The Jazz Club at Schwartz’s Point

This is how anyone should experience Jazz. Live, up close and personal. Its completely old school, but completely amazing. Ed Moss is the piano man, Gene is killer, and I will be returning :)

Found this in Cincinnati magazine and took a friend. Parking is on the side street and was safe. Inside is nothing to brag about but you are welcomed by bartender, who also appears to be the owner. Sat is $ 10 cover charge; I think it’s $ 5 on Fri. Minimum 2 drink purchase but 3 guys play jazz for an hour and half. It was good. Had red wine and it was really cheap. I’d recommend for the music but they could have had better wine.

Unreal. Like stepping back in time to the prohibition times and we were at a speakeasy. We could not figure out parking and ended up parking at Findlay Market. Such an intimate setting. There were 7 of us there. This is one of those Queen City gems that must be seen.

Wonderful vibe — friendly people. Great time listening to talented musicians.

«How often have you headed up Vine Street and stopped at the five-​way corner at West McMicken, waiting for the light to change and staring up at a funky triangular building with a circular sign naming it «Schwartz’s Point?
Reward your curiosity and go inside… «
^This is from the about section on their website, but I could NOT have said it better myself. I cannot count how many times I have driven past here thinking what the heck is this joint? It wasn’t until my Dad, longtime lover of jazz, and I were driving past a year or two ago and he told me about how he used to come in here. And I thought there is NO way that this place is still open — it looks dilapidated!
Well folks, after one tipsy night in OTR and one horrible service incident at a restaurant that shall not be named, it led our group of friends to take a stand. «We need to turn this night around!» one friend shouted. «Yeah, but we’ve been almost everywhere and I want to experience something new!» I chimed in and said, «Ok guys, I know this place, not sure if it is actually open, but I do know that if it is… IT WILL BE AN EXPERIENCE!»
Enter: The Jazz Club at Schwartz Point.
Surprisingly the two girls in our group were totally down, while the guys saw the place and thought we were going to be murdered. But I promise you, it’s not at sketchy as it seems. Upon entering we notice there is only one other couple, and the bartender on a Saturday night. We order drinks only to realize it is cash only! Oh no, we turn around to leave get halfway down the street, and the only patron in the place chases us down and tell us he would love to buy our first round of drinks. WHAT? WHY?! He tells us that the pianist performing had not had another visitor all night and it would be cool for him to have an audience. Our hearts sank.
Why would this stranger be so kind? Once back inside, the bartender tells us that there is also a $ 5 cover. This STRANGER picks up all of our cover prices and buys our first round of drinks. Is this a dream??? Of course we refused, but the bartender insisted it was taken care of.
We send a person in our group off to get cash to kindly repay this man for being so kind. We invite him to our table and learn that he really is just a lover of jazz, and that this place is just about as awesome as it gets.
On any given night you can find pianist Ed Moss, who happens to live upstairs playing. He’s always at the keyboard; and depending on the night he might be joined by singer Pam Ross or vocalist Kathy Wade.
TUESDAYS
Ed Moss & The Society Jazz Orchestra at 8:30 w/​Complimentary gourmet buffet at 7:30 — $ 10 Cover
FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS
The Ed Moss Trio w/​very special guests at 9:00 — $ 5 Cover
* Remember to bring cash!
We sat and listened, as Ed, THE legendary scat master, played for us. I had never really heard that kind of raw music before and it was such an amazing experience. I cannot wait to come back and see the full jazz orchestra on a Tuesday.
I feel like a lot of these reviews tell a story of a bizarre, yet magical night and mine is no different. As Barney Stinson says, if you want to make your night «LEGENDARY» venture down to Schwartz Point.
*Disclaimer the only reason for 4 stars, is that the drink selection (and no surprise here) is pretty much hard liquor and cheap wine only. And when I say cheap wine — I mean Gato Negro in every varietal. Other than that 5 stars for this crazy hidden gem.

