In ‘Travels,’ Ars Nova Becomes a Listening Bar for a Sonic Odyssey

joeysims.substack.com: In just the last few years, a slew of “listening bars” have opened across New York City. A growing trend that finds its historic roots in the jazz kissa — Japanese cafes designed for close listening to jazz music — these bars are sophisticated, often chic spaces designed for soft-toned speaking and careful attention to music. Most have drinks, and many offer food. But the focus, above all else, is total immersion in the journey of the sounds.