MILWAUKEE — Formed just over five years ago, the Milwaukee Jazz Institute was created by local musicians and supporters of jazz who felt that there needed to be an organization solely dedicated to the art form. Their goal is to highlight Milwaukee’s incredible history with jazz artists and clubs, and to create more awareness of the venues that currently offer jazz.
I met with Mark Davis, the Artistic Director of the Milwaukee Jazz Institute, and was surprised to learn of the many jazz legends who performed in Milwaukee. We met at the Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts, but according to Davis, “Back in 1978 to 1984, this was a major jazz club. Dizzy Gillespie played here, a young Wynton Marsalis, Art Blakey, Chet Baker, Sarah Vaughn, many people performed right here on this stage.”
Because of our proximity to Chicago, Davis says that many great jazz artists would come to Milwaukee. “It's a place that's not difficult to get to you if you're performing in Chicago.” At that time, there were many clubs in the Bronzeville area, but with the demolition of much of the area, the clubs and even the buildings are gone. This is the rich history that the Milwaukee Jazz Institute works to preserve."
Watch: Milwaukee Jazz Institute works to preserve city's rich jazz history and support local scene
Davis recalls “the Rendezvous Ballroom on 12th and North Ave. as a place that was offering music in the 40s and into the 50s. Billie Holiday performed there in 1953, as did a lot of other jazz greats. And then it became Wonderland Ballroom. And it was run by Derby Thomas, who ran the Flame (another jazz club) with his wife, Loretta White.”
There were world-renowned artists that came to perform in Milwaukee, but there are local jazz legends as well. “We have our own local heroes. Some of them were born here and left, some of them were born here and stayed. People like Manty Ellis, Berkeley Fudge, Benny Goodman, those people were born in Milwaukee and have had a tremendous impact on the scene,” said Davis.
The genre of jazz is alive and well and there are many local places offering live music. For more information on the Milwaukee Jazz Institute as well as places to enjoy live jazz, check out the Milwaukee Jazz Institute website.
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