Night of Jazz

Five places you can get jazzed in Cincinnati

RODNEY WILSON | CIN WEEKLY CONTRIBUTOR

John Fedchock plays trombone with the Phil DeGreg Trio at the Blue Wisp. (Photo by Leigh Patton/CiN Weekly)

The very mention of jazz calls to mind a number of clichés - from geriatrics doing the Charleston to black-bereted hipsters snapping their languid applause. Jazz, however, is a constantly evolving musical style, and it's largely regarded to be the first (and possibly only) true American art form.

Cultural significance aside, there's no easier way to look cooler than cool than to suggest an out-of-the-way jazz club for a first date or a night out with friends. Cincinnati might not be crammed borough-to-borough with juke joints and speakeasies, but there are some great venues in town to see live jazz, each one with its own distinctive atmosphere. Here are five:

CHEZ NORA
520 Main St., Covington
(859) 491-8027
www.cheznora.com
Cover: Free

MainStrasse's Chez Nora is tops on the local jazz scene - literally. The restaurant's rooftop terrace bar and jazz club is a great way to experience live music five nights a week (Wednesday through Sunday) under a blanket of stars. With a dramatic view of the Cincinnati skyline and a variety of wines and liquors, it's easy to grab a Manhattan, listen to some tunes, and find yourself transported back to the fabulous '40s. Although the venue's musical offerings also include blues and rock, the terrace was built for jazz, and it continues to be the reason to take the elevator to the roof.

THE BLUE WISP
318 E. Eighth St., downtown
(513) 241 9477
www.bluewispjazzclub.com
Cover: Free-$10

When the words "jazz" and "Cincinnati" appear in the same sentence, it's a safe bet that it's a discussion about The Blue Wisp, Cincinnati's answer to the finest basement clubs in New York or Chicago. To compare The Blue Wisp to others, though, is to miss its singular charm. With its boho aesthetic and ever-present cloud of cigarette smoke, The Blue Wisp is the epitome of cool. The club plays host to the finest jazz musicians the nation has to offer every night of the week, from NYC veterans to Cincinnati's own Blue Wisp Big Band, a collection of world-caliber players who convene at the club every Wednesday night.

ROHS STREET CAFÉ
245 West McMillan St., Clifton
(513) 328-7647
www.rohsstreetcafe.com
Cover: Free-$5

If you're looking for jazz performed by some of the younger class, then Rohs Street Café is your best bet. This UC-area coffeehouse is a regular spot for young musicians of all varieties, including a number of music students from the university. While the coffeehouse's music schedule isn't exclusively jazz, every Thursday night is a jazz and spoken-word open mic and features a different jazz combo. (Jazz acts sometimes headline on weekend evenings, as well.) There's a slight cover charge most nights, but 100 percent of the cash goes to the musicians. Rohs Street is also a nonprofit venue, with all profits going to community groups, and it serves all fair-trade coffees, teas and chocolates - so go for the jazz; stay for the social consciousness.

AWAKENINGS
2734 Erie Ave., Hyde Park
(513) 321-2525
Cover: Free

Nestled in between the upscale eateries and trendy boutiques in Hyde Park Square, Awakenings Coffee & Tea Co. offers live jazz by the Bobby Sharp Trio every Sunday night. Aside from the tasty pastries and coffee drinks at Awakenings, Sharp's trio is the reason to make the trek on Sundays from 7:45 to 11 p.m. The combo is composed of local jazz veterans - Bugsy Brandenburg on guitar, Bill Jackson on bass, Bobby Sharp on drums - who consistently breathe new life into jazz standards.

DEE FELICE
529 Main St., Covington
(859) 261-2365
www.deefelice.com
Cover: Big Band Tuesday $4, otherwise free

Talking about jazz is like discussing food - it's not all the same, but there are a variety of plates and flavors: There's bop, swing, fusion, and so on. The variety served up at MainStrasse's Dee Felice restaurant is Dixieland big band, a choice that is echoed in the New Orleans décor and the Cajun menu. The music isn't a side dish at Dee Felice, as it often is with restaurants - Dee Felice's namesake and original owner was a jazz drummer and bandleader who started the restaurant with the intent of focusing on the music that fueled him. A variety of entertainers grace the Dee Felice stage nightly, and twice a month, the 12-piece Dee Felice Big Band, directed by Bill Gemmer, hosts Big Band Tuesdays for three hours of rip-roaring jazz and dance (7 to 10 p.m., second and fourth Tuesday of the month).