Jazz Clubs in Venice

The sounds of Thelonius Monk drift through the sultry night air of Venice, with live jazz streaming from the piazzas and sexy blues folding out from under a dusty club door.

A city of intrigue and illusion, it’s no wonder jazz greats were enticed by Venice; by its majestic palaces and Byzantine buildings that wrap themselves around the winding lagoon. Sadly, however, there are not a lot of jazz bars or jazz clubs in Venice to choose from. Sure, there are a handful of cozy lounges that have jazz on the docket now and again celebrating hard with some long notes and savory Ah-bippity-be-bop-a-doo-doos. But – as with most of the Venetian nightlife scene – revelers are not going to be overburdened with an array of Venice jazz clubs.

That said, Venice Jazz Club is a must for bebop fans along the Dorsoduro. The only club of its kind in the city, the VJC is an intimate music venue with an artsy, almost underground vibe that attracts a savvy clientele of jazz lovers who gather to appreciate classic jazz, bossa nova, and hot improvisations played by some of the area’s finest musicians.

Close to the Rialto Bridge, Bacaro Jazz is a restaurant and cocktail bar that, while very touristy, serves up a solid jazz lineup to accompany its rather pricey food and wine.

The best bet for jazz lovers in Venice is not going to be from jazz clubs, instead, come in July for the annual Venezia Jazz Festival, which presents a series of concerts by up-and-coming and established international artists at Teatro La Fenice and Piazza San Marco.