Last night I had the good fortune to be in Taipei’s legendary Blue Note jazz club for its 45th anniversary celebration. The club was founded in 1974 by Tsai Hui-yang 蔡輝陽 , a jazz lover who has kept the club going through massive changes in Taiwan’s politics, society, and economy. At 73, he is still every bit the ultra-cool jazz man.
The Blue Note’s 45th birthday party attracted a crowd of regulars, several of whom were eager to share stories about the club and its history. My friend Gunter Schubert, who introduced me to the Blue Note, is one of those regulars: He has been coming to the club since his student days in the early 1990s. Turns out Gunter is also a jazz musician — a horn player on temporary hiatus (too much work). I hope he’ll be back — maybe play a set at the Blue Note someday.
The Blue Note is at the corner of Shida Rd and Roosevelt Rd, right outside the Shida Rd exit from the Taipower MRT station (the entrance is on Shida Rd — take the elevator up to the 4th floor). Formal address is: Roosevelt Road, Section 3, 171號, 4F
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