Axel Tosca’s Cuban Jam
Zinc Bar82 West 3rd Street, New York 10012
Axel Tosca’s Cuban Jam brings the Axel Tosca Trio to Zinc Bar, joined by guest vocalist Xiomara Laugart, Tosca’s mother. The weekly Thursday session pairs Laugart’s Cuban sounds, spanning the 1950s to the present, with Tosca’s approach to modern jazz, swing, and bebop. Laugart’s repertoire has included Cuban nueva trova, jazz standards, and Broadway numbers, making this a meeting of family musicians and intersecting Cuban and jazz traditions.
Tosca is a three-time Grammy-nominated Cuban pianist whose music blends jazz, classical, hip-hop, and Afro-Cuban rhythms. The venue describes him as a prodigy who was performing by age seven and studied with jazz great Miriam Valdez. He has performed with Roy Hargrove, The Roots, and George Clinton, while his recurring Cuban Jam makes room for collaborations with jazz musicians. In a quoted assessment, Kaju Roberto of Village View wrote that the Axel Tosca Trio and Xiomara Laugart “Rock ‘The Cuban Jam’ Every Thursday at Zinc Bar.”
Zinc Bar offers a richly textured experience where the past and present of jazz converge in a single, dimly lit room adorned with Art Deco details like velvet upholstery, polished brass, and a Parisian zinc bar. The venue’s layout centers around a close-up stage and a vintage bar, creating a setting where the music is both the focus and a shared journey. Patrons can expect expertly crafted cocktails alongside performances that range from world-class jazz to vibrant Brazilian and African rhythms, often featuring multiple sets and occasional late-night jams. The seating is lounge-style, encouraging attentive listening rather than casual chatter, making it a place to immerse fully in the sound. This is a space where history lingers, once hosting legends like Billie Holiday and Thelonious Monk, now continuing their legacy with a sophisticated yet welcoming vibe.