Rhythm & Booze
| RONNIE SCOTTS 47 Frith Street, W1 (020 7349 0747). Mon-Sat 8.30pm-3am. Founded in 1959, London’s longest running jazz club (indeed, the world’s) treats Londoners like New Yorkers. As befits a venue founded by jazz musicians, it stays up late (last reservations 10.30pm) and serves food and drink until after 2am. Live music starts at around 9.30pm, with two bands each playing two sets. The second set starts at midnight and ends at 3am. Some performers, such as the Brazilian genius Hermeto Pascoal, are at their best at this hour and virtually have to be dragged offstage. Speaking of which, club security is excellent. The bouncers are discreet-but-substantial figures, and trouble is rare, even at 3am. |
THE JAZZ CAFé 5 Parkway, NW1 (020-7916 6060). Fri & Sat 7pm-2am, Sun-Thur 7pm-midnight. Dodge through Camden Town’s army of street-drinkers and chill out in the steel-and-glass haven of this former branch of Barclays Bank, and expensively converted purpose-built jazz club near the Tube. Its sightlines to the stage are notoriously bad, especially for upstairs diners, but the food (about Ј15.50 a plate) is good, the US-style island bar on the ground floor is welcoming and the dancefloor fills up as top jazz and Latin DJs crank up the sound until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights. Occasionally live bands, such as Jade Fox play a late show (11pm-2am) after the main attraction. |
| PIZZA ON THE PARK 11-13 Knightsbridge, SW1 (020 7235 5273). Mon-Sun 8.30am-11.30pm. The plush, dimly-lit space below this Knightsbridge pizzeria is known to regulars as Larry’s Room, in memory of one of its best-loved artists – US mouth-organ virtuoso Larry Adler, British or US jazz and cabaret acts perform here until around midnight. There are two shows a night, starting at 9.15pm and 10.45pm. Food and drink is served after midnight, but in recent years several artists have started demanding a smoking ban during their sets. Reasonably so, perhaps, until one remembers where jazz was born. |
606 CLUB 90 Lots Road, SW10 (020 7352 5953). Thur-Sat 8pm-2am, Sun 8pm-midnight, Mon-Wed 7.30pm-1am. Cosy Chelsea eaterie a little off the cabbies’ beaten track but close to Chelsea Harbour, Steve Rubie’s club prides itself on its food and its standard of modern jazz. Lively atmosphere, slightly cramped dining conditions and good music until 1am Mon-wed and 2am Thur-Sat. Customers, especially latecomers, are encouraged to eat, but there’s also a small bar area that comes into its own on busy nights. |
| 100 CLUB 100 Oxford Street, W1 (020 7636 0933). Mon-Thur 7.30pm-midnight, Fri 8.30pm-12.30am, Sat 7.30pm-late, Sun 7.30pm-11.30pm (times vary). Huge, barn-like Oxford Street cellar favoured by the international student community, the 100 was once the spiritual home of trad-boomers and hasn’t seen a lock of paint since. Photos of ancient heroes line the walls and New Orleans bands can still be heard among the R&B and Swing-era bands, but dancers rediscovering the delights of jiving and jitterbugging love the old place. I seem to remember, a Chinese food bar ensuite, but it’s just Cheesy Wotsits and similarly fluorescent bar snacks now. Certain Friday and Saturday late-shows continue until 1.30am, but enquire first. |
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