Tag Archives: jazz

JAZZ UP YOUR MONDAY – AUG 7

It’s a musical Monday! Herbie Hancock, Junior Brown and Earth Wind & Fire are in concert. Plus, catch a screening of All That Jazz in Bryant Park.

GETTIN’ JAZZY WITH IT – AUG 14-16

The weekend has arrived! Dress like it’s the 20’s and get in one last Restaurant Week meal.

Photo cred: Jane Kratochvil

JAZZY IN THE BACK ROOM – JULY 21

We’ve got your date night planned – where to dine for a Restaurant Week dinner and museum stroll!

SEXY SUITS FOR YOUR SEXY SOMEONE 2-9-15

Happy Monday, NYC! All week we’ll help you pick the perfect date spot for Valentine’s Day, plus a couple of shows and a great sale you’ll want to hit up for sure!

Brownstown Jazz classes up Bed-Stuy at Sankofa Aban

Imagine you are transported to a 1930s jazz venue listening to some of the greatest jazz musicians in the world. Such an experience is only a subway ride away at Sankofa Aban in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Here is a place where you can listen to great musicians from the Bed-Stuy jazz scene, while enjoying a complementary fish fry dinner and some wine. Stick around late Friday or Saturday nights for Open Mic. night for the opportunity to perform with these great talents!

Music lovers rejoyce! Dave’s Records: Vinyl utopia with NO CDs!

The sign on the door says it all- NO CD’s!! Never had ‘em!! Never Will!! Dave’s Records is totally devoted to vinyl.

Dave’s Records carry all speeds (33,45,even 78), all formats (7”, 10”, 12” single, EP , LP), and all styles (rock, jazz, soul, funk, hip hop, house, disco, reggae, blues, folk, country, vocal, soundtracks, showdaves_recordstunes, classical, indie/alternative and every sub-genre you can imagine). If it’s on vinyl, it’s here now or it’s passed through the doors and in to someone’s crate. On any given day, there are at least 40,000 titles to choose from. Every day new titles freshen the racks. Dave’s Records sell both new and used. You’ll find both import and domestic new vinyl. You’ll find a wide assortment of new reissued vinyl. You’ll find out of print used vinyl that you’d thought was long gone. No matter what it is, you’re likely to find it in their bins. If you come to Chicago, check them out.

 

Duane Park For Hot Live Burlesque And Jazz

DuanePark

Duane Park is the city’s spot for hot live jazz and even hotter live burlesque. Duane Park has opened in a beautiful, new location downtown at 308 Bowery. The club is open from Tuesday through Saturday. The food is delicious and the shows are amazing.

Check out the schedule of shows on the website at duaneparknyc.com .

Birdland

Ever since most of Chicago’s top musicians moved to New York in the mid-to-late 1920s, New York City has been the Jazz Mecca. Nearly every major jazz style of the past seventy years has been initiated in the Big Apple.

The new Birdland offers top-flight jazz in a world class setting, good sight lines and acoustics, elbow room, and an award-winning menu featuring American cuisine with a Cajun flair.

Since the reemergence of the club, midtown Manhattan has been treated to some of the best jazz on the planet, including memorable sets by such musicians as Oscar Peterson, Pat Metheny, Diana Krall, Roy Haynes, Michel Legrand, Dave Brubeck, Pat Martino, Tony Williams, Hank Jones, Michel Petrucciani, Maynard Ferguson, Freddie Hubbard, Marian McPartland, John Pizzarelli, Kurt Elling, Joe Lovano, McCoy Tyner, Michael Brecker, Clark Terry, Ron Carter, Jon Hendricks, George Shearing, James Moody, Yellowjackets, John Scofield, Phoebe Snow, Dave Holland, and Tito Puente, as well as the big bands of Chico O’Farrill, Duke Ellington, Toshiko Akiyoshi, and Maria Schneider. In addition, Birdland is home to such popular musical events as the Umbria Jazz Festival in NYC and the Annual Django.

