San Francisco sessions
Your jam session info hub
7 Social
When: Thursday Jazz Session 4-7:30pmHost: Tim Shea & Hipsteria Host link here
Where: 7 Social , 65 Post Street, SF (925) 450-8755 Venue IG link
New venue and new session near Union Square. (Formerly Dada Bar) Info from host:
There is a back line of drums and organ. All levels welcome. Vocalists welcome. [Updated Mar 2025 by host]
Lucky Horseshoe
When: Jazz Jam 3rd, 4th and 5th Wednesdays 8:30pm-12amWhere: Lucky Horseshoe, 453 Cortland Ave 415.282.3456
Host: Dirty Works Jazz Jam hosted by Kyle Finley
Signup required for new players. Name, Song, & Key. All new players and singers must sign up before playing with the band.
Session link here. .
Link to host's page here for more info. [Updated by host May 2025]
Ocean Ale House
When: 2nd Thursday Blues Session 7-10pm Host: Raag & NortonWhen: Wednesdays Jazz Session 7-10pm Host: Noah Frank
Where: Ocean Ale House , 1314 Ocean Avenue, SF 415-988-7521
Relatively new session in the Ingleside area. Expect a few SFSU students for the jazz sessions. [added Jan 2025 by SJ]
Swig
When: Sunday blues jam 9pm - closeWhere: Swig Bar, 561 Geary Street, SF 415.931.7292
Host: Emma Jean
Long-running session with high quality, but a poor reputation for welcoming newcomers. Only visit if you have no other option and nothing better to do. FB link is light on info. [updated March 2025 by SJ]
Madrone Art Bar
When: Sunday jazz session 9pm-closeWhere: Madrone Art Bar, 500 Divisadero @ Fell 415.241.0202 (info line only)
Host: Mike Olmos, Adam Shulman
Straight-ahead jazz, good players can sit in. Some of the former Club Deluxe scene ended up here.
Still going per venue site calendar. "Swinging soul jazz with a jam session to follow 9pm-Close, No Cover". Send a review and let us know what they're playing these days. [Updated by SJ June 2025]
Persona
When: Monday jazz jam 8pm-1:30amWhere: Persona Social Club, 685 Sutter Street, SF 415.400.4598
Host: Kyle Finley & The Dirty Works Jazz Band
Signup required for new players. Name, Song, & Key. All new players and singers must sign up before playing with the band. Link to host's page here for more info. [updated by host Aug 2025]
Hop Oast
When: Friday evening casual acoustic jam 5-7:30pm
Where: Hop Oast, 2887 Bryant St, SF 415-795-1972
Host: Dirty Works Acoustic Jam hosted by Kyle Finley
Signup required for new players. Name, Song, & Key. All new players and singers must sign up before playing with the band. Walk-ins welcome. Link to host's page here for more info. [Updated by host June 2025]
Progressive Grounds
When: 3rd Sunday jazz jam 2-5pm
Where: Progressive Grounds, 400 Cortland Ave, SF (415) 282-6233
Host: Kyle Finley & The Dirty Works Jazz Band
All Ages. All levels of players are welcome. Walk-ins welcome. Signup for new players - new players should talk to the band leader, Kyle Finley - The Bass Dude, before they play. Link to host's page here for more info. [Updated by host Oct 2025]
Woods Lowside
When: Mondays open jazz jam 7-9pm
Where: Woods Beer & Wine Co., 530 Haight Street, SF (415) 548-5734
Host: Lucien Muir
Newer session that started April 2025. Per host IG page backline includes amps and piano/keys, and singers welcome. Recommend call ahead due to the newness. Recent IG video of a session.
Link to host's IG . [Added by DS Oct 2025]
1920 Bar
When: Tuesday open jazz jam 7-10pm
Where: 1920 Bar, 1812 Clement St, SF 415-771-9695
Host: Kyle Finley & The Dirty Works Jazz Band
All-ages venue. This jam is in the spirit of the original Minton's Playhouse Jam. Musicians get free whiskey and occasionally the house feeds the musicians or baked goods are brought in by the host. Link to host's page here for more info. [Updated by host Aug 2025]
Hayes Valley Art Works
When: Monthly Jazz Jam last Saturday 1-4pmWhere: Hayes Valley Art Works, 295 Oak Street @ Octavia, SF (no phone provided)
Host: Babs
Signups in advance preferred. . Anything goes but Jazz is the focus. Sliding scale donation of $10-20 sliding scale is requested; no one turned away but we need to pay our core musicians. Jammers requested to put in added $5 tip per tune.
