Live Jazz Venues By State Ma-Mz
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Venues in Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and Missouri
If I missed any venues in your city that present post bop and progressive (not Quiet Storm) jazz several nights a week, and have an operating website, please contact me at editor@jazzbonotes.com and fill me in.
Maryland
Baltimore
An Die Musik Live
409 N.Charles Street - Tel: 410-385-2638 (see map)
This jazz and classical record store has a concert space that seats 80 people. They don’t present jazz all that often, but when they do, the artists tend to be nationally known performers, like Erik Friedlander and Fred Hersch.
Massachusetts (Acton, Boston, Cambridge, Sommerville)
Acton
Acton Jazz Cafe
452 The Great Road - Tel: 978-263-6161 (see map)
The Acton Jazz Cafe is one of the most highly regarded venues for live jazz and blues in New England. Just 24 miles west of Boston, the cafe offers live music every night (closed Mondays), an intimate, artistic, smoke-free atmosphere, and free parking.
Boston
Scullers
400 Soldiers Field Road - Tel: 617-562-4111 (see map)
Scullers Jazz Club has hosted some of the most famous mainstream jazz artists in the business including; Harry Connick Jr., Chris Botti, Jamie Cullam, David Sanborn, Michael Bublé, Arturo Sandoval, Tony Bennett, Wynton Marsalis and Dave Koz to name a few. They also host lesser known but more cutting edge jazz musicians.
Wally’s Cafe
427 Massachusetts Avenue - Tel: 617-424-1408 (see map)
Wally’s Café is among the oldest family owned and operated jazz clubs in existence, founded in 1947 by Mr. Joseph L. Walcott. It features live music 365 days a year. Wally’s is fortunate to be surrounded by some of the nations most acclaimed institutions for educating musicians, such as the Berklee College of Music and The New England Conservatory. The bands featured nightly at the club are made up of musicians from these institutions, practicing and perfecting their craft.
Cambridge
Regattabar Jazz Club
One Bennett Street - Tel: 617-395-7757 (see map)
A sleek club with two-story windows overlooking Harvard Square, the atmosphere is sophisti-casual, and the sightlines and acoustics are excellent, which is probably why artists like Branford Marsalis and Joshua Redman return again and again.
Ryles Jazz Club
212 Hampshire Street - Tel: 617-876-9330 (see map)
Featuring some of the hottest jazz and contemporary jazz on the scene today.
Sommerville
Johnny Dee’s
17 Holland Street - Tel: 617-776-9667 (see map)
Johnny Dee’s books all kinds of acts, from blues to folk to rock to jazz, but when artists like Bob Moses, Allan Holdsworth, and Dave Fuiczynski show up in the same month, you know it’s well worth keeping an eye on.
Michigan (Ann Arbor, Detroit)
Ann Arbor
The Firefly Club
207 S. Ashley - Tel: 734-665-9090 (see map)
Intimate listening room providing live jazz 7 nights a week…awarded Best Jazz Club Metro Detroit by the Detroit Free Press, and AOL Best Cities Award. The acts they book tend to be pretty mainstream, but every once in a while, someone like Sonny Fortune shows up.
Detroit
Cliff Bell’s
2030 Park Ave - Tel: 313-961-2543 (see map)
Local and some touring acts like James Carter & Eric Alexander have both played at Cliff Bell’s fully restored art-deco bar. Jazz acts booked here tend to be either traditional or soul jazz.
Minnesota (Minneapolis, Saint Paul)
Minneapolis
Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant
1010 Nicollet Mall - Tel: 612-332-1010 (see map)
This is one of the preeminent jazz clubs in the country. Many of the top national acts play here, and continually come back - Dave Holland, Patricia Barber, and many more.
Saint Paul
Artists’ Quarter
7th Place & St. Peter Street (in the Hamm Building) - Tel: 651-292-1359 (see map)
The AQ showcases the best in both Minnesota and national jazz artists. Open Tuesday-Sunday. The AQ is a real straight ahead all-the-time-jazz club, not some blues club that has jazz acts once in a while. By musicians, for musicians.
Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant
1010 Nicollet Mall - Tel: 612-332-1010 (see map)
This is one of the preeminent jazz clubs in the country. Many of the top national acts play here, and continually come back - Dave Holland, Patricia Barber, and many more.
Missouri (Kansas City, St. Louis)
Kansas City
Jardines Restaurant & Jazz Club
4536 Main Street - Tel: 816-561-6480 (see map)
Jazz six nights a week. Until 3.00am weekends. This club books a lot of local young jazz acts, along with the occasional nationally known musician.
Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen
39th & State Line - Tel: 816-531-5556 (see map)
Where There’s A Dixieland Band In Every Bite! Features local bands.
Majestic Steakhouse
931 Broadway - Tel: 816-471-8484 (see map)
Local bands, 7 nights a week.
Mutual Musicians Foundation
1823 Highland Avenue - Tel: 816-471-5212 (see map)
Jazz greats and popular local players alike continue to show up every weekend, playing the night away just as they have since the 1930s. The Foundation is proud to be a National Historic Landmark – where working musicians rehearse, relax and casually educate the future generations who will continue to play and shape Kansas City jazz.
St. Louis
Jazz at the Bistro
3536 Washington Avenue - Tel: 314-289-4030 (see map)
Jazz at the Bistro offers the only listening room in St. Louis for jazz with a world-class program of education and community outreach to match. The hottest rising stars, Grammy winners and legends can all be found on the Jazz at the Bistro stage. Listed by Downbeat in 2004 as one of 100 Great Jazz Clubs.