Since it opened in a bare-bones storefront on University Avenue in 1979, Jazz Alley has been the great jazz hope of Seattle. Even in lean years, before Tula’s, before the Triple Door, when finding a tenor sax in this town was harder than tanning in January, the club was booking the greats: Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner, Eartha Kitt, and many more. Now housed in a swanky, modern room on Sixth and Lenora, with 100 seats and a state-of-the-art sound system, Jazz Alley is still serving up two sets most nights to a well-heeled jazz crowd. Some come just for the music; others make a night of it with cocktails and dinner. The Northwest cuisine plays backup to the show, but word on the street is that the kitchen—once iffy—is on the upswing. All shows are all-ages, and reservations are strongly recommended. 2033 Sixth Ave., 206-441-9729, www.jazzalley.com.