Greece
One of the hippest, not to mention most stylish places in the center of the city is all about jazz! Open all day for coffee, drinks or food, hosts live jazz music every night. Delicious Mediterranean cuisine by chef Kostas Stavrou, cool art exhibitions, excellent decor, and a line-up of top-notch local and international jazz bands, show off modern Athens at its best.
Sofokleous 1, 10559 Athens
+302193211882, www.bacaro.gr.
Metro Station: Panepistimiou, Omonoia, Monastiraki.
Google map: bit.ly/bWtNOq
Pleasant live music venue, featuring local jazz and "world music" musicians, along with some more interesting contemporary Greek acts.
Popular jazz trio Human Touch are highly recommended, although they do not play here as often as they used to. Armenian Haig Yazdjian is another regular who is always worth hearing.
Konstantinoupoleos & Agiou Orous, Kollonos,
Post code: 10447
Telephone: +302103474074
Live Jazz venue at the music school run by outstanding bassist Giorgos Fakanas. Apart from his own band, who are usually outstanding, I have seen acts there such as Allan Holdsworth, Wallace Roney, Mike Stern and Birelli Lagrene. Highly recommended to all jazz fans.
3 Poseidonos Ave., Neo Faliro,
Tel 210 4813605
A cosy jazz 'museum' in the posh area of Kolonaki.
Enjoy vintage jazz in an appropriately smoky environment and have a philosophical chat with Costas the legendary owner.
Avoid telling him that you prefer modern jazz (that's anything after bebop!), he may ask you to leave his bar!
4 Deinokratous st (oposite St George Lycabetus Hotel)
Kolonaki
210-7258362
Decorated with a fully wooden interior and resembling the original Cotton Club, this wonderful and cosy bistro awaits you from early in the morning for coffee until late at night. It's food menu is also exquisite. Every night there’s live music.
3 Kolokotroni Street (shopping arcade) opposite the Old Parliament, next to Habitat; nearest metro station: Syntagma. tel: 210 331 4915
One of the friendliest places in Athens and maybe the only venue for great live jazz music in this city by some of the world's most renowned jazz musicians. The place can be packed on Saturday nights and if Milo Z happens to be around with his band it's going to be just another crazy party!
Trivonianou Street, Mets;
www.halfnote.gr
Up and coming friendly jazz club, featuring local Greek musicians such as the outstanding tenor player Dimitri Vassilakis, and where you can also find international names such as Soweto Kinche and Andy Sheppard.
Upstairs at the Bar Guru,
Platia Theatrou 10, nearest metro probably Omonia
www.bargurubar.gr/jazzupstairs.htm Tel: 210-3246530
Intimate live music venue with a great atmosphere where you can see some of the better local musicians on the jazz and ethnic jazz scene in the city. Particularly recommended acts include Human Touch, Takis Barberis, Nikos Kapilidis, Mode Plagal and Haig Yazdjian, all of whom play there on a regular basis. Closed during the summer.
Damareos 78, Pagkrati;
tel: 210 7560102
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