Forty Years After First Opening, Alexanderplatz Is Still The Ultimate Live Jazz Haven And The Best Kept Jazz Secret In The City.

Just a few streets away from the Ottaviano metro in Via Ostia sits Rome’s oldest jazz club, Alexanderplatz, a down to earth venue which wouldn’t be out of place in the mecca of Jazz: Greenwich Village, New York. Alexanderplatz is underground, figuratively as a haven to an underground musical genre which has thrived here over the last thirty years, and literally. As you descend the stairs into the cavernous interior, you’d be forgiven for forgetting you were near the Vatican in the heart of Rome. Describing itself as a “cradle of jazz,” the graffitied walls and photos of legendary performers imbue Alexanderplatz with a feeling of experimentalism which defined jazz in its heyday.

Many of the most prominent jazz, blues, soul, music artists have performed at the Alexanderplatz, including Wynton Marsalis, Brad Meldhau, Red Rodney, Freddy Cole, Stefano Bollani, Fabrizio Bosso, Sarah Jane Morris, Steve Coleman and many more. Founded in 1984 by Giampiero Rubei, Alexanderplatz hosts live concerts from 9.30pm (doors open at 8pm).

BOOK JAZZ CONCERT & DINNER AT ALEXANDERPLATZ

With a concise list of cocktails, with particular attention to vermouth and bitters, and a line created specifically for the world of jazz with “twist on classic” designed for this historic Roman venue, Alexanderplatz has a drinks menu in line with the trendiest Manhattan jazz clubs. It is also possible to dine and try the food menu.

This synthesis between the experimental and sophisticated is what makes Alexanderplatz unique. Where else are you going to sip a cocktail and watch great live jazz in Rome? Entry is through membership. The program changes regularly, so to keep up to date with upcoming performances, it’s a good idea to check out their Facebook Page. During the course of the season, Alexanderplatz is also going to host regular shows. There will nights dedicated to Italian singers and song-writers. Every two weeks on Tuesday get ready for “Jazz Station”, where a collective of Jazz musicians plays contemporary jazz.