The Jazz Bar at 1A Chambers Street in Edinburgh's Old Town (EH1 1HR) is one of Scotland's busiest live-music basements — a small, atmospheric cellar club running between two and four gigs and jam sessions a day, seven nights a week, all year round. The programme leans hard into jazz and jazz-adjacent music: acid jazz, funk-rock, soul, blues, Latin and reggae from local and touring acts. A 3am licence (extending to 5am during the Fringe) keeps the music going into the small hours. An all-inclusive jam session on the first Thursday of every month sees the house musicians welcome players of any genre and ability onto the stage. Note: this row's slug references a 'Jam House' but the venue is in fact The Jazz Bar.
Edinburgh · Every Tuesday · No fee listed
The Jazz Bar Open Mic
Edinburgh's Tuesday-night free jazz/funk open mic at 1A Chambers Street, EH1 1HR — basement jazz club, full backline including piano, 10-minute slots.
Next night: Tue 17 Nov. Kick-off 21:00, sign-up from 20:30. 10-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 7 Sept 202621:00
Kick-off
Tuesdays
sign-up from 20:30Tuesdays
| Night | Every Tuesday |
| Sign-up | 20:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 10 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | Full backline |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
245
page views on GigXchange. Is it your night?
0 members voted to bring the venue onto GigXchange02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
0
Member votes
votes to get this venue on GigXchange
| Capacity | c. 120 standing |
| Performer types | Musicians |
| Website | thejazzbar.co.uk |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 7 Sept 2026 |
| Checked against | Venue website |
03 — The night
Every TuesdayHow the night runs
21:00
Kick-off
TuesdaysRunning order
20:30 Sign-up· Walk-in
21:00 Kick-off· 10-minute slots
23:30 Last songs
00:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Jazz Bar
Old TownGetting there
1A Chambers Street,
Old Town, Edinburgh EH1 1HR
Old Town, Edinburgh EH1 1HR
The nearest station is Edinburgh (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away.
05 — What's on stage
7 provided| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | Provided |
| Guitar amp | Provided |
| Bass amp | Provided |
| Keys / keyboard | Provided |
| 3 vocal mics | Provided |
| In-house engineer | Provided |
06 — About
Old Town, EdinburghAbout the night
The Jazz Bar on Chambers Street is Edinburgh's premier basement jazz club, with a multi-genre programme running deep into the night. Its weekly open jam — The Great Jazz Jam Session — runs every Tuesday from 9pm to 11.30pm, backed by house musicians; it's £6/8 on the door to watch but completely free if you bring an instrument and play. Turn up, ask for a place on the night's list, and drop in with players of all abilities. (The venue also runs a monthly Groove Jam on the first Thursday and an open Blues Jam on the fourth Wednesday.)
The Jazz Bar at 1A Chambers Street in Edinburgh's Old Town (EH1 1HR) is one of Scotland's busiest live-music basements — a small, atmospheric cellar club running between two and four gigs and jam sessions a day, seven nights a week, all year round. The programme leans hard into jazz and jazz-adjacent music: acid jazz, funk-rock, soul, blues, Latin and reggae from local and touring acts. A 3am licence (extending to 5am during the Fringe) keeps the music going into the small hours. An all-inclusive jam session on the first Thursday of every month sees the house musicians welcome players of any genre and ability onto the stage. Note: this row's slug references a 'Jam House' but the venue is in fact The Jazz Bar.
Played here before?One tap
How was the night?
One tap. It tells the next act what to expect.
Run this room?
This night - and this page - is yours.
What you get | 01 | Correct the day, time and sign-up |
| 02 | Edit your profile and photos |
| 03 | Receive artist enquiries |
| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
Old Town · Every Tuesday
The Jazz Bar Open Mic
Edinburgh's Tuesday-night free jazz/funk open mic at 1A Chambers Street, EH1 1HR — basement jazz club, full backline including piano, 10-minute slots.
- Tuesday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 7 Sept
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 10 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Edinburgh open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Jazz Bar Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Jazz Bar Open Mic runs on Tuesdays at The Jazz Bar in Edinburgh, starting at 21:00 with sign-up from 20:30. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 7 Sept 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See The Jazz Bar’s venue page →
Music starts around 21:00, finishing about 23:30. It's walk-in sign-up, with the list opening at 20:30 - arrive early to get a slot. Each act gets about 10 minutes, so the night holds around 15 acts. With full backline listed, you need little more than your instrument and pedals.
Next nightTue 17 Nov · 21:00Starts in 4d 06h 39m
Age18+
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
Capacityc. 120 standing
BacklineFull backline
Sound engineerIn-house, included
Directory statusVerified active
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
Websitethejazzbar.co.uk
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know. We review corrections within 7 days.
