This may be the weekend for your curiosity to lead you through a strange doorway, past an unfamiliar bartender, toward a fresh and invigorating sound. Maybe you've been wondering where the other crowds gather, where the world isn't all microbrews and beer specials, and the music is actually played live by real musicians! This could be your time to step into one of Denver's jazz clubs, and here are a few places to get you started.

El Chapultapec
20th & Market St

The Pec is generally rated the most cryptic yet vital element of Denver's jazz scene. Inside these walls, swing is dead, and cool jazz hasn't been born yet. Bebop reigns, and the players play hard and fast. Every night finds a different set, a different solo, and a different crowd. While the music is stellar, a listener can be thrown back to the late 1940s, with musicians playing their hearts out and the crowd joining in and egging them on. You can stand so close to the players that you'll feel the piano rumble through your legs and the saxophonist will blow in your face. Expect a one-drink minimum per set, but no cover at the door. Unlike most of Lodo, a poured drink is always a good drink. Maybe try a whiskey and milk (end-of-the-bar regular Joe's favorite). The Pec has been around for over 60 years, offering straight-ahead, no-frills jazz. From the days of the Beat generation to tonight's newest 21- year-old card-carrying binge drinker, El Chapultapec continues to make famous the music of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Thelonious Monk, legends of the bebop era.

Trios Enoteca
1730 Wynkoop

See the other side of the jazz spectrum encompassed in Enoteca's specialty of wine and cigars. If planning a more subdued evening, Enoteca qualifies as a great first-date or trendy meeting place. Various artists and groups are booked here offering a wide taste of jazz styles. This atmosphere is much more polite than the Pec's, but it's unfair to compare apples and oranges. The stage is near the front door, which can be distracting at times, but for people watchers or swinging singles, this is a plus. Jazz isn't the only thing on the menu here, as Enoteca serves a gazillion different wines. Ask your server if you are unsure about wine selection, and then relax and enjoy the tunes. Even though the jazz combos can differ from an elegant three-piece to a whole band of swingers, consistent quality and vitality is what to listen for. Try a quick drink at the bar, then grab one of the many cocktail tables throughout the room (not the best place for a large group, unfortunately). And, as a hot tip from Jazzland, it is perfectly fine to show appreciation for the players' skill (i.e. clap) both after an instrumental solo and at the end of a tune.

Herb's
2057 Larimer

Stuck in the heart of Lodo's demilitarized zone, Herb's is accessed through the alleyway entrance next to that huge parking lot along Market between 20th and 21st. Similar to the Pec in relation to atmosphere, the crowd is a bit younger, and comes to play as hard as the musicians. No live bands play during the week, but it's a short walk from Lodo on Friday and Saturday to hear the different acts that come through. Some of the bands lean more toward the blues end of the jazz spectrum, but again, quality counts more than nitpicking. Local acts dominate, and you can be as anonymous or rambunctious as you like as long as the music can be heard and appreciated. Convenient seating at the bar or booths makes it a great hangout as well as live music venue.

Sambuca Jazz Cafe
1320 15 St

Sambuca's role is the "supper club," in that you can dine and chat in a setting whose backdrop is the jazz sound. This particular commercial space witnessed many changes in recent years, but Sambuca, a national chain, has created quite a place. Consisting of two rooms, the dining area contains a stage for the music, although it can be heard anywhere in the restaurant. An entire evening here would get rather pricey (dinners average $16 to $32 a plate), but thank goodness they open the dining room up to bar patrons after dinner hour has passed! The Sambuca experience is more about eating, it seems, but at least you can chew to the tasty rhythms of jazz instead of Muzak, and there is a great bar, after all, with comfy couches and tables to lounge in and listen. This is a busy section of downtown, and a drop in the door after 11 PM will find you a great band in a rather welcome addition to Lodo's eateries.