The best places to hear jazz in London aren't always obvious, since many are not well-known and others may not be thought of as specifically jazz venues. Everyone knows Ronnie Scott's, of course, and it remains the capital's top jazz venue; but this is where you go to hear big-name visitors like Randy Brecker and Branford Marsalis, and pay accordingly - entry can cost £30.
At Pizza Express's Dean Street branch, the basement jazz club charges a more reasonable £15 for an eclectic programme of up- and-coming Brit players and the thriving Euro scene. Elsewhere in Soho, the Spice of Life on Cambridge Circus regularly features Tomorrow's Warriors, an award-winning collective that develops younger talent; entry is around £5.
South of the river, the jazz room at the Bull's Head in Barnes has a long tradition of showcasing established
|
|
  |
|
|
British performers like Peter King, Stan Tracey and Humphrey Lyttleton for between £6 and £12, while Le QuecumBar in Battersea caters for lovers of French gypsy jazz a la Django Reinhardt (free on Tuesdays, otherwise £5).
While neither are specifically jazz clubs, Spitz and Cargo, both in the East End, host cutting-edge acts - Cargo being a regular venue for the young saxophonist and rapper, Soweto Kinch, and Spitz for singer Julia Biel (left). Both are £10 or less.
But you must hazard the mean streets of Hackney to reach what may well be London's most serious jazz club, the Vortex (by Dalston Kingsland train station). Pay £6 to £10 for the most adventurous new music around, from the fierce free-jazzer Evan Parker to the intellectual pyrotechnics of New York's Dave Binney. The spirit of jazz is stronger here than in any other UK club. 
FIRST POSTED SEPTEMBER 21, 2006
 New York jazz: sax in the city
 More from our music file
 Sign up for our arts email
|
