Jazz in Queens

From Armstrong's Corona home to Elmhurst's back-room sets. Quieter footprint, deeply rooted.

Queens has a quieter jazz footprint than Manhattan or Brooklyn but a deeply rooted one. Louis Armstrong lived in Corona from 1943 until his death in 1971. His house on 107th Street is preserved as the Louis Armstrong House Museum, and the new Louis Armstrong Center across the street (opened 2023) contains a 75-seat performance space hosting the Armstrong Now artist residency (past residents include Esperanza Spalding, Immanuel Wilkins, and Daniel J. Watts). Flushing Town Hall, a historic 1862 building near the 7 train terminal, programs a Monthly Jazz Jam plus NEA Jazz Masters concerts.

Elmhurst and Jackson Heights have Terraza 7, a ground-floor bar with a sunken back room that books Latin jazz, Afro-Cuban, and straight-ahead modern jazz six or seven nights a week. One of the best-kept jazz secrets in outer-borough NYC.

Queens jazz takes more planning than Manhattan jazz. You pick your night based on what's booked, not just show up; but the reward is walking into a room of ten locals and a quartet playing better than what you'd hear at Blue Note for a third of the price. The full directory of Queens jazz venues is below.

Editor's picks

Top jazz venues in Queens

  1. 01
    Flushing Town Hall

    Historic 1862 building with monthly jazz jam and NEA concerts

    Flushing

    →
  2. 02
    Louis Armstrong House Museum

    Armstrong's preserved home plus 75-seat concert space

    Corona

    →
All venues

Every jazz room in Queens

Loading venues…
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see live jazz in Queens?
Three dedicated venues: Terraza 7 in Elmhurst (six nights a week of Latin jazz and straight-ahead modern), Flushing Town Hall (Monthly Jazz Jam plus an NEA Jazz Masters concert series in a historic 1862 building), and the Louis Armstrong Center in Corona (75-seat performance space, Armstrong Now residency programming). See tonight's listings above for what's playing.
Is the Louis Armstrong House Museum worth visiting?
Yes. Especially if you have any interest in jazz history. Armstrong's modest Queens home is preserved almost exactly as he left it in 1971, and the museum's archive holds his personal tapes, letters, and scrapbooks. Ticketed tours run most days. The new Louis Armstrong Center across the street (opened 2023) hosts concerts in a 75-seat performance space and the Armstrong Now residency program. A 30-minute subway ride from Midtown on the 7 train.
Is there jazz in Astoria?
Astoria has a rotating but smaller jazz scene than Elmhurst or Flushing. A few bars program jazz on specific nights, and Socrates Sculpture Park runs an outdoor jazz series in summer. For a dedicated jazz room in Queens, head one stop further out to Terraza 7 in Elmhurst or north to Flushing Town Hall.