The Jazz Cafe

Camden obviously has a rich heritage of serving its public with live music and the trappings that go along with it, whether it was the days of punk and Camden Market, celeb rockers and the Hawley Arms or the more grimy Dublin Castle. In keeping with its history of talent the Jazz Café deserves to be explored in far more detail than this short review, but its praises will be sung all the same.

It isn’t all in the name and despite its association with many of the greats it does tend to expose Camden to other genres beyond jazz. Hip-hop features heavily on its live roster and it has hosted luminaries like De La Soul and KRS-ONE in the past. Club nights are a mixture of live acts and DJs and with both upstairs and downstairs bars open the usual squash is avoided and since there are two floors there’s even more room for dancing, which is what the Jazz Café’s all about. Gigs are often scheduled during the week, which leaves the weekends open for more informal fun. Special drinks promotions must be followed to avoid a pricy night, although the quality of the music gets you lilting before the alcohol can. If you can book on a jazz night then the restaurant comes highly recommended where you can sample the special gumbo or Louisiana sunburst salad on the balcony while you take in the night. Having sat in its current location for over twenty years, if you haven’t been yet then now’s the time...