Chicago Jazz Map Key

Key to map of Chicago South Side jazz c.1915-c.1930

Acknowledgments

This list of jazz clubs and the accompanying spotting map were compiled by Mr. Leon H. Lewis of Highland Park, who graciously gave his permission for the Chicago Jazz Archive to reproduce his work in progress. We are grateful to Mr. Lewis not only for making this priceless gift available to jazz scholars, but also for his generosity in allowing it to be added to the CJA web site.

Mr. Lewis acknowledges the use of Dempsey J. Travis' An Autobiography of Black Jazz (Chicago: Urban Research Institute, 1983) as the source for much of the information below, including the names and addresses of clubs as well as names of groups and musicians who played in each club. Without that source, Mr. Lewis's list could not exist. In some cases the curatorial staff of the CJA have used the "Nightclubs and other venues: Chicago" entry from the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (London: Macmillan Press Limited, 1988) to amplify the information provided by Mr. Lewis.

Using the map key

The map of Chicago that accompanies this key will be available at a later date. A club's list number is also its location marker on the map. Watch for a hot link to the map!

A Preliminary List of Clubs, With Names of Bands and Musicians

New Deluxe Cafe
3502 S. State St.
- Jelly Roll Morton
Lincoln Theatre
3132 S. State St. (?)
The Peerless
315-317 E. 35th St. at Calumet Ave. c.1917-28
The Owl Theatre
4653 S. State St.
- Clarence Jones
Indiana Theatre
219 E. 43rd St.(?)
Dave's Cafe
51st and Michigan until c.Jun/Jul 1934
343 E. 55th (Garfield Blvd.) c.1934-36
Becomes the Swingland Cafe c.1936- c.1940
Becomes the Rhumboogie c.1940-1947
Becomes the Premier Studio c.Aug.1949- c.Nov.1950
- Ray Nance
  Fletcher Henderson
  Coleman Hawkins
  Carroll Dickerson
Monogram Theatre
3435-40 S. State St. c. 1910's-?
- Sidney Bechet
  Ethel Waters
  Erskine Tate
  Ma Rainey
Century Club
49th at Michigan (?)
Royal Gardens
459 E. 31st St.
Became Lincoln Gardens c.1921.
- Jimmy Noone
  Joe Oliver
  Bill Johnson
  Clarence Williams
Lincoln Gardens
459 E. 31st (at S. Cottage Grove) c. 1921
Became New Charleston Cafe, then Cafe de Paris (dates?)
- King Oliver's Jazz Syncopators
  Johnny and Warren "Baby" Dodds
  Louis Armstrong
  Buster Bailey
Dreamland Cafe (aka Dreamland Gardens)
3518-20 S. State St.c. early 20's to 1928
4700 S. State Street c. 1933-46
Was Dreamland Ballroom 3518-20 S. State Street c.1910-early 1920's
- Louis Armstrong
  Jack Johnson
  Ethel Waters
  Alberta Hunter
  Cab Calloway
  Joe Oliver
  Honoré Dutré
  Johnny and Warren "Baby" Dodds
  Freddie Keppard
  Doc Cheatham
Elite Club aka Elite Cafe
Elite #1 was at 3030 S. State St.
Elite #2 was on State between 26th and 31st.
The clubs operated c. 1910-1928
- Jelly Roll Morton
  Earl Hines
  Alberta Hunter
Dreamland Ballroom
3618-20 S. State, at 35th Street. c.1912 - early 20's
Became Dreamland Cafe c. early 1920's
- King Oliver
  Johnny & Warren "Baby" Dodds
  Louis Armstrong and Hot Five
  Alberta Hunter
  Sidney Bechet
  Lawrence Duhé
  Ethel Waters
Michigan Theatre
East 55th Street and Michigan Avenue c. late 1920's to early 30's
- Sammy Stewart
  Chu Berry
  Boyd Atkins
  Sid Catlett
  Erskine Tate
  Fess Williams and his Jazz Boys
Golden Lily Chinese Restaurant/Tavern
309 E. 55th Street (Garfield Blvd.) c.1926-1939
Became White's Emporium c. 1939
- Coleman Hawkins (c.1941)
  Tiny Parham & Ikey Robinson with the Victor Recording Orch.
  Teddy Wilson
  Albert Ammons
  Punch Miller
Ciro's
317 E. 55th Street (Garfield Blvd.)
"IT" Club
5450 S. Michigan Ave. c.1930's
- John Kirby
  Albert Ammons
  Tommy Powell and his Hi-De-Ho Boys
  Maxine Sullivan
Booker Ashford's "65" Club
5515 S. Michigan Ave.
White City Amusement Park Ballroom
6300 S. Parkway Boulevard c. 1920's-30's
- Husk O'Hare's Wolverines
  Bud Freeman
  Dick and Jimmy McPartland
  Frank Teschemacher
  Dave Tough
  Muggsy Spanier
  Mezz Mezzrow
Grand Theatre
3110-12 S. State Street c.1908-1930
- Wilbur Sweatman
  Dave Peyton
  George Mitchell
  Kid Ory
  Bob Schoffner
  Bud Scott
  Jimmy Bertrand
  Zue Robertson
  Warren "Baby" Dodds
  Reuben Reeves
  Cab and Blanche Calloway
  Bessie Smith
  Clara Smith
  Charlie Allen
  Ethel Waters and her Jazz Masters
  Sammy Stewart
The El Rado Cafe at the Garfield Hotel
231 E. 55th Street (Garfield Blvd. & South Prairie Avenue) c. 1920's-early 30's
- Jimmy Noone and the Apex Recording Orchestra
  Dicky Wells
Regal Theatre
4719 S. Parkway Blvd. 1928-c.1960's
- Earl Hines
  Dave Peyton
  Cab Calloway
  Duke Ellington
  Count Basie
  Fess Williams
  Louis Armstrong
  Eubie Blake
  Jimmy Lunceford
  Lionel Hampton
  Woody Herman
  Noble Sissle
Warwick Hall
543 E. 47th St.
- Nat "King" Cole
  "Pee Wee" Jackson
  Cavel Chilton
Panama Club
3501 S. State, (3532 S. State, according to Grove) c.1910's-1920
Became the Oriental Cafe c.1920's
- Panama:
  Ada "Bricktop" Smith
  Florence Mills
  Cora Green
  Alberta Hunter
  
