Located in the heart of Paris, between the Forum des Halles and the Centre George Pompidou, the Sunset Jazz Club created in 1983 by Michele and Jean Marc Portet, is the first club to have settled rue des Lombards.
It is at the request of many musicians, customers of the restaurant, that they decide to transform the American basement bar into a Jazz Club. The musicians find the space ideal, with its arched cellars and its acoustics, to play for an intimate audience while keeping the necessary freedom for practicing for the tours and the support of the Majors. With the help of Christian Vander, Paco Sery, Francis Lockwood..., the Sunset starts up in May 83 with the collective Panam Fusion, consisting of the best Jazz fusion musicians of the time.
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Located in the heart of Paris, between the Forum des Halles and the Centre George Pompidou, the Sunset Jazz Club created in 1983 by Michele and Jean Marc Portet, is the first club to have settled rue des Lombards.
It is at the request of many musicians, customers of the restaurant, that they decide to transform the American basement bar into a Jazz Club. The musicians find the space ideal, with its arched cellars and its acoustics, to play for an intimate audience while keeping the necessary freedom for practicing for the tours and the support of the Majors. With the help of Christian Vander, Paco Sery, Francis Lockwood..., the Sunset starts up in May 83 with the collective Panam Fusion, consisting of the best Jazz fusion musicians of the time.
At the end of 84, the club takes up its cruising speed and structure with a first programmer, Dany Michel, who moves to a more traditional jazz while keeping the idea of a fusion club. One still remembers late sessions with Jaco Pastorius, Didier Lockwood, Sixun, Uzeb, Michel Petrucciani, Henri Texier, Aldo Romano, Barney Wilen...
In 1989, the Sunset is one of the high spots for Parisian jazz. Jean Marie B. takes up the artistic direction after having directed Magnetic Terrasse and marrying Dee Dee Bridgewater. With Jean Marie Balzano the programming becomes much more international. It is now impossible for American musicians touring Europe to avoid playing at the Sunset. One evening, Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock came to the club and liked the friendly and generous atmosphere. It is also the home of Steve Lacy, Steve Grossman, Frank Morgan, Tal Farlow, Lee Konitz, Benny Golson and so many others.
In 1993, it is Stephan Portet's turn to ensure programming. He wants to give the Sunset an open access to local musicians as well as to well known musicians on tour. He wants the Sunset to be: the club of all jazz. All the stars of jazz will play at the Sunset: Didier Lockwood, Roy Haynes, Bireli Lagrène, Richard Galliano, Jacky Terrasson, Laurent de Wilde, Ravi Coltrane, Dewey Redman.... As well as the great talents of tomorrow (they are now today's greatest talents) like Truffaz, Julien Lourau, Sylvain Luc, Stefano di Battista, Paolo Fresu, Bojan Z, David Linx, Richard Bona, Magic Malik...
The Sunset, over the years becomes the Parisian jazz club the most attended featuring every night new talents or well known musicians. A club not only appreciated for its reception but also for its programming. Late one night, Wynton Marsalis stayed until the early hours of the morning for a very full life jam session by “house” musicians, the Belmondo brothers.
As well as this, Stéphane Portet concentrates on the realization of many new events within the club : evenings intended for new generation musicians which lead to the contest “the Trophies of the Sunset” an appointment Vocal Jazz every Sunday, A Festival of Vocal Jazz in June (10th edition in 2004), American Jazz Festival in July (11th edition in 2004) the participation of the JVC Jazz festival since 1999., and many different successful themes, such as a tribute to Miles Davis, Pianissimo, the month of the battery, concepts around the magnet jazz.
Friday October 13, 2001, the last born of the Sunset, Sunside, opens its doors, to replace the restaurant. From now on, the Sunset is dedicated to electric jazz, magnet jazz and world music. Sunside is devoted to acoustic jazz. Sunset and Sunside form a single complex in Europe with two clubs open 7 days a week with two concerts every night.
Sunset - Sunside, two Jazz Clubs in Paris with a constant quality in programming, a true reflection of the topicality of jazz, and a must for the most prestigious musicians (Brad Melhdau, Kenny Barron, Kurt Elling, Terry Callier...). Also a perpetual desire to continue to make you discover new musicians and the new musical currents close to jazz. Sunset and Sunside, “Jazz on all floors for all jazz...”
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75001, 60 Rue Des Lombards
