Pic: Yassmine Tabka.

Oliver’s Jazz Bar is deemed as a pillar for the Greenwich Community; with its alluring and nostalgic venue, alongside the live music from some of the International jazz scene’s most critically acclaimed musicians, the sensational Jazz Bar is London’s best kept secret.

Located by Greenwich Park, Oliver’s Jazz Bar has been a cardinal business of the London Jazz Scene ever since it opened its doors to the public back in 2003. 

It welcomes you to an underground location, which can be reached through going down a set of narrow and obscure stairs, and immediately the buzzing atmosphere and the energy present is palpable: dim lights bathe the entire scenery, which is crammed with instruments, going from a pianoforte to a set of drums, to a bass. 

Oliver’s Jazz bar takes its name from its founder and owner, Oliver Reveault, a warm and inviting person, open to answer any questions about his business. 

Originally from France, Reveault came to the United Kingdom in hopes of leaving his mark in the music scene, doing exactly so by creating a vibrant and immersive space for all Jazz lovers. 

Pic: Madeline Rowney.

Oliver’s Jazz Bar employs different elements for acquiring new clients: not only do they have a very active website, updated daily by Oliver himself, but they have an Instagram profile as well.

“My daughter works here as well. We’ve got a very good website and, as you can see, tonight we are fully booked. We are fully booked almost every night. On the website we have every program listed for the next nine weeks” said Reveault when asked about the social media presence of his bar. 

It comes off as obvious how the word spread is one of the major clientele income for Oliver’s Jazz Bar, widely known not only in Greenwich, but all throughout London.

The cozy venue and the live music are just one aspect of the beauty that this jazz bar holds: its owner is really open, not only to worldwide renowned artists, but also to up and coming aspiring musicians. 

Upon knowing I was a journalism student at Goldsmiths University of London, he emphasized how even students from Goldsmiths, majoring in music, were given the opportunity to express themselves and play at his bar. 

It’s the kindness and openness overflowing the entire bar that is able to attract people; the beauty this business holds is its unprecedented loyalty towards what it always has been, which is just a place where people can get together and enjoy something that unites them. 

“It’s really special because it’s not about the furniture, it’s about the people. We’ve got lots of places very swanky, very chic and it shouldn’t be about that. It’s about the people and the music.” 

Pic: Yassmine Tabka. 

When asked about its jazz bar identity, Reveault smiled and simply said “We are special. People can describe it as a speakeasy, you’re welcome, everyone is welcome, unless you’re an idiot and at that point I’ll kick you out” following this last segment with laughter. 

Oliver Reveault felt it was important to highlight how everyone, aged 18 to 80, is appreciated; there is not a pattern of specific people, the beauty of Oliver’s Jazz bar is that in its warm reception is able to band people together, letting them connect through music, drinking and dancing, despite their different ages, backgrounds or nationalities. 

“It’s really important to me that people have a good time. All the reviews are five stars, five stars, five stars. Once I saw a four star review and I was distressed.”

Throughout my interview with Reveault it was palpable how much passion and dedication is daily put towards keeping alive and vibrant his jazz bar, his little gem. 

Even as I came in, he was talking and engaging with a couple of clients, not only serving them as a bartender, but being interested in their life story, making them feel like they were a part of something. 

It comes as no surprise how Oliver’s Jazz Bar is considered by many a safe space and how the Greenwich Community wants to keep it their hidden secret, despite it being known all throughout London. 

Oliver’s vision was to create an intimate space where jazz could be enjoyed in a cozy, welcoming environment.

“We are all friends in music.”