  Oriental:
  J. Glover Compton & the Syncopators
  Reuben Reeves
Alvin Dasant Hall
51st at Michigan
Blue Heaven Ballroom
6 W. Garfield
Bacon's Casino
E.49th at S. Wabash c.1927-45
- Jimmie Noone
  Joe Williams
  Floyd Campbell
  "Scoops" Carry
Apex Club
35th St. between S. Calumet and S. Prairie Avenues c.1926-28
Was the Club Alvadere c. 1920-22; the Nest Club c.1922-26
- Junie Cobb
  Johnny St. Cyr
  Dave Nelson
  Joe Poston
  Johnny Wells
  Earl Hines
  Jimmy Noone
Fiume Cafe
35th (or South Parkway?) at State c.1919
- Freddie Keppard
  Buster Bailey
Savoy Ballroom
47th at Vincennes (S. Parkway Blvd. and E. 47th, according to Grove) 1927-48
- Louis Armstrong
  Zutty Singleton
  Carroll Dickerson's Band
  Clarence Black
  Charlie Elgar
  Fletcher Henderson
Platinum Lounge at the Vincennes Hotel
601 E. 36th St. at S. Vincennes Ave. c.1930's
- Jimmy Noone
  Earl Hines
  Franz Jackson
  Joe Williams
Williard Theatre
340 E. 51st St.
- Sammy Stewart
Vendome Theatre
3145 S. State St. c.1910's-49
- Louis Armstrong
  Erskine Tate and the Vendome Theater Symphony Orchestra
  Earl Hines
  Fats Waller
  Clarence Jones
Metropolitan Theatre aka Ascher's Metropolitan Theater
4644 S. Grand Boulevard c. 1917-30
- Erskine Tate
  Fats Waller
  Bob Schoffner
  Omer Simeon
  Quinn Wilson
  Wallace Bishop
  Sammy Stewart
  Louis Armstrong
  Clarence Jones and his Syncopators
Zeppelin Inn
31st and S. Indiana Ave. c.1930
- Freddie Keppard
  Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon
Pekin Theatre aka Pekin Inn, Pekin Cafe, Pekin Cabaret
2700 S. State St. c. 1910's-20's
- Shelton Brooks
  Manuel Perez
  Tony Jackson
  Joe "King" Oliver
  Sidney Bechet
Plantation Cafe
338 E. 35th St. 1924-30's
- Joe "King" Oliver with the Dixie Syncopators
  Jabbo Smith
  Dave Peyton
Entertainer's Cafe aka Entertainer's Club
two locations; 209 E. 35th St. at Michigan and on E. 35th between S. Indiana and S. Prairie Avenues c. 1910's-20's
- Sammy Stewart and his Knights of Syncopation
  Freddy Keppard's Band
  Earl Hines
  Natty Dominique
  Vernie Robinson
  Carroll Dickerson
Radio Inn (?)
- Tommy Ladnier
Grand Terrace & New Grand Terrace
3955 S. Parkway c.1928-37; 315-17 E. 35th at Calumet 1937-?
- Earl Hines
  Dave Peyton
  Tiny Parham
  Carroll Dickerson
  Fletcher Henderson
  Count Basie
Sunset Cafe 315-17 E. 35th St. at S. Calumet 1921-1937
- Erskine Tate
  Carroll Dickerson's Band
  Earl Hines
  Cab Calloway
  Sammy Stewart Band
  Buster Bailey
  Louis Armstrong Sunset Stompers
  Charlie Elgar's Band
  Boyd Atkins Band
  Tiny Parham
Midway Garden Ballroom aka Midway Gardens
60th at Evans/ Cottage Grove
- Elmer Schoebel
  Art Kassel
  Muggsy Spanier
  Jess Stacy
  Benny Goodman
  Boyce Brown
  Frank Teschemacher
Venetian Room at the Southmoor Hotel
66th at Stony Island Ave. c.1926-?
- Benny Goodman
  Ben Pollack and his Sunkist Serenaders (later named Californians)
Pershing Ballroom and El Grotto Supper Club at the Pershing Hotel
E.64th near Cottage Grove