Live Jazz in Atlanta: Where to Hear Jazz Tonight
Atlanta’s Best Jazz Clubs, Weekly Jazz Nights & Jam Sessions
Atlanta has 20+ recurring jazz nights every week, and most are FREE. Find live jazz by day of the week, including who's playing, where to go, start times and cover charges, plus Atlanta's standout jazz clubs, weekly jam sessions, rooftop jazz and more.
QUICK PICKS
Free jazz: Burle's Bar, Virtue Rooftop, Buena Vida Taps, Three Taverns Ponce, The Roux Kitchen, Breaker Breaker, Azotea Cantina, The Whitley, Wylie Hotel
Jazz jam sessions: Napoleon's, The Waiting Room, Red Light Cafe, Indigo Room, The Velvet Note, ASW Whiskey Exchange, Chairs Upstairs, JB's Record Lounge
Rooftop jazz: Virtue Rooftop, Azotea Cantina
Patio jazz: Burle's Bar, Three Taverns Ponce, Breaker Breaker
Ticketed jazz clubs: The Velvet Note, St. James Live
Outside of the city: Eddie V's, Roaring Social, The Velvet Note, Indigo Room
Updated September 23, 2026
Featured Atlanta Jazz Venues
Jazz Clubs and Listening Rooms
THE VELVET NOTE (Alpharetta)
The Velvet Note is an intimate listening room that books jazz artists almost exclusively, with a 1924 Baldwin baby grand piano on its stage. A full restaurant and bar menu runs during shows, with no food or drink minimum. The Thursday open mic is billed as Georgia's longest-running open mic jazz jam, and it's the most affordable way to experience the room.
Quick Details
- Jazz nights: Ticketed concerts most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (typically $40+); open mic jam Thursdays, 8PM ($20)
- Food and drinks: Full restaurant and bar
ST. JAMES LIVE (Camp Creek)
St. James Live is a supper club with seated shows and table service, booking jazz, R&B, soul and tribute performances Thursday through Sunday. Every guest needs a ticket, but there's no food or drink minimum, and a full dinner menu, craft cocktails, beer and wine run throughout the show.
Quick Details
- Jazz nights: Thursdays, 7:30PM, and Sunday afternoons (tickets typically $35–$45)
- Dress code: Business casual
- Parking: Free in the shared shopping center lot; fills quickly at peak hours
- Age: 21+
Read the full St. James Live guide
RED LIGHT CAFE (Amsterdam Walk)
Red Light Cafe is an intimate listening room near Piedmont Park, with table seating and a full-service bar and kitchen serving drinks and snacks during performances. Every Wednesday, the Gordon Vernick Quartet hosts one of Atlanta's longest-running jazz jams. The rest of the week, the calendar covers folk, blues, funk and soul, plus comedy, burlesque and variety shows.
Quick Details
- Jazz night: Wednesday jazz jam, 9PM ($10)
- Capacity: 100+, seated and standing
- Parking: Free on site
- Age: Most events all ages
- Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Read the full Red Light Cafe guide
Jazz Jam Sessions
THE WAITING ROOM (Midtown)
Head upstairs from Bon Ton on Myrtle Street and you land in a dark, retro cocktail lounge: orange-tinted light, a disco ball, mirrors, curved booths with shaggy orange seats, and a pair of bright red hand-shaped chairs. It draws an artsy crowd, and it's small, so jazz nights fill the room.
Quick Details
- Jazz nights: Tuesday jazz jam ($7); Wednesday trio, 9PM (free)
- Food and drinks: Strong cocktails, plus Bon Ton's Cajun-Vietnamese menu from downstairs
- Parking: Small free lot next door; otherwise street or paid parking nearby. Read the signs, since some side streets are residents-only during certain hours.
NAPOLEON'S (Decatur)
Monday nights at Napoleon's belong to trumpeter Joe Gransden, who hosts one of Atlanta's longest-running jazz jams. The players are seasoned jazz musicians and the crowd is full of jazz regulars, so expect standards played at a high level. It's a full restaurant, so plan on dinner with the music.
