Top 10 New York Jazz Clubs
Not sure which jazz club in New York to visit during your stay? Here are my favorite addresses!
For jazz lovers, New York is one of the cities to discover without fail during a trip to the United States.
Even today, you can find a large number of places dedicated to this musical genre, which is truly part of the city’s identity. From mythical places to more modern venues, here is a guide that will allow you to discover the best jazz clubs in New York
Jazz In New York Today
Jazz is a musical genre that originated in New Orleans, and quickly spread throughout the United States. Chicago and New York are probably the two big cities that have marked the history of jazz the most.
From the early 1920s, the greatest artists of the time performed in the Harlem neighborhood, in places that today have become cults, such as the Cotton Club. During the 1940s, New York truly became the jazz capital of the world, and in the decades that followed, all of the major developments and trends in jazz had their origins in this city.
Today, you can find clubs in New York to listen to absolutely all types of jazz, from the most classical to the most modern. In total, nearly 80 jazz clubs are present in the city. There are some in almost every neighborhood in New York ; it offers eclectic shows at sometimes very affordable prices.
Emblematic clubs like the Blue Note or the Village Vanguard will allow you to attend the performances of some of the most famous jazzmen in the world. Other more modest clubs will offer you the opportunity to attend classical concerts or, on the contrary, much more contemporary jazz-rock or fusion concerts, to discover the rising stars of jazz.
The Most Famous New York Jazz Club: The Blue Note
This club, which opened its doors in 1981, quickly became the ultimate reference for jazz in New York. Located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood, the Blue Note is probably the club that brought jazz into the world of show business, and created a real gap between the most popular artists and those who perform in the smaller clubs.
Here, you can very regularly go and listen to the biggest stars in the world of jazz music. For jazz enthusiasts, this club is a veritable temple, which you absolutely must discover. The place is extremely famous and very popular, and if you want to attend a concert at the Blue Note, it will be wise to reserve your place in advance on the official website of the club.
Performances generally take place every evening from 8 p.m. If you wish, you can also enjoy a meal during the concert, and browse the souvenir shop of this cult club to find records, accessories and clothing. The Blue Note is also one of the few clubs in the city that welcomes minors.
New York’s Most Family-friendly Jazz Club, Bill’s Place
What could be more typical than attending a jazz concert in Harlem, in a historic club? Bill ‘s Place pays homage to the 1920s, right in the middle of the Prohibition era, when jazz first appeared in New York.
If you are passing through Harlem, this very small club which can only accommodate about thirty people is really not to be missed! You can attend a bebop jazz concert given by 4 exceptional musicians, including William E. Saxton, the club’s founder.
For $30, you can spend an unforgettable evening, and listen to Bill share his anecdotes about Harlem and the history of jazz. Bill’s Place is not a bar, but you can come with your own bottle, to experience a privileged moment among jazz lovers.
For more information and for reservations, it’s here.
The Vanguard Village
Here is one of the most famous clubs in the city. Founded in 1935, over the years it has hosted some of the greatest figures in jazz, such as Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane or Albert Nicholas. This club has gone down in jazz history for having been the place where many major albums were recorded.
The club is open every day of the week, and you can attend a concert there for around thirty dollars. As in most other clubs, remember to book, because the room is often full. For ten dollars, you can also attend live streaming concerts on the Internet. Every Monday, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra performs at this historic Manhattan venue.
The Iridium Jazz Club
Located on Broadway, the Iridium Jazz Club is one of the clubs in New York that welcomes the greatest number of artists throughout the year. One of the particularities of this club is its stage, which is placed very close to the public and which allows the room to have an extremely welcoming and warm atmosphere.
The Iridium is open every day from 7 p.m., and you can attend blues, soul, jazz-rock and fusion concerts there, while enjoying an unforgettable atmosphere. You can also eat and drink on site.
The Smalls Jazz Club
This club located in Greenwich Village was founded in 1993, and quickly became one of New York’s must-see places for jazz lovers. In this small room of about 60 seats, many big names like Norah Jones and Roy Hargrove have already come to give concerts. After being closed for a while due to financial problems, it reopened in 2007 and is now one of the places not to be missed if you want to spend an unforgettable evening while listening to authentic New York jazz..
The Smalls Jazz Club is open every day of the week: from Sunday to Thursday, you can attend all the concerts of the evening for $20, while you will have to pay $20 per concert on Fridays and Saturdays.
Dizzy’s Club
This very chic club is located on Columbus Circle, on the fifth floor of the Time Warner building. At Dizzy’s Club, you can enjoy jazz concerts by renowned artists, in a superb room with a very pleasant atmosphere. You can also take in stunning views of Columbus Circle plaza and Central Park
During the performance, you can have a meal or enjoy a delicious cocktail. However, prices are often sky high in this upscale New York neighborhood, and Dizzy’s Club is no exception. Count at least fifty dollars per person, simply to attend the concert while drinking a soda.
The Birdland
The Birdland is one of the mythical halls of the city, which was created in 1949 to pay tribute to the genius saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker. This club located on Broadway has hosted an incredible number of great stars of music and cinema, such as Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra or Sammy Davis Junior.
Today, the club is still extremely popular and continues to welcome the biggest names, but you can also attend concerts of all types of jazz, in a very friendly atmosphere. The club opens every day from 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m., and it closes at 1 a.m.
You will have to shell out around €30 to attend a concert, and you can also have a drink or eat on site for a rather reasonable price.
The 55 Bar
If you want to attend a jazz concert in a typical atmosphere, I strongly encourage you to discover this small club, located in Greenwich Village. To be sure to get a place in this tiny club, don’t hesitate to book!
At 55 Bar, jazz, blues, and funk musicians perform every day of the week, and you can catch their concerts for $15. You will also have the opportunity to taste some very successful cocktails. Several concerts are organized each evening, from 7 p.m., but it is better to arrive a little earlier if you want to be able to choose your place.
Address: 55 Christopher St, NY 10001 — New York.
If necessary, you can find a wealth of information on their website.
The Smoke Jazz Club New York & Supper Club
The Smoke Jazz Club & Supper Club is located on Broadway in the Upper West Side neighborhood. In this small club which was founded in 1999, classical jazz takes center stage. This room is also renowned for the high quality of its acoustics. Highly regarded musicians, such as Bill Charlap and Wynton Marsalis, perform there regularly.
This club will suit both jazz fans and people wishing to learn and discover this music in an authentic way. It is open every day from 5:30 p.m. to 3 a.m., and you can dine on site to enjoy a typical American meal. On Sundays, you can even go to the club for lunch (between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.). For $11, you can also find the concerts that take place in this room on the Internet in streaming.