KENSINGTON JAZZ CLUB OFFERS VENUE FOR PERFORMERS TO SHARE THEIR PASSION
Story by Hannah Rittner
Photo by Lissa Varga
Toronto evenings only promise to get colder; a new place to warm you during the coming winter nights is the Poetry Jazz Café on Augusta Avenue, an electric pulse inside the heart of Kensington.
When I last visited, I immediately met the unpredictable cascade of jazz melodies; I also had the privilege of talking to the owner, Sean Pascalle. He told me why he created this unique venue.
“I wanted to open a place where young jazz musicians could play and create their music. Jazz clubs in Toronto are filled with older musicians, which is great, but I wanted to create a space where young musicians could have the opportunity to play their music for an audience excited by young talent.”
I have no doubt that his dream for the venue will become a reality. The two nights I visited Poetry Jazz Café it was full.
Pascalle creates a sincere, open atmosphere. When you visit you will not go unnoticed; throughout the night I saw him introduce himself to his guests, or greet them like old friends.
He reflects on the risk and aching passion at the core of the jazz life. “I sold my condo to create this place,” he says with a subtle smile and intent eyes, eyes that are determined to see their vision come to be. To do so he has artfully arranged a comfortable and chic space with luminous tiles, exposed dangling light bulbs, and projected images of old films and documentaries.
Undoubtedly there are challenges in convincing people that jazz is a current and exciting art form. However Pascalle urges that, “What you get here is an intimate look at new talented musicians creating before you. We give you a whole experience.”
Poetry Jazz Café not only has a gorgeous buffet of melodies; it can also quench your nightly thirst for unique and tasty drinks. All of them are inspired by jazz musicians, from Bette Davis to the signature drink “Bitches Brew”, the title of one of Miles Davis’ most famous songs. The drinks are just as fantastic as the music.
Visitors are also given complementary bowls of popcorn. If you feel like your appetite longs for more than just a snack, there is a menu of organic, gourmet-style hot dogs. Nothing is untouched by the name of jazz – even the hot dogs possess names from the jazz world, such as “The Frank” and “The Poet”.
At the end of our interview, Pascalle relates his ambitions for the café. He professes with a touch of playful longing, “I dream for it to be a place where musicians are constantly creating their music in the afternoon and performing their music at night. I want it to be a place that nurtures a community of creation and sharing.”
Whether as a listener or performer, we all have a place in Poetry Jazz Café’s future, making it one of the most exciting cultural and social venues in town.
