Jazz is alive and well in Berlin - and yet it has remained true to itself: While the international avant-garde meets at the big jazz festivals, the new generation regularly meets in the clubs and jazz bars to jam in the traditional way - or to bring their own interpretations to the stage. Jazz has a long tradition in Berlin.
Some of you may still have a grandfather who raves about the jazz evenings in the former eggshell, where in the 1950s you could hear Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald at an intimate gig. In the 1970s it was Branford Marsalis or Maceo Parker at the Quasimodo. In the meantime, Berlin has produced generations of its own jazz greats. And every evening there is an exciting live music program in several jazz clubs - sometimes top-class and international, sometimes typically Berlin and totally wacky. Let yourself be surprised. In these 11 jazz bars there is something going on almost every night.
Tip 1: Listen to jazz after midnight at A-Trane Jazz Club
The A-Trane is one of the most famous jazz clubs in Berlin. Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau and Diana Krall have all performed here. Kevin Spacey, who stopped by for a whiskey, once spontaneously sang "Fly me to the moon" here from his movie "Beyond the Sea - Music was his life." Several live jazz albums were also recorded at the A-Trane. Every Saturday, people meet for a jam session at "Jazz after Midnight". By the way, the A-Trane is named after John Coltrane (nicknamed Trane) and the jazz standard Take the A-Train made famous by Duke Ellington.
When: 12 a.m. - 1 a.m.
Where: Bleibtreustraße 1, Charlottenburg
Tip 2: B-flat Acoustic Music & Jazz Club - here the music plays almost daily
It's also hard to imagine Berlin's jazz scene without the B-flat. Since the end of the 1990s, music has been played here almost every evening, and the program is diverse and offers room for different styles: Jazz, soul, swing, bepop, funk and rock. Jam sessions are usually held on Wednesdays.
When: Tuesday through Sunday, 8 p.m. - 1 a.m.
Where: Dircksenstraße 40, Mitte
Tip 3: Kunstfabrik Schlot - jazz, jams and a broad cultural program
In addition to jazz, the Schlot also hosts readings, film lectures, and roundtable discussions. On Sunday, there will be a literary morning pint. The Kunstfabrik Schlot places a special focus on its offerings for young people and kids. Music schools from all over Berlin make regular guest appearances at the club. There are also free concerts several times a week. Food and drink are also affordable, ranging from a lard sandwich for 1.50 euros to a tasty selection of cheeses to go with a glass of wine.
When: one hour before the start of each concert.
Where: Invalidenstraße 117, Mitte
Tip 4: Badenscher Hof - serving jazz and more since 1985
Jazz club, restaurant and music café in one, the Badenscher Hof welcomes you in a stylish old-fashioned atmosphere. Not much has changed since the first concerts in 1985. The family-run jazz venue is open exclusively during the week, the ambience is relaxed and the cuisine hearty. On the menu, you'll find Berliner Schamkerl as well as Cajun jambalaya, a rice mix with fruit, vegetables, nuts and raisins that's affectionately known as jazz food. The music program is just as diverse.
When: Monday through Friday from 4 p.m., kitchen from 6 p.m., concerts from 8 p.m.
Where: Badensche Strasse 29, Wilmersdorf
Tip 5: Quasimodo - Berlin's oldest jazz club
Music has been playing at the Quasimodo since 1975. Jazz greats like Branford Marsalis or Maceo Parker have performed here. International stars such as Prince, Chaka Khan, Nigel Kennedy or even Helge Schneider surprised with small, private performances or spontaneous parties. Located directly under the Delphi cinema and the Quasimodo Bar, the Quasimodo offers a real club atmosphere.
When: depending on the event
Where: Kantstraße 12 a, City West
Tip 6: ZigZag Jazzclub - where young jazz talent and international stars meet
At ZigZag Jazzclub, Berlin's up-and-coming jazz talent alternates with international gigs on stage. Founded in 2015, the club in bourgeois Friedenau is one of the younger jazz venues, but it's hard to imagine the scene without it. Almost every evening the program here is mostly jazz, sometimes also funk, soul, swing, Latin or world music - and a pinch of chanson is also present. Small tables, floor lamps and a few retro sofas give ZigZag a cozy living room ambience.
When: 8 p.m. - midnight
Where: Hauptstrasse 89, Friedenau
Tip 7: The Hat - cool jazz club atmosphere under the S-Bahn arch
The Hat is a classic jazz bar that follows the tradition of American jazz jams. An almost endless bar stretches from the entrance to the end of the brick vault, which lies directly under the S-Bahn - giving the establishment an air of wickedness. In front of you the bartenders, behind you the stage, you can drift through the night here. There is no day off. The jam session starts at 21. In consultation with the respective host, you can also join the session yourself.
When: daily 8 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Where: Lotte-Lenya-Bogen 550, Charlottenburg
Tip 8: Jazzkeller - jazz heritage from GDR times
The history of the Jazzkeller goes back to GDR times. The scene meets regularly in the cellar of the Kreiskulturhaus Treptow - despite the general suspicion that all musicians somehow sympathize with Wolf Biermann, who was denaturalized in 1976. Ulrich Gumpert, one of the best-known jazz pianists in the GDR, occasionally included melodies from Biermann songs, but he was never banned. There are even special concerts in the town hall as well as in the Archenhold Observatory and the Astra Cinema. Some of the jazz musicians from the GDR are allowed to leave for the non-socialist economic area, i.e. the Federal Republic, and make jazz from the GDR internationally known. With the Jazzkeller 69, founded by some veterans from that time after the dissolution of the GDR in October 1991, the Treptow tradition finds its continuation. There is no room of its own, but there are regular concerts, for example in the Kühlspot Social Club once per month or in the Industriesalon Schöneweide.
When: depending on the program
Where: Industriesalon Schöneweide, Reinbeckstraße 10, Schöneweide
Tip 9: Yorckschlösschen - traditional jazz in a fun & relaxed atmosphere
An institution in the neighborhood for 120 years, the Yorckschlösschen was a popular corner pub in the 1960s, then a meeting place for artists. Since the 1980s, there has been live music several times a week, mostly jazz, but also blues, swing, funk and soul are on the program. The audience is well mixed, and especially at concerts, which take place every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, it gets crowded quickly. The atmosphere is all the better for it. People like to dance under the red-washed ceiling from which a glittering chandelier dangles. Tip: Make reservations in advance on concert nights.
When: daily 6 p.m. - 12 a.m., Friday and Saturday until 1 a.m.
Where: Yorckstraße 15, Kreuzberg
Tip 10: Donau 115 - experimental jazz in Neukölln
Small and inconspicuous, the Donau 115 in Neukölln has nevertheless made a big name for itself in the jazz scene. The reason for this is the openness for new ideas and experiments. In addition to cool jazz, you can also hear intellectual A-tonal compositions and weird acoustic pop. The audience is young, the solos long, the drinks affordable.
When: daily 7 p.m. - midnight, showtime 8:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Where: Donaustraße 115, Neukölln
Tip 11: Loci Loft - real cool jazz in an upscale atmosphere (temporarily closed)
Jazz, soul and sometimes a drag or burlesque show: The Loci Loft surprises again and again with musical event ideas. By the way, the menu is thematically coordinated with the respective concert. Seasonal events, such as Christmas or Halloween, round off the program. The focus, however, is on a down-to-earth jazz program in an almost upscale atmosphere by Berlin standards, including polished wine glasses and atmospheric candlelight.
When: Thursday to Saturday from 7 p.m.
Where: Oraniendamm 72, Reinickendorf
