Whether you’re looking to unwind from a long week, hang out with your girls or have a date night with your boo, hitting up a jazz spot might be the move. Why not support a Black-owned club? After all, Black people were key creators and innovators of the blue notes, syncopation, swing, call-and-response, polyrhythms and improvisation we enjoy as what’s been termed the United States’ first original art form. If you’re interested in listening to some live grooves at a lounge near you, check out some of these fun venues around the country. You’ll find a mix of experiences as eclectic as jazz itself, from luxe lounges to low-key nightspots. And whether you like your vibes with a side of gourmet cuisine or down-home Southern cooking and paired with a classic or specialty cocktail, be sure to drop in for a hoppin’ good time.
Breezy Jazz House, Jacksonville, Florida
High-end jazz lounge in the heart of downtown Jacksonville with fine food and notable talent
Owner: Interior designer Thea Jeffers
Food and Drink: Upscale cuisine including steak and seafood as well as signature cocktails and a long list of spirits, wine and beer
When to Go: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Check their website for performers and times.
Sweet Lorraine’s Jazz Club, New Orleans
Creole cuisine and live jazz
Owner: Paul Sylvester Jr. named the club after his mother, Lorraine, who opened a restaurant at that location in 1975.
Food and Drink: Cocktails and traditional cuisine, including gumbo, crawfish cakes and blackened catfish, along with unique Cajun-inspired small plates and vegan offerings
When to Go: Check their website for calendar of performances.
SweetLorrainesJazzClub.com
Cafe 4212, Houston
Busy and lively jazz club with indoor and outdoor spaces hosting Houston’s top jazz acts
Owner: Entrepreneur/restaurateur Walter Strickland
Food and Drink: A short, casual menu of specialty drinks, appetizers and mains such as sliders, chicken wings and fried fish
When to Go: Check their Instagram page for jazz night dates and performances as well as day events, DJ nights and Sunday Creole brunch.
Instagram: @theofficialcafe4212htx
Cafe4212.com
Blues Boulevard Jazz, Greenville, South Carolina
Premiere, newly designed and contemporary jazz lounge in downtown Greenville
Owners: Restaurant consultants Freddy Foster and Julius Tolbert, also owners of Blues Boulevard Spartanburg, South Carolina
Food and Drink: Handheld foods, finger foods, soups, salads and small plates. In addition to signature cocktails, they offer beer, wine, cognac, brandy and Scotch.
When to Go: Live acts Wednesdays through Saturdays. Check their website for times.
BluesBoulevardJazzGreenville.com
Pip’s on La Brea, Los Angeles
They’ve been bringing jazz music to L.A. for 12 years, along with an eclectic menu and great ambiance with their newly renovated outdoor patio.
Owner: Music events producer Derrick Pipkin
Food and Drink: Casual menu with gourmet pizzas and salads as well as lamb and seafood
When to Go: Live music nightly. Closed Mondays. Reservations recommended.
PipsonLaBrea.com