarrusophones, all kind of early trumpets and cornets... no bass sax, though).

Very interesting!