Review: LEGO Jazz Club

The Jazz Club modular brings vibes in from New Orleans with a vintage-styled building combined with a small pizza shop and tailor.

LEGO 10312 – Jazz Club

RRP AUD $349.99 – CA $299.99 – EUR €229.99 – UK £199.99 – USA $229.99
2899 pieces
Available from LEGO.com and LEGO Stores from 4th January 2023.

The Jazz Club modular brings vibes in from New Orleans with a vintage-styled building combined with a small pizza shop and tailor. Although this is yet another food place and tailor, how does the addition of a Jazz Club shape up the modular building line? Is this a must for your LEGO city, or is the club doomed to fail? Read on!

About This Set

The model brings us three separate businesses all packed together into a small space, which over the years of late, seems to be an ongoing trend. LEGO seems to really like pushing the idea of these small shops and buildings into all small nooks and crannies where possible. The Hotel had a Art Gallery and Drinking porch, the Police Station also had a doughnut shop and newsletter stand.

Look, I’m all for it! This is a fun way to break up a build and not commit it to just one idea and really must stretch the idea too far.

First things that are easy to notice with the new set is the large “Jazz Club” vertical sign with the Flamish-Yellow around the edges, really making it pop. The colours of the Dark Red and brown against the emboldened sign work well for the model, and contrasts well with the lower floor in a vibrant blue.

The Pizza store on the right-hand side of the model brings in a soft feel of little Italy with the presence of the hanging brightly coloured plants bouncing off the Custard yellow building and Italian-coloured awnings.

It’s worth noting here that the model also dips in considerably deeper than other modulars to give a dining space for the Pizza store customers. And although it is quick to miss it, the shop also has a Tailor on the floor above it, and a greenhouse on the roof!

First Floor

The lower floor of the Jazz Club does not miss a beat is setting the aesthetic for entertainment. The stage is set up in the corner of the building with three stage lights pointed down on a stage. And the walls of the building have well-designed vintage lamps to really set the scene.

The stage is quite cramped to be honest, but there seems to be just enough room to be able to squeeze three figures on stage for a drummer, cellist and singer/saxophone player on stage. There are plenty of seats for up to 5 patrons to take a seat and watch the entertainment.

Second Floor

The second floor of the Jazz Club is a small office space, obviously run by the owner of the club. There’s a vintage record player in the corner of the office, and neat built vintage lamp and a rotary phone.

As well as little details like the pop art on the wall too. It’s also a neat addition that they didn’t close off the whole floor. And still gave a way for the owner to look down and view the live performances from her office.

Third Floor

The third floor of the building is a small practice and dressing room. There is a good array of builds in this room, such as the retro-styled couch in brick colours. The classic dresser design with lights all around, and the lectern with music sheets to practice music. I also love that this little area gives the performers a place to run away between their acts.

Pizzeria

The Pizzeria in this model is a quite small shop tucked away alongside the main build, but for what it is, it’s well done. I love the idea of customers listening to the music next door whilst also getting to sit down and eat.

The building has a few small condiments here and there in the build, but primarily just has one oven. I do like the new pizza print that the set comes with too!

Tailor

Probably the weakest part of the build, the Tailor feels quite empty and barren for a tailoring business. I do appreciate the classic Singer vintage sowing machine that the room has, but would have really preferred to swap out the lamp in the room. For a small cabinet full of cloth or spools of thread to really sell this room a bit more.

Rooftop

Lastly, the rooftop of this build has a small organic greenhouse for the chef to come upstairs and get the fresh ingredients for his pizza. It is a bit unfortunate that the chef has to leave his store and go up two flights of stairs to get there. But I like this a lot more than a fancy roof making the building considerably smaller

Minifigures

Screeching in at a tie with the highest amount of Minifigures since the Modular Market Street. This set has quite the line-up of figures to flesh out the modular.

Though most of the figures are quite generic, there are a few outliers that need to be highlighted.

The main band of the set comes with a gorgeous bright blue torso with sleeves, which really help bring in the “New Orleans” aspect to the band. Couple that with the main singer’s amazing dress piece, and these guys are integral to how this build comes together.

The cellist having a new moulded instrument piece makes me very happy, and bundling that with his printing with a hearing aid makes me happier!

Verdict

The modular Jazz Club is one of the more unique modular buildings to come out in recent years, and it does very well to convey its source of inspiration. I’m a bit saddened by the lack of fun and interesting new moulds or tricky techniques, but the aesthetic that it conveys can’t be denied.

There are some fun new Minifigures in this set that make the whole scene come together. And if you were thinking of picking it up, I would recommend getting it for yourself and bringing a bit of culture into your own LEGO city.