Five great jazz clubs to visit in New York City
New York remains one of the great jazz capitals of the world. You’d be forgiven for thinking the city gave birth to the art form, but New York was actually rather late to the party. Indeed, at the height of what F.Scott Fitzgerald dubbed the “jazz age”, Chicago was the beating heart of American jazz.
Around 1917, jazz musicians from New Orleans started moving north. They moved for many reasons, one of the most significant of which was the closure of the city’s red-light district. Many wound up in Chicago, where the ubiquity of side clubs led to the development of new styles.
By the dawn of the 1920s, the inhabitants of Windy City were growing bored with jazz. As a result of their dwindling popularity, many artists made the move to New York, where jazz music was an unknown commodity. However, that all changed in 1926 when Jimmy Walker was elected Mayor. One of the first things he did was make speakeasies (establishments serving bootlegged alcohol) legal. It was in these clubs that New York jazz took shape.
With the help of artists like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, New York developed a reputation as one of the best places for jazz in America. By 1933 and the end of Prohibition, it wasn’t uncommon to see Hollywood stars popping into clubs around the city. Over the next two decades, jazz became the sound of New York, and today there are countless clubs that live up to the city’s legacy. Here are five of our favourites.
Five great jazz clubs to visit in New York:
Greenwich Village: Village Vanguard
Location: 178 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014.
Greenwich Village has no shortage of legendary jazz clubs. Sadly, many of them (naming no names) have become terrible places to watch live music if you’re hoping for that cosy, intimate experience.
One club that continues to live up to its dizzying legacy is the beloved Village Vanguard, which opened way back in 1935, making it the oldest continuously operated jazz club in the world. Age has in no way blunted the vitality of this New York institution, which continues to put on some of the most revered jazz artists on the scene.
Midtown: Birdland
Location: 315 W 44th St #5402, New York, NY 10036.
Once dubbed “the jazz corner of the world” by its namesake, Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker, Birdland is a celebrated jazz venue in the heart of New York’s Theater District. It also just so happens to have a well-stocked bar and a delicious Cajun-inspired menu.
Parker was the first artist to headline Birdland when it opened in December 1949. At that time, it was located on Broadway, a block west of the bustling 52nd street jazz scene. When the scene dissolved, Birdland rose to prominence. In the 70 years since it started organising nightly shows, the venue has played host to everyone from Oscar Peterson and Diana Krall to the big bands of Maria Schneider and Chico O’Farrill.
Harlem: Bill’s Place
Location: 148 W 133rd St, New York, NY 10030.
One of the things that puts people off seeing New York jazz is the price of a drink. That’s where Bill’s Place comes in. This beautifully intimate brownstone run by Bill Saxon & The Harlem All-Stars was Harlem’s go-to speakeasy during the Prohibition era. Today, it continues to live up to its legacy by operating a BYOB system.
From Friday to Saturday, this beautiful basement venue hosts scintillating live sets at 8pm and 10pm, with an audience (first come, first served) that gets steadily drunker and more responsive as the night goes on. No venue taps into the spirit of the roaring ’20s quite like Bills.
Upper West Side: Dizzy’s Club
Location: 10 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019.
Boasting an incredible sound system, jaw-dropping views of Central Park and a southern-style, sustainable menu, Dizzy’s is the go-to jazz club for those looking for a touch of class. If you’re still not convinced, Tony Bennett once called this place “the best jazz room in the city”.
Founded by Wynton Marsalis in collaboration with Jazz at the Lincoln Center, Dizzy’s welcomes world-class artists for nightly sets at 7.30 and 9.30. You can also check out some of jazz’s most promising emerging artists during the Late Night Sessions, which take place from 11.15pm, Tuesday to Saturday.
East Village: Mona’s Bar NYC
Location: 224 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009.
Mona’s Bar NYC will make you wish every dive bar had a weekly jazz night. Located just if Tompkins Square, Mona’s boasts great music, a lively atmosphere and the cheapest drinks anywhere in New York. What more could you ask for?
Beloved by locals, Mona’s puts on a weekly bluegrass session on Monday nights and a jazz session on Tuesdays. After some of the finest musicians in the city have showcased their talents, musicians in the audience are invited to get involved, too.
