NEW YORK Jazz Clubs

MANHATTAN

Antique Garage. 41 Mercer St. Tel: 212 219 1019 [contact: Utku Cenil. Jazz, trios, duos, solo piano, some larger groups, seven nights and Sat. and Sun. afternoons. Some Brazilian nights sprinkled in. I have played here for over ten years and usually play one of the weekend brunch gigs from 1-4 PM. Turkish cuisine.]

Arthur's Tavern. 57 Grove Street, Tel: 011-212-675-6879 fax: 011-212-243-1082 [contac: Reouven Barzilai. Straight ahead jazz, dixieland, classic swing, Chicago style blues, and funk. Live music nightly, no cover charge, historic jazz venue for over 55 years, light menu, open Tuesday through Saturday 6:30 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., Sunday and Monday 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.]

Birdland. 315 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Tel: (212)581-3080 [contact: Andy Kaufman. Historic venue]

Bill's Place. 148 West 133rd Street. Tel: 212-281-0777. [ Harlem's only authentic speakeasy got its start in the early years of Prohibition during the 1920's. It was a lawless era of gangsters and illegal drinking in small underground parlors of private houses uptown. Harlem was the home of Swingstreet located on133rd Street between Lenox and Seventh Avenues. Sitting in the middle of the 133rd Street block is Bill's Place at # 148; in the original site,.swinging and jamming the best jazz to be heard anywhere in New York City.

If you want to step back into a bygone era of the small, cozy elbow touching Harlem parlor, with live "in your face" outrageous jazz musicians, you must come to see Bill Saxton, international world class sax man, lead the Harlem All Stars on Friday nights.It is the only experience in town to give you a unique opportunity to be in the same legendary place where the likes of, teenager, Billie Holliday got an opportunity to begin her singing career,and Fats Waller and Willie the Lion Smith were regulars on the piano while enjoying the "bath Tub gin". Bill Saxton, The Harlem Jazz King, keeps the tradition of straight ahead jazz, alive and well, in his joint. Join the legends of Harlem's past in the best of today's jazz by making reservations; and remember, don't forget to bring your own bag, it's a speakeasy and no alcohol is sold. Bring it, on your Friday or Saturday night out uptown and have a blast.]

Birdland. 315 W 44th St; New York, NY 10036. Tel: +1 212-581-3080 [Since the reemergence of the club, midtown Manhattan has been treated to some of the best jazz on the planet, including memorable sets by such musicians as Oscar Peterson, Pat Metheny, Diana Krall, Roy Haynes, Michel Legrand, Dave Brubeck, Pat Martino, Tony Williams, Hank Jones, Michel Petrucciani, Maynard Ferguson, Freddie Hubbard, Marian McPartland, John Pizzarelli, Kurt Elling, Joe Lovano, McCoy Tyner, Michael Brecker, Clark Terry, Ron Carter, Jon Hendricks, George Shearing, James Moody, Yellowjackets, John Scofield, Phoebe Snow, Dave Holland, and Tito Puente, as well as the big bands of Chico O’Farrill, Duke Ellington, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and Maria Schneider.  In addition, Birdland is home to such popular musical events as the Umbria Jazz Festival in NYC and the Annual ]

Blue Note. 131 West 3rd Street, New York, NY 10012. Tel: 212-475-8592 [The Blue Note, one of the world's finest jazz club, located in the heart of New York’s Greenwich Village, Tokyo, Osaka & Fukuoka, Japan and our newest location on the legendary strip in Las Vegas, is synonymous not only with great jazz in an intimate setting, but also critically-acclaimed food.]

Cachaça Jazz 'n' Samba Club. 35 West 8th Street. [Cachaça (pronounced “ka–SHA–sa”)Photo of Cachaca Jazz ‘n’ Samba Club's lobby. is the newest late–night Jazz Club in Greenwich Village, located at 35 W. 8th Street between Fifth & Sixth Avenues in New York City. This intimate room, decorated in a beautiful Brazilian theme, features the best in live jazz and world music. A perfectly conditioned 1932 mahogany 7–foot Steinway piano graces the stage. In addition, the room is tuned using a double bass as an acoustic reference, resulting in a superb listening experience, and a double bass in the lobby sets the tone and vibe of the club.]

Cleopatra's Needle 2485 Broadway. Tel: 212.769.6969 [contact: Maher Hussien. Medditteranean cuisine, ful bar, Open mic for singers on Sun 2-6, Live music every night,hard bop, bebop, blues. Jam Session Tues and Sunday nights, 9-2, and late night jam sessions Wed-Sat 4-1 AM]

Cornelias St Cafe. 29 Cornelia St.Tel: 212.989.9319 [ In May 1977 three artists--Robin Hirsch, a writer and director; Charles McKenna, an actor; and Raphaela Pivetta, a visual artist--stumbled across a tiny storefront on Cornelia Street in the heart of Greenwich Village and thought it the perfect place to open a café. For two months they scraped and sanded, plumbed and plastered, and did the intricate dance one does with the authorities who live beyond the Village, and on the weekend of July 4, 1977, mirabile dictu, they opened the Cornelia Street Café.]
 

Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola. Jazz at Lincoln Center. 33 W. 60th Street, 11th Floor. New York, NY 10023-7999. Tel: 212-258-9807. [contact: Scott H. Thompson Assistant Director - Public Relations. Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola is designed to entertain people in the spirit that Dizzy had...very welcoming," Mr. Marsalis explains. "We just want people to have a good time. We want the musicians to feel comfortable to play. We want people to come in and have a memorable experience. This whole facility is designed for international participation. This is a hall of integration...to bring everything together."]

55 Bar.55 Christopher Street. (Seventh Ave. So. / Waverly Place). Tel: 212-929-9883

5C Jazz Cafe. 68 Avenue C. (at 5th Street). Tel: 212-477-5993

Iridium Jazz Club 1650 Broadway (at 51st St.) Tel: 212.582.2121 [Top internationally known artists play six day runs, and Les Paul Trio every Monday. Sets: Mon. - Thurs. 8:30 and 10:30. Fri. & Sat 3rd Set at Midnight. Minimum cover charge: $20.00. $10.00 Drink Min.]

Kitano Hotel Bar Lounge. 66 Park Avenue (corner of 38th Street) Tel: 212-885-7000. Fax: 212-885-7100. [contact: Hans C. Basse. The Kitano New York, New York’s first and only Japanese-owned hotel and situated in the historic Murray Hill section of Manhattan, features weekly Jazz performances featuring some of the Jazz world’s legendary musicians.
The Kitano New York is undeniably the soothing sounds of Jazz music. Every Wednesday through Friday the hotel’s Bar Lounge comes alive with the melodious rhythms of Jazz music offering two sets at 8 P.M. and 9:45 P.M. The Kitano New York offers a unique venue for some of New York City’s top jazz entertainers. While the Kitano blends East and West seamlessly within its walls, it also brings together the finest classical and contemporary Japanese and American Jazz artists to the Murray Hill neighborhood. The Kitano is dedicated to providing the best in Jazz music, showcasing performers from around the world representing different styles of Jazz. In addition to the Bar Lounge, the hotel offers several dining options such as the Garden Cafe and the Hakubai, a traditional Japanese restaurant.]

The Jazz Standard. 116 East 27 Street. Tel: 212.576.2232 Fax: 212.576.2561 [contact: James Polsky. New straight ahead club in the Flatiron district of Manhattan, The Jazz Standard is the only NY jazz club/restaurant to receive 2 stars from The New York Times. Currently open Tuesday . Saturday with sets at 8PM, 10PM and Midnight on weekends. The more formal restaurant 27 Standard is on street level and The Jazz Standard is one flight down]

Puppet's Jazz Bar. 481 5th Avenue. Brooklyn, NY 11215. Tel: (718) 499-2622 [Live jazz music every night, happy hour specials, and an extensive vegetarian (nearly vegan) menu. as soon as you walk into this place you get a good vibe. warm with a nice, cozy decor, and a really friendly staff, this is a place]

The Jazz Gallery. 290 Hudson Street. Tel: 212-242-1063 Fax: 212-627-2807 [contact: Dale Fitzgerald. The Jazz Gallery is a not-for-profit jazz cultural center that has recently begun to feature a number of thematic performance series. Additionally, the Gallery has a history of mounting both fine art and historical exhibitions on a variety of jazz themes and of tieing literary/ poetry/musical performances to these exhibitions]

Louis. 649 E. 9th St. (corner of Ave. C) Tel: 212-673-1190 [contact: Andrew Rumpler. Nice, cozy bar named after Louis Armstrong, nostalgic jazz decor. Beer, good wine selection and appetizers like brie, olives, antipasta plates. Trios tend to be diverse and cover all genres of jazz except avant/free. Open Tues-Sun 7pm. No live jazz Fri or Sat]

Palor Jazz. 119 Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205 Tel: 718 855-1981 T[he gigs take place in the lower duplex of hosts, Jim & Dave's private home - an 1850's, Gothic Revival, brick row house. The music is up-close and personal. This is the ultimate, intimate setting to experience live-music! Our mission is to attract new audiences to Jazz by presenting great musicians in a totally unique house party/salon type atmosphere where Jazz can thrive and the guests become "family". The synergy that develops between the musicians and the audience in this context simply must be experienced] >

Pumpkins. 1448 Nostrand Ave, Brooklyn. Tel: 718 284 9086 [contact: Bill Rutherford. Pumpkins is a great jazz club with no cover, live music every night of the week, and a free juke box. Sidemen who play with top performers frequently come here to jam. All sorts of people sit in. The room has a warm sound, and the place is friendly and comfortable]

