Where to SeeJazz and Blues in San Francisco
Learn about San Francisco's jazz and blues history and check out all the best places to see it performed live today.
Much as the 1960s flower children fueled the San Francisco sound of rock and roll, the tens of thousands of African Americans who came to the Bay Area in the 1940s to work in the shipyards amplified the audience for mainstream-modern jazz and, particularly, blues in all its forms.
Here are just some of our favorite places to experience jazz and blues in San Francisco today.
African American Art & Culture Complex
The African American Art & Culture Complex is the only city-owned arts and cultural center in San Francisco dedicated to Afrocentric culture and traditions. Their Buriel Clay Theater serves as a site for annual theater productions, dance performances, musical concerts, and much more.
Learn MoreFillmore Jazz Ambassadors
Fillmore Jazz Ambassadors is comprised of individuals who have a shared passion for jazz. They are dedicated to reviving jazz in the San Francisco Bay Area through jazz history workshops, jam sessions, and jam production workshops.
Learn MoreThe Saloon
Opened in 1861, this place remains a classic blues and booze saloon. There were times when the likes of Boz Scaggs, Steve Miller, Janis Joplin and John Cipollena jammed the night away at The Saloon, occasionally joined by the late Chronicle columnist Herb Caen on drums. A small joint, always jammed; a few bar stools and lots of heavy electric blues. Not recommended for the faint of heart.
Learn MoreSFJAZZ Center
The luminous SFJAZZ Center is the first stand-alone structure in the country built specifically for jazz. Its intimate concert hall, the Robert N. Miner Auditorium, was acoustically and visually designed to enhance the creation of spontaneous music and the connection between artists and audiences.
Learn MoreSt. John Coltrane Church
What began as a jazz listening club called the Yardbird Temple in 1969 evolved into an institution dedicated to the music of John Coltrane and a commitment to racial, social and economic justice. In addition to its weekly Sunday services and monthly meditations, the Coltrane Church hosts a radio show on San Francisco's KPOO-FM that plays Coltrane's music. You can also listen in online via their 24/7 Coltrane Consciousness Radio programs.
Learn MoreMr. Tipple's Recording Studio
This Civic Center bar boasts a vintage vibe that transports you back to the speakeasy era. The cozy, dark space is a fantastic place to hear local jazz artists and enjoy a delicious cocktail. It also features a full dinner menu, including dumplings, dim sum, and claypot rice.
Learn MoreBix
Described as an "elegant saloon," Bix's Art Deco-style dining room is full of old-school charm. Martini glasses are chilled on a mountain of shaved ice, while white-jacketed servers deliver trays of shrimp cocktail and Negronis to stylish patrons. The intimate size of the space allows guests a ringside seat to the music, which is played every evening.
Learn MoreKeys Jazz Club
Housed in the former home of El Matador, an iconic 1950s nightclub run by the legendary Barnaby Conrad, Keys is a historic venue. The club is open for music and dinner four nights a week with two sets and two seatings. On Friday and Saturday, there are three sets.
Learn MoreBird and Beckett
Bird and Beckett is an independent book and record store in Glen Park that has been presenting live jazz weekly since 2002. The store becomes a listening room on weekends, a perfect space for an intimate show with excellent acoustics to boot. Check out their calendar to see upcoming acts.
Learn MoreBlack Cat Jazz Supper Club
Black Cat provides two levels of entertainment in San Francisco's historic jazz district. The first level features a streetside bar with high ceilings, warm lighting, and exposed brick walls. The second level is a subterranean lounge area, complete with soft leather chairs and a small stage. Jazz performances take place every night in the lounge. Enjoy a cocktail or a bite of Puerto Rican cuisine from the bar area, and you're sure to have a fantastic evening.
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Dan was part of the San Francisco Travel team for more than a decade, most recently as Vice President, Global Marketing. His favorite ways to spend a weekend in the city are with a cup of craft coffee in hand, a playlist of good vibes and a growing list of books to read, or out at the hottest new restaurant or bar.
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