If you are looking for jazz background music for your café, restaurant or bookstore, ALR Jazz Radio streams classic jazz 24/7, designed from the start to support the atmosphere of a venue rather than interrupt it. It began more than 16 years ago in a bookstore café in Cartagena, Colombia, and today it plays in businesses across several countries.

What is ALR Jazz Radio?

ALR Jazz Radio is an online jazz station with continuous programming and no hosts. It is not a generic playlist: every track is chosen with one listener in mind, the person sitting at a table in a venue, thinking about how the space feels and what time of day it is.

A radio born in a bookstore café

The project started at Ábaco Libros y Café in Cartagena de Indias. The idea was simple: give the venue its own radio, with a one-of-a-kind music selection, so that customers would associate that sound with the atmosphere of the place. Over time, that same logic of background music for businesses is what led other venues to start using the stream.

Cafés, restaurants and bookstores already playing it

The stream plays as ambient music in venues in Spain, the Czech Republic, Japan, Canada, the United States, Argentina and Bogotá, among other places. Some owners have written to tell me, and friends traveling abroad have found it playing in cafés in Italy, France and Prague. For a background music project, that is the best possible result: it does its job without being noticed.

How we curate background music for venues

Good ambient music is never improvised. This is the music curation behind the programming:

1. Atmosphere and mood

Each part of the day calls for a different energy. The programming is organized by mood and adjusted to the time each kind of track plays.

2. Sequencing between tracks

Order matters: voices, keys, rhythm and the breathing space between one song and the next. A good sequence makes guests feel comfortable and stay longer without knowing why.

3. Constant rotation

Tracks rest, new ones come in and moods are varied, so the programming never feels repetitive for people who hear it every day, such as the venue's staff.

4. Artists of high historical value

The core of the programming is a small selection of artists of great historical value in jazz. John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Dave Brubeck, Chet Baker, Johnny Hodges, and other masters of the genre.

5. No hosts, no interruptions

The stream is a continuous flow of jazz, with no jingles or spoken announcements to break the atmosphere of your business.

Why classic jazz works as background music

Classic jazz combines acoustic instrumentation, moderate tempos and a wide range of textures, which lets customers talk comfortably. That is why it is a common choice for cafés, restaurants, bookstores, boutique hotels and coworking spaces.

How to use the stream in your business

1. Open the player at alrjazz.com.
2. Connect it to your sound system from a computer, a streaming player or a compatible device.
3. Set the volume so it supports conversation without covering it.
4. Let us know you are using it: we love hearing where it plays.

Music licensing for your venue

Each business is responsible for its own public performance music license in its country. If you have questions, check with the performing rights organization in your territory.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of music does ALR Jazz Radio play?

Classic jazz, built around a small selection of artists of high historical value, 24 hours a day.

Are there hosts or spoken ads on the stream?

No. The stream is continuous music, with no jingles or station IDs.

Is it suitable for a café or a restaurant?

Yes. It was designed for exactly that: supporting the atmosphere of a venue. It already plays in businesses in several countries.

What licenses do I need to play it in my venue?

The public performance music license in your country is the responsibility of each establishment.

Listen live or get in touch

You can listen right now at alrjazz.com. If you run a café, restaurant or bookstore and want to use the stream, or you already do and want to share it, write to us at abacolibrosycaferadio@gmail.com.