Jazz in the pub
A fair few pubs and bars feature jazz in the bar, rather than the proverbial back room. These are generally free entry.
Top billing here goes to that great institution the Old Duke in King Street, which offers jazz every night, and an annual weekend Festival in August. Trad and blues are on offer quite often, with more irregular quality modern jazz bookings – all listed here. (pic Stephen Burnett, CC)
The Canteen
Bar, veggie restaurant and community space in Stokes Croft, with music every night – late evening start, a great variety of interesting sounds on offer, some jazz or jazz adjacent. Listings here.
The Gallimaufry
Another nice bar with free music of some kind pretty well every night. Programming is eclectic, and has featured residencies from the likes of Snazzback. They tend to only list gigs for the coming week, as here. Only a few minutes walk from the Canteen so possible to check out both on the same evening.
Old Fish Market
A regular Sunday night session in an excellent old pub just behind St Nick’s Market, starting at 7.00, usually featuring contemporary jazz from Bristol based players. They tell you what’s happening, when on Facebook here.
The Bristol Fringe (see also club nights) runs free entry gigs several nights a week in the front bar area.
It also runs occasional paid entry jazz gigs in the pub’s back room with stage. The room is small but has a great atmosphere and excellent acoustics and is perfect for jazz.
Spirited
Enterprising spirits shop and bar on North Street who run a session on Sunday afternoons, 2.00-4.00pm
Gin and Juice
Fancypants bar on Park Street with live music, sometimes jazz featuring the likes of recent Bristol resident saxophonist Dan Newberry.
Crafty Egg (Fishponds)
Classy cafe has a monthly jazz session (Karolina’s jazz club) on a Friday night.
Cafe Grounded (Fishponds)
A weekly session here, on Thursdays.
Crafty Cow, Horfield
Pub that runs a weekly music session on Thursdays.
Lonely Mouth Cafe, Horfield
This splendidly named Japanese cafe has a weekly jazz duo session, again on Thursdays
Stag and Hounds
On the roundabout at the end of Market Street – Adam Stokes’ trio play there each Sunday night with a guest, from around 5.00, followed by a jam session. Speaking of which…
Jam Sessions
Bristol also enjoys a fair few jam sessions. These aren’t posted in the calendar, which is confined to promoted gigs, but you can find up to date details every month in Tony Benjamin’s jazz roundup for Bristol24/7. Regular venues for jams include The Canteen in Stokes Croft, the Fringe (of course!), Mr Wolf’s, The Stag and Hounds at the end of Market Street, The East Bristol Jazz Club at The Old Stillage in Redfield, and The Bootlegger. Out of town, the Riff Corner in Clevedon has a monthly jazz jam on the third Tuesday, with parts available to players for 120 songs. There’s also the South Cotswold Jazz Cub, who run a jam on the second Friday each month at Under the Edge arts, Wotton-Under-Edge. Details here. And a regular jazz jam at the Pelican in Chew Magna on the second Tuesday of the month. See here.