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Like many others, I assume, I've often thought of moving to New York to be at the center of the jazz scene. As someone living in Ireland, the scene is quite small and we don't get a lot of 'big name' jazz musicians coming here.
A question to people who perhaps live or have lived in New York City, would you recommend moving there as a jazz musician? Even for a few months. And if not, where else would you recommend! I'm planning on moving away for a while after I finish my degree in jazz. Thanks!
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11-27-2025 11:18 AM
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It is the best place in the world to be as a musician who wants to play with other musicians.
Jazz does not pay much there until you’re playing Blue Note and Dizzys, however.
Be ready to work a day job, walk dogs, baby sit, whatever.
I lived there nine years and worked a day job the whole time — Guitar Center for a few months, for a luthier for a few years, and ran the door at The Jazz Standard after that. So there’s no shame in that at all, but you’ll want to be ready for it.
The other I’ll say is that lots of people will jump in talking about how expensive New York is, and it is, but if you’re realistic about where you can afford to live, then it’s not more expensive than your average medium sized city. We lived in Bay Ridge under the Verrazano Bridge for three years and Rego Park out at the end of the R line for six. Both amazing neighborhoods, but a bit of a hike to the big city.
Also, once again, people will talk about what it costs, but it’s also just a tough place to live. Commuting can be taxing, living around that many people is incredible and enriching, but also can be a challenge. Etc.
So my main question would be:
Have you been there before? Did you actually stay somewhere where you had to navigate the city? Did you like it?
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If the answer to any of those questions is “no” then I would recommend looking into different neighborhoods, finding one you could theoretically see yourself affording, getting an air bnb there, and hitting the jazz clubs.
Take the runner up neighborhoods and go there to explore before dinner or something on various days before you hit the music scene. See if you can get around from those.
Do you like the neighborhoods … can you get back to your place on the train at midnight … that kind of thing.
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Lifetime New Yorker here.Living in NY has never been more expensive. The price of apartments is just insane if you can even find one.You will spend more time working a day job or more likely two jobs just to pay your bills and not leaving much time for gigging.A friend of mine i grew up with lives in New Jersey and plays a jazz brunch once in awhile in NY and the pay is less than i made playing a gig 50 years ago.After he pays bridge tolls,gas and parking,he's hardly made any money but he does it because he enjoys to play live.NY is a nice place to visit but crazy expensive to live here especially trying to be a fulltime musician.
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I’m not a working musician but would London be an option? similar affordability issues though …
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I echo what above people said here, NYC has become too expensive for being a full time musician, because of the widening gap between the pay and cost of living. At least that's what it looks like to me. I left NYC in 2019, and I lived there for more than 20 years, last 10 of which I survived exclusively on music, teaching and playing. Thanks to my ex gf I did ok, good appartment in a nice neighborhood, and I didn't starve.
If you're young do it, it's an experience, and you'll meet great musicians and have a good time. Try to avoid having a full time day job though, if you can help it, it will do your musical goals no good. So yea... just go for it, don't wait for ecouragment, if you need that, you'll never gonna make it haha.
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Yeah. We lived in Bay Ridge and got raised eyebrows from some folks who were living in Hoboken and Orange.
Originally Posted by nyc chaz
But Bay Ridge was probably cheaper, maybe longer if the NJT trains were running perfectly, which wasn’t all that often. And man was the travel cheaper.
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I would run away from New York and even with that runaway from being a jazz musician. There are just so many more interesting things to do that pay the bills and make living easier. Granted it sound like the way to do when you want to follow your heart and dream but I say follow your head and do the numbers.
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NYC. If you can make there you can make it anywhere.
I'd guess you can find players at any level and keep busy playing, if you can pay the bills.
I grew up in Midwood (Brooklyn, but not what became the hip brownstone part). The local music-lesson place had as teachers some guys who went on to fame as jazz musicians. I wasn't aware of any of that at the time. I just went for music lessons like a lot of local kids did -- and got turned on to jazz, which, was life-altering.
OP asked about alternative locations. I'd guess that any good sized city will have a jazz scene. I live in a San Francisco suburb. There are multiple jazz big bands playing within 30 minutes drive. Lots of great players. Lots of small groups. And, like NYC, very hard to make a living playing. Average skill level here is not up to NYC levels (which are, of couse, world class), but there is a jazz scene.
