Dizzy’s

My wife wanted to take me out for an evening of jazz for my birthday, February 14, 2015. Being a jazz trumpet player myself and also an instructor at Berklee College of Music in Boston, I thought this the perfect opportunity to hear some West Coast Jazz.
She called Friday to make reservations and was told it is first come first served. We arrived about 10 minutes before the downbeat and looked for a seat. We sat in very uncomfortable wooden chairs next to two comfortable chairs that had reserved signs on them. Ok, I had a good seat as uncomfortable as it was. The name of the group is called the Teagan Taylor Trio. Tonight the trio was augmented by an additional vocalist and I assume a drummer. I am guessing the normal trio is piano, bass and Teagan on vocals and cornet. I am not sure why the male vocalist acted as the leader, but he was OK acting as MC. He was a good singer but had his mike turned up way more than it needed to be. His strong voice coupled with way too much treble would overpower the rest of the group much of the time. In a way, that may have been good as the drummer played as if he were chopping wood and infatuated with all the cymbals. In an intimate setting he should have used brushes most of the evening. At least the male vocalist would sometimes cover him up, as though that was better. However, the joy of the evening was Teagan. Her vocals were tender, not strained, perfectly on pitch and reminded me a lot of Nora Jones. Her vocals were very well delivered, with a very pure voice. For a 22 year old, she was fabulous. I just had a hard time hearing her because the drummer was chopping a chord of wood behind her. Her bass player did some wonderful solo work and I was pleasantly surprised to see he was playing an acoustic bass. The pianist was wonderful. He had some nice voicings and a nice feel. He was also difficult to hear as trees were being felled in the background.
Back to my seat. After a half hour my wife and I moved over to the cushioned chairs since the people who reserved them had not showed up. We figured it was OK since it was first come first serve. Someone came by to remind us the chairs were reserved. We held on the premise that possession was .9 of the law.

Chuck Perrin is a great guy and very friendly. Listened to Jazz group on Friday, Jan. 30. Excellent gig, piano, bass and violinist were superior. Played for 1 hr and 50 minutes non stop. Your very close to the band and the acoustics are great. Best $ 15 I’ve ever spent for musical performance.
I’m back Sat. Night, Jan 31, for music of Michael Jackson a tribute.
Truly a magical night of real San Diego Jazz. Songs by Daniel Jackson played in a tribute by his fellow musicians. Extremely cool, never to be heard again rendition. Awesome night glad I was a part of it. I shall return. If you like jazz come to Dizzy’s

10÷4÷14: So we got to the venue around 9 p.m. It is packed… As soon as you step in you begin to sweat from the sweltering heat that is radiating from inside the venue. The musicians are wiping sweat. I ask the door guy if there is still a cover. He says yes $ 15. He also tells us we would either have to stand or sit in an enclosed glass room behind us. I ask «no air?» to which he shakes his head no. I ask if we still had to pay ((in light of the room with no view and with no air conditioning)). He responds that to stay and listen we must still pay $ 15 each. Decision easy… No way would we be paying $ 60 for such a sauna and with such poor seating to top it off. Very unfortunate since M’tafiti Imara & his quartet were sounding great. They should hope the fire inspector doesn’t stop in because it has to be against code. The acoustics were good but it wasn’t enough to make up for the uncomfortable lack of airflow.

Rude and unfriendly staff. Would not recommend to anyone.

Really weird vibe. The lighting was a drag — white lights aimed at my eyes even though I was in the back. But more than anything I didn’t like the sound, although maybe for certain types of music it would be ok. The jet ski location just doesn’t work for me. Chuck’s a great guy and there are really fantastic musicians playing there, but a location change would make all the difference.

