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(Sep 05, 2009) They call this style of music in Europe “Manouche”. In Jersey City, Mattias Gustafsson, co-owner of Madame Claude Cafe, and fellow musician Bryan Beninghove, call it “Gipsy Jazz”. As I sit with my eight year old daughter in my very own neighborhood on an absolutely perfect late summers evening, I would call it nothing short of astonishing.

Mattias, along with his wife Alice Troietto, are quietly redefining Brunswick Street since they arrived in The Village nearly 10 years ago. Gone are the pushcarts, meat markets, and fruit stands of Brunswick Street’s past. Streets evolve, some more slowly than others. After decades of seemingly imperceptible change,businesses like the Madame Claude Cafe are giving us a glimpse into what could possibly be the future of this once forgotten thoroughfare.

Live “Gipsy Jazz” every Friday evening beginning at 8:00 pm. They should be continuing through September, and perhaps longer if the weather holds out. (201) 876-8800 for details. RC