A friend lives in Rochester NY, a smaller city, and found a jazz scene there (there's a college). In fact, I'd guess that any place with a college that has a jazz program could afford opportunities to play, if you have the ability.
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Rochester is Eastman, so a world class college at that.
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You would have to be borderline insane, and one of the top players you've ever met.
I'd have to imagine there are a line down the block of guys in the city as good as you can be (in other words play at a very high professional level) who would be willing to work for a ham sandwich at this point.
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Japan? Originally Posted by beetlejockey
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I lived in NYC throughout most of my twenties albeit I worked in my field of architecture. I don’t know how I would have approached living there as a working musician, but it was a great life experience for me. It’s a world-class city with inspiration around every corner. If you have your ducks in a row I wouldn’t discourage you in any way.
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Dude you could live in Paris, you're in the EU, literally zero work issues, it's fucking Paris, women are beautiful and charming, food is cheap and amazing, it's fucking PARIS, the standards of guitar playing are as high there as anywhere, living afaik is much cheaper than the US, players get paid for gigs it seems.
Not saying it's easy to be a musician in Paris but if I could choose between Paris and NYC it would be Paris in 2 seconds.
In the US we live like rats, and not the good kind.
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Not really, unless you get a marriage there or something, the Japanese scene is different now, not many room for foreigners. I have a little bit of grasp on the East Asia music scene in general. Originally Posted by SOLR
In that region China is the only attractive proposition, or at least used to be. It's a bit isolated now with work shrinking due to stupid politics and economy. It used to be Klondike where money grow on trees, and huge ex pat jazz scene, not anymore.
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I live just outside NYC. I haven't played professionally, but I have several friends who have. Based on experiences they have shared, I agree with just about everything written above, except for the borderline insane comment.
Yes, the City is expensive. Yes, life here is difficult. Yes, you should plan on having multiple gigs (the "working pros" I know and have met all have one or more sidelines - often music-related, such as teaching, recording/engineering, and/or fixing guitars/amps).
Absent substantial financial resources, if you are young, driven, flexible and willing to forego comfort for what could be a great experience it might be worth a go. But before taking the plunge, I'd suggest reaching out to others who have gone that route - they should be able to give you some idea what to expect, help you avoid mistakes, and maybe help you land some gigs. Also, while I don't want to steer into political territory, in the current climate I'd also suggest figuring out the rules regarding entering and staying in the US before getting deep into the planning.
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Years back I lived in the "Village" for a time..yes exciting and yes lots of musicians..and at that time I lived there lots places to play.
I had family in the borough of Queens..which was about 30-45 min travel time to the City..my concerns at that
time was taking my guitar/small amp on the trains/bus..late night/early morns.
So you will have to think about how to travel with your equipment..even small amps can be a bit much to move
around every day.
These days..living in the city will take a good deal of energy..you may need a roommate (or two) preferably musicians..if you find
a half way decent apartment.
Do some financial planning ahead of time. If you do get to live in the City you will need it.
Good luck on your journey...let us know your progress.
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Ten years ago I’d have said flat no. These days….. I’d say - maybe worth thinking about. I’d probably still say that NYC is complete unique …. Originally Posted by Bill C
I’d say London is a bit cheaper …. The scene has never been stronger.
The main things I think we miss here is the geographical compactness and the direct connection to the living history of the music. There’s no ‘jazz quarter’ in the sense there is in the Village. Really it’s hard to say there’s one scene - it’s more like several overlapping scenes.
My own subjective perception is that the scene is getting stronger and stronger while quite a few I’ve spoken to seem to be of opinion that the New York scene isn’t what it used to be.
Make of that what you will, might be rubbish.
One thing I enjoy is that NYC tends to produce people who specialise in one sub-scene - avant garde, bop, contemporary, swing etc - while here, players can be much more eclectic. And while we do have specialists here, no one thinks it strange if you play a mix early jazz, free improv, straightahead, Afro beat etc. otoh the distinct cultural mix of London seems to produce fusions with a slightly different flavour. The Afro Beat jazz thing being one that was exported well internationally…
Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkLast edited by Christian Miller; 11-28-2025 at 05:38 AM.
