The Jazz Temple
Encyclopedia
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.
, 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.
• 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
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
/nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
located in the University Circle
University Circle
University Circle, is a neighborhood located on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is best known for its world-class cultural, educational and medical institutions, including the Cleveland Orchestra, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Museum of Art, Lakeview Cemetery, and University...
area of Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. The club’s name was chosen by the owner, Winston E. Willis
Winston E. Willis
Winston Earl Willis is a formerly successful American real estate developer who first came to local prominence in Cleveland, Ohio during the early 1960s. At the time, one of the most successful business owner/operators in the country, he created and controlled a corporation, University Circle...
, to symbolize a devout gathering place dedicated to the icons of the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
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
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
, John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
, Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
, Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
, and Cannonball Adderley among others, the popular night spot was more successful than any other similar venue in the region.
History
Opened in 1960, the Jazz Temple was the creation of 19-year-old Winston E. WillisWinston E. Willis
Winston Earl Willis is a formerly successful American real estate developer who first came to local prominence in Cleveland, Ohio during the early 1960s. At the time, one of the most successful business owner/operators in the country, he created and controlled a corporation, University Circle...
, 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
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
showroom, and immediately began remodeling, with careful attention devoted to acoustics
Acoustics
Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of 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
Little Italy
Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood.-Canada:*Little Italy, Edmonton, in Alberta*Little Italy, Montreal, in Quebec...
and adjacent to Western Reserve University. With surrounding institutional neighbors such as the Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art is an art museum situated in the Wade Park District, in the University Circle neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, the museum houses a diverse permanent collection of more than 43,000...
, Severance Hall
Severance Hall
Severance Hall is a concert hall located in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. The hall has been the home of the Cleveland Orchestra since its opening on February 5, 1931...
(home of the Cleveland Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall...
) 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
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
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
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
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
Cleveland Division of Police
The Cleveland Division of Police is the law enforcement agency responsible for the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Since 2005, Michael McGrath has been the chief of police.-Pre-World War II:...
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