Do some soul searching at Buttons

Buttons Restaurant takes the upscale approach to soul food with gourmet ingredients and regularly scheduled live jazz, R&B, blues and motown that’s netted them awards in both the culinary and music categories. The menu offers a little something for everyone, but the real deal is in the “old school” section of their menu. This is where to find all the old soul food favorites like fried green tomatoes, chicken and waffles and shrimp, fish and grits. They also have an excellent gospel brunch with live music and a breakfast buffet featuring some of the menu’s favorites and then some. Originally located in Fort Worth, they now have an Addison location and a jazz lounge in DeSoto.

The Amsterdam Bar couples a laid back atmosphere with an excellent beer selection

The Amsterdam Bar is nestled on the strip on Exposition across from Fair Park. In addition to a laid back, cozy atmosphere they also have a choice collection of craft and import beers on tap as well as a decent selection of spirits for the non-beer snobs. Artwork by local artists adorns the wall as well as a dart board, if you feel so inclined. They have a rotating door of live music on various nights, including live jazz every Monday. If the inside is feeling a little too cozy for you, check out the large patio out back. The Amsterdam Bar does not serve food aside from a few snacks, however, you can have food delivered or bring it to-go from nearby eateries.

Flute – Sophistication and Fun

The French décor, the dimmed lights, and the delicious champagne make Flute one of the most romantic bars in New York City. Despite its charm, Flute is a hidden gem in Gramercy, known only by real New Yorkers. The place can be defined as upscale, but cozy and very comfy.
Their staff is friendly, and they will help you decide on the wide variety of one hundred and fifty champagnes, plus the wines, of course. Some nights you can listen to beautiful jazz played by a live, talented band. Therefore, Flute brings together class, sophistication, culture and fun – truly a NYC place, which you should not miss.

40 E 20th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 529-7870

Scullers Jazz Club: Enjoy an Evening of Live Entertainment

Looking for a place to listen to Latin, contemporary jazz, blues, soul, R & B, cabaret or world music? Then look no further than Scullers Jazz Club where you can find something going on almost every night of the week. Located in the Doubletree Suites near Harvard Square, the lounge has hosted some of the top musicians in the business including Harry Connick, Jr., Chris Botti, Jamie Cullam, David Sanborn, Michael Bublé, Arturo Sandoval and Tony Bennett.

The 200-seat lounge sits high atop the hotel offering spectacular views of the Boston skyline and Charles River. Make your night out on the town even more special by booking a dinner and a show package and staying over after. Check out the schedule at scullersjazz.com.

Newman Center for the Performing Arts: Eclectic, Electric Entertainment

Three theaters in one, the University of Denver’s year-round performing arts venue isn’t just for students. Indeed, entertainers of all stripes—local, national, and international; emerging and established—make touring stops here. In any given academic season, enthusiasts can catch the acts of flamenco and ballet troupes; concerts by chamber orchestras, jazz ensembles, and a capella groups; and even spoken-word pieces and lectures by authors and professors as well as performers. Among the big names gracing the marquee of late: the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Bill Frisell, and Joyce Carol Oates. Insider’s tip: the Newman Center is only a couple of miles away from Old South Pearl; south Denver’s Restaurant Row is your best bet for dinner before the show.

newman

Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center: Visual and Performing Arts

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From gospel concerts to a music and art tribute, the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center was recently awarded a Preservation Award from the Cambridge Historical Commission for the historic preservation work completed in the theater. The arts center located in Bulfinch Square in East Cambridge focuses on exploring diversity through visual and performing arts. Grab a drink and order up some appetizers at the jazz club or check out a destination dance performance. The center also offers family events, including their annual gospel concert honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Visit multiculturalartscenter.org for more information.

Beauty & Rock ‘n Roll at Red Rocks Amphitheatre

The Red Rocks Amphitheatre is not only a concert venue, its unique geological formations make it one of nature’s wonders where the seating is carved from Colorado’s stunning red rocks.  Catch up on the history of the red rocks at the visitor’s center and discover ancient dinosaur trails in the surrounding area. And of course, check the event listings at Red Rocks where bands like The Fray perform for thousands. This is a unique venue for concerts under the stars as well as breathtaking, natural views.

