The Historic Clef Club of Jazz is a Source of Constant Inspiration

I stand grooving to the Jazz tunes of a group of children taking lessons at the Clef Club of Jazz in Philadelphia. The kids are as good as any musicians I have ever seen, including my four year studies at Oberlin College, which has one of the top-five Conservatories in the country.

I am receiving a personal tour of the building, which is a four-story construction on Broad Street (the Avenue of the Arts). The building boasts a large concert hall that is used for concerts and has a co-joining commercial kitchen and full bar. It also contains practice spaces, a party room, and numerous rehearsal spaces. The Clef Club of Jazz is an American trade union that was founded in 1966 in response to segregation in the Jazz community. The club started in a small house where local musicians would play music for house parties in order to raise money. The club has included famous musicians over the years--John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Shirly Scott, Lee Morgan, Nina Simone, and others--and is the only major organization in Philadelphia that is strictly devoted to Jazz.

The Clef Club's mission is to create a cultural space where the free exchange of ideas relating to Jazz and music can take place. It also aims to develop talent and musicianship. Another goal of the club is to create a large collection of information about Jazz that can later be accessed for research and teaching.

The Clef Club of Jazz supports many musical programs throughout the city. These programs are: The Clef Club Big Band, the Clef Club Youth Ensemble, Jazz in the Sanctuary Schools, Jazz Master Workshops, Youth Summer Jazz Camps, Student Ensemble Education Programs, and the Preservation Jazz Series.
Future plans for the Clef Club are to create senior citizen programs that will include vocal activities, line and ballroom dancing, and a senior citizen orchestra.
The club also hosts a number of shows including comedy, theater, and live Jazz.

Within the building are many impressive spaces. One such space is the main concert hall, where one can sit at tables and enjoy full-service meals or they can rest at the bar while listening to great Jazz.