It was not a banner year for Boston jazz clubs in 1971. The audience was something of a moving target. The younger people who are vital to the success of any club scene were still going out, but to clubs featuring rock, not jazz. So they were at Brandy’s, or O’Dee’s, or Lucifer—and not in jazz clubs. The older crowd who did patronize those clubs were going out less often, especially during the week. So the challenge was to program a schedule to attract a younger crowd that extended beyond the student body at Berklee.
If you went looking for jazz, there weren’t too many choices. There was Wally’s in the South End, and the Kismet Lounge in Allston. The Playboy Club in Park Square presented an occasional name to play with Bob Winter’s house trio. If you had a car, you could head to Lennie’s-on-the-Turnpike in suburban West Peabody, but a fire closed Lennie’s in May. The only full-time, name-band jazz room in Boston was the Jazz Workshop on Boylston St.
This table shows what you would have heard at the Jazz Workshop 50 years ago.
The 1971 Jazz Workshop Calendar
| Dec 26-Jan 10 | Freddie Hubbard |
| Jan 11-17 | Jack McDuff |
| Jan 18-24 | Bill Evans Trio |
| Jan 25-31 | George Benson Trio |
| Feb 1-11 | Larry Coryell |
| Feb 12-14 | Sam Rivers |
| Feb 15-21 | Joe Henderson |
| Feb 22-28 | Mose Allison |
| Mar 1-7 | Archie Shepp |
| Mar 8 | Laugh and Cry |
| Mar 9-14 | Charles Mingus |
| Mar 15-21 | Muddy Waters |
| Mar 22-28 | Jeremy Steig |
| Mar 29-Apr 4 | Jimmy Smith |
| Apr 5-11 | Colwell-Winfield Blues Band |
| Apr 12-18 | Kenny Burrell |
| Apr 19-25 | Modern Jazz Quartet |
| Apr 26-May 2 | Chick Corea |
| May 3-9 | Shirley Scott |
| May 10-16 | Bo Diddley |
| May 17-23 | Jimmy McGriff |
| May 24-30 | Herbie Hancock |
| May 31-Jun 6 | Tony Williams |
| Jun 7-13 | Miles Davis canceled, replacement not known |
| Jun 14-20 | Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Sextet |
| Jun 21-27 | Charles Mingus |
| Jun 28-Jul 4 | Sam Rivers |
| Jul 5-11 | T-Bone Walker |
| Jul 12-18 | James Cotton |
| Jul 19-25 | Weather Report |
| Jul 26-Aug 1 | George Benson |
| Aug 2-8 | Mississippi Fred McDowell |
| Aug 9-15 | Elvin Jones |
| Aug 17-22 | Charlie Byrd |
| Aug 23-29 | Mose Allison |
| Aug 30-Sep 12 | Larry Coryell |
| Sep 9-19 | Rahsaan Roland Kirk |
| Sep 20-26 | Bill Evans Trio |
| Sep 27-Oct 3 | Les McCann |
| Oct 4-10 | James Montgomery Blues Band |
| Oct 11-17 | Herbie Hancock |
| Oct 18-24 | Alex Taylor |
| Oct 25-31 | Gato Barbieri |
| Nov 1-7 | Os Cinco |
| Nov 8-14 | Ralph Graham |
| Nov 15-21 | T-Bone Walker |
| Nov 22-28 | Modern Jazz Quartet |
| Nov 29-Dec 5 | Miles Davis |
| Dec 6-12 | Tim Hardin |
| Dec 13-19 | James Cotton |
| Dec 20-26 | Colwell-Winfield Blues Band |
| Dec 27-Jan 2 | Larry Coryell |
Plus a Little Jazz at Paul’s Mall
Paul’s Mall, the adjoining club, had some jazz in 1971, too. Paul’s Mall was larger than the Workshop, with 245 seats and a bigger stage. Big bands needed that stage, so they always played at the Mall. In 1971, Don Ellis, Maynard Ferguson, and Duke Ellington were in the house. And artists with a big earnings potential needed those extra seats, so they played the Mall as well. In 1971, that included Erroll Garner, Joe Williams, and Cannonball Adderley. Miles Davis and Les McCann would join them there in 1972.
Something else was cooking at Paul’s Mall in 1971—the Latin-jazz-dance groups led by percussionists Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo. Latin jazz wasn’t widely popular in 1971, but these groups had a crossover appeal that attracted a big audience.
Observations, 50 Years Later
Even a quick glance at the schedule shows it’s clearly a post-bop world. Artists who rose to prominence in the 1960s fill the calendar, from Chick Corea to the Hammond B-3 organists to Tony Williams.
