"Guide to Unusual and Hidden Places in Mexico City / Zinco Jazz Club, the Temple of Jazz in Mexico"
Jazz never goes out of style; it just tires of the spotlight.
By: Jajo Crespo / Photos from Zinco Jazz Club
The Story of Zinco Jazz Club
Jazz may go into hibernation for a couple of months or years, only to resurface suddenly in a current song, reviving the stories of resilience from legends like Miles Davis or John Coltrane. Jazz is living history, creativity, memory, and one of the most influential movements in music.
For these reasons of history, rediscovery, and resistance, Ernesto Zeivy found it scandalous that there wasn't a proper jazz club in Mexico City. So, in 2004, he and a group of partners decided to open Zinco Jazz Club. The space was crucial; it aimed to emulate the underground clubs of the 1950s and 60s in New York, where giants like John Coltrane performed. They found the perfect location at number 20 Motolinía Street, in the former vaults of the Banco Mexicano.
The name itself is a nod to that era: a play on the legendary Zinc Bar in Manhattan, with the added "-o" for proximity to Cinco de Mayo Street. To maintain authenticity, the drink menu was carefully crafted based on cocktails created between 1880 and 1940, enhancing the overall experience.
Live Jazz in Mexico City
Finally, the music—the holy grail of Zinco Jazz Club. The venue has meticulously curated its musical offerings and boasts a high-end sound system to maximize the acoustic quality of the space. This is essential, considering the club has hosted personalities like Paquito D’Rivera, Terence Blanchard, and the Calacas Jazz Band.
Zinco Jazz Club isn't your typical recommendation because it's a different kind of place; it's a temple of music. Consider it for a date where nobody gets bored staring at each other for an hour, wondering what the other does for a living—a place where you can flow and recognize that, in life, like the musicians, you're also improvising.
Food Police Insider Advice:
Check their official website for upcoming artist lineups. Remember, to secure your reservation, you need to arrive by 9 p.m.
- Address: Calle de Motolinía 20, Historic Center of Mexico City, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, C.P. 06050 Mexico City, CDMX.
- Contact info: 55 1131 7760
- Hours of Operation: Wednesday to Sunday, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
- Ideal for: Dinner.
- Payment: Cash and cards accepted.
- Accessibility: No.
- Parking: None.
- Reservations: Can be made by phone or directly at https://zincojazz.com.
- Nearby Public Transport: Metro Allende.
- Pet friendly: No.
- Suitable for children: No.
