WALLY'S CAFE JAZZ CLUB

Wally's Cafe Jazz Club is a small, storied jazz club at 427 Massachusetts Ave in Boston's South End, open 365 days a year with three bands nightly from 5 PM to 1 AM. The venue has been owned and operated by the same family since opening.

Expect an intimate, no-cover jazz experience featuring a mix of Berklee students, local professionals, and visiting musicians. The tiny room puts you within arm's reach of the performers. The crowd is a cross-section of students, jazz devotees, and curious walk-ins.

Wally's opened on January 1, 1947, founded by Joseph L. Walcott as the first Black-owned nightclub in New England and the first to receive a liquor license. Jazz legends including Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Cannonball Adderley, and Lou Donaldson performed here. The venue moved across the street to its current address in 1979 after the original building was taken by eminent domain.