Populart - Jazz Café

The idea of going to a proper Spanish jazz café has been in my head since choosing Madrid as the destination for my year abroad. There's just something really romantic about sitting in a dark bar with a drink in your hand and watching a good jazz group playing away in the corner. On the plane out I was leafing through my guidebook and made a note to visit Populart. This jazz bar is somewhat overshadowed by its more famous (and expensive) neighbour Cafe Central. On the way to Populart I passed Cafe Central and there was a queue out of the door and along the pavement! I got to Populart...and there wasn't a single person there.

 

 

I stuck my head through the open door and realised that most of the little tables had "reserved" cards placed on them. The barman noticed me and asked if I wanted one; with a quick scribble on a post it note I had reserved a table for 3 and set off on a wander until the show began. Catriona and her boyfriend Matt, who was visiting from England, had agreed to meet me at about 9pm for the concert. I came across them having tapas down the road and we waited together eating albondigas (meatballs). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We got to Populart and by about 9.30pm the tables started to fill up as people arrived to claim their reservations. I'm not sure if it was because it was a Sunday or because it was the last night of the Canal Street Jazz Band's run at Populart but there was no chance of not getting a table. There were even a couple left over as the band started to play.

 

 

 

The Canal Street Jazz Band are known for their own style of traditional New Orleans, Dixieland jazz. Made up of a piano, double bass, drums, trombone and trumpet, they launched enthusiastically into "When You're Smiling" and the whole place was tapping along with the beat.

 

 

They played an hour's set with the only other tune I knew being the "Pink Panther" which everyone loved. My favourite was Pepe the trumpeter who sang a throaty spanish love song whilst playing the trumpet with one hand. I managed to record one of their numbers and have linked it below for your delectation - enjoy!

Entry to this Jazz Café is free (unlike Café Central where it's about 10-13 euros to get in) but they do ask you to buy a drink. This means that drinks are fairly pricey; a coke cost us 5 euros while a gin and tonic cost 8. This is well worth it, however, as for less than the price of the entry fee to Café Central you get to enjoy both a drink and the live jazz.

Populart has live music every night of the week and is located at 22, Calle de las Huertas, the nearest metro stop is Antón Martín.

http://www.populart.es/