The music scene in Barcelona, and particularly the jazz scene, is experiencing the imminent closure of one of the most emblematic clubs with astonishment. The Milano Jazz Club, located in the central Ronda Universitat, had become a real benchmark over the last 16 years, with a stable and quality program of both local and international artists. Now, the place is more than likely to be closed, which will turn it into a franchise of a chain of Italian restaurants in a few months, if nothing is done to remedy it.
The reasons will surprise no one. According to the owner of the club, Ramon Larregola, there are two keys: the difficulty of accepting a high rent increase and the substantial offer of a competitor. Despite the fact that initially Larregola negotiated a transfer with a musician from the city to maintain the club's activity, the situation changed when the ownership of the building burst in and he preferred the succulent offer of the aforementioned chain of trattorias. "You also need to understand them: it's a more lucrative and less complex option", points out Larregola, who sees the situation as irreversible and who even sets a date for the closure: this autumn.
Guim Cifré, one of the members who manages the place, sees it differently, who in recent months has fought to keep the club open. Cifré emphasizes that the transfer was financially viable and that it was pressure from the property that truncated the transfer. The one who has been the artistic director of the Milano for five years still has hopes, although he admits that the involvement of the administrations will be needed.
"It's a shame: the club is working and we were in a very sweet moment, consolidating our position as a prestigious club", notes Cifré sadly. On the other hand, Larregola discusses the idea of good economic health: "We were right: if maintaining a live music venue was a good business, there would be many more". In any case, both agree that, whatever happens, they want to keep the jazz club active, even if it is in another place.
Musicians and fans of the Milano have launched a campaign in which they ask the property to reflect and send a request to the City Council to save the venue. In fact, for many, it rains on wet. For decades, musicians in Barcelona have been complaining about the lack of sensitivity of the administrations to support live music, since they consider this kind of venues as leisure clubs and not cultural centers.
"The closure is a tragedy: the Milano protects the musical ecosystem of a city that, on the one hand, has three high schools that produce musicians of the highest quality and, on the other hand, there are hardly any places for them to express themselves", exclaims Jorge Rossy, drummer and one of the great figures of the local scene. Rossy regrets that "speculation" is "devouring the center of the big European cities" and appeals to the public sectors, but also to the private ones: "They already have a lot of money, now let them show that they want to contribute to culture, and not they only think about earning more”.
