Today they held the 6th Annual Queen City Jazz Fest outdoors in front of the Colored Musicians Jazz Club.
The event was free and open to all.
This is one of Buffalo's top events of the year.
There is no other place in the world like Buffalo's Colored Musicians Club.
In the 1930's, 40's, and 50's, all the great stars of jazz that came to town stopped in at the Colored Musicians Club to jam with their friends and local musicians. The club offers live jazz in an intimate setting, and some of the best jazz you can find anywhere. It is open to non-members who want to share a love of jazz, and are seeking a relaxing time in a friendly place.
The Buffalo Colored Musicians Club at 145 Broadway is as endearing a place as it is historically significant. The club holds memories of times past when it was nothing for jazz greats such as Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Art Blakey, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne to be passing through.
Through the years the club fostered an environment where people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds could come together over a mutual love of the American phenomenon called jazz.
Before the Colored Musicians Club found its permanent home at 145 Broadway in 1934, it was housed in other locations. When the Colored Musicians Club moved into 145 Broadway it was merely a vacant storefront. The actual building had been constructed between 1880 and 1900 and it initially housed the shop of boot and shoemaker Charles Zifle, then Michael McNamara's cigar and tobacco stand, a billiards parlor, several union locals and Niagara China and Equipment Company. (Davis)
The Colored Musicians Club received its charter and became incorporated on May 14, 1935. At this point, the club utilized the space upstairs for practice, rehearsals, and performances while, downstairs, the union would hold its meetings.
In 1979, the Club was granted historic landmark status. In 1999, the Club was designated a historical preservation site. Today, the Colored Musicians Club is the only remaining African American club in the entire United States and, as such, it actively encourages historical research and preservation of the history of jazz in Buffalo
*****
Today - The weather was perfect and the music was outstanding.
Hundreds came out and enjoyed the good music and good company.
This is one of Buffalo's top events of the year and I am so glad that it happens just about one mile from my home. A big thank you to the organizers and the musicians. A perfect day!
peacesojourner
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