Cartagena doesn't hide its music, so the question isn't whether you'll hear a band tonight, it's which one and how far you're willing to walk for it.
We're on Carrera 7 in San Diego, which means we're the ones people ask at 8pm when the plan has fallen apart. Here's what we actually say. Three places, an honest read on each, and no pretending we're neutral about the last one.
One thing to get straight before you go: 'live jazz' in Cartagena rarely means a quiet trio and a dim room. It usually means Latin jazz sitting next to salsa in the same set, played loud, with people dancing to it. If you want silence and a saxophone, this is the wrong city. If you want a band four feet from your table, you're in luck.
If you want quiet and colonial hush, we're probably not your spot.