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B IACK HWTORY jf t jN T H 1999
Z
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B y J oy R amos and B ob D ietsche
henever you drive
along Interstate 5
or attend a sports
game at the Rose Garden
Arena, realize that you are on
the very spot that made
Portland “The Jazz Capital of
the West Coast” between
1944 and 1954. This was
before Urban Renewal com­
pletely disseminated a rich.
Black culture centered around
its music.
Jazz was played in its
highest form on Williams
Avenue. There was no other
time in history when so many
musical forces came together
as they did. Jazz was King.
Over fifty years ago, many
Portlanders were oblivious to
the flourishing Jazz scene on
Williams Avenue. To others,
it was a thrill seeker’s Para­
dise found. Williams Avenue
reputedly had the “Best
booze, Best gambling, Best
broads and Best food.”
The Dude Ranch (on 240
NE. Broadway) stood out as
the “Hottest Black and Tan
Supper Club” west o f the
Mississippi. Waitresses wore
cowgirl outfits bearing pistols
with caps in it. On the walls
were murals o f Black cow­
boys. Jazz was part o f the
venue. There were floor acts
from ‘Shake’ dancing (strip­
were held to determine who’s
the best and many came from
all over the country. By the
end o f a contest, dancers
would be soaked. If someone
threw a handkerchief near
you, that meant that your
moves were too ‘hot,’ so tone
it down.
Another musical delight was
being at the Savoy night club.
This was where Jam sessions
would go on for 24 hours. Only
the best Jazz musicians played
against each other as a test of
prowess. Wardell ‘The Grey­
hound’ Grey proved his musi­
cal genius of improvisation at
the Savoy. His style left others
in awe. He was the paragon of
Jazz musicians by outdoing
others at ‘head cutting’ contests
with his fast tempos edited on
the spot. Wardell Grey went on
to earn international recogni­
tion. What remains as evidence
Internationally renown Jazz artlat,
of his playing at the Savoy is a
Thelonius Monk played at “The Dude
compact disc entitled “Sonny
Ranch" In Portland.
Criss - California Boppin
1947.”
stands as evidence of
The vice lord o f Williams
Portland’s greatness in the
Avenue
was Tom Johnson.
Jazz arena. It is now the
Mayor Dorothy Lee deter­
Multi-Plastics Building.
Second in popularity on the minedly closed down his
Keystone Club. She worked
Entertainment Strip was
with members o f the church
McElroy’s. Pat McElroy ran
community to make gambling
this joint as a dance hall.
illegal. As an immediate
Black bands played here to a
consequence, Mayor Lee lost
responsive audience. Musi­
all political
cians didn’t want you to sit
power after her entanglement
around. Dance competitions
ping) to juggling.
Gamblers flocked to the
Dude Ranch from all over the
world to play, trying their
luck at dice, cards or numbers
(lottery).
The Dude Ranch reached
its zenith when Thelonius
Monk played with Jazz All
stars on December 4, 1945.
Today, the Dude Ranch still
SSHBK
____________
1999* W #
with the vice.
The high
demand for
liquor and
‘race records’
was met
through
Portland’s
railroad por­
ters. They
were secretly
paid off to
smuggle in
cases o f booze
that were sent
off to the night
clubs for
distribution.
Many clubs
on Portland’s
Entertainment
Strip required
that you bring
your own
booze. You
gave your
bottle then
Irban Renewal Involved removing Portland s Jazz Entertainment Strip and Installing Interstate
received a
i. In 1 9 6 1 , the new construction completely disseminated a rich, Black culture centered around
mixer and
charged for it.
and corruption. One way o f
$ 1,000 to own one or rent it.
This routine was called ‘The
making a horde o f money was
Madrona Records was the
Bottle Lock.’
to turn your house into a Sin
only place to get Gospel,
‘Race records’ were
Shop like the offerings at
dropped off by railroad porters Spirituals, Bop, Jump and
night clubs. These ventures
other kind o f Black music.
at a local hang-out called
Records made o f shellac were often clashed with respect-
Madrona’s. It was opened by
able-minded Portlanders.
sold at highly inflated prices.
Charlie Garrett in 1936. He
Wherever Jazz was played, Williams Avenue was where
was the first distributor o f juke
Jazz became a lifestyle for
there would often be booze,
boxes. If a buyer wanted to
survival and entertainment.
gambling and hussies. The
purchase a ‘Canned Ham"
underworld thrived on greed
(juke box), he had to pay
M U S IC M IL L E N N IU M CELEBRATES
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Tevin Cam pbell
*844 s1299
With His Fourth Album, Tevin Campbell Proves to have grown up,
in maturity and in voice as well as in passion.
Far beyond his still-youthful 22 years, the self-titled ballads from the seductive
“Another Way” to the soulful “For Your Love” to “Since I Lost You" with it’s sample
of James Taylor’s “Fire And Rain.” Sexy without having to try hard, down-to-earth
but with classic style Campbell graduates at the head of the class of young male
R&B pop singer/songwriters.
Offer Good Thru 3-9-99
@ MUSIC MILLENIUM
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