L’Entracte Jazz Cabaret’s rise to musical prominence
At the Peel-SainteCatherine intersection, tourists observe the sights of Montreal’s downtown core, peering through the carefully curated displays of designer stores. From the metro station nearby, commuters spill onto the sidewalk, rushing off to their jobs in the office buildings towering above. The hammering of construction work gives the already packed sidewalks a claustrophobic feel. But for those in the know, the bustling intersection offers more than street-level commotion. Walk into the inconspicuous doorway at 1112 Sainte Catherine, marked by show brochures scotch-taped to the wall, and you’ll be greeted by a flickering fluorescent “JAZZ” sign. Distant sounds of fluttering trumpet and percussive piano float by you as you descend the staircase. And just like that, you’ve arrived at your destination: Montreal’s newest jazz club, L’Entracte Jazz Cabaret.
Officially opening in May after a sold-out Prélude Festival in March and April, L’Entracte Jazz Cabaret is the project of music enthusiasts Raphael Roy Dumouchel, Nikola Haddad, and Sajid Baina.“You know, we all have crazy, stupid dreams,” says Dumouchel, a student at McGill’s Schulich School of Music. Whether crazy or not, this dream certainly took a lot of work. Opening a new venue is a monumental and risky venture, involving in this case the retrofitting of a previously-empty basement with a stage, bar, kitchen, tables, lights, and more. But this hard work was undertaken with a purpose: Dumouchel emphasized the need for a new jazz club following the mass closure of venues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “As a band leader, seeingall of these clubs closing down was really, really sad.” He specifically highlighted diminishing opportunities in the city for big bands — the 15-piece orchestrated ensembles immensely important
to the jazz genre. Thus, L’Entracte was opened. All things considered, Dumouchel saw one thing as clear: “We need a fucking venue.”
L’Entracte exists within a lineage of community-oriented jazz clubs opened by McGill students throughout the city. For over nine years, Resonance Café on Avenue du Parc offered a cherished community space with vegan food and daily performances until it had to close its doors in December 2021. St Henri’s Le Basement also offered a venue for young members of Montreal’s jazz scene, until its 2023 closure amid financial troubles. Drummer and McGill graduate Ryan Bennett described Le Basement as Montreal jazz’s ‘third place’ after Resonance Café closed. Speaking on community-oriented jazz spaces in Montreal, Bennett told the Daily, “These places have, unfortunately, consistently struggled, but it is important to have more and more spaces and opportunities for different music because there are so many great musicians in town, and clearly so many people that are interested in the music.”
L’Entracte is both a successor in this lineage of student-run venues, and a registered nonprofit. “All of the [proceeds are] distributed to musicians, to artists, to making a better venue,” said Dumouchel. While employees have standard wages, the leadership team works on a
volunteer basis. “Since this is a nonprofit, community is everything,” Dumouchel added.
The Daily spoke with Kevin Dean, a longtime McGill professor and staple within the Montreal jazz scene. “[L’Entracte] is a very ambitious project, but…it has great potential and they seem to be on the right track.” Dean, who has lent his Hammond B3 organ and piano to the venue, says he’s keen to help out where he can. “It would be nice to have three full-time jazz clubs in town.” A virtuosic trumpet player and band leader in his own right, Dean runs a Sunday organ night at the venue twice a month, and regularly collaborates with student musicians.
L’Entracte has collaborated with the Montreal International Jazz Festival, Sorties Jazz Nights and PGB Cymbals, all of which have helped the new club build its fanbase and improve the space. Pieces from various visual artists have been brought in to brighten up the room. Currently on display are works by Cam Berry and Kanna Anigbogu; a community endeavour indeed.
In its first few months, L’Entracte has attracted a diverse and growing community of locals and tourists alike looking for a unique listening experience, or even to test their chops in one of many weekly jam sessions. “We want people to just hang out,” says Marie Jeanne Paquet, L’Entracte’s marketing director. “[P]eople from McGill, Concordia, UdeM, UQAM, people who are not from our city, we just want people to have a hub.” Attendance has been further increasing as more passers-by discover this hidden gem. “There have been more people over time. Steadily more and more people are discovering…L’Entracte, and discovering that there is regular music all the time,” notes Bennett.
Although the strides the venue has taken in its first six months in operation are significant, Dumouchel acknowledges that there is still work to be done to “make it more comfortable, make it more affordable, make it more accessible, make it sound better, [and] make it look better.” As the venue is very large, with mostly-blank walls, the musical acts currently contribute more to the venue’s atmosphere than does its decor. Dean notes that the venue’s size has its benefits, allowing large audiences to experience the thrill of jazzmusic, but acknowledges that “they have some work to do on the sound.”
If you are looking for a new venue to witness local jazz musicians exhibit their artistry, then be sure to make L’Entracte your next destination. Only minutes from McGill’s campus, it is the perfect spot take a break from studying in McLennan, or to pick up a post-midterm beer. L’Entracte regularly features some of the most talented musicians at McGill, and provides a great exhibition of the artistry at the Schulich School of Music. “Show up on a Monday, meet new people, that’s all we want, that’s all we ask,” says Paquet. She also highlights the $7 cocktail deal on jam nights. Bennett adds, “if you are intrigued by the music of jazz, it’s worth it to just come out, see it, bring a friend, and experience having a nice, laid-back night, [and hearing] some music that is really exciting.”
L’Entracte’s student cover normally sits around $10-15, with additionial food or drink purchases recommended. Every Monday, a free-entry jam session follows the night’s sets.
