Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Detroit`s Music Scene and Historical Overview Before Motown

     Detroit`s music scene is a broad generalized description of a music community that has created so much. It is best to narrow a discussion of Detroit`s music scene as I will do in this blog.

     During summer one can hear live music at various festivals sponsored by corporations, neighborhood and community groups, churches, and other groups sponsoring activities where music is front and center. Detroit has venues to see music and especially jazz performed. Cliff Bell`s is a jazz and cabaret club established in 1935 by a prohibition era gangster. Today you can hear jazz performed at Cliff Bell`s by some of Detroit`s finest musicians from experimental quartets to blues. Baker`s Keyboard Lounge is Detroit`s oldest jazz club. Opening its doors in 1933 as a sandwich shop, Baker`s grew into a lounge that booked local pianist. Eventually, Baker`s would hire local and international jazz musicians beyond a pianist.

     Detroit has been a major contributor to hard-bop and post-bop jazz, not because there is something in the water, but due to its history that goes back to 1898 with the publishing company of Jerome Remick & Company. Society bands from 1917 - 1922 performed ragtime, light classics, and popular songs. Society bands provided training for musicians going into big bands. Training musicians during the society band period from 1917 - 1922 led to stylistic developments for jazz from 1923 - 1929. During this period Jean Goldkette`s Victor Recording Orchestra and Mc Kinney`s Cotton Pickers were highly documented for their roles in developing big band jazz.

     Detroit`s auto industry drew thousands of blacks from Alabama, Mississippi, and other southern states to migrate north. This migration north also included musicians. Due to racial discrimination blacks could only live in certain parts of Detroit. One area was Detroit`s lower east side neighborhood called Black Bottom. Black Bottom was named for its rich and dark soil. With an increase of Black Bottom`s population Hastings Street and St. Antoine became Detroit`s cultural hub. Cultural impact on Black Bottom`s Paradise Valley ranks with Harlem and New Orleans for music. Paradise Valley`s Graystone Ballroom is referred to as Detroit`s cradle of jazz opening its doors in 1922. During its hey day of big band jazz the Graystone Ballroom hosted battle of the bands that would draw crowds of up to 7,000 people.

     Currently, you can hear jazz at Detroit`s Jazz Festival, New Center Park, Motor City Wine, Grand Circus Park, and other places throughout the city and region.

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