Chase the Blues Away at New York Jazz Club Smoke
Jazz is the sound of Harlem, one of New York City’s oldest neighborhoods. That’s why it’s so fitting that one of the best jazz clubs in the world makes its home on the historic corner of 106th Street and Broadway, where the legendary Augie’s Jazz Bar once stood. Named after the acclaimed 1995 movie Smoke (screenwriter and author Paul Auster was once a regular), this incarnation carries on the tradition of its legendary predecessor every night of the week with world-class talent like Wynton Marsalis and Ron Carter playing its stage. The snug 50-person room is beloved by performers and jazz aficionados for its near-perfect sight lines and truly stellar sound. A long wooden bar, black-and-white photos of jazz legends hanging on the walls and plush curtains help enrich the velvety tunes pervading the space. There is even fine American bistro grub from noted New York restaurant chef Patricia Williams. The best part is, on most nights you can skip the cover charge and hear outstanding music for the cost of a drink. And, in case you were wondering, like every other bar in New York, there is no smoking in Smoke.