The legendary Sounds Jazz Club gained fame as one of the best places for live music in Brussels, but is now being forced to leave its mythical venue in the Matongé neighbourhood on 30 June. The organisation is looking for a new location.
The non-profit organisation Sounds Live ASBL, which took over the site from its original proprietor a few years ago and reopened it in November 2021 to become "one of the greatest jazz clubs in Europe," will have to close the venue on Rue de la Tulipe 28 in June 2024.
Another non-profit, Sounds Resist ASBL, was mandated by the building's landlords to end the contract with the owners of Sounds Jazz Club, the club posted in a statement on its website.
"Despite several months of discussions and our determination to find a compromise, the commercial, relational and organisational facts on the ground, as well as differences over the management and vision concerning the project, have rendered cohabitation of the two associations too difficult and made it impossible to continue the organisation of the jazz club in this venue," the organisation said.
'Mythical and historic'
The announcement was made with "a very heavy heart," and the organisation stressed that it is convinced that its model for running a real jazz club is "crucial to its operation" and coherent existence.
"To not only fulfil our role as a leading light and major influence of the Brussels jazz scene, but also to ensure the financial stability of the association that has consistently given artists top priority, we are not prepared to compromise on our fundamental principles," the organisation said.
These principles have translated into "musical excellence, late opening hours, offering musicians decent remuneration, a concert agenda featuring both local and international artists, high-quality jam sessions and at least four concerts every week," they stressed.
Unfortunately, the people responsible for the venue do not want to sign up for the project that the organisation has pursued over the last 2.5 years, meaning Sounds Jazz Club will have to close down on Rue de la Tulipe 28, despite its "affection and attachment to this mythical and historic jazz venue."
Credit: Sounds.brussels/Facebook
To continue the project, Sounds Live ASBL is looking for a new venue where it can install its equipment and create a "unique atmosphere."
The concert agenda will continue as planned on Rue de la Tulipe until the end of the season in June 2024. In the meantime, concerts and jam sessions will be organised in partner venues as of September 2024, with further details soon to come.
The non-profit added that it is open to all serious offers of partnership to pursue its adventure in whatever form this may take, from renting or attracting investors to finding venues made available by local government and so on.
"We hope to be in a position to start over in a new venue as soon as possible. The sooner we find a new venue, the shorter the silence will last."
