Axel Tosca’s Cuban Jam
Zinc Bar82 West 3rd Street, New York 10012
Axel Tosca’s Cuban Jam returns to Zinc Bar as the pianist’s weekly Thursday residency. The evening is billed with the Axel Tosca Trio and Tosca’s mother, singer Xiomara Laugart. Their set draws on Cuban music from the 1950s to today, shaped by Tosca’s approach to modern jazz, swing and bebop. Laugart brings a repertoire that includes Cuban nueva trova, jazz standards and Broadway numbers, giving the jam room to move between song traditions and improvised playing.
Tosca is a Cuban pianist and three-time Grammy nominee who was already performing onstage by age seven. He studied with jazz figures including Miriam Valdez and has performed with Roy Hargrove, The Roots and George Clinton. Zinc Bar describes his work as a blend of jazz, classical, hip-hop and Afro-Cuban rhythms, a combination that reflects the range of this residency’s Cuban foundation and jazz language. In a quote carried by the venue, Village View writer Kaju Roberto calls the trio and Laugart “Legendary” and says they “Rock” the jam.
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.