Brass plaque on the floor of Moods Jazz Club, Zurich West

What a good idea this is! While waiting for the band tonight at Moods Jazz Club in the Schiffbau, here in the rapidly developing area of Zurich-West, I happened to look down at the floor. There were probably sixty of these little brass plaques glinting in the light, each one with an engraved inscription. This one caught my eye. Quite sweet really. A couple have got into the philanthropic bit in a small way, and dedicated the plaque anonymously. She describes herself as “EINE MUSIKERIN” = “A MUSICIAN”. He goes by the name of “OTTO NORMALVERBRAUCHER” , which is either “JOE BLOGGS” or “JOE SIXPACK” depending on which side of the pond you hang your hat.

There is rather more of visibility for the main corporate sponsor, the local Zurich bank, but it has to be said, they do set the tone for smaller folk to do their bit too. This is the entrance to the Moods:

And here’s the Schiffbau, a completely restored and adapted old industrial building in which the club resides.

Programming is very good. Gregory Porter had been here on Thursday, for example. Between Christmas and the New Year Brad Mehldau’s trio is scheduled, no less. But tonight was on-your-feet-and-get-dancing night, featuring an Afro-Funk unit from Montpellier called FANGA, who definitely knew how to get the Saturday night audience into the groove.