Gold Dust Lounge’s Music is Money

With the ceiling murals and walls lined with framed currency, the Gold Dust Lounge looked like a Wild West saloon. Don’t let the decor fool you, this historic Dixieland bar was famous for the many Jazz artists who have played there over the years.

San Francisco’s Gold Dust Lounge, in a fight for its life since octogenarian owners Jim and Tasios Bovis were hit with an eviction notice last year, served last call at its beloved Union Square digs and announced an upcoming move to the tourist heavy Fisherman’s Wharf.

The Gold Dust Lounge has reopened and you’re invited! We packed up the pieces in Union Square and moved to Fisherman’s Wharf on the Barbary Coast.

We brought Bing Crosby’s cherub mural on the ceiling, the antique brass lights, the Bovis Family paintings, the tables, the gold filigree mirrors, the old wood bar, the red velvet booths, Herb Caen’s stool, his Vitamin V, the band, the bartenders, waitresses, the Miner 49er, the swinging saloon doors, that familiar marquee -all we’re missing is you! Come have a drink as we kick off more good times for years to come! Help us make the new Gold Dust a home.

Kingston Mines: Authentic Chicago Blues

kafel_ampRockin’ since 1968, mention Kingston Mines to most Windy City residents and they’ll most likely have a story for you, a memory or simply just a smile. This is why Chicago is known for the blues. It’s the oldest. It’s the biggest. It’s the winner of “Best Chicago Blues Bar” by the Chicago Music Awards for 13 running years.

Open 7 nights a week, Kingston Mines presents two stages of live music with killer sounds run from Kafel Amps, custom made amplifiers – a design of former Polish rock star, Jacek Kafel, who now resides in Chi-town.

Wear what you want, this isn’t a time to get fancy, you’ll probably spill rib sauce from Doc Rib’s amazing eats on your shirt anyway (and if you don’t you’re probably not enjoying them as you should).

As for the crowd, it is eclectic as is the place and ranges from 21 to 100. So come one, call all: eat, drink and be blue.

Regattabar: Boston’s Best Jazz Club

regattabar

If you are in the mood for some great jazz then look no further than the Regattabar in Cambridge. Located in Harvard Square, the jazz club has been named one of the “Best of Boston.” Regattabar offers concerts to people all ages in its 225-seat venue located on the third floor of The Charles Hotel. Be sure to check the website for more information on the kids’ summer music series, the Monday night courtyard series and annual jazz festival, which features Grammy-recognized artists and Lifetime Achievement Award winners. Visit the website at regattabarjazz.com.

1. Jazz Journeys at Georgia Aquarium July 2-31

The Picture 17Georgia Aquarium combines the sounds of jazz and awesome sea creatures for the coolest event this summer. Every Friday night, kick back after your long week as some of Atlanta’s best jazz musicians play smooth tunes all night long. You can take in the sights or enjoy up-front VIP seating with Wolfgang Puck’s specially prepared meals. The event is free with aquarium admission, and with drink specials during the entire event, your wallet won’t take a hit.

Chris’ Jazz Cafe – A Philly Institution

18843_249426678362_156002958362_3094860_813431_nIt’s impossible not to feel like a total smoooooth operator in a place like Chris’ Jazz Café. The dimly lit bar with live jazz playing at a perfect volume creates a straight-up cool atmosphere for relaxing and enjoying some music.

The bar offers less big-name brews and instead has an awesome assortment of local Pennsylvania breweries on draft. Though many go to Chris’ solely for the drinks and music, the full lunch and dinner menu has new American cuisine to munch on while you listen to the tunes. There is a cover charge of $5-$20 to hear the featured bands, just make sure to check out the café’s website ahead of time for the band schedule and cover charge prices.

2. Jazz Around Town at DC Jazz Festival June 1-13

Picture 109With over 100 performances in over a dozen places in the city, it’s safe to say the DC Jazz Festival is taking over the nation’s capital for the first two weeks of June. This is DC’s largest music festival and one of the most highly-anticipated events of the summer. Venues go from famous jazz joints like Georgetown’s Blues Alley to clubs like Tryst. Other events within the festival include the all-day jazz extravaganza- that’s free- at the Lisner Auditorium as well as the Jazz ‘N Families Fun Day and Jazz Under the Stars.