The other side of that is the small number of swing-era and bop-era artists booked. There was Duke Ellington, the sole elder statesman. There were the era-transcending figures Miles and Mingus, and Cannonball and the MJQ. But other still-active artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, and Sonny Stitt were absent. (Art Blakey was a steady presence at the Jazz Workshop who just happened to miss 1971.)
There’s a bit of adventure scheduled, with Roland Kirk, Sam Rivers, and Archie Shepp. Why not more? I can only suggest that it is because groups from the cutting edge lost money. The blues, though, made money, so there are ten weeks given over to Muddy Waters, T-Bone Walker, and others.
Local groups were in the mix, sometimes opposite the bigger names in the Mall. Charlie Mariano’s Laugh and Cry (a one-nighter), Claudio Roditi’s Os Cinco, Ralph Graham’s jazz-funk group, and the blues bands of James Montgomery, and of Bill Colwell and Mike Winfield, had their turns.
Aside from Shirley Scott, women headliners were absent, which in retrospect doesn’t come as a surprise.
The notable engagement of 1971 was Weather Report in July. It was their first gig anywhere. Fred Taylor’s strong relationships with Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul brought it about.
So that was the Jazz Workshop, 50 years ago. You might argue (and some did) that the schedule was too safe, too predictable. Indeed, ten artists appeared twice each during 1971. And Larry Coryell, the guitarist the jazz press thought would be the one to finally bridge the worlds of jazz and rock, appeared three times. But, as Mauriello told me, “they did business for us.” Taylor and Mauriello were doing their best to book the music that appealed to the younger listeners who were actually buying records and attending shows. It worked. The Jazz Workshop continued to present the best in jazz until both clubs closed in 1978.
My mom Jackie was a cocktail waitress in Paul’s Mall in 1970. At 15 I was waitressing next door at a Pewter Pot muffin house- I hated it… One evening when I got off work I went downstairs to the club to talk to my mom which turned into my getting a job as the coatcheck for both clubs! I got to hear the best music and meet a lot of musicians and partied my little ass off for almost two years. I laughed with Joan Rivers, cried with Tom Paxton, wiped puke off Mongo Santamarias’ shoes when he played for my 16th birthday party, got serenaded by G Benson,yelled at by Sarah Vaughan for stepping on her full length mink, and had belly laughs with Bostonians who tried to pronounce Errol Garner- no R’s haha. Made friends with James Cotton who carried a picture of me and had it when I ran into him twice more in Colorado, ran into Charles Mingus again in NYC at Brownie’s, so many more adventures of a 16 year old coatcheck to tell here. Best thing that ever happened to my young self and my love for Jazz and blues remains strong!
Thank you, Jeanine — this is the best comment posted on the site in a long time. Wish Fred and Tony were around to read it, it would have pleased them to know one of the club alumni had such a great experience while minding the coats.
Richard…thank you for sharing this information. In 1971 I was a Freshman at Berklee and saw quite a few of the performers listed above. Most memorable was seeing Bill Evans and later Miles Davis. I also caught George Benson, but it was in a local bar in Roxbury, most likely when he was in town to perform at the Jazz Workshop. I also remember going to see Jimmy Smith at the Workshop every night for two weeks. I sat right next to the stage alongside of him. After the second or third night he started introducing me as part of the band. :o) Beyond great memories! Do you by any chance have the line-up of performers for 1972 & 1973? Thanks again for sharing the info. P.S. I met Fred Taylor years later at Sculler’s when he was presenting my good friend & mentor Shirley Horn. I also recall seeing (at Lennie’s) Stan Getz, and also Buddy Rich’s band with Louie Bellson filling in on drums because Buddy had just recently had back surgery. Also saw Buddy’s Band (with Buddy on drums) and Maynard’s Band at Paul’s Mall.
I was in Boston during the 70s and visited Paul’s Mall and the Jazz Workshop frequently. I went to New England Conservatory of Music and then over to Boston University for my degrees. I got to spend some time with the original Blackbirds, Miles Davis, and several other greats. Billy Paul played at either venue around 1973 and I got to be good friends with his bass player who was a roommate of Fred White from Earth Wind and Fire. For the life of me I can’t remember is name, he went by CJ so if anyone remembers anything about Billy Paul and his band members, let me know. Thanks.
The bassist during the “Me and Mrs Jones” period, at least part of the time, was Anthony Jackson. Don’t know who CJ might have been, though. Maybe someone can help out.
Thanks Richard. I’m in my 70s, so some things remain tucked away in this brain of mine and it’s hard to remember certain years and names.
