A Brighton jazz kissa with a modern soul.
There’s a sensory solace that greets you as you step inside Lazy Bird, nestled in Brighton’s Open Market. The scent of cinnamon drifts from the oven behind the counter, while the velvety tones of Miles Davis purr through a vintage hi-fi. Music is the centrepiece and each carefully selected vinyl mirrors the quiet ritual of matcha being whisked to order behind the counter.
Named after the John Coltrane song, Lazy Bird is inspired by the Japanese concept of the jazz kissa (ジャズ喫茶) – cafés dedicated to the deep, focused listening of jazz music, often on high-quality audio systems. Rising to prominence in the 1960s and 70s, these spaces offered an Atlantis of records packed into tiny, dimly lit rooms.
Owners Joe and Yuko have reimagined the jazz kissa for a new generation, giving it a lighter, brighter and distinctly Brighton twist. I caught up with them over an iced matcha to find out more.
What inspired Lazy Bird?
Joe: We both come from design backgrounds – my passion is music, and Yuko’s is food and drink. Yuko’s from Kyoto, and our time in Japan really helped shape the concept behind Lazy Bird. Traditionally, jazz kissas were male-dominated spaces where men would go alone after work for a coffee or a whisky. After visiting many of them, we wanted to modernise the idea – make it more open, inclusive and relevant today.
Yuko: People come here to discover something – a new sound, a new dish. It’s about offering a different kind of experience, one that sparks curiosity.
Tell us about the audio system.
Joe: Right now, we’re using British tannoy speakers from the 1950s, along with vintage amplifiers and broadcast-quality turntables. I’ve spent over 20 years collecting audio equipment from all over – and Lazy Bird has also become a great solution for storing parts of my collection that no longer fit in our living room…
Utilising the simplest joys of sound and taste, Lazy Bird invites you to slow down and tune in. You’ll find them in Brighton’s Open Market, open at weekends. Follow along on Instagram @jazz.kissa
