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Krakow Jazz Bars and Clubs

Krakow jazz clubs have become something of an institution. A bastion of freedom of expression during the oppressive years of the communist era, jazz occupies a special place in Krakow’s rich musical heritage, and this is reflected in a strong line up of jazz inspired music festivals throughout the year and an ensemble of long standing jazz clubs dotted around the old market square of Krakow’s Old Town. Krakow jazz clubs have long attracted Poland’s most well established jazz musicians, as well as a good stock of international artists, and is now home to a vibrant jazz scene characterized by diversity. Krakow jazz clubs often manage to capture the dusky, sonorous ambience you might expect from an old jazz haunt – to which Krakow’s cellar bars and lounges lend themselves perfectly. All of which goes to make jazz a defining facet of Krakow’s nightlife and live music scene. 

Jazz clubs in Krakow had inauspicious beginnings. At the close of World War II, Poland fell under the communist regime of the Soviet Union, and jazz was swiftly outlawed as a decadent and subversive strain of Western culture. But the roots of jazz in Poland were far-reaching and soon established an underground movement. Banished to ‘the catacombs’, as the saying went, jazz became the preserve of an impassioned elite, made up of both gifted musicians and ardent devotees, who kept the scene alive under the humble auspices of covert get-togethers in front rooms and shady parlours. With the death of Stalin in 1953, the Polish government gained increased autonomy and implemented a vague programme of ‘destalinization’. This meant something of a let up in the freedom of expression stakes and in the 1960’s Poland enjoyed a cultural revival, in which jazz flourished.  Krakow jazz clubs swiftly emerged from the woodwork and became home to a new generation of artists, writers, and in particular, a group of young film makers from the pioneering Łodz film school.

Indeed, jazz is perhaps the ideal accompaniment to Krakow’s enchanting and apparently improvised medley of old, new and miscellaneous. As you meander through Krakow’s cobbled streets, through enigmatical courtyards, portholes and alleys, and finally bow to the subterranean realm of vaulted bars and drinking dens, life seems to drift in and out of the shadows just as the shifting harmonies and nebulous beats of a Krakow jazz club. 

Krakow jazz clubs came to symbolise the blithe insouciance of creative freedom. Krakow has a long history of rebellion and dissent against the powers that be, and it’s perhaps  no surprise then that jazz took a firm hold here in the face of oppression. The first legal jazz concert since the rise of communism was held in a Krakow jazz club in 1954, and a strong tradition of live jazz has been upheld ever since - forming an unmissable episode in the arena of Krakow nightlife. Enter a Krakow jazz bar after dark and there’s a good chance you’ll catch a quality live act, often free of charge. The musical offerings come from a diverse range of sub-genres, and often feature some of Poland’s finest and most promising jazz musicians. Once you’ve established yourself in a mellow corner of your chosen Krakow jazz club, you’ll often find yourself among a knowledgeable and appreciative local crowd, eager to sit back and feed from the scintillating energy of a swinging jazz session. See our Krakow jazz club listings below for more information.