We really had no idea what to expect (a jazz club in a jet ski warehouse in pacific beach?), but Banda Magda was performing and I would go anywhere to see them perform. So incredibly glad we did. Very intimate space, very reasonable pricing (we paid $ 15 each for this show), and of course it helped that Banda Magda gave an incredible performance. Lots of free parking (always a plus).
Only cons were (1) tickets are not sold in advance, you have to buy them at the door. the website says you purchase an hour before showtime and then you pick a seat. (2) the showtime said 8:00 on their site, the flyer on facebook said ‘doors at 8′, and there was an event created with a 9:00 showtime. Luckily we arrived at 7:30 and it turned out they were going on at 8 sharp. I think the times confused other people, too, as people kept coming in around that time. (3) I called the number on their site to ask about the actual start time, and the # goes to the owner’s cell voicemail. (4) Acoustics were decent, but the mixing may have been off. I saw the backup vocalists singing their hearts out but none of it was heard in the audience. And sometimes it was hard to make out what Magda was saying and singing. We listened to the LiveStream video online after going home and all the male backup vocals were there, and Magda was loud and clear.
Overall, though, great jazz venue — absolutely chill place. Nice alternative to driving downtown.

Nice place for purists, the vibe is nice and very intimate but not overly elegant or stuffy. You get to interact with the music and enjoy it without distraction.

I don’t write reviews much, but my wife & I decided to check out a show at Dizzy’s last night and we were blown away by the musicianship! It was the Brazil Fest 2013 show and every musician was excellent. The venue is as it’s tag line proclaims, «where it’s all about the music». The only thing I’d recommend is bringing a sweatshirt/​blanket to cover the folding metal chairs, as they kind of dug into our backs. Other than that a great evening and we will definitely be back. Also I’d recommend they start a Facebook page to stay connected on events.
Cheers guys to bringing some great live music to San Diego! We needed it!

This is true Jazz at its finest and a great addition to ay downtown date night!

Went here on a little Valentine’s date :) They had a special jazz band come for the special occasion, and there were a lot of couples. I would definitely want to check it out on a regular night to see what the crowd is like.
They didn’t serve any kind of food, just wine and drinks. So we went down to the corner World Market and picked up some cheese, crackers and olives. It went PERFECTLY with the bottle of wine that we ordered. And on top of that, live jazz music? Amazing night, amazing music, amazing date! Guys, if you want to impress your lady, take her here!

We showed up at 9:00P for an 8:00P for the Charlie Parker tribute. (Who finishes a dinner out by 8:00P unless you want to rush?) Due to our tardiness, the $ 15 cover was lowered to $ 10. The performers that night were excellent with their effortless playing.
The venue was a little quirky, but won’t hold that against them because it’s temporary. The drinks we ordered were $ 10 a piece.

Tonight, I went to Dizzy’s for the first time to check out a jazz trio named Benedetti. They were doing a tribute to John Lennon in honor of what would have been his 70^th birthday. (Check this trio out on Facebook!)
It was such a memorable evening… the band was FANTASTIC! I just loved their arrangements!
Dizzy’s itself is different. Different «good»! It’s not a bar scene, there aren’t drunken 21 year olds stumbling around… just great music in an awesome event space with lot’s of windows facing the convention center. There is outdoor seating around mini firepits… great for chillaxing with friends, vino and minimal snacks that they serve.
In one hallway, there are cool paintings by local artists of jazz musicians, mostly Chet Baker.
All in all, a great «adult» kinda night out with the girls.
I recommend perusing their event calendar for upcoming entertainment, getting their early the day of (bring cash to pay for your ticket), marking your seat and going out for appetizers in the nearby Gaslamp District before showtime… enjoy!

I really like Dizzy’s. Saw the Mattson 2 here and the sound was excellent. The local wines are great too. Then I saw a latin jazz band here a few months later and the sound was excellent yet again. So good I almost busted out my white boy dance moves. But, I decided save everyone’s eyes from that sorry sight. Maybe next time.
FYI, as of July, the kitchen was under construction so there was no food, but I think that renovation should be complete by now. I think it was just a quick update of the space.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy an hour-​and-​a-​half of live musical therapy in one of the most charming and laid-​back venues downtown.
You don’t need to be a jazz expert, pass a certain age-​requirement, or have fancy clothes. You do, however, need to appreciate the sound of sweet-​to-​the-​ears talent… and $ 10-​$ 15, depending on the show.

