Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame

Founded	1988
Founder	Senator Maxine Horner, Co-Founder Senator Penny Williams, Co-Founder
Type	501(c)(3) Nonprofit organization
Location	5 S Boston Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103
Website	okjazz.org

The Jazz Depot, home of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame

The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame is a special place in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's a non-profit group that celebrates amazing jazz, blues, and gospel musicians from Oklahoma.

The Hall of Fame is located in the old Tulsa Union Depot. This historic building is now called the Jazz Depot. It's a cool place where you can enjoy live jazz concerts. It's also a museum! You can see photos, learn about musicians, and check out cool items. Some famous musicians featured include Chet Baker, Earl Bostic, Don Cherry, Charlie Christian, Tommy Crook, Pat Kelley, Barney Kessel, and Jimmy Rushing.

Celebrating Oklahoma's Music Heroes

The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame holds a special event every year. This event is called an induction ceremony. It's where they honor people and groups who have made big contributions to jazz, blues, and gospel music.

The Hall of Fame used to induct new members in June. Now, this yearly ceremony happens in November. So far, more than 100 musicians and groups have been honored! The very first person to be inducted was music teacher Zelia N. Breaux.

The Jay McShann Lifetime Achievement Award

In 1999, the Hall of Fame created a special award. It's called the Jay McShann Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors musicians who have made Oklahoma's music richer throughout their lives.

Some famous musicians who have received this award include Jay McShann, John Hendricks, Lou Donaldson, and Dave Brubeck. Other winners are Marilyn Maye, Ramsey Lewis, Nat King Cole, George Duke, Billy Taylor, Eddie Palmieri, Bob Wills, and Lalo Schifrin.

Memorable Performances

The Hall of Fame has seen some truly special moments. In 1991, guitarist Barney Kessel gave a speech there. He talked about improvised music, which is when musicians make up music on the spot. This was his last public appearance before he retired.

Singer Joe Lee Wilson also had his last public performance at the Hall of Fame. This happened when he was inducted in 2010.

A Look Back: History of the Hall of Fame

The Tulsa Union Depot was empty for many years before it became the Jazz Depot.

The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame was started in 1988. It was created by the Oklahoma Legislature. State Senators Maxine Horner and Penny Williams helped make this happen.

The Hall of Fame was one of several groups created to help rebuild the historic Greenwood district in North Tulsa. This area had been damaged a long time ago. The organization first started in the Greenwood Cultural Center. They also helped with a yearly event called "Juneteenth on Greenwood." This event celebrated Oklahoma's black music traditions.

Finding a New Home

In 2004, a project called Vision 2025 helped the Hall of Fame. Tulsa County gave $4 million to buy and fix up the Tulsa Union Depot. This building would become the new home for the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame.

The work on the building was finished in 2007. The building officially opened on June 19, 2007. It became the Jazz Depot we know today.

Recent Updates and Future Plans

In late 2020, there were some challenges for the Jazz Hall. But a new group stepped in to help. In 2021, a new non-profit group called The Jazz Foundation LLC took over. This group was started by a local businessman, James Moore.

The Jazz Foundation promised to invest a lot of money. They planned to spend $1 million on fixing up the building. They also set aside $1 million for daily operations.

By July 2022, renovations began on the building. The plan was to reopen in early 2023. The building would simply be called the Jazz Depot. The Jazz Foundation put $2 million into updating the second floor. This included the Grand Entrance Hall, the Exhibit Promenade, and the Performance Hall.

Future plans for the Jazz Hall include continuing to celebrate jazz and gospel artists. They also want to host music festivals and live TV events. There are even plans for a rooftop restaurant!

Who's in the Hall of Fame?

Here is a list of some of the amazing musicians and groups who have been inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame.

See also

• Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
• List of music museums