Kansas Smitty's — Local services in London

When you walk out thinking when can I come back then you are onto a winner.

I will try to do justice to this fine Jazz establishment that is willing to experiment with music style and introduce guest musicians while still keeping rhythm. However being a fan of Jazz I must warn you that I am already a bit biased.

Smitty's is an east London Establishment at the south end of London fields and on Broadway market with its many cute shops, restaurants, pubs and bars. The street itself is impressive and worth a visit as it has a bohemian feel. The bar doe not appear to serve food but has a strong list of alcoholic beverages.The cocktails are strong and the mixologist knows what they are doing.

The ground floor is a typical bar but the music is in the basement. Yes, it is a bit shabby but in the candlelight you will never notice. Perfect for a romantic visit if your partner likes the uplifting melodies in swing jazz. The music starts at around 8,30 and it is best if you have book a table and come slightly early to claim it. We had no problem getting our table and also managed to get some excellent food at the local pizzeria.

We were fortunate that there was a guest pianist that played some soft classical melodies along with his former student, and now house band member, who was on the clarinet. Following this the house band pianist took over and it was a joyous hour of swing music. I must admit that my feet were tapping, head was shaking and soul was pounding as the music took over.

The night came to an end at around 10.30pm and I vowed to come back to this excellent establishment...

Updated from a year ago - we went back last night to see Giacomo Smith and crew. The music was incredible, as were the cocktail team, but I would agree with an earlier reviewer that around a quarter of the patrons see the venue as a cool place to have rowdy chats, rather than coming for the music. This clearly upsets some of the musicians and spoils the atmosphere. Perhaps the venue could take some practices from Ronnie Scotts? For example, on the tables there are little plaques that ask guests to keep talking to minimum out of respect for the musicians. This is also mentioned on the website when booking etc. The venue was turning people away all evening, so clearly no need for the...

The venue is very nice and the music was pretty good quality. But some 25% of the guests essentially take it as a cool cocktail place with fancy music rather than a concert venue. This means that many people chat,, and you struggle to concentrate on the music. The musicians noticed it too and were annoyed. Not sure a top musician would accept or go back. There is not much the organizers can do, I think there simply is an insufficient jazz culture in London. Organizers do their best, but I doubt I will...