Jazz, Jazz, Jazz. This place always has great acts but a slightly subdued crowd pending the performer. Still a great place. They serve wine and appetizers some times. Free parking is tough to find but not impossible. There is a paid lot nearby — $ 7 I believe.

What can I say about Dizzy’s that has not been said before? I was introduced to the live jazz concept and the venue in 2003 as a recommendation of some of my musician friends. I loved the speakeasy feel of the warehouse, and its casual but refined atmosphere.
I loved being able to get a glass or two of wine while listening to the musicians. Great place to go with your friends or to take a date that enjoys jazz as much as you do.
Dizzy’s has moved since from a warehouse in the middle of the Gaslamp to the San Diego Culinary Center —across the street from the Convention Center. The venue is gorgeous and now I can get more than a glass of wine when I visit.
Dizzy’s is great.

«What do you want to do tonight?»
«I dunno. What do YOU want to do tonight?»
«I asked first– what do YOU want to do?!»
That’s how our evenings usually start, and we go in circles until we eventually decide to do nothing. But this time, we had a surprising flash of insight:
«Let’s check out what’s playing at Dizzy’s!» And so we did.
Dizzy’s has a temporary home at the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center (2^nd & J across from the Convention Center). We dropped by here on Sunday evening to enjoy a performance by Willie Jones III (one of the most brilliant drummers out there) and his quartet, which featured the fantastic Gilbert Castellanos (a breathtaking trumpeter) and a cameo appearance by Charles McPherson (who really needs no special introduction).
This is really an adorable and cozy space; the lights are dim, wine bottles and barrels surround you, and you can watch the trolleys zipping back and forth along Harbor Drive outside. We were cheapskates and skipped ordering food and wine, but the scents wafting across the room from the other patrons’ tables were delectable.
The only downer? Tiny, rickety, uncomfortable chairs. But that’s a minuscule gripe about an otherwise kick-​ass venue to indulge our jazzaholism.

Gosh, this place is beautiful. Small venue, low lighting, brick walls, good sound, good vibe, good people, friendly people, plenty of seating and plenty of standing room. Don’t mind those ones who are writing furiously in notebooks – they’re probably students (I took Jazz Appreciation and had to write jazz reviews, too).
I like to dress classic and put a red bow in my hair when I come to Dizzy’s because it makes me feel like a girl from a different era. Haven’t been here in over a year but I imagine – I hope – nothing has changed. I hope Dizzy’s remains that cute, small, jazzy place for people who truly appreciate the music. :)

My experience here made me think that maybe I’ve had San Diego all wrong all these years. Growing up in the area, I made the assumption that San Diegans were kind of bland, and that there wasn’t really anything to do but go to the beach. But then, last month I went home for a week and finally saw the light :)
I was looking through the entertainment section of the local paper, seeing the same old lame-​o ads, when an event listing totally caught my eye: A Miles Davis tribute concert ALL DAY on Memorial Day at this place called Dizzy’s, and FREE… What!!!
So I took my parents there. It’s actually inside this Wine and Culinary Center, which I guess isn’t its usual home, but is a pretty cool place. A sort of sleek casual vibe inside and a relaxing outdoor patio area, which was pretty much crucial on a day that gorgeous.
We got there for the first act, which was a super talented bunch of high school students. Loved it. Then we were getting hungry, so we got food from the bbq station outside, which was absolutely amazing. I got these sliders with a blue cheese dressing that were to die for. (I’m guessing that the bbq isn’t a regular thing there, but I just had to mention it). Laid out on the lawn for a while, ahhhh, and caught some of the second act. Not as good as the first (to me, it channeled less Miles), but still very very cool.
Overall, I was super impressed that this place put on such a nice event for the holiday that I could enjoy with my folks. Rather impressed with myself for finding it too ;)

It’s just a venue for music. It’s not fancy, it’s not trendy, it’s not a bar nor a club, it’s nothing but a tall order of Jazz.
The first time I saw Gilbert Castellanos playing here, I became a believer in the intimate, raw, sound-​boosting loft that is Dizzy’s.