New York City: Jazz

A clutch of new clubs has revived the once-sagging scene, and there still are more than forty locations in Manhattan that present jazz regularly. Look mostly to Greenwich Village or Harlem for a good place; midtown jazz clubs tend to be slick dinner-dance joints - expensive and overrun by businesspeople looking for culture.

To find out who's playing, check the usual sources, notably the Voice, New York Magazine and Hothouse , a free monthly magazine sometimes available at the venues; or the jazz monthly downbeat. The city's jazz-oriented radio stations are also sources of information: two of the best are WBGO (88.5 FM), a 24hr jazz station, and WKCR (89.9 FM), Columbia University's radio station. As a final resort, Jazzline (tel 212/479-7888) provides recorded information about the week's events.

JAZZ VENUES

55 55 Christopher St (between 6th and 7th aves) tel 212/929-9883.
Really special underground jazz bar; the best of the old guard.

Arthur's Tavern 57 Grove St tel 212/675-6879, www.arthurstavernnyc.com .
Small, amiable piano bar with some inspired performers and no cover or minimum. Drinks are pricey.

Birdland 315 W 44th St (8th and 9th aves) tel 212/581-3080, www.birdlandjazz.com .
Not the original place where Charlie Parker played, but an established supper club nonetheless. Hosts some big names. Sets nightly at 9pm and 11pm. Music charge of $20-35, with a $10 food/drink minimum and a complimentary drink if you sit at the bar.

The Blue Note 131 W 3rd St (6th Ave) tel 212/475-8592, www.bluenote.net .
The famous names here aren't really worth the attendant high prices, cattle-herd atmosphere and minimal legroom. Cover charges vary wildly, from $7 to $65, plus a $5 minimum per person at the tables or a one-drink minimum at the bar. Sets are at 9pm & 11.30pm. On Fri & Sat, the jam sessions after 1am are free if you've seen the previous set, $5 if you haven't.

Café Carlyle The Carlyle Hotel , 35 E 76th St (at Madison Ave) tel 212/744-1600.
This intimate place is home to both Bobby Short and Woody Allen, who does the jazz thang here on Mon nights. $30-60 cover, no minimum.

Iridium Jazz Club 44 W 63rd St (at Columbus Ave) tel 212/582-2121.
Contemporary jazz performed seven nights a week in a surrealist decor described as "Dolly meets Disney." The godfather of electric guitar Les Paul plays every Mon. Shows at 8.45pm and 10.45pm, extra Fri & Sat show at 12.15am. Cover $20-35, $10 food and drink minimum, Sun jazz brunch.

Izzy Bar 166 1st Ave (at 10th St) tel 212/228-0444.
Popular with a European crowd, this cavernous hangout is more lounge than bar - but hosts jazz sessions and a variety of other music acts nightly. Admission is $5-10.

Jazz Standard 116 E 27th St tel 212/576-2232, www.jazzstandard.com .
A spacious underground room with great sound and even better performers has earned this club high praise and a loyal clientele. Sets Mon-Thurs at 8pm and 10pm, Fri and Sat 8pm, 10.30pm and midnight, Sun at 7pm and 9pm. Mon $15; Tues-Thurs & Sun $18; Fri & Sat $25; all with $10 minimum.

Joe's Pub 425 Lafayette St tel 212/539-8777, www.joespub.org .
Stylishly classic bar in Joe Papp's Public Theater attracts the entertainment crowd. Performances six days a week, ranging from Broadway songbooks to readings from the New Yorker 's fiction issues, with the likes of salsa, Indian music and jazz thrown in. Open daily 5pm-4am. $10-25.

Knitting Factory 74 Leonard St (between Church St and Broadway) tel 212/219-3055, www.knittingfactory.com .
The refurbished club - two performance spaces, two bars and a microbrewery with eighteen beers on draft - has won the cool kids back, and it's now the place to see avant-garde jazz, experimental acts and big-name rock bands in an intimate setting. $15-20, with shows beginning 8-10pm.

Savoy Lounge 355 W 41st St tel 212/947-5255, www.savoylounge.com .
Just behind the Port Authority Bus Terminal, this midtown joint has live jazz and blues nightly, live jams frequented by Broadway pit musicians, super-cheap drinks and an increasingly rare Hammond organ. Sets Sun-Wed at 9pm, 10.30pm and midnight, no cover; jam session Thurs 11.30pm-4am, $5; sets Fri-Sat at 10pm, 11.30pm, 1am. $7.

Smalls 183 W 10th St (at 7th Ave) tel 212/929-7565, www.smallsjazz.com .
Tiny West Village club has the best jazz bargain in NY: four to thirteen hours of music for $10, from 10pm to dawn. The weekday program comprises two sets and a late-night jam, by well-knowns and unknowns, the weekends also have an early bird set at 7.30pm. Free juice and non-alcoholic beverages, or BYOB.

Smoke 2751 Broadway (between 105th and 106th St) tel 212/864-6662, www.smokejazz.com .
Voted the best club in the city by New York magazine, this Upper West Side joint is a real neighborhood treat. Sets start at 9pm, 11pm and 12.30am, the first two weekend sets are smoke free, and there's a retro happy hour with $3 cocktails Mon-Sun 5-8pm.

Tonic 107 Norfolk St (between Rivington and Delancey sts) tel 212/358-7503, www.tonicnyc.com .
Hip Lower East Side avant-jazzerie on two levels, with no cover charge to the lower, Subtonic lounge. Occasional movies and Klezmer brunch on a Sun. Cover varies.

Village Vanguard 178 7th Ave (at 11th St) tel 212/255-4037.
A NYC jazz landmark that celebrated its sixtieth anniversary a few years back, the Vanguard supplies a regular diet of big names. Mon-Thurs and Sun admission is $15, with a $10 minimum; Sat-Sun entry is $20, with a $10 minimum. Sets are at 9.30pm and 11.30pm, with a 1am set Sat and Sun.

Zinc Bar 90 W Houston (at LaGuardia Place) tel 212/477-8337, www.zincbar.com .
Great jazz venue with strong drinks and a loyal bunch of regulars. The blackboard above the entrance announces the evening's featured band. Cover is $5 with a one-drink minimum. Hosts new talent and established greats such as Max Roach, Grant Green and Astrud Gilberto; also poetry readings on Sun at 6.30pm and comedy on Tues at 8pm.

New York City: Jazz

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