6. great jazz joints worth name-dropping
Iridium Jazz Club
New York, New York
That guitar pioneer Les Paul performs here on Monday nights is all
you need to know. But the lineup is great the rest of the week,
too.
Yoshi's Japanese Restaurant & World Class Jazz House
Oakland, California
With great acoustics, excellent sightlines, and an intimate
setting, this venue consistently offers the best live jazz on the
West Coast.
Jazz Showcase
Chicago, Illinois
Second City's oldest and foremost jazz room, the Showcase presents
touring talent Tuesday through Sunday nights, with matinees on
Sunday afternoons.
Snug Harbor
New Orleans, Louisiana
Snug Harbor is home base for
Ellis Marsalis, the elder statesman of
modern jazz's first family, as well as local heroes such as Allen
Toussaint and Nicholas Payton.
Baker's Keyboard Lounge
Detroit, Michigan
The oldest active jazz venue in the world, these days Baker's
focuses on Detroit-area players.
Wally's Café Jazz Club
Boston, Massachusetts
Since 1947, this room has been training ground for up-and-comers
from the
Berklee College of Music,
Boston Conservatory of Music,
and New England Conservatory. Better yet, it's open 365 days a
year.
7. time warps
CBGB
New York, New York
CBGB is where Blondie, the Ramones, and the Talking Heads got their
starts, and where it's 1977 all over again.
Whisky A Go-Go
Los Angeles, California
A Sunset Strip landmark since 1964, the Whisky is living proof that
L.A. rocks - and that L.A. hair bands will never die.
Bimbo's 365 Club
San Francisco, California