• logo
  • Chris Potter
  • logo
  • Joey DeFrancesco
  • logo
  • Cory Henry
  • logo
  • Cyrille Aimée
  • logo
  • Gerald Clayton
  • logo
  • Delfeayo Marsalis
  • logo
  • Gary Smulyan & Ken Peplowski
  • logo
  • Freddy Cole
  • logo
  • Harry Allen
  • logo
  • Fred Hersch
  • logo
  • Vanessa Rubin
  • logo
  • Helen Sung
  • logo
  • Chuchito Valdés
Premier live jazz & fine spirits

Welcome to BLU.

BLU Jazz+ is a stunning live music venue & photography gallery in downtown Akron, Ohio which has been designed & crafted from the ground up with the presentation of live jazz in mind.

 

To uphold our vision of creating an upscale yet accessible destination with a uniquely metropolitan vibe, BLU Jazz+ caters to its patrons by providing:

 
  • A relaxing atmosphere for light socialization and the presentation of quality live jazz
  • Full-service bar boasting premium liquors, signature cocktails, and inspired wine & beer selections
  • State-of-the art stage, sound & lighting
  • Jazz photography & memorabilia gallery
  • Audience access for all ages 18+ (under 18 must be accompanied by adult)

 
BLU Jazz+ has a “retro” mid-century modern feel & captures the intimacy of the famous New York City jazz clubs while offering the style and sophistication of a modern venue.

Learn More
Getting to BLU Jazz+


Join Our Mailing List

Don't miss the downbeat! Enter your name & e-mail address to receive information about our upcoming live performances, special discounts & more!

First & Last Name:
E-mail:

Upcoming Shows

Tickets are general admission (unless otherwise noted), non-refundable, and available on a first-come, first-served basis. You are only guaranteed admission for the showtime listed on your ticket. Please buy your tickets online in advance to guarantee admission.

 

Hope to see you soon – stay tuned & be sure to follow us on Facebook & Instagram!

 

**Please double-click on artist link below to see artist bio and show details.**

 

 

 

News

Stay up-to-date on all of the buzz surrounding BLU Jazz+! Here you will find photos, interviews, press releases and other newsworthy information about Akron’s hottest new destination for live jazz!

 

6 Reasons Akron, Ohio, Should Be On Your Radar

August 17, 2017 -

AKRON, OH (by Alex Schechter, Vogue) – If there were a contest for the Ohio city with the most unexpected history, Akron would win. The hamburger was supposedly invented here. Thomas Edison visited often (his wife was an Akronite). Around the turn of the century, Akron’s supremacy in tire manufacturing helped it become known as the “rubber capital of the world.”



BLU Plate opens in downtown Akron

July 5, 2017 -

AKRON, OH (by Katie Byard, Akron Beacon Journal) – BLU Plate opened above BLU Jazz+ on Tuesday with a Red, White, & Blu Plate celebration.
 
It features a “Southern-inspired menu” featuring po’boys, gumbo, barbecue and more, and signature cocktails. A piano bar provides a musical “appeteaser,” encouraging people to go downstairs to the jazz club.


Read More

BLU Jazz+ teams up with Cleveland Jazz Orchestra for 2017-2018 season

April 3, 2017 -

AKRON, OH — As part of the 2017-2018 concert season, the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, one of Northeast Ohio’s most prominent & long-running big bands, will bring several shows from their subscription series at Cleveland’s PlayhouseSquare to Akron’s BLU Jazz+.


Read More

BLU Jazz+ featured in DownBeat Magazine’s 2017 International Jazz Venue Guide

January 2, 2017 -

We are really excited to be featured once again in DownBeat Magazine’s 2017 International Jazz Venue Guide (alongside our friends at Nighttown in Cleveland) as one of the world’s “remarkable rooms” for live jazz!
 
Thank you DownBeat for this most special recognition – jazz fans, pick up a copy of the February 2017 issue (out now) to see the complete list of premier live jazz venues across the globe!



Top Places to Visit after Moving to Akron, Ohio (via Allied Van Lines®)

December 22, 2016 -

by Ryan Cox / Allied Van Lines – “After you have toured the zoo and science center, head out to BLU Jazz+ for some adult time. This place is upscale, and the hidden door seems to stump people every time. It is definitely not your average lounge; it is a place where the rich and famous like to hang. Do not come here in jeans and a tee; you will be out of your element. The music is lively and the art is exquisite. The venue is conveniently located in the famous Market Street area of town, so feel free to bring a group of friends and hang out. They offer a wide variety of seating options for your comfort. They often have live bands on the weekends, and the food is out of this world. No wonder people call this club a hidden gem…”


Read Article

Historic downtown Akron building to become The United 1: A Blu-tique Hotel

January 12, 2016 -

AKRON, OH (by Beth Thomas Hertz, Crain’s Cleveland Business) – Local developer Tony Troppe is moving forward with his new boutique hotel in the historic United Building at the corner of Main and Market streets in downtown Akron and has decided on a name: The United 1: A Blu-tique Hotel.
 
Troppe is developing the 65-room hotel with assistance from a $1.6 million Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit. The name is a reference to the hotel’s link to the nearby Blu Jazz+ club, which Troppe also owns, as well as the hotel’s address, 1 S. Main St. He expects the hotel to open by the fourth quarter of 2016.


Read More
Read All News

Contact

BLU Jazz+

47 E. Market Street

Akron, OH 44308

(330) 252-1190


Open Tuesday & Thursday-Saturday, 7pm - 11:30pm

 
 
BLU Jazz+ named one of the "Best International Jazz Venues" by DownBeat Magazine
   
 
Committed to the preservation of America's treasured art form of jazz, BLU Jazz+ Masterclass Foundation (BJMF) is a new program developed by the founders of BLU Jazz+ Akron that brings “front-row” jazz education performance & mentorship opportunities to student musicians and art lovers alike through an ongoing series of special events throughout the year.
   
 

Partners