Blues, Jazz entertainment in North America
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B.L.U.E.S.
Long, narrow and high volume, this veteran blues club draws a slightly older crowd that soaks up every crackling, electrified moment. As one local musician put it, ‘The audience here comes out to understand the blues.’ Big local names like L’il Ed and the Blues Imperials grace the small stage.
reviewed
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B
Kingston Mines
Popular enough to draw big names on the blues circuit, Kingston Mines is so hot and sweaty that blues neophytes will feel as though they’re having a genuine experience – sort of like a gritty theme park. Two stages, seven nights a week, ensure somebody’s always on.
reviewed
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C
Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley
Hidden in an unlikely spot behind a boring-looking office building is Seattle’s most sophisticated and prestigious jazz club. Dimitriou’s hosts the best of the locals and many national acts passing through.
reviewed
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D
Soho
This unpretentious brick room located upstairs behind a McDonald's has live bands nightly, from indie rock, funk and folk to jazz and blues.
reviewed
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E
Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse
Smart programming explores the regional styles of traditional, acoustic world music. Think fiddle, folk, strings and soul. No alcohol.
reviewed
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F
BB King's
A full restaurant serving ribs and Southern favorites, BB's is better known for its friendly fun-seeking crowd and great live music.
reviewed
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G
Yoshi's
Yoshi's is one of the country's major jazz clubs; pretty-good sushi too.
reviewed
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House of Blues
The House of Blues is back! It was a sad day when the little blue house in Harvard Square became another Irish pub. But as of 2009, there is a new HOB on Lansdowne St and it is bigger and better than ever. Never mind the ridiculously tight security measures. Open only a few weeks at the time of research, it had already seen the likes of the reunited J Geils Band, BB King, George Clinton, George Thorogood, the Gypsy Kings and the Dropkick Murphys. Standing room only; two levels. Dig the gospel brunch on Sundays. We still miss the little blue house, though.
reviewed
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San Blas Social Club
Run by the affable Agustín, this cozy, eclectically decorated bar is the hub of San Blas’ expatriate nightlife. Jazz records line the wall – you are welcome to pick one out and the bartender (a former matador and actor named Bernardo) will slap it on. Here you can down a mean margarita or one of the bar specialties – ask for a ‘Martin Lewis’ and see what you get. It offers live music most Saturdays (and some Fridays), steak night on Tuesday, movies on Wednesday, guest-chef night on Thursday, good strong coffee every morning and free wi-fi at all hours.
reviewed
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J
Spotted Cat
It's always worth checking in at this friendly space while on Frenchmen St. It's about as intimate as it gets, with a 1ft-high stage crammed into a room full of tables and an upbeat crowd congregating in the bar and out on the sidewalk. Shows often start early here (18:00 or 20:00), making this a good place to start the evening, and a convenient link between dinner and visiting the clubs on Frenchmen St.
The New Orleans Jazz Vipers hold down the fort on Friday night (19:00) and The Washboard Chaz Blues Band grind it out on Saturday (19:00).
reviewed
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K
Sancho Panza
As much a visual as a culinary treat, Sancho Panza is one of San Lucas' most high-profile restaurants. The chef cleverly fuses Mediterranean and Latin tastes to create exquisite dishes such as sea bass with cherry tomatoes and wild mushrooms, lamb shank Ossobuco, or portabella mushroom filet in a red-wine reduction. The wine bar is superb, and Cuban art adorns the walls. There's also live jazz most nights. Reservations recommended after 19:00.
Cuban art adorns the walls and cool sounds, among them live jazz, keep the ambience vibrant.
reviewed
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L
Stone
Created by renowned downtown jazz cat John Zorn, the Stone is about the music and nothing but the music, in all its experimental and avant-garde forms. The $10 cover goes entirely to the musicians, and there’s no bar or frills of any kind, just folding chairs on a concrete floor. Shows take place nightly (except Mondays) in the unsigned space, with a repertoire of psychedelically tinged Dixieland, alternative folk, electro-acoustic provocation and other instrumentalists working in a sometimes aurally-challenging landscape.
reviewed
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M
Rime
Presenting a diverse grab-bag of musical genres but focusing on jazz and roots, this warm and welcoming Commercial Dr venue is a truly happening little joint. Enveloped by artworks and a funky décor, the interior is lined with little tables facing performers who know a thing or two about how to engage an audience. Sunday is artist-in-residence night, when a regular celebrated jazz exponent holds court, while the rest of the week ranges from folk to bluegrass and back again. There’s a good Mediterranean bistro menu, too.