Quick Details
- Jazz night: Monday jam, 7:30PM (free)
- Food and drinks: Full restaurant menu
ASW WHISKEY EXCHANGE (West End)
ASW Whiskey Exchange is a distillery tasting room on the BeltLine's Westside Trail at Lee + White, and its Sunday jam is one of Atlanta's most open. Musicians rotate in and out song by song, and on a busy afternoon three or four players on the same instrument wait their turn. It's casual and drop-in: people come and go, some watch the game, and you can sit at a whiskey-barrel table, the bar or the long outdoor patio.
Make an afternoon of it. Lee + White is a walkable complex with a food hall and several breweries, and the Westside Trail runs right past.
Quick Details
- Jazz night: Sunday jam, 3PM (free)
- Food and drinks: Whiskey flights, cocktails and boozy slushies; food hall and breweries next door
- Parking: First 2 hours free; $5 for up to 5 hours
Rooftops & Patios
VIRTUE ROOFTOP (Midtown)
Virtue sits above 5Church in Colony Square, at the corner of Peachtree and 14th Street. Tuesday jazz comes with cushioned outdoor lounge seating, seasonal cocktails and small plates. Bring your camera: the green plant wall and the "Stay Sexy Atlanta" neon sign are two of Midtown's most photographed backdrops. Prefer a bar stool? The indoor bar opens partly onto the rooftop, so you can sit inside and still hear every note.
Quick Details
- Jazz night: Tuesdays, 6PM, saxophonist Eric Thomas (free)
- Vibe: Stylish rooftop lounge; dress up a little
- Parking: Up to 3 hours free with validation in the Colony Square deck
- Age: 21+
BREAKER BREAKER (Reynoldstown)
Breaker Breaker sits right on the BeltLine's Eastside Trail, so Sunday jazz comes with a view of walkers, runners and cyclists passing by. The Gulf Coast-inspired seafood restaurant is built from the remains of the old Stein Steel factory, with an indoor dining room and a large all-ages patio downstairs. Upstairs, the 21+ Floridaman rooftop has its own bar, and you can still hear the music. The crowd is as mixed as the BeltLine: people walk up in workout clothes when they hear the band, next to people dressed for brunch.
Quick Details
- Jazz night: Sundays, 2PM, The Vibe Surfers (free)
- Food and drinks: Gulf Coast seafood, sandwiches and frozen cocktails; counter service on the patio, full service inside
- Getting there: Walk or bike in from the Eastside Trail. Limited free neighborhood parking nearby.
Weekly Jazz Nights in Atlanta
Monday
Napoleon's · Decatur · FREE
Joe Gransden Jazz Jam · 7:30 PM
Tuesday
Burle's Bar · Old Fourth Ward · FREE
Creosoteclone · 7 PM
Louisiana Bistreaux · Buckhead · FREE
Milkshake Mayfield · 6:30 PM
Eddie V's · Alpharetta · FREE
Tami LaRay · 6:30 PM
Roaring Social · Alpharetta · FREE
Rotating Artists · 8 PM
Virtue Rooftop · Midtown · FREE
Eric Thomas · 6 PM
The Waiting Room · Midtown · $7
Jazz Jam
Wednesday
Red Light Cafe · Amsterdam Walk · $10
Gordon Vernick Quartet Jazz Jam · 9 PM
The Waiting Room · Midtown · FREE
Jonah Pierre, CJ Brinson & Joel Powell · 9 PM
Wylie Hotel · Old Fourth Ward · FREE
Saxophonist Eric Thomas · 6 PM
Buena Vida Taps · Old Fourth Ward · FREE
Saxophonist Marquis Hare · 6:30 PM
Louisiana Bistreaux · Decatur · FREE
Milkshake Mayfield · 6:30 PM
Roaring Social · Decatur · FREE
Rotating Jazz Artists · 7 PM
Three Taverns Ponce · Old Fourth Ward · FREE
Rotating Jazz Artists · 7–10 PM · Patio
The Select · Sandy Springs · FREE
Atlanta Jazz Quartet · 7 PM
Indigo Room · Smyrna · $5 entertainment fee
Jazz Jam
Thursday
The Roux Kitchen · Old Fourth Ward · FREE
