  Pythonmaster Member Username: Pythonmaster Post Number: 43 Registered: 12-2006 |
I been told that Detroit had some great Jazz clubs like The Bluebird in the 50's and 60's where you could hear the likes of Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. Anyone have stories or pix on this subject? I know a lot of great players came from here. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 9275 Registered: 12-2003 |
Never heard the term used for jazz musicians. Ordering a Black and Tan used to be one of the ways to piss off an Irishman in a pub...those were the colors of the British Army uniforms when they were oppressing my ancestors and enslaving them. It denotes a drink made with Guinness at the bottom, and a spoon-slowed Bass Ale (or another tan color beer) on top. Guinness with Harp lager wouldn't piss the same guy off, call it a Half-n-Half though. There are a few folks down at Bert's Marketplace I can introduce you to that were around when these guys were playing here. One fellow's dad used to be a biggie with Motown later, but housed some of these folks when they were travelling through in the fifties. Same guy was Stevie Wonder's first 'friend' assigned by Berry Gordy...he's got some stories. Just go into Bert's and talk to the old-timers...they know that Black Bottom spirit is still living at the Marketplace. Cheers! | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 1707 Registered: 10-2003 |
A black-and-tan club, back in the segregated '20s, '30s, '40s, and '50s, was an entertainment venue where the talent onstage was black, but the audience catered to was mixed (but usually attracting many whites). These clubs were usually located in black neighborhoods or commercial districts. In Detroit, the term "show bar" usually referred to a black-and-tan club. The most famous one was the Flame (1949-64) at John R and Canfield. | ||
Jimg Member Username: Jimg Post Number: 851 Registered: 10-2003 |
The BlueBird Inn wasn't a "Black and Tan", it was a neighborhood bar with great music. From 1946 until it's music license was yanked by the Union around 1959, the BBI was Detroit's premier modern jazz club. Miles lived in Det for several months in 1953 and worked at the BBI. Bird played at the BBI more than once. Fury13 is correct, B&Ts offered black entertainment for a white audience. Many folks considered the Club Plantation, located in the basement of the Norwood Hotel, to be Paradise Valley's finest B&T. Beans Bowles' sons are involved with Bert's Marketplace and I think Gannon is suggesting you speak with them. Beans was a Manager at Motown but prior to that he worked in Maurice King's band at the Flame. | ||
Waz Member Username: Waz Post Number: 49 Registered: 11-2006 |
Check out a book titled "Before Motown" by Lars Bjorn and Jim Gallert - the definitive word on the subject of Detroit Jazz | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 9276 Registered: 12-2003 |
Thanks for the schooling on the term, now that I know how it is applied HERE, it is just as revolting to me. Clubs where blacks played FOR whites? Nah, if the crowd isn't mixed with everyone welcome than it just cannot be called entertainment! Jimg, Yeah, I was specifically thinking of Harold, I don't really know his brother. Get him loose and he can turn on the storytelling. He's usually way too busy running the show out back, though. Cheers! | ||
Pythonmaster Member Username: Pythonmaster Post Number: 44 Registered: 12-2006 |
Thanks Waz, I'll ck it out. I've heard some cool stories from old timers about Yusef Lateef playing chess at a club in Detroit. | ||
Jimg Member Username: Jimg Post Number: 852 Registered: 10-2003 |
Different times, Gannon. And notice the names of B&Ts - Cotton Club, Club Plantation, Club Congo...you see a pattern? That's how black entertainment was packaged for white consumption: Dear old southland or darkest Africa themed establishments...McKinney's Cotton Pickers? Bunch of college-educated guys out of Springfield, Ohio. Most of 'em hadn't ever seen a cotton field, let alone picked cotton. Before playing the Graystone they were called McKinney's Syncos. | ||
Jimg Member Username: Jimg Post Number: 853 Registered: 10-2003 |
Pythonmaster, check out Yusef's music, too, if you haven't already. Deeply moving. | ||
Caldogven Member Username: Caldogven Post Number: 41 Registered: 05-2006 |
Fury13 If I remember, a Black And Tan club or bar was a place blacks and whites could go into and not get hassled,just enjoy the intertainment. | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 162 Registered: 12-2006 |
Caldogven, you're correct about that. The "Tan" is a reference to Caucasians. | ||
Jimg Member Username: Jimg Post Number: 854 Registered: 10-2003 |
B&Ts evolved into what you described, Caldogven. But by that time the term B&T was slipping from our vocabulary. New York's Cotton Club was a famous (maybe THE most famous) Black and Tan in the 1920s. | ||
