Jean-Pierre Boccara is a French-Italian-American nightclub and restaurant entrepreneur and artist known for founding several seminal clubs in Los Angeles, California. Lhasa Club, Lhasaland, Café Largo, and Luna Park were known for bookings across many genres including music, spoken word, comedy, cinema, cabaret, and pre-digital media art shows. These venues received critical acclaim not only for their range of groundbreaking acts, but also for their cuisine and ambiance.
Early life
Born in Tunisia and raised in Paris, Boccara first came to Los Angeles in 1976 as a film student. He directed and produced two short films in Paris, L'Homme Désintégré in 1978 and Par Exemple: Le Poison Dans l' Eau in 1979. Par Exemple: Le Poison Dans l' Eau''' had its distribution rights revoked after being censored by the French government as "an apology for terror."
The Clubs
Lhasa Club (1982–1988) in Hollywood
The three hundred person capacity multimedia space functioned as a stage, art gallery, cinema, special events venue, and café. The club was known for its eclectic and surprising bookings of original talent. Named by the LA Weekly "Best after hours hangout" in 1982, "Best avant-garde club" in 1983, and "Best cabaret" in 1984, the club was often covered in media outlets including KCRW, LA Weekly and the . The Lhasa Club emphasized visuals, film loops, slide shows, and handmade special effects. It became a watering hole for both unknown and established artists, not only in all genres of music but also spoken word, comedy, cinema, cabaret, and painting. Some of the artists who appeared on Lhasa's stage where Ann Magnuson, Henry Rollins, Sandra Bernhard, Jane's Addiction, Hubert Selby Jr., Nick Cave, Duran Duran, Christian Death, Kevin Costner, Exene Cervenka, Chris Isaak, Joey Arias, Thomas Dolby, The Kipper Kids, John Sex, Lypsinka, Lance Loud, The Fibonaccis, Lydia Lunch, Angie Bowie, John Lurie, John Fleck, Stray Cats, Llyn Foulkes, Jello Biafra, and Rachel Rosenthal. In 1984, a live album entitled The Lives of Lhasa was produced by Boccara, Anna Mariani, and David Yuratich. It featured among others, Henry Rollins, The Fibonaccis, and . In 1987, Boccara began a film of one hundred performers performing short pieces in front of a single camera. Only about a third of the project was completed. Final edited footage was released in 2015 as The Lhasa Club Tapes on the Lhasa Largo LunaPark page on and Lhasa Largo LunaPark on . In 1988, Boccara established the Lhasa Foundation, a non-profit arts group.
The one thousand person capacity, multimedia two-level concert/party hall presented major national acts including Devo, The Knitters and Depeche Mode. Music and film industry parties included the L.A. Weekly 10th anniversary party.
Café Largo (1989–1992), on Fairfax in Hollywood
The 120 seat critically acclaimedclub and restaurant featured comedy, jazz, world music, spoken word, live music and record industry showcases. In 1990, the LA Reader said "Largo mixes food and music memorably" and the LA Weekly named it the "Best Supper Club" in 1991. It was sold in 1992 and operated until 2008. The talent roster included comedians Nora Dunn, Lotus Weinstock, and Sharon Barr; singers Victoria Williams, The Del Rubio Triplets, Suzanne Vega, Peter Himmelman, Grant Lee Buffalo and Joe Higgs; cabaret performers , Lypsinka, Philip Littell, , The Les Stevens Show; and spoken word artists Henry Rollins, , Wanda Coleman, and Timothy Leary. For three years, Largo hosted the weekly series Poetry in Motion, presented by and Michael Lally. Anna Mariani co-managed the Lhasa Club, Lhasaland and Café Largo.
Luna Park (1993–2000) in West Hollywood
The seven hundred person capacity multi-level nightclub featured two stages with live entertainment, dancing, and a global cuisine restaurant. Cited for "Triple the ambiance", "Best food in Los Angeles", "Best food in a nightclub", "The best nightspot in town, with a great Euro-Asian menu...", and "Possibly the best music club on the planet". The LA Times coverage and reviews of the performances were extensive. Some of the acts included:
