One of the most immersive listening experiences is the Earshot Jazz Festival, which brings celebrated jazz masters and up-and-comers to stages great and small throughout the city for about three weeks each October.

There’s not a bad seat in the house at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley in Belltown, where it’s a good idea to make a reservation for dinner or drinks for one of the two evening shows presented most nights of the week. Seattle Jazz Fellowship in Pioneer Square hosts performances, jam sessions, and more featuring both established and up-and-coming Seattle artists. Jazz is often the genre of choice at The Triple Door mainstage and its casual counterpart downstairs, the Musiquarium, so check the calendar; Tuesdays through Thursdays, the latter’s no-cover live music happy hour is a gem, with a rotating cast of flamenco, funk, jazz, and other musical genres. A hop-skip from Seattle Center, drop into cozy Tin Lizzie Lounge, inside the MarQueen Hotel, to hear local artists; it styles itself as a speakeasy with twists on classic cocktails, boilermakers, and savory small plates.

Many upbeat neighborhood venues showcase local jazz, too, including The Royal Room in Columbia City, which is all-ages outside the bar area until 10 pm. West Seattle’s The Alley is a true speakeasy (enter off the main street via the alley) and hosts two local jazz trios on Sundays and Mondays.