In CL’s 2019 music issue, Tampa Bay jazz giants Mike Cornette and Bob Seymour offered a seven-day guide to seeing live jazz in Tampa Bay. While there may not be one dedicated jazz club in the Bay area, there are plenty of places to see it live. We’ve arranged the venues by their reliability as a place that books jazz on regular to semi-regular basis. Click the venue name to check out its website or get more information.
The best places to hear live jazz in Tampa Bay every day of the week
By CL Staff on Thu, Jul 18, 2019 at 2:05 pm
Tags:
- Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association,
- Alfano’s,
- blue parrot,
- Brandon,
- Carrollwood Cultural Center,
- clearwater,
- Columbia Restaurant,
- concert hall,
- CW’s Gin Joint,
- David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts,
- Donatello,
- Dunedin,
- Dunedin Brewery,
- Eddie V’s,
- Eddie V’s Prime Seafood,
- Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe,
- Fenway Hotel,
- Firehouse Cultural Center,
- Hideaway Cafe,
- Hideaway Pizza Pub,
- Hillsborough Community College,
- Hillsborough Community College Mainstage Theatre,
- Horse and Jockey Pub,
- Hough Hall,
- Independent Bar,
- Independent Bar & Café,
- Intermezzo,
- jazz,
- Jazz House Supper Club,
- Lake Magdalene,
- Lakeland,
- Lakeland Loft,
- live jazz,
- mahaffey theater,
- Mandarin Heights,
- Mandarin Hide,
- Mattison’s City Grille,
- music hall,
- Old Hyde Park,
- palladium theater,
- Palm Harbor,
- Rock Brothers Brewing,
- Ruby’s Elixir,
- Ruskin,
- Ruth Eckerd Hall,
- Sacred Pepper,
- Sarasota,
- seminole heights,
- Side Door Cabaret,
- Sola Bistro & Wine Bar,
- South Pasadena,
- St. Pete Beach,
- St. Petersburg College,
- Straz Center,
- Studio@620,
- Tampa,
- Tampa Bay. St. Petersburg,
- the attic,
- The Blue Note,
- The Chattaway,
- The Hangar,
- things to do,
- Timpano,
- University of South Florida,
- Ybor City,
- Zydeco Brew Werks
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Donatello Italian Restaurant
232 N. Dale Mabry HWY, Tampa
Home of Tampa Bay jazz matriarch Kitty Daniels who plays here 2-3 times a week.
DonatelloItalianRestaurant/Facebook
Palladium Theater
253 5th Ave. N., St. Petersburg
This venues books jazz 1-3 times a week, mostly in its intimate Side Door Cabaret.
Photo by Kevin Tighe
The Hideaway Café
1756 Central Ave., St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg’s best listening room has live music all week and regularly hosts jazz.
Photo by Jane Drooger
The Hangar
540 1st St. S. St. Petersburg
This second story venue has airport views and is home to the Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association’s Monday night jam, which regularly features Tampa Bay’s best young talent.
AlDowningJazz/Facebook
Independent Bar & Café
5016 N. Florida Ave., Tampa
Tampa’s Independent Bar & Café has been hosting a Saturday jazz monthly since 2010. It is a can’t-miss.
Photo by Bay Media
Independent Bar
1049 Central Ave., St. Petersburg
A Sunday jam from trumpeter James Suggs is starting to become a sure thing for jazz fans.
IndependentBarStPete/Facebook
Studio@620
620 1st Ave. S., St. Petersburg
Bob Devin Jones’ creatives haven has been booking more jazz concerts as of late. Check the website for details.
Photo by Marlo Miller
Mandarin Hide
231 Central Ave. N., St. Petersburg
A trailblazer in St. Petersburg’s craft cocktail scene, the Mandarin Hide is also home to a Wednesday night residency with guitarist Nate Najar.
TheMandarinHide/Facebook
Mandarin Heights
5901 N. Florida Ave., Tampa
A newcomer to Seminole Heights, Mandarin Hide’s sister Tampa restaurant is home to a Wednesday night residency with trumpeter Jackson Harpe.
mandarinheights/Facebook
Timpano Italian Chophouse
1610 W. Swann Ave., Tampa
Acme Jazz Garage plays at this Old Hyde Park staple every Thursday and Friday.
AcmeJazzGarage/Facebook
Alfano’s Restaurant
1702 Clearwater Largo Rd. N., Clearwater
Bob Seymour recommends a Friday trip to Alfano’s in Clearwater for a set from Karen Benjay (pro tip: Benjay is back at the Alfano’s Splendido Lounge on Saturday anyway).
alfanosrestaurant/Facebook
Positano’s Ristorante
3309 Tampa Rd., Palm Harbor
Mike Cornette suggests spending Friday with Interplay at Positano’s in Palm Harbor.
Positanos/Facebook
Columbia Restaurant
2117 E. 7th Ave., Ybor City
Famous for its flamenco show, the Columbia restaurant’s Ybor tapas bar also hosts the Dick Rivers Band in the Columbia Café dining room every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m.-11 p.m.
Courtesy of Columbia Restaurant
Carrollwood Cultural Center
4537 Lowell Rd., Tampa
In the ‘burbs is where Jim Burge hosts regular jazz concerts. This is a great place to catch Dick Rumore’s Jazz Cellar Big Band.
carrollwoodculturalcenter/Facebook
Eddie V's Prime Seafood
4400 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa
Booked by Mark Neuenschwander — a longtime jazz bass professor at USF and a first-call upright bass player around the area. Tuesday’s are recommended, but the place has live jazz every night.
EddieVsPrimeSeafood/Facebook
The Horse & Jockey
1155 Pasadena Ave. S., South Pasadena
An off the beaten path venue that guitarist Nate Najar has called one of his favorite gigs.
Handjpub/Facebook
CW’s Gin Joint
633 N. Franklin St., Tampa
Next door to downtown Tampa’s majestic Vault event space, CW’s offer’s jazz on many nights of the week. Call (813) 816-1446 to see who’s on.
cwginjoint/Facebook
Lakeland Loft
108 S. Tennessee Ave., Lakeland
The Loft features live jazz Thursday through Saturday, while Aaron Corbitt’s portraits of jazz greats such as Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong and Count Basie line walls and serve as inspiration. Among the more renowned musicians to have taken the floor at the Loft has been pianist-keyboardist Jeff Phillips, who plays at Walt Disney World and jazz festivals around the United States; John Cortese, a respected guitarist based central Florida who plays New York City jazz clubs; and Manny Patino, a bass player that who has performed with jazz great Arturo Sandoval. — Paul Catala
Courtesy of Soloman Wassef
Ruby’s Elixir
15 3rd St. N., St. Petersburg
A true gem of the downtown St. Petersburg live music scene, residencies from Shawn Brown (pictured) and Hiram Hazley are the best bet for jazz fans.
rubyslive/Facebook
The Chattaway
358 22nd Ave. S., St. Petersburg
Sundays are for jazz at this quaint, long-running St. Pete staple. The second half of a perfect jazz afternoon that starts with the Independent Bar in the EDGE District. Cash only here.
thechattaway/Facebook
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