Wally's Cafe
Encyclopedia
Wally's Cafe located in the South End of Boston
, Massachusetts
, is the oldest continually operating jazz club
in the United States
. It has been home to talent from the greater Boston area including many coming from the nearby Berklee College of Music
.
Wally's was founded by Joseph L. Walcott who was a Barbadian
who immigrated to America in 1910. After reaching Ellis Island, Mr. Walcott, better known as "Wally", joined his brother, who had migrated a few years earlier, in Boston. Wally held many jobs, and with his savings he opened Wally's Paradise at 428 Massachusetts Avenue in 1947. Wally was the first African American to own a nightclub in New England; he brought new acts to town and the nightclub became an attraction for jazz aficionados who rushed to see the famous bands of the day.
The Sixties arrived and the Big Band era was diminishing. Wally maintained his commitment to jazz by featuring young musicians who were attending prominent academic institutions such as Berklee College of Music, the Boston Conservatory, and the New England Conservatory of Music. Mr. Walcott hired these young music students and mixed them with seasoned professionals who were veterans of the Big Band era. This mix of talent was special, and the format enabled Mr. Walcott to continue to serve the jazz loving audiences of New England.
In 1979 Wally closed its original location at 428 Massachusetts Avenue and moved across the street to 427 Massachusetts Avenue the present location of the nightclub. Wally's Café now features live music 365 days a year. Many of the musicians are professionals, but Wally's still maintains its tradition of providing students with a stage to perfect their craft.
After Wally's death aged 101 in 1998, his three children took over the bar, and today Wally's is a family club managed by Walcott's daughter, Elynor, and his three grandsons, Paul, Frank and Lloyd Poindexter.
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, is the oldest continually operating jazz club
Jazz club
A jazz club is a venue where the primary entertainment is the performance of live jazz music. Jazz clubs have been in large rooms in the eras of Orchestral jazz and big band jazz and when its popularity as a dance music was common...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It has been home to talent from the greater Boston area including many coming from the nearby Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
.
Wally's was founded by Joseph L. Walcott who was a Barbadian
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
who immigrated to America in 1910. After reaching Ellis Island, Mr. Walcott, better known as "Wally", joined his brother, who had migrated a few years earlier, in Boston. Wally held many jobs, and with his savings he opened Wally's Paradise at 428 Massachusetts Avenue in 1947. Wally was the first African American to own a nightclub in New England; he brought new acts to town and the nightclub became an attraction for jazz aficionados who rushed to see the famous bands of the day.
The Sixties arrived and the Big Band era was diminishing. Wally maintained his commitment to jazz by featuring young musicians who were attending prominent academic institutions such as Berklee College of Music, the Boston Conservatory, and the New England Conservatory of Music. Mr. Walcott hired these young music students and mixed them with seasoned professionals who were veterans of the Big Band era. This mix of talent was special, and the format enabled Mr. Walcott to continue to serve the jazz loving audiences of New England.
In 1979 Wally closed its original location at 428 Massachusetts Avenue and moved across the street to 427 Massachusetts Avenue the present location of the nightclub. Wally's Café now features live music 365 days a year. Many of the musicians are professionals, but Wally's still maintains its tradition of providing students with a stage to perfect their craft.
After Wally's death aged 101 in 1998, his three children took over the bar, and today Wally's is a family club managed by Walcott's daughter, Elynor, and his three grandsons, Paul, Frank and Lloyd Poindexter.
External links
- Sunday Jam with Jason Palmer at Wally's Cafe - All About Jazz