Eric Thomas · 7 PM
St. James Live · Camp Creek · Typically $35–$45
Jazz Concert · 7:30 PM
Whitley Hotel · Buckhead · FREE
Rotating Jazz Artists · 7 PM
The Velvet Note · Alpharetta · $20
Open Mic Jazz Jam · 8 PM
Friday & Saturday
Taste Wine Bar · West Midtown · FREE
Rotating Jazz Artists · Fridays 7 PM
Fermented Wine Boutique · Alpharetta · $10
Rotating Jazz Artists · Fridays 7 PM
JB's Record Lounge · West End · $10 / $5 musicians
Jazz Jam · First Friday · 8 PM
Indigo Room · Smyrna · $5 entertainment fee
Jazz Artist Friday or Saturday · Check calendar
The Velvet Note · Alpharetta · Typically $40-$48
Jazz Concerts · Fridays–Sundays
Sunday
Breaker Breaker · Reynoldstown · FREE
The Vibe Surfers · 2 PM
Azotea Cantina · West Midtown · FREE
Multi-Instrumentalist The Human DJ · 3 PM · Rooftop · Jazz, Soul & Pop
ASW Whiskey Exchange · West End · FREE
Jazz Jam · 3 PM
St. James Live · Camp Creek · Ticketed
Sunday Jazz Lounge · 4 PM
The Roux Kitchen · Old Fourth Ward · FREE
Saxophonist Eric Thomas · 7 PM
Chairs Upstairs · East Point · FREE
Jazz Jam · 7 PM
Atlanta Jazz FAQ
Pick almost any night. Atlanta has recurring live jazz Sunday through Friday, and Tuesday and Wednesday are the busiest, with rooftops, hotel lounges, jam sessions and supper clubs all in the mix. Saturday belongs to the ticketed rooms: The Velvet Note books jazz concerts most weekends, and Indigo Room brings in a jazz artist every Friday or Saturday. Sunday afternoon is free and outdoors, with jazz on the BeltLine at Breaker Breaker and on the rooftop at Azotea Cantina. For every jazz concert this week, check the Atlanta concert calendar.
Almost everywhere. Most of Atlanta's weekly jazz nights have no cover:
- Monday: Joe Gransden's jazz jam at Napoleon's
- Tuesday: Virtue Rooftop, the Burle's Bar patio, Louisiana Bistreaux, Eddie V's, Roaring Social
- Wednesday: Wylie Hotel, Buena Vida Taps, The Waiting Room's trio, the Three Taverns Ponce patio, The Select, Louisiana Bistreaux, Roaring Social
- Thursday: The Whitley's hotel lounge, The Roux Kitchen
- Friday: Taste Wine Bar
- Sunday: Breaker Breaker on the BeltLine, Azotea Cantina's rooftop, the ASW Whiskey Exchange jam, The Roux Kitchen, the Chairs Upstairs jam
Bring your horn, or just grab a seat. Atlanta has jazz jams five nights a week:
- Monday: Napoleon's, Decatur (free)
- Tuesday: The Waiting Room, Midtown ($7)
- Wednesday: Red Light Cafe, Amsterdam Walk ($10); Indigo Room, Smyrna ($5)
- Thursday: The Velvet Note, Alpharetta ($20)
- First Friday of the month: JB's Record Lounge, West End ($10; $5 for musicians)
- Sunday: ASW Whiskey Exchange, West End, 3PM; Chairs Upstairs, East Point, 9PM (both free)
For a full jazz concert, book a seat at The Velvet Note in Alpharetta, an intimate listening room that books jazz almost exclusively, or St. James Live in Camp Creek, a supper club with jazz on Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons. Red Light Cafe near Piedmont Park hosts one of the city's longest-running jazz jams every Wednesday, and Indigo Room in Smyrna pairs live jazz with dinner every week. For upcoming jazz concerts across Atlanta, see the Atlanta concert calendar.
Looking for more than a weekly jazz night?
Atlanta also has jazz festivals, gallery art walks, church concert series and summer concerts under the stars. Explore them all in 10 cool and unexpected ways to soak up jazz in Atlanta.
Pick your night: see every jazz concert in Atlanta this week on the Atlanta concert calendar.
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