World Class PCMS for $23 or Less

The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society takes pride in bringing local, national and international stars of the music world to stages throughout Philadelphia for affordable prices, and we’re talking world-class acts for $23 or less. Picture 30

PCMS presents more than 60 chamber music concerts, instrumental and vocal recitals, jazz and special programs per season with some of the most prestigious musicians in the world, like the Tokyo Quartet and violinist Midori. As a resident company of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, PCMS performs mainly in the Perelman Theater on Broad Street, but also presents in other venues across the city. PCMS also collaborates regularly with prominent cultural institutions, like Juilliard, and presents education programs to help bring classical music into the lives of the younger generation.

Whether you’re in the mood for piano, a string quartet or a stellar tenor, there will be something on the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society season that will delight you…and it will cost less than that sirloin you ordered the night before.

4. Denton Arts & Jazz Festival April 23-25

Screen shot 2010-03-24 at 1.06.03 PMCome experience jazz in the heart of Dallas in beautiful Quakertown Park. With over 2,200 performers on seven stages, this free festival takes place over two and a half days. This year, the headliners are Chick Corea Trio, Jimmie Vaughan with Lou Ann Barton, and Brave Combo. There are also 175 artists showing and selling their original art. Be sure to eat some great food in one of the five food courts and check out the various games and activities.

For kids, there is the Children’s Art Tent, where the 12 and under can mold, draw, sculpt, and create. Attracting over 200,000 annually, this festival is the place to be for enjoying the culturally diverse music and art.

Vita: Eat. Drink. Listen.

Picture 5An early bloom in the blossoming East Highlands, Vita has endured in the light of its special perks. Funky and arty with the works of local painters, it boasts one of the city’s few rooftop terraces, thronged on warm evenings with couples taking in a stellar view of downtown at sunset; inside, jazz combos keep the mood cool several nights a week.

Despite the Italian name, the menu skews contemporary American, with an emphasis on entree-worthy small plates like seven-hour pork braised with cherry peppers and a mini-osso buco over blue cheese polenta, many of which go for $5 or less during happy hour. Speaking of deals, bargain-bin buffs take note: the entire selection of wines by the bottle is offered at half-price on Tuesdays.

Jazzed by Dazzle

Picture 6The yin to El Chapultepec’s yang, Dazzle is Denver’s other most esteemed jazz venue—and every bit as amenity-oriented as The Pec is no-frills. While its nightly lineup of both local and national talent—swing, bebop, fusion, et cetera—has won it numerous awards from both local and national media (including Downbeat), the club also gets its audience into the act via fascinating interactive programs like First Monday Art Talks and Jeff Jenkins’ Piano Conversations.

Moreover, it’s made fans, even among non-enthusiasts, with its freewheeling happy hour and the Friday Lunch Club—both featuring live music and a $5 menu—as well as the famed Sunday Urban Brunch, a sprawling all-you-can-eat affair complete with a bottomless bloody mary and mimosa bar.

A Slice of the Lush Life at El Chapultepec

Picture 8The smoke that hung thickly for decades has cleared, but that’s about the only difference between the El Chapultepec of yesteryear and the Pec, as it’s affectionately known, of today.

Tiny, dark, and frankly pretty dumpy, this legendary club at the edge of downtown nonetheless shines white-hot with live jazz and blues nightly, just as it has since the 1930s.

Along the way, everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Stan Getz to the Marsalis brothers has played the Pec—but musical magic seems to happen no matter who’s onstage. And the fact that there’s no cover—just a one-drink minimum—only sweetens the good vibe.

Get Some Rhythm at Georgetown’s Blues Alley

For a little rhythm and blues, take a trip back in time to the naBluesAlleytion’s oldest jazz supper club, Blues Alley, hidden between the quaint streets of historic Georgetown in an 18th century, brick carriage house.  With saxophones and bass guitars echoing off the intimate, exposed brick interior, you can’t help but tap your foot as talented artists from around the country liven up the nearly 45 year-old nightclub.

