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China

Blues, Jazz entertainment in China

  1. A

    Base Bar

    For blues or punk rock, the absolutely pop music-free Base Bar is where rebellious local bands jam every night. The music usually starts at 22:00. It's about a 10-minute walk south from the metro and Citic City Plaza.

    reviewed

  2. B

    Beijing Cd Jazz Café

    This is a great no-frills club with jazz-funk on Saturday, a swing night on Monday and classic jazz or big-band groups the rest of the week. The bar's just behind the overpass south of the Agricultural Exhibition Centre.

    reviewed

  3. C

    Sanwei Bookstore

    Opposite the Minzu Hotel, this place has a small bookshop on the ground floor and a teahouse on the second. It features music with traditional Chinese instruments on Saturday night. On other evenings, you can hear live jazz here.

    reviewed

  4. D

    House of Blues & Jazz

    This is a classy restaurant and bar for music lovers. The owner, a Chinese TV celebrity, has plastered the walls with old photos of jazz legends, and the in-house band (which changes regularly) delivers live music from 9.30pm to 1am. Sunday night is a free-for-all jam.

    reviewed

  5. Corner Jazz Club

    Its candlelit tables and mezzanine attracting a youngish expat and local crowd, this spacious and atmospheric bar gets Qīngdǎo fingers snapping to motley live sounds every Tuesday (20:30 to 22:30). Staff speak excellent English and manage a well-stocked bar, while the paraphernalia extends to table football and darts.

    reviewed

  6. E

    East Shore Jazz Café

    Cui Jian’s saxophonist, whose quartet play here, opened this chilled venue just off Di’anmenwai Dajie and next to Qianhai Lake. It’s a place to hear the best local jazz bands, with live performances from Thursdays to Sundays, in a less precious atmosphere than the CD Jazz Café. There’s a small roof terrace open in summer with a nice view of the lake and it‘s worth booking a table here on weekends, when it gets busy. There’s no cover charge and the drinks are reasonably priced.

    reviewed