Sistas' Place. 456 Nostrand Avenue. (enter on Jefferson Ave) Brooklyn. Tel: (718) 398-1766 Fax: (718) 623-1855 [contact: Amadi Ajamu. Intimate Jazz Club, Coffee House. In the heart of Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn. A place where artists "feel at home" and express themselves and their art in profound ways. At Sistas' Place our motto is "Culture is a Weapon". Featuring Saturday Night Jazz two sets 9pm & 10:30pm. First & Third Sunday "Jazzoetry" and many special events]

Smoke. 2751 Broadway. Tel: (212) 864 6662 [contact: Paul Stache and Frank Christopher. Formerly Augie's, Smoke is a small but comfortable Jazz club. With carpeted floor and sofas for seats, the atmosphere in the club is very intimate and comparable to watching a band play in your own living room. Smoke has live music seven days a week. They serve drinks but no food (you can bring your own food). The club usually opens at 5pm and music usually starts at 9pm]

Smalls. 183 West 10th. Street. Tel: 212.929.7565 [Trad to modern. nightly jam session that goes from 2am . 8am. Best of all the cover is only $10 which include snacks and non.alcoholic drinks]

SOMETHIN. 212E 52nd st. 3rd floor. tel: (212) 371-7657. [contact: Satoru Kobayashi. Miles' Cafe was established in Tokyo in 2000, and has built an incredible reputation and loyal following as one of Tokyo's top jazz clubs. Now Miles' Cafe has opened a 2nd location in the heart of New York City.]

Sweet Rhythm. 88 7th Avenue South, Manhattan. Tel: 1 212 255 36 26 [contact: James Browne. Sweet Rhythm's location, 88 Seventh Avenue South is long associated with great music. From circa 1975 until April 2001, the site was the home of Sweet Basil, a world class jazz club which presented some of the most renowned names in jazz over it’s quarter century tenure. Major talents such as Art Blakey, Doc Cheatham, David Murray, Olu Dara, Art Farmer, Joe Williams, Regina Carter, Kenny Garrett and countless others graced the stage and presented night after glorious night of captivating, engaging sounds. Now, housed in the space once occupied by Sweet Basil, Sweet Rhythm features both live and recorded, traditional, contemporary and hybrid music from all over the planet including jazz, blues, salsa, rai, reggae, merengue, samba, high life, flamenco and many other styles. The sounds are complimented by a menu featuring delectable meat, fish, fowl dishes, as well as vegetarian and salad items from French / American cuisine. The club also features a well-stocked bar with inventive drink offerings, a modern yet comfortable decor and an emphasis on warm, efficient service resulting in a friendly relaxed ambience. Musicians like John Hicks, Buster Williams, Billy Drummond, Billy Hart, Lenny White, Mulgrew Miller, Regina Carter, Claudia Acuna perform at Sweet Rhythm every day of the week. Bands take stage at 8pm and 10pm with midnight shows on Friday and Saturday. Cover charges range from $10 to $25, dress is your option (we do suggest clothing).]

The Five Spot. 459 Myrtle Avenue, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. Tel: 212.631.0100

Village Vanguard. 178 7th Avenue South. Tel: 212.255.4037 [Sunday. Thursday 9:30 and 11:30, Friday and Saturday 9:30, 11:30, and 1:30]

Zinc Bar. 90 West Houston Street. Tel: 212.421.8337

 

NEW YORK STATE

 

BUFFALO

Colored Musicians Club. 145 Broadway. Tel: 1716 855 9383 Fax: 1 726 684 1009. [contact: George Scott. House of Big band and swing , created in 1917 it may well be the oldest African American owned club in the United States.Rehearsals of these bands are open to the public from 8pm to 11pm.]

ELMONT

Mixed Notes Cafe 333 Elmont Road, Elmont, New York 11003. Tel: 516 328-2233 [contact: Tony. A super, one of a kind establishment that features all types of jazz. Matt Marshak Contemporary jazz group plays a monthly Thurs/Fri weekend slot]

PALENVILLE

Kindred Spirits Steakhouse & Pub. 334 Route 32A Palenville Tel: 518 678-3101 Fax: 518 678-3103 [Contact: Al Guart. n 2007, NYC journalist and saxman Al Guart left the big city for the Catskill Mountains. He created a new Jazz venue that now features the best musicians in the Hudson valley and beyond, including Dave Holland, Malcolm Cecil, Roger Kellaway, John Esposito, Frank Luther, Ira Coleman and more. Straight ahead Jazz every Friday & Saturday starting at 7pm.]

SARATOGA

One Caroline St. Jazz and Blues Bistro. 1 Caroline Street,Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Tel: 518-587-2026 [contact: Dianne and David Pedinotti. Fine dining, eclectic menu, excellent wine list. Family owned and operated, enjoy gourmet food in an intimate atmosphere, surrounded by black and white photos of jazz greats. Music 6-11 p.m. nightly. Dinner reservations recommended]