Enjoy a leisurely, Creole-style meal (the menu has hardly changed since 1965) and a glass of wine while you are blown away by old school tunes that will have you scrambling for a CD on your way out.  Over the years, Blues Alley has hosted jazz movers and shakers such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Byrd and Eva Cassidy, so you’ll get a little taste of history along with your dinner.

Insider Tip: Blues Alley is open 7 days a week, but fills to the brim right before shows.  Be sure to make a reservation and get there a little early – pre-show tickets are available online.

Illuminate Yourself at Lumen

Meatpacking district in Chicago. Confused? Chi-town also has a meatpacking district and it happens to be at the cusp of the fastlane. Known as Fulton Market, this ‘hood is opening up hot little numbers each and every month. Whether it’s the bistro-du-jour or a great new lounge, this neighborhood is a bouncin’.

One of the newer favorites is the contemporary lounge-slash-dance space, Lumen. With 5,000 square feet of space, Lumen describes itself as “a visual indulgence for the eyes,” so too is the crowd that adorns it. Those there to chill and those there to dance all have one thing in common: they’re dressed to impress.

The 3-D sound system and accompanying uber-technologically advanced light system at Lumen is enough to transport guests to a true escape. The sound? Depending on the night you’ll find your regular hot-list for Chicago party-goers: jazz, chill-lounge and deep house.

As for the social elixir of life to keep you going whilst there? Choose amongst their chic list of cocktails all bearing the name of a different locale: Tahiti, Casablanca, Geneva. Havana, and Milan.

There isn’t a drink called “Meat-packer” – yet.

5. Grammy Winners Galore at Vocalese 12/9/09

ATTHow many Grammy Winners can fit in a room? Well Vocalese has quite a few! Living legend Jon Hendricks is brought together with the eight-time Grammy winning jazz/pop harmony vocal group, Manhattan Transfer, and the Grammy winning jazz vocal ensemble, The New York Voices, to make for an unforgettable evening. This group adds swinging poetic lyrics to some of the most sophisticated and complicated instrumental solos in jazz.

This combination can only result in Vocalese, one of the most technically difficult and musically rewarding singing styles in jazz, and makes for an exciting, energy-filled evening.

The Bohemian Caverns: The Sole Home of Soul Jazz

After closing for decades, this hotspot for live cool jazz is back and better Picture 14than ever.  The Boehmian Caverns is the self-proclaimed sole home of soul jazz, and by boasting legends like Bill Cosby and Billy Holiday, we believe them.

When stepping into the basement lounge it feels more like a bat cave than a smoky, stereotypical jazz lounge, but that’s what makes this place unique. The petrified wood tables and sparkly quartz covered walls make you feel like you are literally and metaphorically about to listen to cool, never been heard, underground music.  There’s a different band playing almost every night, but each of them are of the highest quality when it comes to proper jazz music. Before the show, grab some grub named after some legends like John Coltrane and Billie Holiday.

Steppin’ Out for the Dimock Center Music Gala

Steppin’ Out is not only the largest non-profit music fest in the region, it is also one of the premiere social events for Bostonians. This gala was conceived to pay homage to the city’s jazz history and the clubs that nurtured its great musicians. This year Steppin’ Out will feature eight themed club environments for the incredible local musicians and national headliners.

Castagnola’s is San Francisco’s Waterfront Hotspot

This is undoubtedly Fisherman’s Wharf’s waterfront hotspot. Balmy breezes rolling right off the San Francisco Bay add to the sheer bliss of the seafood inspired menu at Castagnola’s Restaurant. Favorites include fresh specialties like the Cedar Plank King Salmon and Whole Main Lobster, but there’s also steaks, lamb, and veal for the meat lovers.

If you like a little sizzle to your meal, Castagnola’s offers entertainment like nightly live comedy and jazz during happy hour. There’s good food, great entertainment, and sophisticated cocktails-all with a beautiful view- at Castagnola’s.