5th Amendment (3255 Lakeshore, Oakland; 510-832-3242), a comfortable neighborhood jazz club.

Blake's (2367 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley; 510-848-0886), everything from the jazz/funk/hip-hop stylings of the Broun Fellinis and techno to soul and blues in an agreeably funky setting. Bring your axe for Blue Monday Jam.

Kimball's East (6005 Shellmound St., Emeryville; 510-658-2555) books top national salsa, soul, Latin jazz, jazz jazz and blues talent.

Eli's Mile High Club (3629 Martin Luther King Way, Oakland; 510-655-6661), once a beacon for Bay Area blues, has faded a bit, but the joint is steeped in history. Good eats.

La Peña (3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley; 510-849-2568) mixes the arts and social activism, with Latin jazz often on the bill. Cubano pianist Omar Sosa and percussionist John Santos and the Machete Ensemble are recent standout examples.

KCSM-FM 91.1 (650-574-6586) Only 24-hour strictly jazz station in the Bay Area, from up-to-the-minute hipitude to big bands to '20s classics to Latin jazz to blues. Deejays, a mix of college talent and pros, keep listeners abreast of club dates, concerts. Interviews with artists are often models of incisiveness.

KBLX-FM, 102.9 (800-683-5259) and KKSF-FM 103.7 (415-975-5555) Both program near-jazz that is on the cusp between "easy listening" and jazz lite.

San Francisco Chronicle Two writers review jazz and blues for the "weekend" and Sunday pink sections. Jesse Hamlin concentrates on contemporary jazz players. More reporter than critic, his interviews and profiles shine.Phil Elwood is the dean of jazz critics in the region, sharp and informed on even the most contemporary developments on the jazz scene, and often highly instructive about a wide range of blues and pop.

East Bay Express Another source of where to go and what to see. Writer Lee Hildebrand's encyclopedic knowledge of jazz to soul to blues to beyond is conveyed in a hip, comfortable voice accessible to all.

San Francisco Bay Guardian Features excellent listings. Critic Derk Richardson covers a range of music, but is always well-informed and knowledgeable on jazz.