3 Festive and Not-Old-Fashioned Jazz Clubs

11.15.2024

© Les Bascules Pauline Rousseau © Instagram - @sondelaterre

Paris is swinging! We already knew about the iconic spots on Rue des Lombards and the Caveau de la Huchette for enjoying jazz. Now, some fresh and trendy venues have recently opened, offering live concerts in beautiful settings… all while savoring delicious dishes and perfectly shaken cocktails. Tried and approved, we recommend three of them, along with some cool spots that dedicate a few evenings to jam sessions worthy of The Aristocats.

Le Melville

The Venue: The most beautiful in this selection! Le Melville is first and foremost the passion project of two friends, music producer Laurent Macherey and business lawyer Sébastien Prat. Jazz enthusiasts, they opened Le Melville in the heart of the embassy district in the 8th arrondissement: a venue with a refined atmosphere, all in shades of blue and green, featuring thick velvet curtains and matching banquettes. The stage is positioned close to the audience without interrupting conversation, making Le Melville the perfect spot for a romantic night out.

The Concerts: Every evening from Tuesday to Saturday, with two sets (9 PM and 10 PM), artists perform a always on-point program covering jazz standards, bossa nova, salsa, world music, in duos or trios. All the program is announced in advance and detailed, allowing you to choose the night that suits your taste.

On the Menu: We love the Thontassion, an absolutely stunning tuna tartare enhanced with passion leche del tigre, spring onions, pickles, coriander oil, and dried bonito flakes. For comfort food lovers, the Poulet de maman is a must-try: a tender chicken breast cooked at low temperature, subtly caramelized, served with potato croquettes, chicken thigh, and tahini. It’s all topped with a rich black curry and marjoram sauce, and a delicious herbed mayo! For dessert, sweet tooths will be tempted by the On est pas pressé: a crispy millefeuille filled with lemon cream, basil and lemon gel, and crowned with Italian meringue.

The Perfect Cocktail: Le Melville with vodka, Noilly Prat, St-Germain, and apple (17 €).

Le Melville, 28 Rue Jean Mermoz, Paris 8e. 01 40 75 00 57.
© @puxanphoto for Le Melville

Les Bascules

The Venue: Right across from Palais Brongniart, this address is meant for real music lovers… since it's almost impossible to hear anything else, especially close to the stage. Gossiping will have to wait!

The Concerts: Every Thursday from 8 PM and Saturday from 9 PM, Les Bascules hosts a jazz artist or band. The eclectic program gathers both French and international talents, of all ages and backgrounds, from Tony Paeleman from Nice to saxophonist Toufic Farroukh, and guitarist Sandro Zerafa. Note that on concert nights, a 10 € per person fee is added to the bill to compensate the artists.

On the Menu: The biggest surprise at Les Bascules is the menu. Lebanese chef Melissa Nassif delivers a killer selection with addictive dishes. Start with the grilled halloumi salad with roasted figs, fresh herb salad made with arugula, mint, savory, and spring onions, with a lemon-honey dressing (15 €), and a perfect man’ouché with meat and cherry (16 €), followed by a pistachio Ashta ice cream with cotton candy and green pistachios (12 €).

The Perfect Cocktail: the sweet Where Clouds End (Italicus, homemade fig syrup, egg white, yuzu lemon juice, 15 €).

Les Bascules, 3 Rue de la Bourse, Paris 2e. 01 40 15 01 54.
© Pauline Rousseau

Le Son de la Terre

The Venue: A jazz bar floating on the Seine, a true “showboat” moored in front of Notre-Dame de Paris and sponsored by Thomas Dutronc, what else? At Le Son de la Terre, the 2023 addition by the owners of the Marcounet barge, you can sing and drink in a vacation-like atmosphere all year round.

The Concerts: For the program, check it out here! Almost every evening, musicians from all over the world perform on the stage (set high in front of a large window overlooking the water, nice!) to entertain the crowd with a wide variety of styles, from swing to world jazz, as well as pop, funk, soul, and of course, thanks to the sponsor, regular dates for jazz manouche lovers.

On the Menu: Start with sharing platters (vegetarian, mixed, croque… 25-26 €), then enjoy a salmon gravelax millefeuille with gin and pink berries (17 €), a cod steak (9 €), or ricotta and spinach ravioli (25 €). For dessert, indulge in a chocolate mousse (12 €) or a Montebello rum Baba (12 €).

The Perfect Cocktail: the Velvet Vanilla, made with dark rum, vanilla syrup, lime juice, pineapple juice, egg white (14 €).

Le Son de la Terre, Scène musicale, Port de Montebello, Paris 5e. 06 60 47 38 52
© Son de la Terre

The Coolest Jazz Nights in Paris

Paris, the world’s second jazz city, has hosted the greatest stars: Joséphine Baker, Sidney Bechet, Nina Simone, and Duke Ellington all graced its legendary spots for wild nights. Here's our tier list:

Head to Les Deux Magots every Thursday from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM to vibe to jazz, soul, French songs, or bossa nova, with a seated performance. (6 Place Saint-Germain des Prés, Paris 6e)
Every first Monday of the month, Les Maillets d'Argent bar hosts the “Swinging Mondays”. Expect cognac, exceptional cocktails, and jazz, pop, and variety music. (15 Quai de la Tournelle, Paris 5e)
Join us every Tuesday night from 7:30 PM to 10 PM for a dinner with live music at La Mère Lachaise, the friendly address by Guy Martin in Ménilmontant (78 Boulevard de Ménilmontant, Paris 20e)