The Phoenix Arts Club, a Soho basement venue that Anthony Bourdain called a favourite, is now open to the public for one-off music events. The club, which has hosted exclusive gigs and shows for three decades, recently welcomed guests to a jazz night tribute to Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong.
A speakeasy-style setting beneath the theatre
The venue, as Bourdain said in his travel show The Layover, is “usually open only to union members of stage and screen” but now the public can visit for music events. Heading downstairs to what used to be dressing rooms and rehearsal spaces of The Phoenix Theatre above, the reviewer walked into a setup that looked like a speakeasy in New York - a cosy bar with warm, dim light on each table and red draped curtains on the stage.
Live tributes and spontaneous solos
Singer Gabriella Groves opened the stage with Fly Me To The Moon, quickly capturing the audience’s attention before introducing her band, including saxophonist James Aker. The programme included other classics like My Way and What A Wonderful World. The programme was about 60 minutes long, and the band wrapped up the night with New York, New York.
Despite the intimate setup, the reviewer was disturbed by staff struggling to deliver drink orders to tables by the sofas. The musicians’ solo improv, however, led the reviewer back into the world of jazz.
An immersive 1920s atmosphere
Gabriella, who has performed at similar jazz shows for two years, told Express.co.uk: “People really enjoy being transported back to the jazz club with themes like New Orleans, especially in this environment. This venue is perfect, really cool and good jazz. It feels like you are back in the 1920s; it feels like a totally different era.”
To keep the jazz element flowing, the singer said the performance cannot be “too rehearsed”, adding: “If someone wants to do a solo in the moment and they are really enjoying it, then they go for it and might carry on. It’s like sticking to the original feel of jazz but just expression and originality.” For fans looking for a Christmas jazz special, Gabriella said nothing has been confirmed yet, but “hopefully there will be loads of Christmas gigs and music”.