So a few quick notes:
1. This place is incredible. Don’t be scared by the neighborhood or any of that, you are perfectly safe and no one will try to hurt you as you come and go. There is readily available street parking and the streets around the club are well enough lit that you won’t have a problem.
2. Don’t be dismayed by the look of the building, outside or in. The looks don’t matter, you’ll find out why in a minute.
So when you come in on a Tuesday night for the buffet and Society Jazz Orchestra the first thing that greets you (other than the awesome motherly-​friendly bar tender) is the sign board showing what they’re offering tonight. The one time I went it was a selection of three soups — bean and bacon, minestrone (which Ed, the owner/​pianist/​maestro/​chef let us know was entirely vegan-​friendly, not something I expected to be on the radar of a hole-​in-​the-​wall place), and chicken pot pie. I don’t eat pork so I can’t tell you about the first one, but the other two were delicious. Thick pieces of chicken, rich broth, lots of different types of veggies in both, really hearty, filling, flavors right as we start to get chilly here in the Queen City. Then there was also a big bowl of bread and butter, another worth of romaine lettuce, ham and cheese and turkey pinwheels, and two types of dessert — sweet potato pie and a coffe crunch muffin. So yeah, everything but the soup came straight from Kroger but you got to think of a few things — first the soup was absolutely worth the $ 10 on it’s own, and second — you’re not here to eat. There’s a damn show to be seen!
And what a show it is. In an intimate setting where the 8 man band almost outnumber the 13 patrons, you have no choice but to be completely engrossed by the talent on display. Upbeat, fresh, lively, jazz played for over an hour straight, multiple solos, wonderfully complimentary duets and ensemble pieces, ranging from sporadic and energetic to focused and determined. I was truly amazed by the playing, each member contributing something incredible that built to a sum greater than it’s parts — no small task when all the pieces are as individually talented as these gentlemen are.
As we left every single musician took the time to thank us for coming and invite us to return, genuinely appreciative of our own appreciation for their art. This place has it all — great food, great music, and most importantly great people. If you’ve not already, get yourself out here on a Tuesday evening. You won’t regret it.

Ed Moss is a great musician and runs a great little jazz club in cincy. It’s disappointing that more don’t appreciate authentic jazz music, but if you get the chance stop in have a drink and listen to some soothing music. Arthur will most likely be the bartender and he is an interesting guy who’s lived all over. Ed even gave my girlfriend and I a free CD and we were genuinely appreciative of his generosity. Tuesday nights seem to be the best nights to go and I can’t wait to go back when he has some special guests to play with. Highly recommended.

My friend and I had a truly bizarre, yet unforgettable night at this historic local gem. This jazz club is located in «Over the Rhine» which, from my understanding, is going through a major transformation. I won’t lie, late at night especially when you aren’t familiar with the area, the area does kind of freak you out at first, but my friend and I were able to find a spot close to the club and felt fairly comfortable walking to and from the car. I even went out alone because I left something in the car and felt fine.
Surprisingly, we walked in the club, the music was flowing, but we were the only customers there. We were greeted by the older gentleman behind the bar. Pleasant guy. He still charged us a cover, which made me chuckle, but guess they have to make money somehow. We also ordered drinks. The drink menu was pretty standard. Mostly beer and wine. I ordered a pinot for $ 6, which wasn’t half bad. The club itself is fascinating. It’s gaudy with unique vintage items everywhere. Rugs as curtains, strange lamps, triangular tables, but oddly enough it all worked and felt warm and cozy.
So we sat down and enjoyed the music. The pianist and clarinetist were excellent. You could tell they’ve played together for a long time. They played some unique tunes including a song from a Vincent Price movie. It was lovely! So after about 45 minutes or so the guys took a break. Here is where the drama began. Some jerk wandered in to use the restroom. Not only was he not a paying customer, he had the audacity to try to use the ladies room because mens room was occupied by one of the musicians. The older gentleman behind the bar was livid. The two began to exchange words. Wow! The guy was a total jerk. I appreciate the cub employee for standing up to the jerk although the exchange went on a bit too long. By then it was late and the show was over. Time to go! Lots of action for one night.
I know based upon my review, this place sounds like a total disaster, but I sincerely enjoyed this place and call me crazy, but I would go back. I realize the incident with the rude man was isolated. The atmosphere and music totally won me over. If you want to travel off the beaten path on your next trip to Cincy, then check out this hidden gem. Awesome experience going to a real jazz club.