reviewed
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N
Scullers Jazz Club
This club books huge names (Dave Brubeck, Dr John, Michael Franks) in a relatively intimate room serving stiff drinks. Many prefer to buy a package where you get a three-course dinner plus seats practically in the laps of the performers. In any case, you definitely should buy your tickets in advance. Though it enjoys impressive views over the Charles, the room itself lacks the grit you might hanker for in a jazz club. It feels like it sits inside a Doubletree Hotel (which it does).
reviewed
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O
Cellar Restaurant & Jazz Club
A serious muso venue where you’re required to keep the noise down and respect the performers on the tiny corner stage, this subterranean 70-seat resto-club is as close as you’ll get in Vancouver to a classic jazz venue. Known for showcasing hot local performers, as well as some great touring acts, the atmospheric spot lures aficionados from across the region with its mix of mainstream and edgier fare. On Tuesdays, entry is free and there are good beer specials.
reviewed
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P
Fairview Pub
Like a neighborhood pub that time forgot, the Fairview is a great little laid-back joint if all you want to do is grab a few beers, nosh on some chicken wings and catch some great blues licks. The regular house band hits the stage on Thursday with a rumbling back catalogue forged from 12 years on the road. If you miss the big night, there’s an eclectic roster of music here most Fridays and Saturdays, including jazz, funk, retro and rock and roll.
reviewed
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Q
Yale
A sassy unpretentious old gal with a large stage, a devoted clientele and a beer-sticky dance floor, the grunge-tastic Yale is possibly western Canada’s best blues venue. Photos of past performers Koko Taylor, Junior Wells and even John Lee Hooker adorn the grubby brick walls, while latter-day regulars on the big stage include local fave Jim Byrnes, who holds court here like a king. Many shows are free here – check the website calendar for details.
reviewed
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R
Ryles Jazz Club
Upstairs you’ll find a largish dance hall where there are often early evening instructors on hand to get you primed to swing or merengue. On the 1st level you’ll find a dining room. Both are done up with a natty jazz-inspired décor, and each has its own stage on which both local talent and national names play (Arturo Sandoval, Maynard Ferguson). A popular Sunday brunch makes a great time to visit, though you might need a reservation.
reviewed
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S
Wally’s Café
Old-school, gritty and small, Wally’s is the kind of place where someone on stage will recognize a high-caliber out-of-town musician in the crowd and convince them to play. It’s been an institution since the ‘60s and is one of the most successfully racially mixed bars you’ll find in Boston. Berklee students love this place, especially the Saturday (5pm to 8pm) and Sunday (4pm to 7pm) jam sessions.
reviewed
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Bruno's
The stage spilleth over at this little joint with a big sound: 20 brass-wielding masters often cram in for Jazz Mafia Tuesdays. Multiple chambers include the narrow, padded-wall Cork Club with a Hammond organ for weekend funk nights, and a swanky piano lounge, where students and well-dressed jazz aficionados arrive early for the Tuesday night around US$8 beer-burger-fries special.
reviewed
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Cantab Lounge
While some nights feature bluegrass or low-budget open mics, the perennial draw is Little Joe Cook & the Thrillers, a soul-inspired band with a Top 40 hit from 1957 (called ‘Peanuts’) to their legendary credit. So come eat a greasy patty burger, grab a Miller and watch Little Joe rock the house and flirt with the younger ladies in attendance (which they seem to enjoy).
reviewed
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V
Capones Restaurant & Live Jazz Club
A convivial restaurant venue – think quality pastas and excellent thin-crust pizzas – with a strong roster of regular mainstream jazz and blues, this popular Yaletown haunt is an ideal spot if you’re hungry for dinner and a show. House pianists and trios are the mainstay performers but funky blues dogs regularly hit the eardrums of chatty diners, most often on Sundays.
reviewed
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New Apartment Lounge
The only night to come to this storefront venue on the far South Side is Tuesday, when octogenarian saxophonist Von Freeman leads his long-running, roof-raising jam to rousing calls from the ultracasual, deep-listening audience. The session starts at 10:30pm, but if you want to get into the tiny room, come early. Brave audience members can sit in with the legend.
reviewed
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Willee’s Blues Bar
One of Santa Fe’s last remaining dance clubs, Willee’s offers live jazz and blues Wednesday through Saturday – everyone from John Lee Hooker Jr, Leon Russell and Rockin’ Jake have performed. DJs spin a mix of tunes Monday through Wednesday nights. Willee’s serves good bar food, should you need to soak up the booze.
reviewed
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Y
Noir Bar
On the 18th floor of this sleek Downtown high-rise you'll find Noir Bar: a dark and sexy lounge, all black except for splashes of orange and red which come courtesy of the geometric candles along the bar. Be sure to saunter into the lobby after a few drinks, where you can peer over the bay and into the night sky through a high-powered telescope.
reviewed
