Live Jazz Venues By State Na-Nz
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 New Jersey and New York
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.
New Jersey (West Orange, Madison, Montclair)
West Orange
Cecil’s Jazz Club
364 Valley Road, West Orange - Tel: 973-736-4800 (see map)
Cecil’s features straight ahead jazz, blues, smooth jazz, and more, 6 nights a week.
Madison
Shanghai Jazz
24 Main St - Tel: 973-822-2899 (see map)
Presents a wide variety of jazz, 6 nights a week. Voted one of the Top 100 Great Jazz Clubs in the World in Downbeat.
Montclair
Trumpets Jazz Club & Restaurant
6 Depot Square - Tel: 973-744-2600 (see map)
Jazz five nights a week. Mostly locals, but some national acts.
New York (Albany, Buffalo, NYC Area)
Albany
Justin’s
301 Lark Street - Tel: 518-436-7008 (see map)
Nice, small restaurant having mainstream and modern jazz/blues/funk Thursday, Friday, and Sunday nights. Thursdays and Fridays are currently residencies so Fridays are the only nights available. Music is from 10:30-1:30. Acts are generally young and local, but still the real deal, not lite jazz.
Buffalo
Colored Musicians Club
145 Broadway - Tel: 716-855-9383 (see map)
The club offers live jazz in an intimate setting, mostly big band. It is open to non-members who want to share a love of jazz, and are seeking a relaxing time in a friendly place. If you are a musician, young or old, you can come in for Sunday night “Jam Sessions” or join a group. If you are learning to play, the club offers Saturday lessons. If you do not play, but love jazz, you can just have a drink and listen in the company of other people who share your love for the music.
NYC Area
Arthur’s Tavern
57 Grove Street - Tel: 212-675-6879 (see map)
Not much going on here, unless you count the Thursday - Saturday residency of the Eri Yamamoto Jazz Trio, which is legitimate modern jazz, and well worth checking out.
Birdland
315 West 44th Street - Tel: 212-581-3080 (see map)
In recent years, midtown Manhattan has been treated to sets by such musicians as Oscar Peterson, Pat Metheny, Diana Krall, Roy Haynes, Michel Legrand, Pat Martino, Tony Williams, Hank Jones, Michel Petrucciani, John Pizzarelli, John Scofield, Phoebe Snow, Dave Holland, and Tito Puente, as well as the big bands of Chico O’Farrill, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and Maria Schneider.
Blue Note
131 West 3rd Street - Tel: 212-475-8592 (see map)
The Blue Note, located in the heart of New York’s Greenwich Village, is synonymous with great jazz in an intimate setting.
Cleopatra’s Needle
2485 Broadway - Tel: 212-769-6969 (see map)
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.
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
33 W. 60th Street, 11th Floor - Tel: 212-258-9807 (see map)
National acts and some local acts, which are sometimes free to the public. Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola is located at Lincoln Center.
55 Bar
55 Christopher Street - Tel: 212-929-9883 (see map)
A quick perusal of a recent schedule revealed Mike Stern, Dave Binney, and Liz Childs. Enuff said.
5C Jazz Cafe
68 Avenue C - Tel: 212-477-5993 (see map)
Experience the Lower East Side circa the 1960s, Jazz and Experimental Music, Theater and Cafe, light vegetarian food, wine, sangria, beer, espresso…looks fabulous to me.
Garage Restaurant and Cafe
99 Seventh Avenue South - Tel: 212-645-0600 (see map)
Mainly straight-ahead jazz, often with vocalists. No cover jazz 7 nights and weekend brunches.
Iridium Jazz Club
1650 Broadway (at 51st St.) - Tel: 212-582-2121 (see map)
The New Iridium Jazz Club has been designed to be among the best live music experiences available anywhere! Improvements to the club include a new state of the art Meyer Sound System conceived by no less an authority than the legendary guitarist Les Paul, Acoustics, Lighting, Design and a Recording Studio. What hasn’t changed is Iridium’s stellar roster of jazz artists, including Les Paul who plays every Monday. There have been many major releases recorded live at Iridium from such artists as Jacky Terrasson, Charlie Haden, Kenny Barron, Benny Carter, The Jazz Messengers, Sweets Edison, and Clark Terry.
Kitano Hotel Bar Lounge
66 Park Avenue - Tel: 212-885-7000 (see map)
From Wednesday to Saturday, the Bar Lounge offers live jazz in one of the city’s most intimate venues.
The Jazz Standard
116 East 27 Street - Tel: 212.576.2232 (see map)
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 Jazz Gallery
290 Hudson Street - Tel: 212-242-1063 (see map)
The Jazz Gallery is a not-for-profit jazz cultural center that has recently begun to feature a number of thematic performance series with such musicians as Roy Hargrove, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Marcus Strickland, as well as any number of up and coming young musicians. The programs are frequently intriguing and experimental. I’d definitely check it out.
Knickerbocker’s
33 University Place - Tel: 212-228-4890 (see map)
In addition to steaks, Knickerbocker also offers great jazz. Music starts at 9:45 PM, Friday and Saturday. Hear the likes of Ron Carter, John Hicks, Bucky Pizzarelli or Junior Mance.
Smoke
2751 Broadway - Tel: 212-864-6662 (see map)
This intimate, comfortable club books the likes of Mulgrew Miller, Eddie Henderson, and David Kikoski, as well as endless up and coming jazz musicians.
Sweet Rhythm
88 7th Avenue South - Tel: 212-255-3626 (see map)
This club books the likes of Wallace Roney and Victor Lewis, as well as endless up and coming jazz musicians.
Village Vanguard
178 7th Avenue South - Tel: 212-255-4037 (see map)
The legendary Village Vanguard has hosted some of the greated jazzmen alive, and continues to do so. On Mondays, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is in residence, headed up by the great pianist/composer/arranger Jim McNeely. If you have the chance to check them out and you don’t, you’re a fool.
Zinc Bar
90 West Houston Street - Tel: 212-421-8337 (see map)
At Zinc, it’s not unusual for them to book stars like Wallace Roney and Hector Martignon. There’s an emphasis on modern, cutting edge jazz. Good for them.