Axel Tosca’s Cuban Jam
Zinc Bar82 West 3rd Street, New York 10012
Axel Tosca’s Cuban Jam brings the Axel Tosca Trio together with singer Xiomara Laugart for the late set at Zinc Bar. Presented as a weekly Thursday jam, the night pairs Laugart’s Cuban sounds, reaching from the 1950s to the present, with Tosca’s modern jazz, swing and bebop perspective. The format leaves room for collaboration, and the venue describes the Jam as a regular meeting place for Tosca and jazz guests.
Tosca is a Cuban pianist and three-time Grammy nominee whose work draws together jazz, classical music, hip-hop and Afro-Cuban rhythms. He began performing onstage at seven and studied with jazz musician Miriam Valdez. His collaborators have included Roy Hargrove, The Roots and George Clinton. Laugart, Tosca’s mother, has performed Cuban nueva trova, jazz standards and Broadway material on stages in the US and abroad. Together, their Cuban Jam connects her songbook and vocal range with Tosca’s rhythmic, stylistically wide-reaching approach.
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.