The Jazzhole, Lagos - Who Knew Books Could Be So Much Fun?

If you have had a long day and you are looking for a way to unwind, you need not look any further.  There’s a cleverly disguised masterpiece at Ikoyi where you can let the most serene Jazz music sway you away. On the outside, Jazzhole doesn’t look like it has any treasure but it epitomizes the idea behind not judging a book, or in this case a bookstore, by its cover.  The Jazzhole smells of old books and brewed coffee, the lighting is set dim to perpetuate the notion of stepping into something old and rustic. Off the busy streets and ill-tempered traffic jams of Lagos, this is a welcome diversion.

The Jazzhole prides itself on being one of the oldest standing Jazz spots in Lagos. In the calming oasis, the proprietor has sustained, you can sip tea and nibble on cakes whilst flipping through pages of the latest literature. A platter of Glendora books is offered and you can purchase the newest albums of Asa or Nicki Minaj, depending on where your taste lies. If you have a phonograph, then you’ve found just the place to get your records. Records of Fela and Andrew Lloyd Webber are piled atop each other, waiting to be bought off. The coffee shop offers a rich collection of books from lifestyle and health genres, to books containing historic Yoruba poems and books telling pre-colonial tales. It doubles as a coffeehouse, offering steaming cups of mochas, lattes, cappuccinos and plain old black coffee. For the tea lovers, don’t be disheartened, for your needs can also be satisfied here. You can enjoy your beverage with a scone, a piece of cake or a croissant, whilst browsing through the pages of pottery making.

Special events and performances from indigenous, and sometimes international, Jazz players hold in the evenings. You may find yourself deep in love with the rhythm of Sina Ayinde Bakare and if you are lucky, you might even get to listen to Grammy winners like Lekan Babalola. The last time I was there, I was privileged to be drawn into the music of these two. There was incredible audience participation; I sang and clapped and whistled under Bakare’s guidance and we were able to sync with the Jazz band as though it had been pre-orchestrated. The coffeehouse offers a great chance of mingling with the expatriates, high-end society members and art loving people of Lagos. This is the place you go to, to get tickets to the next Wole Soyinka’s play, or hear about the next art festival in Terra Kulture. They provide details about upcoming art, music and drama festivals, jazz concerts, art auctions, food conventions and photo walks. Because of the artistic clientele this coffeehouse boasts, people with related information about upcoming events, which may not be sponsored by Jazzhole, hang around this spot with flyers about their own events. By and large, this is a good place for a tourist to meet new people, find out about other programs he or she could be interested in, and have a great time too.

The Jazzhole, as the name connotes, is a makeshift utopia one can escape into when the brouhaha of Lagos overwhelms the mind. In this place, time slows down and music gives you wings to fly above the conundrums of work and past the humdrum of daily living. It is the cinnamon in your coffee, the oomph in your hairspray, the gooey surprise centre in a hard piece of candy; it is that little bit of magic that everyone should experience at least once in their lives.