A hush falls as I whisper the name Jazzhus Montmartre. Right here at Store Regnegade 19A lies a portal. It takes you back to Copenhagen’s golden age of jazz. This isn’t just a club it is a legend reborn.
Jazzhus Montmartre first opened its doors in 1959. Anders Dyrup was the architect behind this dream. For a brief time the club was at Dahlerupsgade. Soon after Herluf Kamp-Larsen took over in 1961. He moved it to Store Regnegade.
Imagine smoky nights filled with music. Picture the faces of jazz giants like Dexter Gordon. Stan Getz and Chet Baker all graced this stage. It became their European home. For many years Jazzhus Montmartre featured Kenny Drew on piano. Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen played bass. Alex Riel held the rhythm on drums.
The club earned the nickname Village Vanguard of Europe. It rivaled its legendary sister club in New York. Black musicians found a welcoming haven here. Copenhagen offered respite from American discrimination.
Jazzhus Montmartre became a melting pot. World music artists like Milton Nascimento also appeared. Funk and soul legends like James Brown lit up the stage. Even local rock artists considered it their home. The Natdiskotek night disco drew crowds from across Copenhagen.
Sadly Kay Sørensen’s death in 1989 marked a turning point. The club changed hands. It eventually shifted to techno music before closing in 1995. But the spirit of Jazzhus Montmartre refused to die.
In May 2010 the club was reborn. Rune Bech a media executive and Niels Lan Doky a jazz pianist spearheaded its revival. They restored it to its original location. Volunteers poured their hearts into the project. They wanted to recapture its former glory. The New York Times hailed its reopening as a Rebirth of Cool.
Before its reopening the founders wrote The Montmartre Manifesto. This outlined their vision. The Jazzhus Montmartre would become an international landmark for jazz. It would welcome new talent. It would foster a warm homey atmosphere.
Christian Brorsen led the music direction. Later Jan Lundgren a Swedish pianist took over. An artistic council supports him. They are drummer Alex Riel and bass players Lars Danielsson and Jonathan Bremer.
Look closely at the walls. See those plaster masks? Mogens Gylling created them in 1959. They became iconic. When the Jazzhus Montmartre closed the masks vanished. But Gylling recreated them. He put them back on display during the Copenhagen Jazz Festival in 2010.
Though facing financial challenges Jazzhus Montmartre perseveres. With only 85 seats it relies on donations and support. This ensures that world class jazz continues to resonate within these walls.
Now listen closely. Can you hear the echoes of past performances? Dexter Gordon’s saxophone. Stan Getz’s smooth melodies. They linger in the air a testament to Jazzhus Montmartre’s enduring legacy. It is more than a jazz club it is a living breathing piece of music history.