7 wonders of the jazz world

Composer and pianist George Gershwin once said, “Life is a lot like jazz – it’s best when you improvise.” Free, fluid and elusive, jazz represents music at its most expressive – a universal language that musicians and devotees the world over innately understand.

To help you feel the free-flowing rush of live jazz without having to improvise your planning, we’ve compiled a list of the world’s top cities for jazz fans.*

New York City, USA

From the Dixieland jazz boom of the 1920s, to its popularisation by the Beat Generation, Greenwich Village has long been the heart of New York City. Today, the clubs west of Washington Square park still rumble with jazz rhythms and pulsating brass, whether it’s Small’s cellar or the speakeasy-style Village Vanguard. The boutique rooms at The Marlton and Walker Hotel ooze a refined retro vibe that can only be topped by brunch at the high-end Blue Note Club.

Perugia, Italy

Each July, jazz enthusiasts flock to Perugia for its Umbria Jazz Festival. Young and old jive and swing along to international acts in the gilded Teatro Moriacchi and open-air Santa Giuliana arena, and every bar in between. At Hotel Giò they wear their beating jazz hearts on their sleeves: with a concert screenings and a music shop, who could ask for anything more?

Montréal, Canada

When Prohibition holted American jazz clubs in the 1920s, the big stars flocked to Montréal. The city’s love affair with the genre has endured ever since, with its famous festival – Festival international de Jazz de Montréal – pulling in massive crowds each summer. Visitors can chase those blue notes year-round, too, in renowned clubs like Bistro à Jojo and Dièse Onze. At nearby Auberge du Vieux Port, the rooms faithfully recreate the ragtime era with antique-style furniture and gramophones.

Cork, Ireland

The Cork Jazz Festival has been a fixture in the city’s social calendar for 40 years. Over the October bank holiday weekend, jazz aficionados revel in impromptu street performances and sold-out concerts in theatres like The Everyman. Even outside festival season, Crane Lane’s Tuesday night jazz improv is simply unmissable. The River Lee Hotel is a short walk from all the action and its laid-back terrace bar is ideal for replaying the evening’s events while nursing a nightcap.

New Orleans, USA

In the easy-going city where jazz first flourished, the Mississippi meanders through town like a Dixieland melody. Every day, music pilgrims roll in off the river to soak up New Orleans’ heritage with traditional acoustic performances in Preservation Hall or intimate gigs at The Spotted Cat. Around the block from Frenchmen Street’s snuggest clubs, Blue60 Guesthouse expertly blends old-time character, Southern hospitality and modern comforts like the terrace’s hot tub.

Berchidda, Italy

For nine days in August, northern Sardinia swings to the smooth sounds of Time in Jazz. Based in Berchidda and curated by trumpeter Paolo Fresu, the festival draws an international cast of musicians. What sets it apart are the venues – lakeside beaches, pine forests and Mount Limbara provide the backdrop to airy piano notes and breathy sax solos. For intimate concerts and delectable regional dishes, stay at the rustic L’Agnata di De André farmhouse.

Montreux, Switzerland

Montreux known its music scene. After 50 years of rippling Lake Geneva with good vibrations, the annual Montreux Jazz festival and its municipal host are virtually synonymous. These days, it’s more than a purely jazz-based bash, with stars from every conceivable music genre gracing the shore. You might even rub shoulders with some headliners at the grand Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, where epic Alpine views, personal masseurs and gourmet chefs make you feel like a bonafide A-lister.

**These destinations were the top-rated cities for ‘jazz,’ according to Booking.com travellers. Destinations had to have over 500 endorsements for ‘jazz.’