Sly McFly’s churns out live music on Cannery Row – every night of the week.

Just a few decades ago, Cannery Row was known as one of the few areas around where a working musician could earn a living performing at a different establishment every night of the week. While all the piano bars, jazz clubs and all-night honky-tonks have gone away, Sly McFly’s has kept the vibe alive.

For nearly 41 years, Sly’s has consistently delivered an array of live blues, classic rock, R&B, funk and soul nightly from 9pm until about 1am. Whether it’s Friday or Tuesday, the dance floor is active. Another element still thriving at Sly’s that has become an endangered species: There’s rarely a cover charge.

Longtime Sly’s barkeep Jimmy McDowell took over as general manager last September, and has rolled out a new food and cocktail menu. “The goal is to modernize the overall atmosphere,” McDowell says, adding that a remodel is forthcoming. What’s unchanged is that McDowell handles most of the music booking, keeping it packed with an eclectic assortment of strong acts.

Most Thursdays, including March 15, are reserved for The Sly McFly Allstars, an unofficial house band featuring longtime local favorite Minor Williams.

On Friday, the Lisa Taylor Band returns with a dynamic grab bag of R&B and soul covers taken to higher levels by the frontwoman’s strong vocal presence.

Veteran Sly’s performer Carla Blackwell, who can seamlessly move from a Madonna club hit to a Barry White bedroom classic, takes the stage Saturday. While most folks are readying for the work week, The Joint Chiefs Trio will bring a bevy of funk to the dance floor on Sunday. Meanwhile, Monday means a night with the ever-evolving jam band without boundaries, Matt Masih & The Messengers, whose cornucopia or reggae, funk, rock and world music notoriously makes dancers out of non-dancers.

Tuesday means “Jam Night” with multi-instrumental talent Dennis Dove, and the recently formed Blue Mambo, featuring local players drummer Skylar Campbell, keyboardist Gary Thomas, bassist Nat Shuirman, guitarist Sam Nilsson and singer Lauri Hofer Romero, is on tap for Wednesday.

Sly’s has stayed relevant for 40 years for a few reasons, McDowell says. There’s name recognition, the Cannery Row locale – and the music: “We book only really talented local musicians, and we pay bands and take care of them.”

Nightly music happens Sunday-Thursday at 8:30pm and Friday-Saturday at 9pm. SLY MCFLY’S, 700 Cannery Row, Monterey. Free. 649-8050, slymcflys.net