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Club Congress 311 E. Congress St. READERS' PICK: There's something going on every night of the week at this snappy little club inside the historic Hotel Congress downtown: You've got your piano bar in the lobby, your Multi-Media Mondays (an independent film, video and live music showcase pioneered this past summer by Mike Toubassi of Upstairs Film), the ultra-cool Havana club night, requisite retro '80s, and the long-standing acid jazz and house (guess we've changed the beat and dubbed it "techno" now) nights. Even so, the thing that separates Congo from the rest of the pack is its live music, which varies wildly from underground icons like Frank Black and Giant Sand, to the latest flavor of the month from outta town. Anyway you slice it, Congress is still the closest thing to cutting-edge you'll find under one roof. READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: One of the nicest settings in town for enjoying live music, the Cottonwood Club at the Cottonwood Café, 60 N. Alvernon Way, has hosted a wide variety of performers but has most recently demonstrated its commitment to becoming the premier venue for jazz and jazz-related performances. The weekly rotation features the very best of Tucson's talented jazz musicians. Jeff Haskell on piano and Ed Friedland on bass anchor various theme evenings each week, such as Haskell's Hot Club, Friedland's New Jazz School, the Cottonwood Masters of Swing, and Paul Elia's Sinatra homage, 3rd of 5. The weekends feature more jazz and blues with regular performances by Leon Kittrell and Statesboro, Kind Essence, Kate Scott/Tony Heath, and Landis with her cabaret-style originals and Gershwin/Porter faves. The perfect place to kick back with a martini or margarita, or enjoy excellent dining from the Cottonwood Café's late night menu. CLUE IN: No matter what time of day outside, it's always late evening in Ye Olde Lantern Restaurant, 1800 N. Oracle Road. The general ambiance of cigarette smoke and dilapidation is dispelled once a month when beloved island transplant Ernie Menehune livens up the place with a Sunday brunch show that's truly a Tucson first. Occasionally accompanied by his hula girls, Ernie's Hawaiian guitar lifts you out of your doldrums and onto your feet. And no matter how blue you are, he'll cart you away to paradise with silver-tonsiled renditions of all your old favorites. Call the Lantern for information on show times, but don't bother asking how to spell "Men-uh-hoo-nee."
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