Home of the Nice Jazz Festival, Nice is a town that knows how to swing, from the most established jazz club to the tiniest hole-in-the-wall…
Shapko, just off Place Rossetti in Old Nice, is owned by Russian sax-man Dimitri Shapko, who runs the show and still plays occasionally. They feature live jazz 5 nights a week (Wed-Sun) and it’s a quirky but fun club, especially on Sunday and weeknights when they waive the 5€ cover charge.
Cave Bianchi’s “Jazz En Face” It only happens on Wednesdays, there’s no sign, and if you didn’t know about it you would never find it… Wednesday nights starting at 9:30pm, the renown wine store Cave Bianchi unlocks the door to the cellar across the street (7 rue Raoul Bosio in Old Nice) and lets it rip… often with the excellent Seb Chaumont Trio. 10€ cover charge, then good wines by the glass for 5€.
Cave Romagnan, located near the train station, is an acquired taste: a hole-in-the-wall bar with a grizzled clientele by day… that turns into an eclectic jazz hub starting at 7pm on Saturday nights. The bar’s long time owner, Manu, loves jazz and doesn’t hesitate to book bands in that take up half his tiny floor space, but the fiercely loyal regulars don’t mind, they just crowd in and spill out to the sidewalk. To say the decor is unpretentious is an understatement, but the drinks are cheap, the music good, and the locals colorful… so who cares? 22 rue d’Angleterre, tram stop Gare Thiers or Jean Medecin.
Le B-Spot A great venue for jazz, spacious yet intimate, urban yet warm. The cover charge varies depending on the group, and it’s strongly recommended to call in advance to reserve a table: 04 93 92 00 90. Doors open at 8:30 pm, music goes from 9:30-midnight. 24 ave Marechal Foch
Cave Wilson is a very convivial wine bar with live jazz on Wednesdays and weekends. Located outside the Old Town, just off Place Wilson at 16 rue Gubernatis, 04 93 85 33 10
Master Home in Old Nice has a nightly jazz piano bar from 7-10pm, 11 rue de la Prefecture in Old Nice 04 93 80 33 82
Le Abat-Jour (‘the Lampshade’) is composed of two bars: whereas the upstairs is techno/dj/rock, the downstairs completely opposite: hip and comfortable, with overstuffed furniture, crimson lampshades, eclectic artwork and intriguing live music on the weekends. Rue Benoit Bunico in Old Nice.
By the way, the jazz radio station in Nice is TSF Jazz at 98.1. FIP from Paris is also great listening with a more eclectic mix, but it’s only available on the web.
See Related Page: Summer Jazz Festivals on the Riviera
- Back up to Nice by Night page
