1. Opening (1986) — Above the Charles Darwin

The first incarnation of the UPSTAIRS opened in the spring of 1986, at 1187 BISHOP STREET, above the Charles Darwin pub — hence the name “UPSTAIRS.” The founder of the UPSTAIRS was Christopher Gore. ^[1]

2. Game nights and jazz — a musicians’ refuge

At first, the UPSTAIRS was nothing more than a small, quiet, almost secret bar, where people came as much to play board games as to listen to jazz. Then word spread — like a riff cutting through the night — and the venue quickly became popular among musicians. Jam sessions stretched late, very late, turning the UPSTAIRS into a regular gathering place. ^{[1], [2]}

The audience at UPSTAIRS is made up of a distinctive mix of students, musicians, regulars, and visitors passing through. This coexistence contributes to the venue’s atmosphere, where attentive listening is not enforced by rules alone, but sustained by a shared culture of respect for the music and the artists.

Many young artists landed their first gigs on Friday and Saturday nights at the UPSTAIRS. Pianists often lit cigarettes in an ashtray placed on the piano, and the room was always smoky. The combination of games and jazz — with affordable food and drinks, and no cover charge — made it a palace of pleasures for those with limited means. ^[11]

Six months after opening in 1986, a move became necessary.

3. Moves along Bishop — and the birth of the inverted sign

This second incarnation of the UPSTAIRS, north of Sainte-Catherine Street, became both a restaurant and a bar, but little changed: regular games of chess, backgammon, darts, Scrabble, and Trivial Pursuit remained rituals, just like the jazz performances. ^{[1], [4]}

In 1990, the UPSTAIRS moved to its third address, two doors down, at 1421 BISHOP STREET. ^[5]

Business was good at UPSTAIRS #3, but the building owner demanded an exorbitant rent, and the permit did not include a bar license. ^[2]

The reason this location probably did not prosper as much as it could have is that Chris did not see himself as a businessman. He didn’t think only about money. He wanted everyone to feel welcome, as long as they bought something small to drink or eat. He also didn’t want to charge an admission fee, and he did not enforce a silence policy during performances. He envisioned a bohemian paradise. He certainly attracted the local intelligentsia, which was wonderful for several years, but his vision of freedom was not viable in the long term. ^[11]

4. 1994–1995 — The MacKay era and the takeover by Joël Giberovitch

Eventually, luck turned for Chris: he found a location on MacKay Street with a full bar license and reasonable rent. Thus the fourth incarnation of the UPSTAIRS was born, from 1994, at 1254 MACKAY STREET. ^[2]

While working as a dishwasher and server at EL COYOTE, his father’s Mexican restaurant on Bishop Street, Joël Giberovitch gained early experience in the restaurant world. A subsequent business opportunity led him, at the age of 23, to leave his final year at Concordia University and, together with his father Sydney, take over the lease of the UPSTAIRS from Chris Gore in 1995. ^{[7], [8]}

Joël Giberovitch, owner of the Upstairs Jazz Bar & Grill since 1995

Photo credit: JF Hayeur

Under the inverted sign of the MacKay Street UPSTAIRS, it was Joël Giberovitch who deliberately shaped the venue’s identity. Drawing inspiration from the great jazz clubs of the 1940s, he transformed the space into a room where stone walls, wood paneling, and a long bar recall a tradition in which music, food, and drinks come together for a complete night out.

The UPSTAIRS on MacKay Street, located in a half-basement, is a long, warm room of brick and mahogany-stained wood, reflecting Giberovitch’s vision of intimacy and proximity between artists and audience. The walls are adorned with classic album covers (Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong) and charming ragtime sculptures. The stage, positioned at the far end of the room, is clearly defined while remaining fully integrated into the space. Musicians mingle with the audience and accept compliments between sets. A bright aquarium replaces a former fireplace, while black café tables, elegant candles, and comfortable retro chairs complete the atmosphere. The ten-seat bar offers a direct view of the stage. ^[6]

As jazz bars come and go in Montreal, the UPSTAIRS has endured, thriving under Giberovitch’s direction and becoming a reference point for listening to jazz in the city, as well as an essential stop for musicians presenting their latest projects.

5. A club takes shape — New York, silence, programming

It was by listening to musicians play live that Joël truly began to appreciate jazz. To transform the UPSTAIRS into a true jazz club, one year after taking ownership, he visited New York, the global mecca of jazz. He studied the programming of legendary clubs such as the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Iridium, Small’s, and Bradley’s. “I picked up brochures and programs and told myself it was time to truly relaunch this club in Montreal. We moved the stage forward — the first of several renovations to come — and invited musicians such as guitarists Nelson Symonds and Sonny Greenwich.” Bassist Brian Hurley greatly contributed to Joël’s education by suggesting strong musicians to book. Word quickly spread through the jazz community. The UPSTAIRS drew media attention, and musicians began proposing projects. ^[9]

Joël upgraded the sound system, hired his father’s Chilean chef Juan Barros, who offered a limited but spicy menu, and renamed the establishment “UPSTAIRS JAZZ BAR & GRILL” rather than “UPSTAIRS JAZZ CLUB.” To highlight the music, he instituted a “silence policy” during performances. While some patrons still chatted, noise levels were far lower than before. McGill University also valued the club’s unique relationship with its music department, allowing students to perform at the UPSTAIRS as part of their coursework, under a professor’s supervision. ^[9]

From the late 1990s onward, UPSTAIRS became a recognized stop for American and European jazz musicians on tour, drawn by the club’s reputation for attentive listening, its close connection between performers and audience, and the quality of its instruments. This recognition helped firmly establish the venue within the North American network of intimate jazz clubs.

6. Len Dobbin — headquarters and legacy

Len Dobbin, a towering figure in jazz and Montreal’s leading jazz radio host, made the UPSTAIRS his headquarters. He was always seated in his usual chair at the foot of the bar when he suffered the stroke that took his life in 2009. ^[10]

7. A jewel in continuity — from Ranee Lee to the Steinway Model B

Over the years, the UPSTAIRS has supported musicians and presented the finest jazz shows in the city, from Ranee Lee to Jim and Chet Doxas, Guillaume Martineau, and Oliver Jones, to name only a few.

In 2015, to mark its 20th anniversary, UPSTAIRS acquired a new piano: a STEINWAY MODEL B. This magnificent grand piano measuring 6 FT 11 IN (211 cm), tuned weekly, is often regarded by pianists as “the perfect piano.” Since acquiring the Steinway Model B in 2015, UPSTAIRS has continued its mission in a spirit of continuity: to offer an intimate and demanding setting for live jazz, while remaining an accessible venue, faithful to the ideals of hospitality and transmission that have defined it since its beginnings.

The UPSTAIRS JAZZ BAR & GRILL is currently the oldest jazz club in continuous operation in Montreal. It is a local jewel, presenting Montreal’s most acclaimed jazz performances.

It was a natural progression for the brand that Joël and his father Syd, with their strong business skills, knowledge, and resources, propelled the UPSTAIRS into the global jazz stratosphere. Chris Gore is proud to know that his rough diamond was carefully polished and matured to this point. He hopes that the fierce struggle undertaken by many individuals to create the UPSTAIRS will always be remembered. ^[11]

In a Montreal landscape marked by the cyclical disappearance of many jazz venues, UPSTAIRS stands out for its exceptional continuity. Its longevity makes it not only a club, but a stable landmark of the city’s nightlife and musical life, spanning styles and generations without major interruption.