Smalls Jazz Club

Smalls Jazz Club began in nineteen ninety-four as an experiment in pure musical community. Its founder, Mitch Borden, was a former Navy submariner and registered nurse who wanted to create a space that prioritized the needs of the musicians over the profit of a business. He opened the basement venue without a liquor license, allowing patrons to bring their own drinks and stay for hours, often until daybreak. Because there was no alcohol served, the room lacked the typical overhead of a bar, which allowed Borden to keep the cover charge low and the jam sessions continuous. This environment became a crucial incubator for a generation of rising jazz artists who used the basement as a home base to develop their sound.