Add some cool to your summer with these regular live jazz series

While Seattle summers are packed with large pop-leaning music festivals like Bumbershoot, Timber! Outdoor Music Festival, and Capitol Hill Block Party, there’s also plenty of options in the area for jazz lovers who prefer quieter, less-crowded settings for listening—and the chance to complement the music with a delectable meal or cocktail.

If intimate music events are more your style, here are six regular jazz series, hosted at some of the city’s best local restaurants and bars, to add to your summer to-do list.

Oxbow

2307 24th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112

Last spring, Kit Schumann, the owner of the large, airy Oxbow Bakery in Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood, put out a casual call out in The Montlake Flier, an online publication for the Montlake neighborhood . He wondered if there were any local musicians who might want to perform at his business.

After receiving about 40 inquiries, it was the connection with local trumpeter, composer, and Cornish College of the Arts instructor Ray Larsen that stood out.

“Sometimes you meet people professionally who you just feel understand your vision,” Schumann said in an email.

This spring, Larsen booked a rotating cast of musicians for six weeks of shows that consistently drew listeners from the neighborhood. The series continues through the summer and into the fall and winter with a clear scope: During each season, there will be six weeks of shows at the bakery on Fridays from 4-6 p.m.

The summer series at Oxbow is on until Aug. 9 and features jazz artists including Bad Luck and James Falzone , Ben Thomas Trio, Drew Martin, Marina Albero , Sheyenne Leonard, and others.

“The real hope is that this develops into a hang where people are showing up and have played it before and want to come see who's playing at this time,” Larsen said.

Jazz Nights at Oxbow are not only free and musician-friendly, but they’re also geared toward families, offering a kid’s area in front of the stage with coloring pages. The food’s great, too, particularly if you like fresh-baked artisanal pizzas, pastries, and breads.

Underbelly

119 First Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

If you like high-quality live jazz and classic grilled cheese, then the weekly no-cover jazz nights at Underbelly , a cozy, wainscoted basement bar in Pioneer Square, is the event for you.

Every Tuesday night from 8-10 p.m. catch trumpeter Thomas Marriott with a rotating band that has previously included local luminaries like Rick Mandyck, Jeff Johnson, John Bishop, Michael Glynn, and Matt Jorgensen, as well as up-and-comers like Carter Eng.

Marriott’s regular jazz gigs at Underbelly is one of several ways he’s nurturing live jazz in the neighborhood, which historically was home to legendary jazz clubs like The Penthouse and Parnell’s. In January, Seattle Jazz Fellowship, the jazz education and performance nonprofit he founded, began operating out of the old Café Nordo space in Pioneer Square.

This series is also the realization of a dream for the Wilcox family who “always knew” they wanted to offer their space to visual artists, vendors, musicians, and bands to showcase creative talent in the area. They too want to help revitalize the jazz scene in Pioneer Square.

“We always felt our underground bar, in the heart of the old red light district, needed to have jazz,” said Rachel Wilcox, the owner of Underbelly, a family-owned business that opened in May 2019.

Underbelly has “the best grilled cheese in town,” according to Wilcox, and they also offer classic pizzas, bar snacks, and a wide variety of drinks and cocktails. Jazz night happens through the summer and in perpetuity from there.

Zig Zag Café

1501 Western Ave Ste 202, Seattle, WA 98101

The Zig Zag Café , a cozy bar and restaurant located along the Pike Place Hill Climb near Pike Place Market, has hosted jazz off and on since 1999. As of June 2023, they present jazz regularly on Sunday nights from 8-10:30 p.m. and they recently added regular Monday night jazz from 8-10:30 p.m., as well.

On Sunday nights, the music alternates between The Owcharuk Trio, a group led by accordionist Michael Owcharuk with Mike Dodge on woodwinds and Nate Omdal on bass; or the Jacob Zimmerman 3, featuring saxophonist Jacob Zimmerman, guitarist Chris Spencer, and bassist Matt Weiner.

Monday nights, catch Kareem Kandi World Orchestra, or the Josh Hou Trio comprised of Hou, an accordionist, Ray Larsen on trumpet, and a rotating bass player.

“The whole layout of the space is really inviting and cozy without being cramped,” said Hou. “The acoustics are super clear too; you can hear the music really well without it being overwhelming.”

Erin Tenille, Zig Zag’s general manager, said they began hosting jazz because the owner of the restaurant, Ben Dougherty, is a huge fan and an “enthusiastic audiophile.”

