Because of the draconian shut down laws resulting from the COVID pandemic, this wondrous book put together by Jeff Gold is most appreciated. For the past year, we have been denied the joy of hearing “live” music in jazz venues, and this 257 page book reminds us of what we’ve been missing, namely “the hang” of just being at a jazz club.
This book collects pictures, ads, vignettes, interviews and commentaries by guests and musicians that played in jazz clubs in the 1940s and 1950s. There are insights by the likes of Quincy Jones, Jason Moran, Sonny Rollins and others, but the real joy here is just looking at all of the photos of “regular” jazz fans sitting in booths, just hanging out and enjoying themselves in clubs throughout the US.
The chapters are divided into “The East Coast”, “The West Coast” and “The Midwest” with further subdivisions into cities like New York City, Kansas City, Los Angeles, etc. Within each chapter there are histories and reminiscences of venues such as the famous ones like The Cotton Club, Birdland, The Onyx, Eddie Condon’s and Billy Bergs as well as the more obscure local places like The Oasis Club, Joe’s DeLuxe Club and Gilmore’s Chez Paree.
Souvenir photos of people gathering in booths, as well musicians on stage reveal a culture and worldview of life’s simpler pleasures. The inclusion of menus and other articles show that going to a club was a social event, where people of all classes and races intermingled due to a shared love of live music. The writings, as well as the wonderful all of the photos and illustrations all seem to shout out “this is what you are missing in life” and makes me pray to the Lord for a return to God’s mercies of people putting the real meaning into the term “jazz club”.