SOUTH AFRICA Jazz Clubs

CAPE TOWN

The Crypt Jazz Restaurant. 1 Wale St, Cape Town City Centre Cape Town 8000 +27 79 683 4658. [Live Jazz with a cover charge. Tuesday to Saturday? 19h00 - 24h00]

DURBAN

Bean Bag Bohemia. 18 Windermere Road, Greyville. Tel: 309 6019 [Sunday.19h30. No cover charge but dining a must]

Music on the Deck. 45 Maritime Place, Small Craft Harbour, Esplanade. Tel: 337 8451 [contact: Nicola Strong. good local jazz. Often from the African townships, marabi, mbaqanga and maskanda inspired. No cover charge]

Jubes. Jubilee Hall, University of Natal, Princess Alice Avenue, Glenmore. Tel: 083 7793 777. [contact: Mlambo. Friday night featured band. Saturday night jam session]

Nu Jazz Centre. 75th Anniversary Road, Westville. Tel: 260 3385. [Wednesday evening university based venue. International Names. Local bands. Closed during University Vacations]

Rainbow Restaurant. Shop 6, 23 Stanfield Lane. Tel: +31+7029161 Fax: +31+2670197 [contact: Neil Comfort. The Rainbow was established in 1981 with a strong political undercurrent to its existence as then owners Ben Pretorius and Billy Mthembu were deeply involved in the underground movement fighting in opposition to the Apartheid Government of the day. When finally granted a liquor licence in 1983 the venue started to present concerts featuring now icons of the South African jazz scene who decided to stay in-country rather than go into exile - and so started a rich history of live music at the venue which now ranks as South Africa's longest running live music venue.
Today it remains an island in the young democratic South Africa where common people can get together and leave all the detritus of the Apartheid era at the door.
Music presented ranges from jazz to afro-jazz to roots styles such as maskanda and isicathamiya (think Ladysmith Black Mambazo). Live concerts happen on an ad hoc basis and it is best to check with the venue whether there are any shows coming up.
The venue is open seven days a week 10am to 7pm with CD's of local and Southern Africa music played constantly.
Food is very basic and what our regular clientele eats, the regular clientele being your average working class man and woman.
Saturday afternoons are given over to the match of the week being shown on the big screen and for derby matches between some of the bigger teams can be quite a vibe.]

Smelly’s Bar. 124 Point Road, entrance in Albert Street. Tel: 368 1625. [contact:Smelly. Sunday afternoons. Traditional, popular swing, traditional and blues bands.]

The Horse with No Name. Mitchell Crescent, Greyville. Tel: 309 6066.[contact:Angela. Sunday evening jazz rock]

MoJazz. 2nd Floor, Le Plaza Hotel, Broad Street. Tel: 301 2591. [Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons]

GROBLERSDAL

Megawit Jazz Club. 28 Hereford Street, PO Box 2299. Tel: 013-2622747 Fax: 013-2622839 [contact: George Sekhukhune. All styles]

HEIDEDAL (ASHBURY)

Mooods And Flavors. 60 Parish Avenue. Tel: +27514322864 fax: +27514324398 [contact: Russell Murison. You get the true flavor of jazz and blues, as well of a hint of the owners heritage]

JOHANNESBURG

Bass Line.7th Street, Melville. Tel: 0114826915 [South African Jazz every night except Sunday]

Katzy's Jazz Club. Rosebank, Shop 70, The Firs / Hyatt Shopping Centre, C/O Oxford Road & Bierman Avenue. Tel: Tel: 082 805 6855 [Katzy’s is South Africa’s finest Jazz Club. Nestled in the Firs shopping centre in sophisticated Rosebank it is the best place in town to hear live jazz, drink fine whiskey and smoke the tastiest cigars. With resident bands performing five nights a week, un unbeatable wine list, a range of cocktails and more than 100 different whiskeys, cognacs and bourbons to choose from, Katzy’s offers a nightlife experience that defines class and entertainment]

Niki's Oasis Restaurant & Jazz Bar. 138 Lilian Ngoyi St, Newtown Cultural Precinct, Johannesburg 2001. Tel: +27 11 838 9733 [Although Niki’s Oasis serves great food, they also serve local and international beer, cocktails and tequila at reasonable prices. The bar is also a trendy Johannesburg jazz venue that occasionally hosts young South African jazz artists and visual artists.]

The Orbit. 81 De Korte St, Bramfontein Johannesburg 2001 Tel: +27 (0) 81 53 42 867 [The Orbit started in March 2014 as a concept that would lead the way in offering the best possible creative expression platform for jazz musicians in Johannesburg. After months of intense brainstorming, consultations with musicians and negotiations with stakeholders around the nature of the new venture, The Orbit, a Live Music venue and Bistro, finally came to life.]

 PORT ELIZABETH

Razzmatazz Jazz Club. 3 Grace Street Central, PO Box 12764. Centrahil, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape. 6006 South Africa. Tel: ++2741 5851851 Fax: ++3741 4044256 [contact: Ricardo Johns. An intimate venue which seats 120 people. Very popular with loyal customers, the majority of whom have been attending for years. Local house band Maiden Voyage play every Saturday evening with guest artists sometimes. A very informal venue. Open for Sunday Evening Supper Club with new band Touch. Open Wednesday evenings with ladies entrance free until 10 pm with guest bands.]

PARYS

Partuma-Lodge-and-Jazz-Club. 13 cn Gibbon&Schotchet str. Parys 9585. Tel: +27 56 817 1123

PRETORIA

Blue Note Jazz Cafe. 525 Duncan Street, Hatfield. Tel: 0027 + 12 361 2728 [[contact: D.J Fenner. Situated in the diplomatic and student hub of Pretoria ,the Blue Note Jazz Cafe seats 160 People in Comfort.Great food is served and all types of jazz bands are booked.Music starts at 21h00 till late]

Hype. Burnette Street, Hatfield. Tel: 082 027 2413 Fax: 012 326 5972 [contact: Richard. situated in the heart of Pretoria's diplomatic, young professional and student communities. Saturday nights are dedicated to JAZZ: classic, fusion, funk, afro, etc)

Up the Creek. 494 Hilda Street, Hatfield, Pretoria. Tel: 0828950238 fax: 0123461696 [contact: Etienne Lubbe. Every Sunday in Up the Creek's garden restaurant, one featured jazz band will play a variety of jazz, standards and originals. Doors open at 12:00, band starts at 14:30. Restaurant and bar open]

RIETKUIL

Mpumalanga Jazz Foundation P/B X2 Rietkuil 1097. Mpumalanga Province. [contact: Sello Kganane]

VEREENIGING

Be Bop Jazz Club. 3 Granite Avenue Waldrif Tel: 082 467 9451 Fax: 011-3583140 [contact: Veli Hlophe. The club is founded on the principles of promoting be bop jazz. We play Miles Davis, T Monk,Wmarsalis and others. The main objective of this jazz club is to indulge in real jazz ]

WELKOM

Corner House Jazz Club. Corner Nkoane and Phakathi,Thabong,Welkom. Tel: 0832622674 [contact: Patnership of Six. A place were you listen with your soul.For the best place to listen to jazz and eat with relaxed atmosphere]