Went for the first time tonight, but other than a couple who came & went within 20 minutes, we were the only table there. That’s highly unfortunate because the music was really good. The musicians and waitress (Alex) were quick to tell us that that Tuesday nights are the nights to go to partake of a buffet and listen to the full orchestra. After experiencing the hospitality of the crew and listening to the music they made with only a few bandmates, I’m sure Tuesdays are not to miss.
Others have commented on the sketchiness of the area. This is true. But park on Vine St and you’ll be fine.

Just went here tonight and it was absolutely fantastic. Staff and band were friendly and welcoming as could be, and the music was top of the line. i cannot think of a more romantic first date location. highly recommended!!!

My daughter suprised me with a trip to this fantastic «hole in the wall» and yes, it is in a rough neighborhood. There were three of us and parked nearby so we felt comfortable.
We were greeted by Alex who took great care of us all night long, continually checking to see that our drinks were full and stayed that way.
We had a small buffett of pizza, salads and the like.
The interior was small and intimate and the music is truly the star of the show, as it should be. The jazz was hot and at the one set break, a musician even came over and welcomed us back.
Please don’t let the outside intimidate you-​GO, enjoy!

The only true jazz club in Cincinnati it is nestled in a somewhat shady part of town so pay attention to Jeffrey M.‘s review and park where he says!
If you’ve never been to a real jazz club be prepared; you are will NOT be permitted to talk during sets and sets can be long — I’ve sat in on sets lasting 90 min. if the groove goes hot (meaning the musicians continue to improvise off of each other). I’ve never been on a night with food but the drinks are good and cheap. Again, check out jeffrey m.‘s review because he lays out the logistics.
Really, this is a bar you visit to hear MUSIC; not socialize, yammer with your friends or seen and be seen. You will be shushed if you talk during sets. I love the music that goes down on Tuesday nights and weekend evenings… my hope is that the Point can make a go of it as a legitimate business but that is going to take some of the OTR contingency giving him business and frequenting his bar. This is surely one of Cincinnati’s unknown awesome dives and rivals the jazz clubs of NOLA that I’ve visited.

definitely a happening. I have been following Moss since the late 60’s, good friend of mine. Anything he creates is going to be worth checking out.

this place is the real deal. think speakeasy jazz club throw back.
my girlfriend surprised me with a visit to this joint while i was visiting cincinnati.
from the outside, the building looks vacant. as in… long time vacant.
then you walk up to the door and «jazz club» is spray painted on it… almost as if it’s graffitti.
open up, and walk in and you receive a warm greeting from the owners. who introduce themselves and seat you to your liking.
we had a coupla drinks and listened to live jazz.
it was almost as if watching a show in someone living room.
the host and hostess are rockin’ old musicians/​music lovers.
and the vibe inside is one of a kind.
i hear they serve some killer homemade grub. will definately check out next time am in town.

I went here for the first time friday night. We got there just in time for the last set, which were were only charged $ 5 for. Unfortunately it was not very crowded. I think we were the only table… which was a shame. They set lasted about 45−60min. which seems a little long imo. I’d rather have more shorter sets… especially when talking during the set is strictly forbidden — which is a nice rule, but I can’t drink and be quiet for an hour w/​o getting sleepy. I had a knob creek on the rocks $ 7 but it was def. a double — I didn’t need a second one. The staff and performers were great. Super nice, super laid back. I felt like we were at someone’s house. It was like going back in time… The walls were decorated with old rugs. The tables were mostly cool little triangles. The only reason I didn’t give the review 5 stars is the location. While it was cool to be hanging out in a part of the city where I’ve never dared to set foot, I did not feel totally safe. Now if you park right out front — you don’t have much to worry about. But if it’s a busy night and you end up around the corner — anything is possible. Also there is no sign. If you go look for the door between the green lights. Yeah, that’s it. No, really. I can’t wait to get down there on a tuesday night for the full orchestra. Highly recommended. Just be careful where you park.