When it comes to jazz, we’ve heard our fair share of sultry melodies in these clubs.
There are tons of great spots in Manchester to enjoy the smoky notes and raspy rhythms of a live performance. We’ve selected some of our favourites below, including information about the venue, what kind of music you can expect and insider tips for your visit.
Matt and Phreds
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One of the most loved live music venues in Manchester, Matt and Phreds has everything you could want from a back street jazz club – dark cosy corners, people of all ages tapping their feet and über talented jazz musicians performing seven nights a week.
Weekends are jam packed, and if you sit next to the iconic little stage, you’ll likely be at the centre of revellers dancing around. Weekend headliners are worth going for, but they do plenty of free early bird gigs too. For a more intimate jazz experience, go on a Wednesday or Thursday. Alternatively, test your jazz knowledge at the music quiz brunch every first Sunday of the month.
Where: 64 Tib Street, Manchester, M4 1LW.
Find out more: mattandphreds.coms
The Blues Kitchen
Credit: Blues Kitchen
Don’t let the national name dissuade you, Manchester’s own Blues Kitchen is a great spot to hear the sultry sounds of live jazz alongside their signature offering of soul, R&B and classic blues. Best enjoyed with a belly full of their hickory-smoked comfort food, this is one way ticket to New Orleans.
With music seven nights a week over two stages, you can spend a weekday sipping on a dry martini and tuning into live jazz in the downstairs bar and restaurant, or head over on the weekend to try the largest selection of bourbon in the city and get funky with the live band upstairs.
Where: 13 Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3HN.
Find out more: theblueskitchen.com
The Fitzgerald
Credit: Snake Oil Photography
Step back into the sounds of the prohibition era at The Fitzgerald, a speakeasy-style cocktail bar with live jazz, swing, blues and soul every Friday and Saturday night. Moody lighting, low sofas and 1920s glassware make this the perfect spot for an extraordinary jazz performance, Great Gatsby style.
The back street entrance only makes The Fitzgerald feel more like a clandestine hidden gem, while late night sets mean you can keep sipping Whisky Sours and drowning in jazz and blues until the early hours of the morning. Fancy a daytime session? Book onto a Secret Brunch and be serenaded by Fitz legends with two hours of bottomless drinks.
Where: 11 Stevenson Square, Manchester, M1 1DB.
Find out more: thefitzgeraldmanchester.com
Band on the Wall
Credit: Billy Weaver
Mainly recognised for championing emerging talent from the city and beyond, Band on the Wall also puts on some of the most unforgettable jazz nights in Manchester. Not only does this intimate venue have great acoustics and a well-priced bar, but it also has an always appreciative audience.
Catch jazz musicians old and new, including the brilliant Northern Jazz Orchestra and new talents from Manchester’s longest running jazz workshop who finish their training with a live gig! This legendary venue is also home to the Manchester Jazz Festival – which is great for expanding your jazz repertoire.
Where: 25 Swan Street, Manchester, M4 5JZ.
Find out more: bandonthewall.org
RNCM (Royal Northern College of Music)
Whether you’re getting lost in the melodic notes of world-renowned musicians or watching present and past students blossom on the stage of this Manchester conservatoire, the Royal Northern College of Music is built for music – and it definitely shows.
With concerts most nights of the week, including regular jazz slots, you can sit back on stacked seats that offer an unparalleled view of the stage and get lost in the venue’s crisp acoustics, which make the smoky sounds of the saxophone float even further. There’s also a well priced bar if you fancy a tipple for the show.
Where: 124 Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9RD.
Find out more: rncm.ac.uk