Please choose tunes available in iReal. Paper charts discouraged due to outdoor environment (wind). Advanced signups called first, 1 tune, if time permits a 2nd tune. If there is a rain forecast we will update on instagram.
Session link here. . Session FB link . Session IG link . [Added by host Aug 2025]
Hotel Utah
When: (Irregular) Sunday night Pro Blues Jam 6-10pm
Where: The Hotel Utah Saloon, 500 4th St, SF, 415-546-6300
Host: Rotating
Host FB link Session FB link
Stan Erhart, Dennis Dove, Sean Donoghue and others are trying to get a session established here. It's been hit or miss a couple of times; strongly recommend calling ahead first. From venue site: "Free live music - open to all Blues musicians and fans! Bring your sticks, strings, harps and things - and let’s jam! Bring your appetite too, the new menu is delicious!" "The Utah Sunday Blues Jams provide a platform for experienced musicians to come together, network, and showcase their skills, while also offering younger up-and-coming musicians the opportunity to collaborate with more seasoned players. We’ll aim to create a vibrant and inclusive atmosphere that fosters creativity, musical exploration, and a sense of community within the local blues scene. The music showcased during the jam could range from danceable blues, swing and surf to be-bop, early rock & roll and country. Check the listings for each week's featured performer(s)." [Added by SJ Aug 2025]
Waystone
When: Monday jazz jam 6-9pm
Where: Waystone Wine Bar, 1609 Powell St., San Francisco (415) 932-6835
Host: Varies
Venue IG link
Weekly jazz jam in a cozy spot. Judging from the photo, some are reading books, some aren't. Some recent Youtube videos of the session are out there. [Added by SJ Aug 2025]
SFJAM at SFJazz
When: Monthly Monday open jazz jam session 7-9pm
Where: SFJazz, 201 Franklin Street • San Francisco 866.920.5299
Host: varies - check schedule
Session web link
Monthly jazz jam with shifting dates - check the Session web link for upcoming dates and Spotify playlist of pre-selected tunes. If you're looking for some place to get your Latin on, take a look.
[From the director] "All backline is provided: piano, guitar amp, bass amp, drum kit and also a Nord keyboard. When we do Latin-themed jams we also provide congas and timbales. With a few exceptions, the repertoire is played in the Real Book keys. On occasion the lead artist may introduce an original tune, and we anticipate that a vocalist may ask to change a given key to suit their range. We provide the playlists to provide jammers with recorded references mainly for inspiration." All sessions are free - players requested to sign up on the specific link for each session.
Some recent Youtube videos of the session available. Contact education director with any questions. [Added by host Sep 2025]
Paris 75
When: Tuesday night jazz jam 7-10pm
Where: Paris 75, 515 Broadway, San Francisco, (415) 936-3266
Host: The North Beach Django
Session email contact: paris75@lppsf.com Venue IG link Host IG link Flyers on venue IG: "acoustic sitter-inners welcome after 1st set. A new international community international jazz series."
This is a fairly new session and calling ahead is strongly recommended. Hosts should be very open to your favorite Francophones - send a review and let us know if they're playing Serge.
Host IG message:
"The FREE community jazz night where anything Djangoes ... After the first set by Ned Boynton, Eddie Scher, and Kenan O'Brien, we open the floor to acoustic sitters-inners, vocalists... Come down to 515 Broadway from 7-10 Tuesday night and even jump in playing or singing! From Eurotreasure to the American Songbook, there's not much in the name of music these folks can't play!" [Added by SJ Aug 2025]
Stookey's Blue Room
When: Wednesdays jazz jam 8-11pm
Where: Stookey's Blue Room, 891 Bush St, San Francisco (415) 387-2441
Host: Rotating
Drop-in jazz jam session, lead by rotating hosts. In addition to a two drink minimum or a $20 spend from each guest and musician, a $5-$10 donation is requested for the House band. [Added by SJ Aug 2025]
Club DeLuxe
Where: Club Deluxe , 1511 Haight @ Ashbury 415.552.6949
The club did not make it after all and was finally crushed under the weight of development. (Updated March 2024 by SJ)
Givin' it back, and keepin' it real. Since 2000. (Copyright 2025)