Blue Note Expands Ops to South America

Blue Note Entertainment Group (BNEG) - the organization that owns, operates, licenses, and/or programs 10 music venues worldwide - announced today expansion to South America, opening the iconic Blue Note Jazz Club in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The expansion to Rio marks the eighth Blue Note Jazz Club location worldwide (joining locations in New York, NY; Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan; Milan, Italy; Waikiki, Hawaii; Beijing, China; Napa, California).

Scheduled to open August 2017, Blue Note Entertainment Group has partnered with L21 Participacões, the prominent Brazilian-based entertainment holding company led by entrepreneur Luiz Calainho.

Located in the Lagoa section of Rio, Blue Note Rio is currently undergoing a $1.2 million USD renovation to accommodate 350 patrons in a 8,500-square foot facility. The venue will present two shows nightly, Wednesday through Saturday, a jazz brunch concept on Sundays and lunch service on Mondays and Tuesdays. Similar to other Blue Note locations around the world, the venue will offer a full-course menu (presented by Chef Pedro de Artagão, one of Rio's most acclaimed chefs), as well as a dedicated gift shop. Blue Note Entertainment Group's New York office will be responsible for talent buying and programming in conjunction with L21 in Brazil.
The announcement continues a trend of expansion for Blue Note Entertainment Group. Since January 2016, new Blue Note Jazz Clubs have opened in Hawaii, Beijing (China) and Napa, California. Additionally, the brand recently sponsored the 2016 Festival International Jazz Plaza in Havana, Cuba associated with its Blue Note Travel program (which currently offers fans curated music trips to Cuba and other destinations).

Rendering of Blue Note Rio main club space. Credit: Gávea Arquitetos "Opening Blue Note Rio is a dream come true," says Steven Bensusan, President of Blue Note Entertainment Group. "Brazilian music has played a crucial role in Blue Note's history, with many iconic Brazilian artists performing at our venues. We have also seen substantial growth in audience attendance from South America over the last several years. Rio's dynamic history and global culture make it the perfect location to open our first venue in South America. We look forward to our collaboration with Luiz Calainho and the L21 team."

"I've wanted to bring Blue Note to Brazil since the 1990s," says Luiz Calainho, CEO of L21 Participacões. "The idea is to transform Blue Note Rio into a hub of musical excellence. In addition to presenting jazz legends and Brazilian musicians, we also want to be a platform for launching new talents, creating jams and distinctive partnerships, among other unique experiences - all in the magical city of Rio de Janeiro."

Blue Note Rio's exact opening date and initial schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information on Blue Note Rio, please visit bluenoterio.com.br.

About L21 Participacões
With an innovative profile in the market, the holding company L21 Participações completes 16 years and consolidates itself as one of the largest Brazilian platforms of art, culture and entertainment. It was consolidated by facing challenges, presenting new ways of thinking and offering impressive results. Created by businessman Luiz Calainho, L21 combines 10 distinct and synergistic businesses, segmented in L21 Media, L21 Content and L21 B2B, which have transformed the Brazilian cultural and artistic scene.

About Blue Note Entertainment Group
Blue Note Entertainment Group, founded in 1981 by Danny Bensusan, is a multi-faceted entertainment company that owns, operates, licenses and/or programs Blue Note Jazz Clubs worldwide, including New York, NY; Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan; Milan, Italy; Waikiki, Hawaii; Beijing, China; Napa, California; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The company also owns and operates B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, Highline Ballroom, and Lucille's Grill. Additionally, the company programs the Regattabar Jazz Club (Cambridge, MA) and Blue Note-branded concerts throughout Italy. Blue Note Entertainment Group presents shows outside of its club network. The annual Blue Note Jazz Festival was established in 2011 and has since grown to become the largest jazz festival in New York City each June. Subsidiaries of Blue Note Entertainment Group include the GRAMMY-nominated record label Half Note Records, whose catalogue includes over fifty titles recorded live at New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, as well as Blue Note Travel, Management Group and Media Group. The organization has presented many of the music industry's greatest artists over the past 35 years, including jazz legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughn, Chris Botti, and many more.