Ardmore Music Hall
Ardmore, Pa
The Ardmore Music Hall has a state-of-the-art sound system, a generous dance space, multiple seating options and a low and intimate stage. Notable jazz artists who have performed there include Mike Stern, Stanley Clarke, and Marcus Miller; they book a fair amount of funk and R&B as well. The food program is limited, but they offer 20+ craft beers on draught and a balcony viewing area for larger events. The booking agent for the venue is Point Entertainment.

Bourbon & Branch
Northern Liberties
Bourbon & Branch is a boutique live music venue located in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties neighborhood. Built for musicians, by musicians, Bourbon & Branch embodies a commitment to the arts—and that includes a great sound system and an actual green room for musicians stocked with beer and water. Booking information is available on their site. Performers such as Pete Hill, Ross Bellenoit, and Christopher Davis Shannon are examples of jazzy acts that have played there. Like many venues, they are open to proposed evenings of any kind of music as long as you can bring people in.

Heritage
Northern Liberties
This modern-yet-rustic restaurant boasts a seasonal, locally-sourced menu, an extensive bar program, an urban garden, and great live music. Jazz is most of what they book, and they offer a jazz jam on Tuesdays from 7 to 11. It’s an expansive space on a block bustling with shops and restaurants in Northern Liberties, and booking information is available on their site.

Keswick Theatre
Glenside, PA
215-572-7650
The Keswick has become one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s most active and diversified venues, presenting internationally-acclaimed performers geared to virtually every taste and interest. If you’re a local musician, look for national jazz acts coming through town and be in touch with their booker about being support. While it’s not an easy gig to get, they are open to emerging acts who might help bring in extra people.

La Peg/Fringe Arts
Old City
FringeArts offers hundreds of innovative programs throughout the year, including an experimental jazz series. Their still relatively new performance center on Delaware Avenue also houses La Peg, a full-service bar, and restaurant with a killer happy hour. If you’re putting together a jazz-related Fringe show, remember they offer opportunities to show work in development leading up to the festival, as well as free help in the form of marketing and promotion workshops.

Woodmere Art Museum
Chestnut Hill East
215-247-0476
Celebrate music at Woodmere with Friday Night Jazz and Classical Saturdays. They offer audiences exceptional performers, an acoustically astounding space, and amazing works of art. Guests receive drinks and light refreshments with the purchase of a ticket.

Boot & Saddle
South Philadelphia
Boot & Saddle offers a wide variety of local and national acts alongside area-sourced eats, all housed in a historic site on Broad Street in South Philadelphia. They offer a full-service bar and restaurant in the front and a black box performance space in the back. Booking contact information is available on their website site.

Connie’s Ric Rac
South Philadelphia
Connie’s Ric Rac plays host to a variety of entertainment, from burlesque circus shows or punk rock karaoke to a night of acoustic singer-songwriters. The no-frills bar doesn’t offer food, but there are plenty of options—it sits in the middle of the Italian Market. They offer comprehensive booking information on their site, and they are one of the only venues in town that still accepts physical press kits. They are a DIY space open to all genres, and in the past, they’ve hosted the Community College of Philadelphia’s jazz band as well as acts such as drummer Charlie Heim.

Johnny Brenda’s
Fishtown
Johnny Brenda’s is a bar, restaurant, and music venue located in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia that features local food, and an impressive beer list, and a tap wine system. Marco Benevento, the Big Horn Jazz Band, the Julian Lage Trio and many other jazz acts perform there on a regular basis. Up the steep stairs from their first-floor restaurant, you’ll find a sizable stage with both an open floor and a second-story balcony for viewing shows, as well as two bars to serve patrons. Local bands are definitely welcome as the main event or as support for touring musicians.

Ortlieb’s
Northern Liberties
After a renovation several years ago, Ortlieb’s installed a separate black box theater in the back where mostly local funk, jazz, folk, and rock acts perform. Patrons can expect to find no-frills burgers and burritos with a local beer program offered at the bar and at other limited seating. Like most venues, if approached with a bill, they are open to just about anything that will bring people through the doors.

The Painted Bride Art Center
Old City
As a multi-disciplinary arts presenter, the Bride collaborates with independent artists, supporting their creative process from inception to presentation. This support manifests in myriad ways, including identifying funding opportunities, cultivating strategic partnerships for audience development, and championing artists and their work to an international network of partners. They are home to the longest-running jazz series in the city and have partnered regularly with jazz presenter Ars Nova. Though they are selling their performance space they are fully committed to continuing to support innovative partnerships and artists.

Time
Center City Midtown Village
Time is located in the heart of the city and hosts music of all styles, with a heavy emphasis on jazz. Most happy hours, you’ll find a trio in the dining room corner, and a lively jam session takes place once a week. The large bar in the middle of the dining room also offers a great place to eat and see shows.

World Café Live
University City
World Cafe Live music venue is located in University City, and it offers a smaller upstairs venue and a large downstairs venue, so it can accommodate a large range of shows. The sound quality is excellent and they book a combination of local and national artists. It’s also the home to AAA radio station WXPN.