Louise Hare’s This Lovely City is a poignant story set against the backdrop of London in the Windrush era. The story follows a character who is a postman by day, jazz musician by night. Even now, jazz is still very much a part of London. You can still go out and enjoy an evening of wonderful music, whether you’re into traditional jazz or more contemporary styles. Here are our own five favourite jazz venues to go enjoy some fabulous tunes:
Ronnie Scott’s
First opened in 1959, Ronnie Scott’s is a brilliant and atmospheric bar which all jazz lovers must go to. It is one of the oldest Jazz clubs in the world and its stage has been graced by some classic jazz players.
The Jazz Café
Since opening in 1990, The Jazz Café has hosted a fantastic collection of artists in their venue (including Amy Winehouse, D’Angelo, Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King and more). Located in the culturally-buzzing Camden, this venue has amazing music, food and drinks.
Kansas Smitty’s
Both a bar and a band! Kansas Smitty’s was created by the eponymous band when looking for a home for their music in 2015. This intimate basement jazz club is filled with talented musicians and delicious drinks for an excellent night out.
606 Club
Based in Chelsea, the 606 Club is one of the busiest jazz clubs in Europe. Established in 1976, its rich with history while hosting live music 7 nights a week, plus Sunday lunches. With its charismatic speakeasy vibe, this intimate basement club/restaurant is irresistible.
Pizza Express Jazz Club (Soho)
Yes— you read that right— Pizza Express has their own jazz club in Soho! Pizza plus music? What more could you want? Having had artists like Norah Jones and Gregory Porter gracing its venue, this club has brilliant music seven nights a week.
And if you prefer to listen from the comfort of your own home, we’ve got just the thing! Check out our This Lovely City Spotify playlist to get you into the mood of the book.
This Lovely City is out now in paperback. Buy a copy from Bookshop.org, where a small portion of the cost will go towards enabling The Reading Agency to continue to reach 1.8m people each year through the proven power of reading.
