Bimhuis

one of my absolute FAVORITES in the world, next to shinjuku pitt inn in tokyo, and by a far distance well ahead of new york’s knitting factory in its hay days…
Love the Dutch government for supporting the arts… impossible to have such a great venue in other countries… most other good jazz clubs i know of are lucky to pay their rent on time.
Years ago while living in Amsterdam, i used to go to the Bimhuis once or twice a week… what a great learning experience that was.
Nowadays when and if i’m lucky to be visiting Amsterdam.
Highly recommended.

Bimhuis is awesome. It’s a fairly small venue dedicated to jazz, located at a 10 minute walk from central station. The acoustics of the place is very good and you sit very close to the performers.
Here’s a tip: check out the last-​minute ticket shop at aub (Leidseplein) for tickets. From 15:00 onwards they sell tickets for arts & entertainment stuff that happen the same day, with a 50% discount.

The Bimhuis is one of the best jazz clubs in the world! It’s now housed in the new music building by the eastern pier (trams 25 & 26 will get you there)
They have great programs including a couple of jam sessions a week and a music/​dance/​improv collaboration on mondays that’s intriguing.
The agenda includes most of the top jazz musicians in the world as well as many Dutch groups and combinations of both.
Behind the stage is a wall of glass which looks out across the train tracks and harbor onto the city Amsterdam. It’s amazing. Sometimes the curtains are closed for the performance and other times you can see the city and the comings and goings of trains.
For me though, the Bimhuis is all about the music and the view enhances it. Also notable is the bar. It is next to the concert hall and the doors close when the music starts. You can still enter and exit but there is no staff hustling drinks during the concert and no loud bar chatter to distract you from the concert though there is always the inevitable dropped glass or knocked over bottle.
There are so many fantastic concerts throughout the year that a years subscription is offered.