Pythonmaster Member Username: Pythonmaster Post Number: 45 Registered: 12-2006 |
I am a fan of Yusef and love the flute stuff and his Spartacus theme. I'm told there was a place that he often played and could be seen playing chess there when he wasn't performing. Detroit has a rich history of fine players such as Joe Henderson, Bennie Maupin, Charles McPherson etc | ||
Jimg Member Username: Jimg Post Number: 855 Registered: 10-2003 |
Might be Klein's Show Bar, Yusef worked there for three years. | ||
Dave Member Username: Dave Post Number: 139 Registered: 10-2003 |
Yusef's CD "Yusef Lateef's Detroit Latitude 42 30 longitude 83" is cool. Jimg-are there any other CD's of songs written about Detroit? dave | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 174 Registered: 12-2006 |
A pretty informative article with some good photos on Detroit jazz (Stompin' at the Graystone: Jazz in Detroit 1917-1940) can be found here: http://www.ipl.org.ar/exhibit/ detjazz/Stompin.html Having cut my musical chops in hole-in-the-wall rock clubs, this place looks downright plush! A master list of Detroit area ballrooms can be found at this thread: https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/5/101647.html?1178815568. The poster is looking for photos, maps and other memorabilia. | ||
Hoog Member Username: Hoog Post Number: 631 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: actually, Guinness goes on top. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 9476 Registered: 12-2003 |
Leave it to a good barkeep to know the rules...heh. I drink mine straight, but of course, you already knew that! | ||
Eastside61 Member Username: Eastside61 Post Number: 59 Registered: 07-2006 |
In the mid/late 60's a great Black & Tan was a small bar over by Central HS....called THE GRAND.....I remember Lou Rawls, Les McCann and others were featured.....another place in the 60's on the eastside was Francels over on Connor...and Warren..... | ||
Ditman Member Username: Ditman Post Number: 4 Registered: 05-2007 |
I'm not sure if this was a "black & tan" but I remember going to a club called Mermaids Cove(or was it Cave?) It was located downtown bhind the Crowley's store. The location later bcame the Red Garter. There was a great sax player-King Bartel-Dynamo of the sax who played frequently there. They usually had a 4 piece jazz group performing nitely. Usually it was a mixed crowd-no problems. Of course this pre-dated 1967. | ||
Jman Member Username: Jman Post Number: 67 Registered: 10-2006 |
I remember the Red Garter on Washington Blvd. Did It move to the Mermaids Cave location? The Cave was on Library. | ||
Ditman Member Username: Ditman Post Number: 5 Registered: 05-2007 |
not sure if R G moved frm the Blvd but if Library bordered Crowley's then that indeed was where the Cave was located & I seem to remember driving downtown on one of my visits to my dad(I moved to Dallas 06/76)& I'm almost positive R G was in the old Cave location. | ||
Pythonmaster Member Username: Pythonmaster Post Number: 57 Registered: 12-2006 |
Is Bert's one of the few places where folks can enjoy BeBop on a regular basis these days? | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5356 Registered: 11-2003 |
1959-1961, jjaba was at the Minor Key Club alot. It was a jazz coffee house arrangement on Dexter and Burlingame. (Now vacant lot) We saw all the greats. Miles Davis, Ramsey Lewis, Maynard Ferguson, Stan Getz, Yusef Lateef, Oscar Peterson, Adderly Brothers, Slide Hampton, John Coletrane, George Shearing, and many more. jjaba, Westsider at the Black and Tan club. | ||
Pythonmaster Member Username: Pythonmaster Post Number: 60 Registered: 12-2006 |
You heard Coltrane live; you are my friend. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5360 Registered: 11-2003 |
In some other threads, jjaba had recalled even more jazz all-stars that played The Minor Key on Dexter back then. The club was a storefront, turned into a club. It had House of Blues style small catwalk with a stairway so you could look down on the action. The store had a high tin ceiling. The Jewish owner stood at the door, collecting 50 cents each. jjaba was peeved that Cokes were 25 cents, when you could buy them at a store for a nickel. but he learned that drinks had to be marked up to keep the doors open. Black and tan, and if you even whispered during the show, poeople would yell "Shudd-up" at you. Everybody parked safely on the street and went home at 2am, often to the falling of glistening snow in winter. John Coletrain's playlist includes several Detroit clubs. Do the homework and find the dates. jjaba, Fond Memories on the Westside. | ||
Eastside61 Member Username: Eastside61 Post Number: 78 Registered: 07-2006 |
Sweet Nancy Wilson used to make the Detroit Black and Tan scene in the 60's.......another small club called the Blue Note was on the eastside...don't think JJaba ever entered the BN.....but the minor key was very cool and safe..... |
