Café Bohemia

You are standing near 15 Barrow Street, the address that housed one of the most vital jazz clubs in American history. From 1955 to 1960, Cafe Bohemia operated as a legendary basement venue where the sound of hard bop defined the era. Its transformation into a jazz hub happened almost by accident when the owner, Jimmy Garofolo, struggled to keep his bar afloat with various acts. After Charlie Parker began living across the street and offered to play in exchange for drinks, the buzz surrounding the saxophone legend brought a crowd that turned this space into an essential stop for jazz musicians and intellectuals alike.