Raleigh Randolph grew up in the heyday of jazz in Columbus.
As a kid of the 1950s and early 1960s, Randolph jumped in and out of the clubs on Mt. Vernon Avenue, which ran in all directions from the King-Lincoln Bronzeville community—a hotbed of black culture and a historic African-American neighborhood once teeming with jazz legends.
“It was not unusual to go to a club in Columbus and see Dionne Warwick or Miles Davis,” he said. “We were on the track.”
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Musical acts traveling through the Midwest from Pittsburgh to Chicago made a pit stop in Columbus between performances in Cleveland and Cincinnati, Randolph explained.
The 77-year-old’s father, Harlan T. “Raleigh” Randolph, was the leader of one of those bands, an 18-piece jazz ensemble called the Sultans of Swing that once counted Chillicothe native Nancy Wilson among its ranks.
The elder Randolph—known as “Ol’ Boss” by his fellow musicians—was a singer, bassist, and inducted into the Alabama Jazz Music Hall of Fame in 1983. He introduced his son to the genre at an early age, taking him to Sultans performances and buying him a drum kit at the age of 12.
“Jazz was in my blood,” said the younger Randolph. “It was so popular back then that you couldn’t go out without hearing it.”
Although many historic venues in Greater Columbus have since closed — “Club El Cairo, where Ella Fitzgerald performed, and the Empress Theater,” Randolph said with a sigh — jazz can still be found in Ohio’s capital.
Beyond the Upcoming Jazz & Rib Fest, which you can attend Friday through Sunday at Bicentennial Park, 233 S. Civic Center Drive, the following venues host local acts and live jazz throughout the year.
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Hitting all the right (Blu) notes
Just east of Downtown, along Main Street, the Blu Note Jazz Cafe invites the curious to take a seat at the bar or a booth and sit back. This may interest you : If it’s June, it must be black music month.
If you’re lucky, you might get the chance to hear Bobby Floyd, a native of Greater Columbus, play the keys, which is when he’s taking a break from his most important performance as pianist and organist for the Columbus Jazz Orchestra.
The Blu Note serves as a full-service café throughout the day and a “luxury jazz club” in the evenings.
The location is open from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Tuesday to Thursday and from 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday until midnight. Those looking to get more bang for their buck when it comes to jazz can join the cafe for exclusive discounts.
Paying homage at Dick’s Den
North of the Ohio State University campus, you’ll still find an iconic dip in North High Street—Dick’s Den—where a neon sign blares the shrug: Why not? See the article : PBS host Colleen Kelly has started a travel club.
The one and only Columbus haunt has been around for nearly 60 years and is as eclectic as ever.
The bar regularly hosts live music, starting with jazz Sundays in the late 1970s. Those early performances belonged to the late, local saxophonist Joe Diamond, who Columbus Alive said would yell at the regulars for being too loud while his band was performing.
“Jazz isn’t in Dick’s curriculum,” Randolph said.
And you can study a piece of it – and the history of the bar – every day of the week from 1pm. until 2:30 a.m. at 2417 N. High Street.
The Savoy Club: Jazz, soul and R&B
Just behind Reynoldsburg, on the Far East Side, you can get your jazz fix at The Savoy Club, a beacon of soul music and R&B off Brice Road and Livingston Avenue, which offers a steady mix of genres. To see also : Health report press. Vanderbilt Health: Nashville SC vs. Portland Timbers.
“One weekend it’s R&B and the next they’ve got jazz,” Randolph said.
Since opening in January 2017, the club has welcomed music lovers from all walks of life to celebrate their Sunday Jammm and Blue Monday, both of which start at 7pm.
You can visit the Savoy from 6 pm. until midnight on Monday, 6pm to 2am on Fridays and Saturdays and from 4pm. until midnight on Sunday at 1904 Lake Club Drive.
Lincoln Theatre’s summer special: Wine Down Wednesdays
Some of this summer’s best jazz can be found on the rooftop deck above the historic Lincoln Theater — a King-Lincoln Bronzeville staple that many in the neighborhood associate with great jazz performances, Randolph said.
The theater is inviting people in Greater Columbus to buy tickets for the Summer Wine Down Wednesdays series. Doors open at 5:30 PM. at 769 E. Long Street.
Upcoming acts include the Midwest Modern Jazz Quartet and the Aaron White Quartet, as well as curated wine and specialty cocktails. Tickets remain available for performances in August and September.
Ginger Rabbit
Enthusiasts agree that Columbus’ newest joint, the Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge, is different from many other places these days, Randolph said, as there are constant live performances throughout the week.
The chic location, tucked away in the short north on 17 Buttles Avenue, is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday (with guaranteed live music 6-9pm) and 5-11pm. Friday and Saturday (with performances from 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm and 7 pm to 10 pm).
It features duos, trios and quartets booked through July and some shows already scheduled for August, as well as a house cocktail with carrot juice and gin.
Jazz Wednesdays at Brothers Drake Meadery
For a more low-key jazz experience, old-school listeners and novices alike can find something to tap into from 8pm to 11pm. on Wednesdays at Brothers Drake Meadery.
The tasting room in the Short North at 26 E. 5th Avenue welcomes everyone for a pour of one of their many original mead, sweet wine made with bee honey.
Their Jazz Wednesday showcases feature jazz and funk musicians from around the area.
One of the oldest and longest-established meaderies in the U.S. — the brewery is located in Grandview Heights and was founded in 2007 — Brothers Drake is an all-rounder: part local music incubator, part “Save the Bees” campaign, and many parts fermented sugar.
Céilí Doyle is a Report for America Corps member, covering rural issues in Ohio for The Dispatch. Your donation to match our RFA grant will help her keep writing these kinds of stories. Consider making a tax-deductible donation at https://bit.ly/3fNsGaZ.
You can reach her by email at cdoyle@dispatch.com or follow her on Twitter at @cadoyle_18.
