In the room
The experience
Smalls is a 60-seat basement on West 10th Street with a no-frills door, BYO snacks, and three sets a night. Mitch Borden opened it in 1994. Spike Wilner runs it now. The room is so small that the bassist's plectrum hits the cymbal six feet from your face. SmallsLIVE streams every set to subscribers worldwide and has built the most-recorded jazz session archive of the post-Marsalis era. The 7:30pm set is the headline, the 10pm is the session, the late-night jam runs until 4am on a Saturday. The cover is modest. The playing is rigorous.
Insider tip
Walk in knowing
Three sets a night. The 7:30 is for the headline act, the 10pm is the session, the late-night jam (after 1am Fri/Sat) is for the regulars. Cover is per set, no in-and-out.
Why it fits
Why it is in the atlas
The basement jazz canon of the past 25 years. Where the New York scene records itself.
Plan the trip
When to go, hours, getting there
Best time to go
Tuesday through Thursday for serious listening. Friday and Saturday late-night jam (post-1am) for the unpolished session feel.
Hours
Open nightly. Sets at 7:30pm, 10pm, midnight; late jam Fri/Sat to 4am.
Getting there
1, 2, 3 train to 14th St-7th Ave, walk south. 183 W 10th Street between Seventh Avenue South and West 4th Street. Black door, basement entrance.
Straight from the source
Official site and tickets
Dates and tickets come from the venue itself. Opens smallslive.com in a new tab.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Where is Smalls Jazz Club?
Smalls Jazz Club is in New York City (West Village), United States. Coordinates: 40.7335, -74.0021.
What kind of music is at Smalls Jazz Club?
Smalls Jazz Club programmes Jazz, Hard Bop, Modern Jazz. 60-cap basement jazz club on West 10th Street, open since 1994. The most-recorded session room in the New York jazz scene of the past 25 years. SmallsLIVE streams every set.
When is the best time to visit Smalls Jazz Club?
Tuesday through Thursday for serious listening. Friday and Saturday late-night jam (post-1am) for the unpolished session feel.
How do I get to Smalls Jazz Club?
1, 2, 3 train to 14th St-7th Ave, walk south. 183 W 10th Street between Seventh Avenue South and West 4th Street. Black door, basement entrance.
Why is Smalls Jazz Club in the Sonic Paths atlas?
The basement jazz canon of the past 25 years. Where the New York scene records itself.
Stay
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