Jazz clubs The United States Of America

Open since 1961, it is a mythical place in New Orleans. The setting is really the perfect cliché of the jazz club, as one imagines it. No drinks or food are served, and smoking, taking pictures or filming is prohibited. After waiting in line outside, in front of a building that seems to be almost falling apart, you enter a dark room made of wood and stone. This room is the home of the New Orleans style, a style that had to be preserved after the popular craze for rock'n'roll and modern jazz.

Beautiful concert hall in a hundred-year-old building, completely renovated. Jimmy's offers a top-quality jazz & blues program, and has already played host to a number of top names (Kenny Garrett, Nate Smith, Ricky Lee Jones, etc.). The possibility of dining on site (in the "Moulin Rouge" style, according to the venue's manager) or having a drink makes the experience even more delicious. A great atmosphere and a great evening guaranteed for music lovers.

A large dark room and a large stage for the musicians, a beautiful bar, a space to dance, a calm and relaxed crowd, there is everything you need to spend a good evening at Martyr's. Bands can play rockabilly, blues, swing, funk or rock... Opening onto the street, bay windows create a neighbourhood bar atmosphere. Martyr's is also a restaurant, where sandwiches, pizzas, salads, etc. are served on tables decorated in memory of great musicians like Jim Morrison. A very good address to discover.

Pops for Champagne is one of Chicago's newest and most elegant jazz clubs. It is located in the heart of the city, which does not spoil anything. The first floor with its bar in the centre and its large windows become the place of meeting "after work" where you start with a champagne cup or a glass of wine. A little later (five times a week), we go to the basement from 21 h to attend a jazz concert. The room is rather intimate and is in the spirit of the old clubs of Saint-Germain-des-Près.

Open since 1985, the Regattabar is one of the best places to listen to jazz in Boston and, according to some, all over New England! The club is located in the Charles Hotel on the third floor. You can have a drink on the spot, but on the restaurant side, it is only possible to nibble on a few dishes to share. Plan to dine somewhere before or after the show, the doors open at 6:45 pm on concert nights. The hall is quite spacious, but it is better to arrive early to have a good table, close to the stage.

This speakeasy, opened in the early 1920s, undergoing prohibition, no longer sells alcohol today, but it is possible to return home with its bottles. So it's not for the drinks that we go to Bill's Place, but for the quality of the jazz concerts that take place every Friday and Saturday night. During the heyday of New York jazz, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and Fats Waller were regulars. Between each performance, the master of the place, Bill Saxton, a saxophonist born in 1946, reviews the history of the place.

Perhaps less well known than Buddy Guy's or Andy's, this establishment has an excellent blues and jazz program, and has the advantage of not being very touristy. Opened by Joe Segal in 1947, this club is particularly cherished by Chicagoans for its authenticity and the passion it conveys. Despite various moves around the city, Jazz Showcase has not lost its clientele, perhaps also because, even when there are people around, no one is ever turned away. Be patient, the concerts are really worth the detour.