Islington Tribune - News: New club to host the underground sound

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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 8 February 2008

Paulo Cometa and Keith Springer

New club to host the underground sound

WORLD class jazz musicians will be jamming in an Islington basement after a chef won permission to open a mediterranean restaurant and club in Highbury Corner.
Osso, which opens next week in St Paul’s Road, Highbury, will host top names from the jazz world including BBC best vocalist Lianne Carroll, Charlotte Church’s vocal coach Ian Shaw and Zoe Schwartz, who will launch her album from the club next month.
Upstairs, owner and chef Paulo Cometa will serve a selection of “real” Italian dishes in his gourmet restaurant and deli.
A licensing panel at Islington Town Hall on Monday gave Mr Cometa permission to open as late as 5am on special occasions, including general election night, but on normal nights he will have to close at 2.30am.
Mr Cometa, who used to run Zucca in Westbourne Grove, Ciabatta in New York and Kings Road, and A Tavola in St John’s Wood, will serve wines from his own Sicilian vineyard and personally hand-pick animals for slaughter.
Mr Cometa, who lives in Drayton Park, said: “Jazz is one of my passions. Everything to do with music, food and living is my passion.
“I want music lovers and jazz players to come in. I want them to merge and jam a lot.”
Mr Cometa will be the main chef in his restaurant.
General manager Keith Springer, who will run the jazz club, used to run Jak’s restaurant in Sloane Square, which was frequented by Prince William.
He said: “We want to create something for the people round here. We’re trying to build a sort of club where people feel it’s their place.”

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