I can relate… I started this blog so I could write everything down in a place where I could always find it…
I was a waitress there in 1973 – oh what a time we had – I knew nothing about jazz, which may have been a pre-requisite. The one major question my friend and I were asked in our joint interview – ”what do you know about music?” My friend went into a long winded response about how much she “knew” – when he asked me I answered “I don’t know anything about music, I know a lot about waitressing” I was hired as a cocktail waitress, (one of the best gigs ever) my friend was hired to sit on a stool at the entrance on Boylston St with a clicker to count the number of people going in so that number could be reconciled with the doormen taking the cash cover charges!
And oh the stories you must have…
Hey Lisa…I was a frequent customer at the Jazz Workshop in 1973 (my second year at Berklee). You might have served me drinks and/or we most likely crossed paths there back in the day. Cheers! Wayne Corelli (www.waynecorelli.com)
Hi, I was a coatcheck there 70-71’ and what a blast!!!! My mom Jackie was a cocktail waitress in Paul’s Mall and got me the job. What fantastic memories and what other girl has Mongo Santamaria play for her 16th birthday party?!
Richard,
Thanks for publishing this calendar. I’m wondering if you have the Workshop calendar for 1973-4? Taking a year off from college and living in Cambridge that period, I wandered in there a few times when I had the typical cover of $4 or $5 in my pocket, often the only white person there. Saw Mingus there in August ’74 and Miles across the way at the Mall, but I’m hoping to jog my memory regarding a couple of other concerts.
Thanks, James
I haven’t pulled those years together yet, although I have a lot of material collected via my research for the Fred Taylor book. Bob Marley & the Wailers arrived in July 1973. Bill Evans, Sonny Rollins, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Freddie Hubbard all early in 1974. Mongo Santamaria recorded an album in July 1974 but I don’t know if it ever got released. So there was quite a bit going on, and if I ever get everything put into reasonable shape, I’ll be posting it here…
It was a magical period when you could catch jazz greats in small rooms like that before they outgrew them. Best of luck with your research!
Hey James – I was there for Miles at the Mall, same time. I was disappointed with his playing at the time, few notes here and there, nothing like his earlier music. Got to talk to him for a few minutes after the gig. So many jazz musicians going through there in the first half of the 70s. It was wild.
Richard,
I, and the great hall concert series in Needham, were the beneficiaries of Fred’s love for an unknown venue. We popped out of nowhere in 2012. We were nothing but great potential until I fortuitously bumped into Fred Taylor at the the Boston wine festival. Long story short, the following year we led off with John Pizzarelli and Judy Collins. We were catapulted. The list goes on. Needham and its surrounding communities sing The Great Hall Concert Series accolades…..they should be singing Fred Taylor’s. I loved the man, our fabulous conversations and meals. ….. and jokes.
Richard, I picked up your book. You caught Fred’s essence …peace
Thank you for your good words, Michael. And Fred was pleased to have a hand in bringing good music to the Great Hall — I know your series featured some artists he really liked, like Catherine Russell and Joey Alexander. I hope you’re back in business this fall in that beautiful hall.
YES! One of my brothers will be the new custodian. It will be moving to Durham, ME.
-Alan
Hey, that’s good news that you found a home for your Lennie’s artifact. But now I wonder who ended up with the piano from the Jazz Workshop when it closed. It didn’t go to the next occupant of the space — that was a disco!
Looks like your chart doubles back in there somewhere…
You have Rivers February 8 thru 14. Might I ask what the reference is? because I have Sam there (confirmed) on the 12th thru 14th, but on other gigs beforehand. (Cecil Taylor in Madison, WI on the 9th; Horacee Arnold in The Bronx on the 10th; and a truncated McCoy Tyner engagement at Village Vanguard from the 10th until… unsure).
Rick, you are correct on the Rivers dates. Bad typing on my part (I don’t find typing tables to be engaging work). I actually had the dates you have for Rivers, taken from printed adverts. But I believe there was some confusion in the office records on the length of the Coryell date preceding Sam. Good catch.
Once I got the table typed, I must have been so proud of it, I pasted it in twice. Thanks for letting me know my year had 104 weeks in it. I’ve made both corrections. –RV
HA! Glad to be of help. :-)
Hi Dick, interesting article. Wasn’t Lennie’s on Rt 1 North in Peabody. We used to go to Sandy’s Jazz Revival all the time. That was in Beverly. Keep up the great work!
Alan
Thanks Alan. Speaking of Lennie’s–did you ever find a home for the piano lid?