The Jazz Temple
The Jazz Temple was a coffeehouse/nightclub located in the University Circle area of Cleveland, Ohio. The club’s name was chosen by the owner, Winston E. Willis, to symbolize a devout gathering place dedicated to the icons of the jazz world where these artists would be collectively enjoyed and appreciated. During its brief history, with frequent headlining appearances by jazz greats such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, and Cannonball Adderley among others, the popular night spot was more successful than any other similar venue in the region.
History
Opened in 1962, the Jazz Temple was the creation of 19-year-old Winston E. Willis, an African-American entrepreneur who was also a jazz enthusiast. Having operated several successful small businesses in nearby areas, he sensed that something was lacking in this upscale college community. After making a careful assessment and determining what was needed and what would be likely to work, he decided that “high quality jazz performances at a student-friendly and affordable price” was the answer. Then, quickly putting his idea into action, he secured a lease on a vacated building, a former Packard showroom, and immediately began remodeling, with careful attention devoted to acoustics. Shortly thereafter, the club opened to sensational success. The liquor-less establishment which seated approximately 450 people was situated on a triangular lot on Mayfield Road near the ethnic enclave known as Murray Hill, Little Italy and adjacent to Western Reserve University. With surrounding institutional neighbors such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance Hall (home of the Cleveland Orchestra) and University Hospitals in the city’s so-called “cultural oasis”, the Jazz Temple was a noteworthy, if incongruous success.
The club offered casual dining, “the best burgers in town, using only freshly ground prime beef, the finest coffee available, and live jazz every night.” The owner booked world famous artists from the world of jazz, and up and coming comics. Frequently, word-of-mouth brought visits from other well-known public figures, as when Malcolm X was welcomed and seated one evening. On another occasion, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was among the members of the large crowd attending a Dizzy Gillespie performance. During that time, the student body of Western Reserve University was predominately white, and these students and others from surrounding universities accounted for 80% of the club’s clientele. But as is typical of jazz establishments, there was a noticeable amount of race mixing and many interracial couples in attendance each night. Individuals who managed to navigate the social inequities of the time and gather in a communal appreciation of jazz.
As the club’s notoriety grew throughout the County and State, it came to be known by many world famous jazz musicians as “The Jazz Mecca.” But the interracial dating and “race-mixing” triggered widespread resentment in the racially polarized community. Soon the attempted intimidation by law enforcement began. Some nights saw as many Cleveland police officers in attendance as regular customers. These visits were routinely followed by unscheduled and unannounced inspections and citations. Thereafter, months of ominous threats of violence and anonymous phone calls during and after business hours foretold of the coming end. Several famous acts appearing at the club refused to be intimidated initially, insisting on performing. Finally, the frequency and intensity of the threats were followed by a tremendous after-hours explosion that demolished the Jazz Temple and ended its reign as the jazz mecca.
Notable headliners
Musicians: • Miles Davis • Cannonball Adderley • Horace Silver • John Coltrane • Herbie Hancock • Jerry Mulligan • Dizzie Gillespie • Milt Jackson • Philly Joe Jones • Sonny Rollins • Donald Byrd • Jimmy Heath • Oscar Peterson • Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers • The Ramsey Lewis Trio • Stan Getz • Dave Brubeck Vocalists • Sarah Vaughn • Dinah Washington • Gloria Lynne Comedians • Dick Gregory • Redd Foxx • George Carlin • Richard Pryor • Nipsey Russell • Bill Cosby Other Notables • Malcolm X • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. • Stokely Carmichael
See also
References
- http://home.att.net/~dawild/jcfh630900.htm Coltrane First Hand: John Coltrane Quartet. ‘Jazz Temple’ Cleveland OH September 1963
- http://www.cleveland.oh.us/wmv_news/jazz20.htm Jazzed In Cleveland: “Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers refused to be intimidated by bomb threat at the Jazz Temple...”
- http://www.cleveland.oh.us/wmv_news/jazz49.htm Jazzed in Cleveland - Part 49 Jan 3, 2000 ... Jazz Temple, 13141 Mayfield Road near Euclid Avenue Opened in 1962 by Winston Willis who presented Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers, ...
- http://www.cleveland.oh.us/wmv_news/jazz49.htm Jazz Temple, 13141 Mayfield Road near Euclid Avenue. Opened in 1962 by Winston Willis who presented Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers, Philly Joe Jones, Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Donald Byrd, Jimmy Heath, Miles Davis, Jimmy Smith, Stan Getz and Dinah Washington. Closed after a bomb explosion and a shooting incident in 1963. Singer Gloria Lynne was accidentally shot in the leg during an argument.
