Paris Jazz celebrates the late lamented Albert Ayler - Dec 2nd

If you want to step out of the regular Paris jazz clubs and jazz bars and see some live jazz in Paris in a wonderful space then check out this event at the contemporary art museum 'Le Fondation Cartier'

Albert Ayler (July 13, 1936 – November 25, 1970) was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist, singer and composer.

Ayler was among the most primal of the free jazz musicians of the 1960s; critic John Litweiler wrote that "never before or since has there been such naked aggression in jazz" He possessed a deep blistering tone—achieved by using the stiff plastic Fibrecane no. 4 reeds on his tenor saxophone—and used a broad, pathos-filled vibrato.  On Dec 2nd, at 8pm (for the cost of only 7.50 euros) the Fondation Cartier in Paris will be holding an 'hommage' to the memory and music of Albert Ayler.

Our List of the Best Jazz Bars and Clubs in Paris

Our complete list of Jazz Clubs in Paris.  Where to hear the best live jazz musicians in Paris.  From A to Z with all Paris Jazz Clubs


Some of these venues are famous Paris jazz bars, some of these places are down and dirty Paris jazz clubs. The opinions here are entirely ours. PLEASE send us your comments to help us keep things up-to-date. (also, if you have any suggestions how to get the accents for our French words working correctly, we're all ears.)




L'Archipel: 17 blvd de Strasbourg 10th, 01.48.00.04.35 Metro Chateau d’Eau Does double service as a cinema...which means the chairs are comfy, but there's no room to dance (or drink). Two rooms (the blue and the red), and one cheerful ticket-taker. Entrance 9-15 euros.


Atelier Charonne: 21 rue de Charonne 11th, 01.40.21.83.35, Metro Bastille or Ledru Rollin. Focus on jazz Manouche. Free, straight-up shows that start some time after 8:30pm.


Autour de Midi...et Minuit: 11 rue Lepic 18th, 01.55.79.16.48 Metro Blanche Entrance varies (free to about 10 euros.)


Baiser Sale: 58 rue des Lombards 1st, 01.42.33.7.71 Metro Chatelet Upstairs from the tiny bar and terrasse, there's a nice-sized room for jams and bands. Almost always worth a visit. (price range usually 10 to 20 euros)

Babilo (alt Bab-ilo): 9 rue du Baigneur, 18th, 01.42.29.99.19, Metro Jules Joffrin. Weekend jazz, including Sunday 6:30pm jam sessions (kinda Brazilian, so I hear, though i haven't gotten there yet myself.)

A 'just outside Paris' jazz club event - Tuesday Nov 23

And this is a ‘just outside of Paris’ jazz club in a totally cool space.  As Paris becomes ever more expensive artists and musicians and whole festivals are moving just past the borders of the city - like Williamsburg in NYC (..perhaps not quite as 'cool' as Williamsburg, but you get the idea...) So the north-east suburbs of Montreuil and Pantin are becoming slowly filled with artists and artisans and new theatre and music spaces - the artists are, (as one of my favourite pieces of graffiti once said) 'the shock troops of gentrification'.


The aptly named Banlieu Blues fest presents in November a festival of jazz and blues just outisde Paris - Dynamo (La Dynamo de Banlieu Bleus – which wonderfully translates as something like THE DYNAMO OF SUBURBAN BLUES!).  There will be wine and maybe food if you get there early....

This week in Paris Jazz Clubs - a rainy November in Live Jazz in Paris

Well, I'm going with this concert as the one to see this week.  An all out marathon of jazz and jazzy players at the  historic (well, 10 years old historic...) Le Triton  this Saturday, Nov 20th, from 4pm to 2am the next morning.  It's a nice, intimate space (not so much a Paris Jazz Bar, but a real Jazz Club) where you'll feel part of the action and where the crowd will be regulars of the venue and supporters of the little record label they have.  

It is just outside of the walls of Paris.  But if you plan it right then you can also take advantage of the trip to visit historic Belleville.  Get off the Metro at 'Belleville' or 'Goncourt' and then walk uphill for a few blocks before getting back on at 'Jordain' to head out to 'Mairie des Lilas'.  If the weather is nice then make a side trip over to see the view over Paris from the lovely 'Parc de Belleville' and have a glass of wine on the terrace of the Mer a Boire.  I can't imagine a nicer way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

The Best Bar in ...

A quick non-Paris amazing jazz club note -

I have been on the road on the other side of the water for the last three weeks.  From New York City to New Orleans and back via Memphis, Nashville and Detroit.  Making music and also just some touring around.  Got stuck in Detroit (sadly broke an axle on my 1964 Skylark

just outside Toledo.... so I got a tow truck to take me up to Detroit).

I toughed it out by booking myself into the fabulous newly renovated Book Cadillac hotel

and and spent 3 days wandering around the surreal dying city

checking out the amazing music scene.  And I stumbled into the best Jazz bar in Detroit.  Cliff Bell's. 

Must See! Saturday Night Cool - Lee Konitz headlines in one of my favourite Paris Jazz Clubs

If you're looking for a great experience watching live jazz in Paris or visiting one of the many live jazz clubs and bars in Paris then I would advice you check out a concert this Saturday night (November 13th at 8pm, 25 euros) at Sunset/Sunside  - one of my favourite jazz bars in the city.  

Lee Konitz and Dan Tepfer

Lee is generally considered one of the driving forces of Cool Jazz, and one of the few altoists to retain a distinctive sound in the 40s, when Charlie Parker exercised a tremendous influence on other players.

Konitz began his professional career in 1945 with the Teddy Powell band as a replacement for Charlie Ventura. The engagement apparently did not start out smoothly, as Ventura is said to have banged his head against a wall when Konitz played.

In 1949 he teamed up with the Miles Davis group for one or two weeks and again in 1950 to record Birth of the Cool. Konitz has stated that he considered the group to belong to Gerry Mulligan, and credits Lennie Tristano as the true forebearer of "the cool".

In the early 1950s, Konitz recorded and toured with Stan Kenton's orchestra. In 1961, he recorded Motion with Elvin Jones on drums and Sonny Dallas on bass. This spontaneous session, widely regarded as a classic, consisted entirely of standards. The loose trio format aptly featured Konitz's unorthodox phrasing and chromaticism.

Konitz has been quite prolific, recording dozens of albums as a band leader. He has also recorded or performed with Dave Brubeck, Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan, Elvin Jones and others.

Louis

OK, it's not Paris Jazz Clubs and it's not about live Jazz in Paris - but it's amazing.  This video kills me everytime I watch it..... so I'm posting it again so everyone can see it...again and again....  You understand after this how Louis Armstrong was not only an amazing innovator in jazz instrumental styles, but an extraordinary innovator in vocal stylings.

Dinah!!