The best small jazz clubs in NYC

Big halls are great, but jazz in New York lives in small rooms: basements in the Village, neighborhood bars in Brooklyn, a brownstone in Harlem. Here are the ones worth knowing, each linked to what it has on tonight.

Village Vanguard

Greenwich Village, Manhattan · 178 7th Ave S

A wedge-shaped basement room on Seventh Avenue South, open since 1935 and one of the most famous jazz clubs in the world. Classic live albums by Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane and Bill Evans were recorded here. Engagements usually run six nights, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra has played Monday nights since 1966. Tonight: 2 shows.

Smalls Jazz Club

Greenwich Village, Manhattan · 183 W 10th St

A basement club on West 10th Street in the West Village, known for straight-ahead jazz and late sets that run until 4 AM, plus afternoon jam sessions. Its sister room Mezzrow is just across the street. Tonight: 5 shows.

Mezzrow

Greenwich Village, Manhattan · 163 W 10th St

A small listening room on West 10th Street at Seventh Avenue, across from Smalls, built around piano: solo sets and pianists paired with a bassist or horn. Tonight: 5 shows.

Smoke Jazz Club

Upper West Side, Manhattan · 2751 Broadway

An Upper West Side jazz club on Broadway near 106th Street, with a dining room and live sets every night. Tonight: 3 shows.

Zinc Bar

Greenwich Village, Manhattan · 82 W 3rd St

A Greenwich Village jazz bar on West 3rd Street, a few steps below street level, with nights built around jazz and African, Latin and Brazilian rhythms. Tonight: 1 show.

Arthur's Tavern

Greenwich Village, Manhattan · 57 Grove St

A West Village bar on Grove Street, open since 1937, with live jazz, blues and soul seven nights a week. The Creole Cookin' Jazz Band has played Sundays since 1986. Tonight: 3 shows.

Cellar Dog

Greenwich Village, Manhattan · 75 Christopher St

A West Village basement bar and pool hall on Christopher Street, with live jazz Wednesday through Sunday evenings and late sets on weekends. Tonight: 1 show.

The Jazz Gallery

Chelsea, Manhattan · 1158 Broadway

A nonprofit listening room on the fifth floor of 1158 Broadway (entrance on 27th Street), known for championing emerging artists and commissioning new music. Tonight: 2 shows.

Close Up

Lower East Side, Manhattan · 154 Orchard St

An artist-run jazz club and vinyl lounge on Orchard Street in the Lower East Side, with three sets a night and jam sessions. Closed Tuesdays. Tonight: 3 shows.

Bill's Place

Harlem, Manhattan · 148 W 133rd St

A small, reservation-only room on West 133rd Street, the block once known as Swing Street, run by saxophonist Bill Saxton and Theda Palmer Saxton. Tonight: 2 shows.

Bar LunÀtico

Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn · 486 Halsey St

A small Bed-Stuy bar on Halsey Street with live music every night from 9 PM, in a room where people actually listen. Tonight: 2 shows.

Ornithology Jazz Club

Bushwick, Brooklyn · 6 Suydam St

A Bushwick jazz bar on Suydam Street with live jazz every night. Tonight: 2 shows.

Bar Bayeux

Flatbush, Brooklyn · 1066 Nostrand Ave

A cozy bar on Nostrand Avenue in Prospect Lefferts Gardens with regular live jazz. Tonight: 2 shows.

Soapbox Gallery

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn · 636 Dean St

A Prospect Heights performance space and art gallery on Dean Street, presenting jazz, classical and singer-songwriter shows, some of them livestreamed.

Want everything at once? See all jazz tonight or just the late sets.

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