Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning January 2007 » Extinct Detroit Jazz Clubs 2 « Previous Next »
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Bulletmagnet
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Username: Bulletmagnet

Post Number: 24
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Wednesday, February 07, 2007 - 11:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Does anyone have any information pertaining to the Zebra Room, or any photos to share? It seems like Detroit was filled with places like this at one time. Oh, for want of a time machine

zebra_room
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Erikto
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Username: Erikto

Post Number: 506
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Friday, February 09, 2007 - 8:44 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

How about Club Mozambique, where I think more than one live album was recorded in the early seventies?
There was that jazz club where Berry Gordy's sisters worked, Etta James said that was the premiere club in Detroit in the late fifties when she played there, complete with a chaperone in concordance with local law...
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Jimg
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Username: Jimg

Post Number: 775
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Friday, February 09, 2007 - 10:12 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ericto, it was the Flame Show Bar where Berry and his sisters worked. The Mozambique was a great spot too.

Bulletmagnet, can't find anything about the Zebra room. It may well have featured music - as you suggest, this was common at one time - but the Zebra room was not a significant jazz outlet. Probably had a pianist or organist, maybe even a trio.
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Bulletmagnet
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Username: Bulletmagnet

Post Number: 28
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Friday, February 09, 2007 - 7:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks for your interest Jimg and Erikto. Stay tuned for Extinct Detroit Jazz Clubs 3...
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Citylover
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Username: Citylover

Post Number: 2119
Registered: 07-2004
Posted on Friday, February 09, 2007 - 8:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Some of these places may be fictitious.I believe there are some companies out there making t-shirts of made up Chicago and Detroit and probably other cities bars and nightclubs.JimG is really the foremost authority on Detroit jazz clubs.

I do think a thread either this one or the one about Gagens is cool_ that is a Detroit nightclub thread. The thing is back in the 40's- really thru the 70's live music was the norm. So although it might not necessarily had been a jazz club there were many rooms where jazz was played because that was the music of the time. One example would be the playboy club.In every city there was a playboy club there was most likely a piano trio.And the piano trios back then were heavily influenced by Oscar Petersen and Nat Cole........not jazz clubs per se but jazz was played there.

Anyhow I look forward to reading on this particular part of Detroit history.I do think it is wise to realize that every city had a nightclub tradition which has all but disapeared.
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Nip
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Username: Nip

Post Number: 125
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 12:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There is a great Lonnie Smith recording on Blue Note titled "Live at Club Mozambique" from 1970.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg .dll?p=amg&sql=10:rz6htr3qkl1x
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Fury13
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Username: Fury13

Post Number: 1331
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 3:24 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Reopen the Phelps Lounge!!
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Ed_golick
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Username: Ed_golick

Post Number: 541
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 3:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Is that the same Watts Club Mozambique that advertised the Ladies Night stripper shows on channel 62?
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Jimg
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Username: Jimg

Post Number: 778
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 6:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yup
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Eric_w
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Username: Eric_w

Post Number: 20
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 10:47 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Anyone remember the Rapa House? It was on the Fisher Service drive off Woodward in an old house and opened after hours. It was a jam session for any musician that cared to come & play-it would start around 2-2:30 AM & they'd play until dawn.
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Pythonmaster
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Username: Pythonmaster

Post Number: 26
Registered: 12-2006
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 11:23 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm told that Miles and Bird used to play at the Bluebird back in the day.
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Jimg
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Username: Jimg

Post Number: 789
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2007 - 2:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Miles lived in Det in 1953, worked at the 'Bird. And Bird himself sat in during a 1949 Det visit...probably sat in many other times.
But this was after Miles left Bird's band. Bird's Det engagements (at least advertised) did not include the BlueBird Inn.

RAPA House (Rodgers Academy of the Performing Arts) started by LaJune Rodgers, first Black woman booking agent, so I'm told. LaJune's sons Ernie, respected Det educator/saxophonist, and Virgil, educator/trumpeter, ran the sessions.

(Message edited by jimg on February 17, 2007)
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Carharttmike
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Username: Carharttmike

Post Number: 4
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 4:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Some might have heard that a new jazz club is being opening in Grosse Pointe Farms call the dirty dog. Detroit also home to a jazz label called Mack Avenue Records. Sponsor of the Jazz Fest. Gretchen Valade (Chairman of Carhartt) is the owner. Scheduled to open this summer.

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