Paris_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Lonely Planet [218]
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DIGITAL MUSIC
Tune into the latest sounds and the concerts they spawn with these useful sites (in French). Most listed on Click here also cover the music scene.
www.france-techno.fr
www.paris.fr (click ‘Culture’)
www.figaroscope.fr (click ‘Musiques’)
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JAZZ & BLUES
Paris became Europe’s most important jazz centre after WWII and, niche as the style has since become, the city’s best clubs and cellars still lure international stars – as does the wonderful Paris Jazz Festival (www.parcfloraldeparis.com or www.paris.fr) that sets the Parc Floral buzzing each year in June and July. Big-name talent is likewise on the billing at Banlieues Bleues (Suburban Blues; www.banlieuesbleues.org), a jazz festival held in March and early April in St-Denis and other Parisian suburbs.
Download podcasts, tunes, concert information and all that jazz to listen to on your iPod from Paris’ soothing jazz radio station, TFS (89.9 MHz FM; www.tsfjazz.com).
CAFÉ UNIVERSEL Map
01 43 25 74 20; www.café-universel.com; 267 rue St-Jacques, 5e; admission free; 9.30pm-2am Mon-Sat; Port Royal
Café Universel hosts a brilliant array of live concerts with everything from bebop and Latin sounds to vocal jazz sessions. Plenty of freedom is given to young producers and artists, and its convivial relaxed atmosphere attracts a mix of students and jazz lovers.
CAVEAU DE LA HUCHETTE Map
01 43 26 65 05; www.caveaudelahuchette.fr; 5 rue de la Huchette, 5e; admission Sun-Thu €11, Fri & Sat €13; 9.30pm-2.30am Sun-Wed, to 4am Thu-Sat; St-Michel
Housed in a medieval caveau (cellar) used as a courtroom and torture chamber during the Revolution, this club is where virtually all the jazz greats have played since the end of WWII. It’s touristy, but the atmosphere can be more electric than at the more serious jazz clubs. Sessions start at 10pm.
HABANA JAZZ Map
01 43 38 14 92; www.habanajazzparis.com, in French; 9 rue Moret, 11e; 8pm-1am Wed-Sun; St-Maur
New jazz supper club on the Ménilmontant/Bastille border that evokes the music and atmosphere of postwar Cuba, with emphasis on viola jazz. Tapas are €5.50, Cuban dishes, €12 to €17 and there are a couple of menus (fixed-price meal with two or three courses) at €30 and €35.
LE BAISER SALÉ Map
01 42 33 37 71; www.lebaisersale.com, in French; 58 rue des Lombards, 1er; admission free-€20; 5pm-6am; Châtelet
One of several jazz clubs located on this street, the salle de jazz (jazz room) on its 1st floor has concerts of jazz, Afro and Latin jazz and jazz fusion. Combining big names and unknown artists, it is known for its relaxed vibe and has a gift for discovering new talents. Music starts at 7pm and again at 10pm.
LE PETIT JOURNAL ST-MICHEL Map
01 43 26 28 59; www.petitjournalsaintmichel.com, in French; 71 blvd St-Michel, 5e; admission incl 1 drink adult €17-20, admission incl 1 drink student €11-15; 6pm-2am Mon-Sat; Luxembourg
Classic jazz concerts kick off at 9.15pm in the atmospheric downstairs cellar – think St-Germain des Prés in the 1950s – of this sophisticated jazz venue opposite the Jardin du Luxembourg. Everything from Dixieland and vocals to big band and swing sets toes tapping, and Monday-night jam sessions are free. Dinner (menus €48 and €53) is served at 8pm, should you wish to make a meal of it.
Concerts at St-Michel’s sister club near Gare de Montparnasse, Le Petit Journal Montparnasse (Map; 01 43 21 56 70; www.petitjournal-montparnasse.com; 13 rue Commandant Mouchotte, 14e; admission adult/student €25/15; 8pm-2am Mon-Sat), start at 10pm, and a traditional French dinner (€60) can be enjoyed beforehand.
NEW MORNING Map
01 45 23 51 41; www.newmorning.com, in French; 7-9 rue des Petites Écuries, 10e; admission