London's jazz clubs can effectively be split up into three types: lively jazz bars; cabaret-style supper venues; and jazz clubs where you can dance.

Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho, is probably one of the best known clubs in the UK for jazz. Established in 1959, it is also one of the oldest. The club is a low-lit cabaret style, with dining tables in front of the stage and benches around the outside of the room. The club has in the past drawn some big names, and it still does. Ronnie Scott's is a must for jazz enthusiasts looking for a great night out.

The Jazz Café in Camden is dance orientated and is always packed with a lively crowd. It is standing-room downstairs, with dining tables on the mezzanine level overlooking the stage. In the upmarket surroundings of Chelsea you will find the 606 Club. Even though there is no dancefloor, this small club from the mid-70s has a blistering energy, tables are packed together and the audience is so close to the stage that you can practically feel the air blowing from the sax.

Bull's Head in Barnes is a historic pub and may seem an unlikely champion of modern jazz, but it has been one of London's best places to see big bands, blues performers, swing acts and vocalists since it began staging music nights in 1959. Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho offers a pleasant dining experience with some talented up-and-coming jazz performers that often surpass expectation. The restaurant is a casual alternative to the more traditional and expensive jazz dens.

There are many other good places for jazz in London, including: 100 Club at 100 Oxford Street; the Octave Jazz Club deep in the heart of Covent Garden; the Vortex Jazz Club; Jazz After Dark in Soho, open five nights a week; Dover Street Restaurant & Jazz Bar in Mayfair; Le Quecum Bar in Battersea; Blackheat Halls; The Crypt; Jags and Jazz 7.