New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz, and this article will introduce you to a handful of New Orleans Best Jazz Venues.
How Jazz Began
Exactly how and precisely when Jazz began is a matter of some debate. Some name the African rhythms of the bamboulas in Congo Square as the origin point. Others say it was Buddy Bolden’s first band formed in 1895. Still others look to the first Jazz record recorded by the Original Dixieland Jass Band in 1917. A mix of African, Caribbean, and European sounds; skilled musicianship, the famed neighborhood of Storyville, and a number of other social and economic factors gave rise to the genre. One thing is certain, by the early twentieth century, a new sound was spreading through the streets of New Orleans.
Today visitors from around the world travel to New Orleans in search of the best Jazz the city has to offer. Here are my picks for New Orleans best jazz venues.
Just the Jazz, Please
Preservation Hall
You can catch one of the best, most intimate jazz performances in New Orleans at Preservation Hall. Featuring the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, a rotating mix of New Orleans’ most skilled jazz musicians, Preservation Hall sits in an unassuming spot on St. Peter Street in the French Quarter. Preservation Hall is a small venue, holding only 100 patrons per show. The rough, unpretentious, interior feels more like someone’s back shed than one of New Orleans’s premiere music venues. Don’t let the humble nature of the structure fool you, within it’s walls Preservation Hall serves a spectacular, all acoustic Jazz show. The venue hosts three to four shows per night, seven nights per week. The first show begins at 5:00pm. The final show is at 8:45pm. Preservation Hall does not serve alcohol, so grab a Hurricane next door at Pat O’Brien’s to enjoy during the show.
Mahogany Jazz Hall
Mahogany Jazz Hall is one of New Orleans’s newest Jazz Venues. Housed in a former, reportedly haunted hostel, the hall offers pre-prohibition era cocktails and absinthe from around the world. The name has history of it’s own. Mahogany Hall was the name of a famous Storyville brothel run by the formidable Lulu White. The venue offers two, up close and personal, shows per night. Stay until Midnight on Saturday and Sunday to catch a pop up burlesque show. No reservations are required, and they do not accept reservations. There is a one drink minimum per patron requirement. Mahogany Jazz Hall does not serve food. I recommend walking one block over to Justine for a bite before the show.
Blue Nile
Blue Nile is one of the first nightclubs to appear on Frenchmen Street. Still a sort of secret, Frenchmen Street developed as a three block music district in the 1980s. As Bourbon Street became more and more of a tourist destination, New Orleanians craved a place to hear their music sans tourists. Voila, Frenchmen Street was born. Located along three blocks of the Marigny street, the venue was the first on the street to offer live music. Featuring two performance spaces, Blue Nile offers a range of music genres from Reggae to Blues to Funk to New Orleans’s unique form of brassy jazz. If you are looking for the best place to catch that New Orleans Brass Band sound, Blue Nile is it. They offer shows from Wednesday to Sunday featuring local musicians Kermit Ruffins, Corey Henry Funktet, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, and more!
Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub
Many visitors to New Orleans head down to Bourbon Street expecting to find great New Orleans music. While some good, local music can be found on the street, Bourbon today is more like a giant frat party than a bastion of New Orleans culture. There is one unassuming exception to this rule, Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub. Fritzel’s offers live jazz performances seven nights a week. Shows begin as early as 12:30 pm Wednesday through Sunday. Fritzel’s isn’t just a jazz pub, it is a classic New Orleans dive bar. In a city where the dive bar reigns supreme, Fritzel’s is one of the best.
Venues with Food Service
Snug Harbor
Looking for a place to enjoy Jazz and a meal? Snug Harbor is the place. Located on New Orleans’s hottest street for music, Frenchmen Street, Snug Harbor offers (mostly) modern New Orleans Jazz seven nights per week in their Music Room. The restaurant serves classic New Orleans fare, and the Music Room features two floors of intimate, cabaret style seating. The dining room and Music Room are separate, so plan to eat before or after the show. There are two shows per night, at 8 o’clock and at 10 o’clock. Tickets are around $30 once you factor in taxes and fees. Listen to Delfeayo Marsalis, son of New Orleans jazz great Ellis Marsalis, discuss Snug Harbor, a place for “serious listening”.
The Palm Court Jazz Cafe
Are you thinking, where can hear Jazz AND eat a great New Orleans meal at the same time? Surprisingly, there aren’t many options, but The Palm Court Jazz Cafe on lower Decatur Street is just what you are craving. The atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed. The food is genuine Creole, featuring generations-old recipes. Palm Court is open Wednesday through Sunday and charges a $10 cover for all shows. Reservations are recommended. Craving more great New Orleans music after your meal? Frenchmen Street is a short walk away.
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