Catalina Jazz Club

I had the privilege of seeing jazz guitar legend Kenny Burrell here, and was thoroughly pleased with my experience - my first time at a jazz club. The atmosphere of the club was cozy, and felt intimate without being cramped. We were seated a few tables from the stage, but being seated anywhere would still allow you to enjoy the performance in plain view equally. Kenny was able to interact with the audience freely, and the club sold his latest CD following the show, which he signed for audience members and took pictures too. Many of the jazz legends whose careers reach back as far as the 1950s will likely play here if they are still active in the scene, along with the well-known talents of today, and up and coming acts as well. It's not a venue requiring a knowledge or deep appreciation of jazz - the guests I took weren't experienced jazz listeners, but we all had a memorable time enjoying the atmosphere and great food and dessert. Definitely a spot to check out.

While the Catalina Jazz Club may be famous among jazz circles, I had never heard of it when I went for the first time. I was turned on to it through a jazz appreciation class I took in college and we went here as a class. If you want to take a step outside your normal scene and rub shoulders with jazz aficionados young and old, make sure you check out a show here. The music speaks for itself, but you don't have to love jazz to be into this scene. Unfortunately the instances that such a diverse group of people come together feel a bit too rare in LA, but that's not the case at Catalina Jazz Club. You don't need to, but dress up and make a night of it. Every time I come here, I feel like I see a different side of LA. You'll like what you experience.