THE NEW JAZZ GARDEN

Ever since the news of the closing of Jazz Garden spread, the whole of Pune has been pretty anxious as to what the "new Jazz Garden" is going to be like. For starters, it'll be called, 'Soul'. After having spent some time chatting with the owner, Sean Davidson, the other day, I'm positive that 'Soul' will most definitely hold as important a place in the Pune music and Art scene as 'Jazz Garden' did.

"I've called the restaurant 'Soul' because it's pure, positive and reflects exactly what we're trying to do with the place," says Sean of the strikingly simple, yet attractive name he's chosen for the restaurant, adding, "I'm aiming to promote fine art, music, literature and drama." As far as the music scene in concerned, he says he's open to any kind of music and would be staging a varied spectrum of performances.

The place has been divided into two different areas. The earlier seating area (Jazz Garden) would be used for parties and shows where the attendance is expected to exceed 200, and the main restaurant would roughly be next to main entrance from where one walked into Jazz Garden. The main restaurant area would also host music performances, but of the softer kind only. What is rather interesting to note is that Sean plans to bring quite a few interesting international acts down to Soul. He's aiming at the more obscure bands, the ones that are doing something interesting and fresh with their music. "If all goes well, we're looking at around one international band in six weeks," says Sean.

Formerly a writer with the Times Of India and the Hindustan Times, literature is another area that Sean Davidson is keen to promote. "There will be 25 - 30 books at given point of time in the restaurant and anyone's free to pick one up and read while they're sitting here", says Sean, very importantly adding, "Just as long as they return it on the way out!"
He's also most definitely open to holding readings by authors.

While Soul is going to have a lot of art, music, etc happening, Sean is quick to add that, after all it is a restaurant, and the food is what is going to get the people back there time and again. Although it will be a multi-cuisine restaurant, we're assured that the focus would be on the quality of food rather than the length of the menu card. Apart from Italian and India cuisine, an "excellent barbeque pit" is something he seems rather excited about! "There's a difference between a rare, medium and well done steak and there's a difference between a medium and a medium-rare," says Sean. Rest assured, his restaurant knows the difference.

Although 'Soul' will to stage a jazz gig on the 18th by Swiss band Lumahama (who are also playing at the Jazz Utsav (formerly Jazz Yatra) in Mumbai, the restaurant is scheduled to be inaugurated anytime between the 30th of November and the 5th of December.