Central Avenue: the "main stem" of L.A.'s African-American community in the 1940s.
In this program we explore the sounds of the mid-20th-century Los Angeles jazz scene with historian Steve Isoardi, editor of the oral history book Central Avenue Sounds.
Jam sessions, bebop, r & b, big bands, visits from Hollywood celebrities; as the center of African-American culture in L.A., Central Avenue had it all. We'll hear the music of artists such as:
- Dexter Gordon
- Howard McGhee
- Hadda Brooks
- Charles Mingus
- Gerald Wilson
- Lionel Hampton
and other jazz greats who got their start on the Avenue or spent significant time there. With Mr. Isoardi as our guide, we'll also take a verbal stroll through the vibrant streets of the Central Avenue neighborhood circa 1945.