“Jazz contributes to important social spaces or ‘Third Places’ where musicians, artists, intellectuals, and fans gather to discuss ideas, exchange thoughts, and experience live music. Zig Zag is a place that prioritizes fostering a sense of community and creativity among people including jazz musicians and artists,” Tenille said.

With “every spirit under the sun,” Zig Zag is also a prime place for craft cocktails, particularly the “Last Word,” which was developed to pay homage to legendary bartender Murray Stenson , who worked at the café until 2011. There’s no cover to see the music at Zig Zag Café and the café is age 21 and over.

Il Bistro

93 Pike St A, Seattle, WA 98101

Only a 2-minute walk from Zig Zag Café is Il Bistro , another establishment that’s ideal for a summer jazz outing. Coincidentally, Zig Zag Café’s live music was a key reason why Il Bistro hired Jacob Zimmerman, the jazz saxophonist who plays there with his trio on Thursday nights.

“Matt Winer, the bass player, and I got hired by an out-of-town guitar player to do a one-off gig at Zig Zag in 2017...the then-bar manager at Il Bistro was there and heard us, and talked to Matt and asked us to who would be interested in playing every week at Il Bistro,” Zimmerman told KNKX.

From then on, the Jacob Zimmerman 3 has played weekly at Il Bistro and even released a 2020 record as a result of the regular gig. A few years ago, the jazz night switched from earlier in the week to Thursdays, 8:30-11:30 p.m., and guitarist Chris Spencer took over for the trio’s original guitarist, Cole Schuster. This new configuration has played hundreds of gigs together throughout the city.

“We have a repertoire of hundreds of tunes that any one of us can call at any moment. And it's very fun,” Zimmerman said. He’s noticed that audiences tend to perk up when they play specific tunes, like “Charade” by Henry Mancini, and a jazzified cover of The Beatles’ “A Taste of Honey.”

Music at Il Bistro is free, but grabbing a drink and some food is highly recommended. Get ready to be impressed by their flaming take on Spanish coffee, or dig into Zimmerman’s favorite: the chicken parmesan.

Ristorante Picolinos

6415 32nd Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

Following in the age-old tradition of Italian restaurants with jazz, Ballard’s Ristorante Picolinos hosts live musicians – nestled in the corner amongst the sea of beautified dining tables – nearly every night of the week.

“We support emerging artists who would like to play and earn some money with us,” said Manuel Tapiaservin, general manager and owner.

Tuesday through Saturday, Picolinos presents live music. Jazz happens consistently on Tuesdays from 5-9 p.m. with the Dylan Hayes Trio , featuring guitarist Martin Budde and bassist Trevor Ford, playing every week.

“We play mostly standards, bebop tunes,...sometimes focusing on a specific composer such as Chick Corea or Bud Powell,” Budde said in an email.

There's no cover to see the family-friendly jazz nights at Picolinos. On occasion, the line-up for jazz night varies, but it’s almost always piano, bass, and guitar.

“The staff are very friendly and most things on the menu are quite good,” Budde said.

Latona Pub

6423 Latona Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115

Nestled on the corner of Northeast 65th Street and Latona Avenue Northeast in Seattle’s Green Lake neighborhood, Latona Pub has served up regular jazz with their extensive tap list and high-quality pub food for more than 30 years.

“From its inception in 1987, The Latona has been supporting the local jazz scene, hosting music in its earliest days from the likes of Jay Clayton, Peggy Stern, and Ralph Towner,” said Matt Carter, general manager of pub. “We've also got the city's longest running Friday Night Jazz Happy Hour.”

Dixieland jazzers Boots, Barrie and Murray hosted the Friday jazz nights until about 15 years ago, when jazz bassist and Origin record artist Phil Sparks, took over as host. Since then, Sparks has brought in a rotating cast of the city’s best musicians to play with him, including Thomas Marriott, Jay Thomas, D'Vonne Lewis, and Susan Pascal. Friday’s music starts at 5 p.m.

Recently, the pub has also added regular Saturday night jazz from 7-9 p.m. featuring the city’s up-and-coming jazz musicians, including saxophonist Sidney Hauser, trumpeter Jun Iida, drummer Xavier Lecouturier, and more.

“Jazz is a large part of the Latona's identity. As a community gathering space, we take a great deal of pride in supporting the local jazz scene, as it brings people from the neighborhood and surrounding areas together to experience music in a close, intimate environment,” Carter said.

When you stop in to catch the music this summer, don’t miss out on the Latona Crunch Wrap, which was recently featured in The Seattle Times, or the summery flavors of their new bourbon peach glazed meatloaf and seasonal salad menu.