Did you know that Storyville in Boston was named after the infamous red-light district in New Orleans? It was a bold move by George Wein. He opened Storyville in 1950.
Storyville quickly became a jazz hotspot. Wein presented all jazz styles there. You could hear piano soloists or big bands. Bebop and Dixieland sounds filled the air.
George Wein was energetic and ambitious. He was only 25 when he opened Storyville. It was first located in the Copley Square Hotel. A dispute with the landlord caused a short closure. Storyville reopened in the Buckminster Hotel. Later, it moved back to Copley Square Hotel. Storyville remained there until 1960.
Wein was synonymous with jazz in Boston. He ran Storyville and Mahogany Hall. He wrote a newspaper column and taught jazz history. He even managed artists and owned Storyville Records. Wein founded the Newport Jazz Festival and the Newport Folk Festival. He constantly brought jazz to new audiences.
Wein knew what musicians cared about. He created a club where they wanted to play. Fans loved to listen there. He treated his artists and patrons with respect.
Jazz clubs had a poor reputation then. Wein created Storyville to overcome this. Its Back Bay hotel location sent a clear message. Storyville was no dive bar. It was a listening room with high standards.
Inside Storyville, the lighting was subdued. The sound system was good. Art adorned the walls. People dressed up to go out. Men wore jackets as a standard.
People went to Storyville to listen. Critic Nat Hentoff noted its quiet atmosphere. It was like sitting at home with earphones.
Almost every major jazz artist played at Storyville. Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald graced its stage. Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis performed there too. Comics and folk singers also appeared. Many artists recorded albums live at Storyville. Dave Brubeck and Stan Getz captured their Storyville performances. Billie Holiday’s performance was a special treat.
In 1955, Storyville hosted Duke Ellington and Sarah Vaughan. Charlie Parker was scheduled to play the night he died. Bands were booked for the entire week. Storyville was clearly the place to hear name bands.
Despite its artistic success, Storyville faced financial challenges. Only some artists could sell out the house. Wein relied on his A-list performers to subsidize others. But these stars eventually outgrew nightclubs. They moved to concert halls. Business declined and Storyville briefly closed in the spring of 1960. Dinah Washington closed the troubled season.
Storyville closed for the summer like most clubs. It reopened under new ownership in the Theatre District. Without Wein’s leadership, it closed in 1961.
Wein said Storyville gave musicians a fair shake. He set decent standards in a crummy business. He booked good talent.
Storyville was the right place at the right time. Times changed, but its mark remained. New clubs opened to fill the void.