Central Ave Jazz Kickoff Recognizes Little Tokyo's Place in History

By Ed Fuentes
Published: Wednesday, July 23, 2008, at 08:56AM

This ad from 1946 advertises Shepp’s Playhouse, at 1st and Los Angeles.

Pianist Gary Fukushima and his ensemble will be performing at Thursday’s show. Courtesy of JANM.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — This weekend, jazz aficionados pay homage to the days when Central Avenue was a mandatory stop on the national jazz circuit. From 1900 to 1950, the Dunbar Hotel housed A-list musicians playing local spots like Club Alabam, the DownBeat, Ivie’s Chicken Shack, the Last Word, and the Memo Club.

Only the more zealous historian will know Little Tokyo’s place in jazz, back when it was briefly renamed “Bronzeville.” This Thursday evening, history and music come together as the Japanese American National Museum plays host to the opening of the 2008 Central Ave Jazz Festival.

African-American businessman Leonard Christmas co-founded the Bronzeville Chamber of Commerce in August of 1943 to represent businesses that settled in Little Tokyo's buildings after Japanese-Americans were forced to relocate to interment camps at the start of World War II.

From 1941 to 1945, jazz and after hours clubs like Shepp's Playhouse (1st and Los Angeles) The Cobra Room (300 E. First), The Bamboo Room (1st and San Pedro), The Copper Room (117 N. San Pedro), Cherry Land Cafe (725 E. 5th), and the Palms Breakfast Club (131 N. San Pedro) thrived. Like their counterparts 42 blocks south, today all are long gone.

After World War II, Bronzeville's transition to becoming J-Town again was not always smooth. Yet, there was enough outreach between the two communities that Little Tokyo returned to its original identity.

That adds significance to Thursday’s 1st & Central Summer Concert Series jazz concert with Dave Iwataki, LA Jazz Collective, Gary Fukushima Ensemble, and Dwight Trible.

“Composer Dave Iwataki helps us remember this history,” says curator Sabrina Lynn Motley, as African American jazz instrumentalists and traditional Japanese musicians team up to perform portions of Iwataki’s “J-Town to Bronzeville Suite."

For a summer night, the 'J' in J-Town will also mean jazz.

1st & Central Summer Series: Prelude to the 2008 Central Avenue Jazz Festival / Presented by The National Museum, in collaboration with Councilmember Jan Perry / Japanese American National Museum / Thursday, July 24, 6:30pm / 369 E. 1st

Central Ave Jazz Festival / Presented by Councilwoman Jan Perry / Saturday, July 26, 11am to 7pm and Sunday, July 27, 11am to 7pm / Central and 42nd

Comments

monk writes:

Any idea where to see old pictures of these clubs?

# on Jul.23.2008 AT 07:55 PM

walter melton writes:

My mother's picture is on the wall at the Dunbar Hotel on Central Ave. Her dance group is in the archives there, the Rockiettes. Her uncle Big Bill Taylor owned the club Alabam. I took her there a couple of years ago to see her picture. It is one of those iconic pictures that always appears when people talk about that time. "The History of Black Music in Los Angeles" by Tom Reed is a good book to read about the roots of Jazz in Los Angeles. Another one is Central Ave Sounds.

# on Jul.23.2008 AT 09:03 PM

CDR writes:

The clubs are gone but are any of the original buildings still there in Little Tokyo?

# on Jul.23.2008 AT 11:34 PM

Juanito writes:

One hundred years back, Azusa Street was the nexus of the city's Black community. Shortly to the east, another arose on East Third, roughly between Traction and Santa Fe. The residents of both of these focal points eventually migrated to 6th & Central.

History's first Pentecostal event took place on Azusa Street the evening prior to the great San Francisco earthquake. That was in a converted warehouse, close to where the large/ancient grapefruit tree now grows.

Incidentally, the sunken garden nearby is going through it's first major update after thirty years and is worth a look for enthusiasts of the alluring and illusive in things green.

# on Jul.24.2008 AT 12:34 AM

Geoffrey Jost writes:

FYI, the pianist on the right is Gary Fukushima, not Dave Iwataki.

# on Jul.24.2008 AT 08:32 AM

Mabel writes:

How comes that you show the address for the Jazz Festival in Little Tokyo, as Central @ 42nd St..Am I confused? or it's a mistake?

# on Jul.24.2008 AT 08:39 AM

Eric Richardson writes:

Mabel: The festival itself takes place south of Downtown, at Central and 42nd. Tonight's kickoff concert is the only event in Little Tokyo.

Geoffrey: It sure is... Not sure how that happened.

# on Jul.24.2008 AT 08:52 AM