NightTuesdayEvery TuesdayNext: Tue 17 Nov
Starts21:00until 23:30
Sign-up20:30Walk-in
Slots10minutes eachRoom for about 15 acts
What’s on in Edinburgh this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Jazz Bar on Chambers Street is Edinburgh's premier basement jazz club, with a multi-genre programme running deep into the night. Its weekly open jam — The Great Jazz Jam Session — runs every Tuesday from 9pm to 11.30pm, backed by house musicians; it's £6/8 on the door to watch but completely free if you bring an instrument and play. Turn up, ask for a place on the night's list, and drop in with players of all abilities. (The venue also runs a monthly Groove Jam on the first Thursday and an open Blues Jam on the fourth Wednesday.)
The kit on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitProvided
Guitar ampProvided
Bass ampProvided
Keys / keyboardProvided
3 vocal micsProvided
In-house engineerProvided
The Night at a Glance
How The Jazz Bar’s Tuesday night runs.
Next nightTue 17 Nov · 21:00Starts in 4d 06h 39m
Sign-up opens20:30Walk-in on the night
Kick-off21:00Every Tuesday
Music ends23:30Last act finishes
Venue closes00:00The listed closing time
Slots10minutes eachroom for about 15 acts
How often
Every Tuesday
Coming up
Tue 17 Nov · Tue 24 Nov · Tue 1 Dec
Kit
The Jazz Bar provides a PA system, 3 vocal mics, a drum kit, a guitar amp, a bass amp, keys and an in-house sound engineer.
First time here?
Get there by 20:30 for a slot, have your instrument tuned before your turn and keep to about 10 minutes.
Find The Jazz Bar
1A Chambers Street, Old Town, Edinburgh EH1 1HR
Address1A Chambers Street
AreaOld Town, Edinburgh
PostcodeEH1 1HR
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Edinburgh (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. You'll find The Jazz Bar in Old Town, Edinburgh; EH1 1HR is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Open mics nearby
Bannerman's Bar, The Bothy, Biddy Mulligans and The Auld Hundred
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Tuesday Night
Get there by 20:30 to sign up for a slot. The open mic runs until about 23:30. Full backline is provided — just bring your instrument and pedals.
The scene Live music in Edinburghthe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Edinburghpay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Edinburghacts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Edinburghevery listing, sorted by dateArtists Browse artist profilesfind acts to play or collaborate withOpen mics UK Open Mic Finderfree stage time, night by night
How much should paid gigs pay you? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. Part of the Edinburgh live music scene.
Common Questions
9 things people ask before turning up at Edinburgh's The Jazz Bar open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 20:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Edinburgh open mic nights for alternatives.
Full backline: drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp, PA and vocal mics, plus an in-house sound engineer. Bring your own instrument and pedals.
10 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for The Jazz Bar's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Edinburgh open mics.
Yes — full bands welcome and the backline is set up for it.
1A Chambers Street, Old Town, Edinburgh EH1 1HR.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Edinburgh regulars across the Edinburgh open mic scene. Edinburgh open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Edinburgh (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is EH1 1HR. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, from 20:30, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails - the venue's own website is linked on this page. Browse other Edinburgh open mics.
Venues Near The Jazz Bar
No other gigs are listed at The Jazz Bar in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
08 — Keep up with Edinburgh
One email a week. Gigs near you.
Keep up with Edinburgh
One email a week with live music near you. Free, and it keeps grassroots rooms full.
Help keep grassroots venues open in Edinburgh
—A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Edinburgh. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.
See what’s on in Edinburgh over the next four weeks →
The Jazz Bar open mic in brief. The Jazz Bar open mic runs every Tuesday from 21:00 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 20:30 and slots run about 10 minutes. Coming back with a full band? The Jazz Bar’s venue page has its kit and capacity listed. For another night this week, the open mics near Edinburgh are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Edinburgh? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
09 — More Edinburgh open mics
All ›After paid gigs rather than open mics? See Edinburgh gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Jazz Bar
All ›More rooms near The Jazz Bar: George IV Bar, Liquid Room Edinburgh, O'Neills Edinburgh, People's Leisure Club, Edinburgh, Royal Mile Tavern, Sandy Bell's, Stramash, Subway Cowgate, The Banshee Labyrinth, The Caves and The Hive, Edinburgh.
Run The Jazz Bar?
Free to join. No subscription. 5% only if you want the deposit protected.
Run an open mic in Edinburgh?
Add yours to the directory free. 2-minute submission, reviewed before it goes live.