Location
Plaque Photo
	145 Broadway St, Buffalo, NY 14203
	Phone
	(716) 855-9383
	Web
	www.ColoredMusiciansClub.org
	President
	George Scott
	Established
	February 3, 1918

The Colored Musicians Club is an historic landmark, museum, and jazz practice space that links Buffalo to the history of Jazz in a unique way.

Currently, several bands play at the club, and people of all ages can get lessons.

The club has organized and sponsored the Queen City Jazz Festival since 2006.

History

Originally, there was only one Buffalo musicians union, Local 43. The all white Local of the American Federation of Musicians refused to include African American musicians. As a result, a separate union, Buffalo Local 533, was formed on February 3, 1917. Buffalo then became the eighth city in the United States, since the 1896 founding of the American Federation of Musicians, with racially segregated musician’s local unions. A year after Local 533 was formed, a close knit group of people independent from the Association but comprised of it’s members, formed a social club where, according to charter member and retired President of Local 533, Dr. Raymond E. Jackson, “the musicians used to hang out after they finished their jobs at night. You could get a trotter-a plate of pork, a pig foot, a plate of beans and a bottle of beer - for 25 cents. On Sundays, musicians would utilize the club for band rehearsals, taking advantage of the free space and the piano it provided.¹”

In the 1930's, 40's, and 50's, all the great stars of jazz who came to town stopped in at the Colored Musicians Club to jam with their friends and local musicians. Stars who played at the club include: ²

• Dizzy Gillespie
• Duke Ellington
• Billie Holliday
• Count Basie
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Sonny Stitt
• Gene Ammons
• Albert Ammons
• Lena Horne
• Art Blakey
• James Moody
• Stuff Smith

Comments

Footnotes

1. History of the Colored Musicians Club
2. Listing of Stars who appeared at the club