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i think amsterdam is a worthy contender (and has surpassed nyc in many ways imo).
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Agreed… The players coming out of there often excite more than the Americans these days. Originally Posted by djg
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I met a Japanese drummer in a jazz jam session here in Japan. He now lives in NYC, a nice area of Queens, and pays USD4000+ a month, complaining how high all the rents there have gotten.
Back in the 1990s I lived for a spell in Brooklyn, on Flatbush near Classon Avenue and paid USD1500 monthly rent. That was before the area became gentrified and the building needed a lot of repairs, old wiring, random gunshots at night, difficult to save money.
But, it was a quick subway ride to Manhattan. I was young and living there for a few years was interesting. Left just before 911.
Now living in Japan where there is a vibrant jazz scene and good social services, but politics has gotten toxic and difficult to get work without speaking Japanese. About 15 years ago, I took the Mrs. to NYC to visit family and friends and see some live jazz. But we were shocked at rents.
My brother lives elsewhere in the US. He and his wife fly to NYC for live jazz and museums, etc. every few months. They love it.
My aunt has lived in the Bronx for decades, and watched the city change. My Dad was a NYC firefighter but chose to raise us in downstate NY, commuting. My grandfather was a sanitation worker in the Bronx and built a house also in downstate for his retirement after 35 years. My other grandfather was a waiter at Hotel Lexington and saw the jazz greats who played there.
It’s a wonderful city with a lot of jazz, history, and contradictions, and has had its ups and downs. Some say it may be on the cusp of a new upswing. Time will tell.
I’d say if you’re young and have enough to live and play there a couple of years it’d be valuable. But, as others have said, there are other options. Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best!
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NYC native and lifetime resident here (active amateur player with an established non-music career). I really wouldn't know where to begin to advise someone whom I've never heard play and who has given no indication of whether he has any entrée/connections to survive here, money, health insurance, awareness of the visa/immigration situation, etc. Everything everyone has said about the brutal economic conditions and even more brutal level of musical competition is true.
On the one hand, just showing up one day with minimal chops, no money and no clue about how to live here and just expecting stuff to happen would be a terrible idea. On the other hand, already a world class player, with friends or relatives you can stay with for cheap or free, enough money to eat for a year, and a plan, maybe not such bad idea. In between the two there are varying degrees of plausibility (e.g., getting accepted at one of the jazz schools and using that as a stepping stone, coming as a tourist and checking things out, marrying the modern-day equivalent of Nica).
But based on what the OP has told us, who knows? I think the same observations apply to any other potential location -- if you have connections there, savings and/or prospects for work or study, and have done your homework about what it's like to live there it might be worth a long-term visit. But if it's just "hey wouldn't it be cool if ...?" don't get on a plane.
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There are still a lot of venues that feature jazz, and tons of astonishingly good players (especially coming out of the schools). The big thing that has changed (in my observation) is that the other opportunities that used to pay the rent, such as session work, jingles, Broadway, and GB/club dates, have either disappeared or are well on their way toward that. Not many jazz musicans have ever really been just jazz musicians, but it was generally possible to for many to cobble together a reasonable living only through music. Not so much anymore. Non-music day job and/or marriage to someone with that is what people mainly do now. Originally Posted by Christian Miller
That's interesting, but very much not my observation. Virtually every "jazz" player I know here plays many kinds of music, and very few want or are able to specialize narrowly.[/QUOTE] Originally Posted by Christian Miller
If you encountered people here in NYC who find eclecticism strange I think you bumped into a non-representative sample. I routinely bump into people across a broad age range (from college kids to people in their 60s and 70s) who do all kinds of stuff (jazz and otherwise). This is something I've talked about quite a bit with Europeans who find that this eclecticism (especially familiarity with the full scope of African-American music) to be one of signal differences between American musicans and musicians from elsewhere. Originally Posted by Christian Miller
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I’ll defer to your better knowledge then! Originally Posted by John A.
I was under the impression there wasn’t much crossover between the swing style players and the more modern style players for example.
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