The House of Blues and Jazz, on Fuzhou Lu just near the Bund, is a treasure for jazz-lovers. It's Shanghai of the 1930s, like we all imagined it used to be, elegant, swinging, and happening, all at once. The intimate space has a mahogony bar, dark wood furniture and a smoky atmosphere, with the eclectic crowd arranged at small tables around the stage. The owner, Lin Dongfu, is the coolest cat in town and spends his evenings watching over proceedings from a quiet corner wearing a well-tailored suit and trilby (always a trilby) and smoking his pipe.
Last night we caught The Cangelosi Cards for the third time, and they are seriously GOOD. This 5 part band play an intoxicating brand of old-time New Orleans Jazz, with the ethereal and completely unique vocals of Tamar Korn adding an edge to the smoky smooth harmonica and double bass. The Cards are from New York and will be playing every night except Monday until mid-June. Pull up a seat, tap your toes, order a martini and re-live the good times.
Labels: jazz, nightlife, Shanghai
