The 22 JazzClub: Suriname's Only Live Jazz Room
Fifty seats, low lights, and the country's most soulful nights out.
Why Go
Tucked up a staircase on Van Sommelsdijckstraat, The 22 JazzClub is the single dedicated live jazz venue in all of Suriname ΓÇö an intimate, 50-seat listening room in the heart of Paramaribo where the drinks are cold, the lighting is warm, and the horn lines carry all the way to the door.
The Experience
Push open the door at #22, climb the stairs, and you swap Paramaribo's humid buzz for a hushed, candle-lit room built around the bandstand. With just fifty seats, every table is essentially a front-row table — you can watch the drummer's brush strokes and catch the guitarist's whispered count-ins between tunes. The crowd is a genuine cross-section of the city: diplomats, university students, off-duty musicians and curious travelers, all leaning in the same direction when a solo takes off. Sets lean into straight-ahead jazz, bossa, and Caribbean-tinged fusion, with a rotating cast of Surinamese players and the occasional guest flown in from the Netherlands, Curaçao or the U.S. Between sets people spill onto the landing to talk, smoke and compare notes — it feels less like a bar and more like a small, slightly conspiratorial club of people who came out on a school night for the music.
What to Try
Order a cold Parbo or a rum-forward cocktail and grab something from the light-bites menu to nurse through a full set ΓÇö the kitchen keeps things simple so nothing competes with the band. Wednesday and Friday sessions tend to be more classic trio/quartet formats, while Saturday's later close often brings the loosest, most adventurous playing (and the best chance of a jam at the end of the night).
Insider Tip
The room genuinely only holds about 50 people, so message the club ahead on Facebook or WhatsApp (+597 882-2022) to reserve ΓÇö especially on Saturdays or when a visiting act is billed. Aim to arrive by 7:45pm for an 8pm downbeat, ask for a seat on the side nearest the piano for the best sightline to the whole band, and tip the musicians directly at the break; it's very much appreciated and often unlocks a chat about where they're playing next.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Van Sommelsdijckstraat 22 (upstairs), Paramaribo, Suriname. Hours: Wed & Fri 8pmΓÇô12am, Sat 8pmΓÇô1am; closed SunΓÇôTue and Thu. Contact: +597 882-2022, the22jazzclubsuriname@gmail.com. Cash (SRD) is safest for the door and tips, though cards are sometimes accepted for the bar. The venue is up a flight of stairs (not step-free). Dress is smart-casual ΓÇö most locals lean a little dressier on Saturdays. It's a 5ΓÇô10 minute taxi from most central Paramaribo hotels; have the bar call you a cab on the way out rather than walking late at night.
Pair It With
- 168 Restaurant Guide — Handy pre-show dinner just around the corner, so you can eat unhurried and still make the 8pm downbeat at #22.
- 'T Vat Sidewalk Cafe Guide — Classic Paramaribo terrace for a cold Parbo and people-watching before the jazz set ΓÇö a great warm-up spot within walking distance.
- 101 Suites Guide — Convenient central stay only minutes from the club, so you can walk or grab a very short taxi home after Saturday's late 1am close.