Le Shapko books live bands every night of the week at 5 rue Rossetti in Vieux Nice and charges nothing at the door. Russian saxophonist Dimitri Shapko founded the room; Michel Palagonia took it over in April 2014 and widened the book from straight jazz to blues, soul, funk and reggae.
Le Jazzophone, the French jazz venue index, lists it among the few rooms on the Riviera with a nightly programme. Sundays are reserved for Brazilian music.
Tripadvisor holds it at 4.1 across 183 reviews. The dissent is about the building, not the bands.
A ground floor stage, bistro chairs, round tables, and a mezzanine that looks down on the players. The audience sits close enough to read the setlist.
The room is worn. Reviewers say so plainly, and the management has never pretended otherwise.
Jazz loyalists early in the week, a louder mixed crowd of students and tourists on weekends, and musicians who drift in after their own gigs end.
In Your Pocket notes the room fills after 10pm when the first set starts. Before that you can pick any table.
Rue Rossetti runs through the heart of Vieux Nice; the tram stop at the cathedral is three minutes away. Sets start around 10pm sharp.
What to order
- 01
A pression at the bar
- 02
The mojito
- 03
Whatever keeps your table