The Jazz Gallery is where New York's best sidemen go to lead their own bands, and Moreno's roster here — Zaleski, Brewer, Calvaire — is a genuine all-star rhythm section rather than a pickup group. Two piano-adjacent voices in a quintet is an unusual instrumentation choice that gives the writing somewhere to go. If you want to hear jazz being made rather than performed, the Gallery's loft is the place, and it is free with a Summerpass.
What to expect
A small, plainly furnished fifth-floor loft with rows of chairs facing a corner bandstand and no bar theatrics to distract from the music. Two sets over the evening, with the second often looser than the first. The room is quiet by convention — the audience is there to listen.
Good to know
- Take the N, R, W, 6, F or M to 28th Street or Herald Square; the Gallery is on Broadway near 27th.
- It is on the fifth floor and reached by elevator; the entrance is an unmarked office-building door, so look for the number.
- A Summerpass covers admission if you have one, otherwise individual tickets are sold per set.
- There is no kitchen and only a minimal bar, so eat beforehand.
- The room enforces a listening-room ethic; conversation carries badly here.
- Ideal for musicians and serious listeners; less suited to a group that wants a social night out.
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Common questions
Who is in Mike Moreno's band?
Jesse Chandler on keys and woodwinds, Glenn Zaleski on piano, Matt Brewer on bass and Obed Calvaire on drums.
What is the Summerpass?
A Jazz Gallery membership pass that covers admission to its summer programming instead of buying per-show tickets.
Is The Jazz Gallery a bar?
No, it is a nonprofit listening room on the fifth floor of a Broadway office building, with minimal bar service.
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