I am a lover of music. Since my teenage years, I have ‘tasted’ different genres of music including rock, metal, country, disco, pop, chill-out, blues, reggae, jazz, and Indian classical to name a few.
My liking of different flavours of music has changed dramatically over the years and I am currently trying to make sense out of electronic music. In recent years, I have developed a dislike towards pop music while my liking towards rock and alternative have grown.
I am a huge admirer of live music. Seeing those talented musicians playing live gives me goosebumps. I always wish I could play an instrument – any instrument.
Anyways, I could write a whole different article about my love of music. But today, I wish to pen-down an article about jazz. Besides rock music, jazz is the only genre I love the most. And when it comes to live jazz, I am a big huge fan.
The jazz lover living inside me was left surprised and speechless when I recently came across Bangkok’s jazz scene. Little did I know that away from the usual hustle and bustle of the city lives a rich jazz scene. And I want to dedicate this article to those wonderful performers I had a pleasure of enjoying live.
“If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.” ― Louis Armstrong
Jazz and Blues at Saxophone Pub
There are many jazz bars and clubs across Bangkok that are popular among locals and expats. When navigating Bangkok’s map, I came across Saxophone Pub and decided to pay a visit that night.
Finding Saxophone Pub was a breeze. Located near Victory Monument, Saxophone is about 10 minutes’ walk from Baan Paan Sook Unitato – a nice hostel where I stayed. If taking the BTS, get off at Victory Monument station and take exit 4 to reach Saxophone.
As I entered the pub, the first band for the night was getting ready for their performance. The pub wasn’t full of visitors just yet. I took some time to walk around the ground floor and then took a seat as the band began their performance.
After spending the whole day wandering around the usually noisy streets of Bangkok, the live jazz music was a soothing experience. From the very first song they played, I was immersed in the beauty of jazz.
“Jazz is a feeling, more than anything else. It isn’t music, it’s language.” – Enos Payne
The pub slowly got crowded as the time passed by. Most visitors took their seats ideally surrounding the ‘stage’ while others chose to sit on the first floor. By the time the clock hit 9 PM and another band started playing, Saxophone was in its true essence. The whole pub was now full of people who were enjoying live jazz along with their food and drinks.
I clicked some pictures and shot a few videos before ordering my food. More than listening to the music, I was observing the musicians playing it. It was a once in a while opportunity to closely observe musicians playing live music and I didn’t want to miss this chance.
One song after another, those performances stole my heart. The sound of saxophone, trumpet, piano, bass, and drums worked on me like an addictive potion. Those goosebumps were only proving it further that I was deeply lost in the music. I couldn’t thank myself enough for deciding to visit Saxophone and I felt like I had found the perfect place to relax at.
The Thriving Jazz Scene of Bangkok: Summary
In addition to the soulful live jazz and blues music, delicious food, and plenty of drinks to choose from, Saxophone Pub offers art from local artists. The profit made from art sales goes to Sound and Vision Foundation which supports art-education funds for children. They also sell souvenirs in case you would like to take home some memories.
If you are a jazz lover like me, pay a visit to Saxophone and enjoy live jazz and blues with your food and drinks. Saxophone opens at 6 in the evening and stays open till 2 in the midnight. It gets very busy during weekends so reach there early and claim a nice place to sit.
Finding a nice place that plays live jazz in Bangkok was a huge favour I did to myself. A visit to Saxophone Pub was well-rewarding and I am sure you will love the place, too. You might find their food a little pricey but it’s well worth it in my opinion.
Besides Saxophone Pub, there are other popular jazz bars and clubs around Bangkok. The most notable of them are Brown Sugar, The Living Room, Jazz Mahal, and Cotton. All these places are known for their love of music and a visit to any of them would be a great experience.
“Life is like a trumpet – if you don’t put anything into it, you don’t get anything out of it.” – William Christopher Handy
Saxophone and other jazz clubs in Bangkok serve as a wonderful platform for local artists. Artists like Koh Mr. Saxman, Bangkok Connection, The Emergency, T-Bone Band, Neung Jakkawal Bang, and JRP Little Band are regular at Saxophone. You can have a look at the schedule on their website.
Bangkok has everything to keep you busy during the day and even at night. But if you feel the need of relaxing in the company of some soulful music, head over to Saxophone or other jazz pubs and enjoy Bangkok’s thriving jazz scene at its best. Wish to explore more of Bangkok’s nightlife? Here are 5 of my favourite night markets where you can experience a completely different face of Bangkok.
What about you? What is your favourite genre of music? Do you love jazz, too? Have you been to jazz bars in Bangkok? Do share your thoughts and experiences with me.
That’s all, folks. You were reading an article about the thriving jazz scene of Bangkok. I hope you found this article worth your time and I would like to thank you for reading. If you liked reading this article, please share it with others.
Cover image source: Saxophone Pub, Bangkok