LISTEN: LAST OF OLD SCHOOL HARLEM JAZZ

When we started up the blog a few years ago, Harlem still had quite a few historic jazz spot but some have since disappeared.  St. Nick's Pub has had a music venue at the 149th Street Address since the 1940's but shuttered back in 2011 and has failed to open again since then.  Lenox Lounge had stood on Lenox Avenue since the Renaissance years but was pretty much destroyed after a much publicized lease dispute back in 2013 and a new commercial development will apparently arrive soon this year.

The only major historic sites that are currently left include Minton's on 118th Street just east of St. Nicholas Avenue which has been featuring live jazz since 1938 and currently has an excellent menu thanks to Chef Joseph Johnson.  Showmans located just east of Morningside Avenue on 125th Street has been running since 1942 at various locations and still has live jazz performed nightly within an intimate bar setting.  Paris Blues has been around on 7th Avenue and 121st Street since early 1970s and is a newcomer of sorts but locals definitely consider the jazz boîte a neighborhood institution.  Many restaurants or bars in Harlem feature weekend jazz performances but we always make it a point to support the old school joints when possible since they are part of the neighborhoods rich history.