Storyville (nightclub) facts for kids

For a long time, Storyville was on the ground floor of the Hotel Buckminster in Kenmore Square. Today, a Pizzeria Uno restaurant is there.

Storyville was a famous jazz club in Boston. It was started in the 1940s by George Wein, who was from Boston. He was a jazz promoter and producer.

What Was Storyville?

Storyville was a special place where people could listen to live jazz music. It was named after the historic Storyville district in New Orleans, which was also known for its music.

Where Was Storyville Located?

Storyville moved around Boston quite a bit!

• First Home: It first opened in the 1940s at the Copley Square Hotel.
• Harvard Square: Soon after, it moved to Harvard Square.
• Hotel Buckminster: In 1950, Storyville found a new home on the ground floor of the Boston Hotel Buckminster in Kenmore Square. This was a very important location for the club.
• Back to Copley Square: In 1953, Storyville moved back to the Copley Square Hotel.
• Bradford Hotel: For about a year in 1959, it was located at the Bradford Hotel on Tremont Street.

Radio and TV at Hotel Buckminster

The Boston Hotel Buckminster was a busy place!

• In 1929, the radio station WNAC Radio moved its studios into the hotel.
• An FM radio station was added in the late 1930s.
• In June 1948, WNAC-TV (a television station) also started broadcasting from the hotel.
• For many years, until 1968, WNAC ran its AM, FM, and TV stations from the hotel's basement.

This meant that many of the live jazz performances from Storyville were broadcast on the radio!

What People Said About Storyville

Nat Hentoff, a radio announcer for WMEX in 1953, described listening to jazz at Storyville as "like sitting at home with a pair of earphones." This shows how clear and close the music sounded there.

Famous Musicians at Storyville

Many legendary jazz musicians played at Storyville. Some of their live performances were even recorded or broadcast on the radio!

Who Performed at Storyville?

Here are some of the amazing artists who played at Storyville:

• Louis Armstrong
• Duke Ellington
• Erroll Garner
• William "Red" Garland
• Jazz Messengers
• Pee Wee Russell
• Al Vega Trio

Who Made Recordings at Storyville?

Many famous jazz artists recorded live radio broadcasts from Storyville, especially when it was at the Hotel Buckminster. You can still find some of these recordings today!

• Dave Brubeck
• John Coltrane
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Stan Getz
• Billie Holiday
• Charles Mingus
• Gerry Mulligan Quartet
• Charlie Parker
• Sarah Vaughan

Storyville in Later Years

• In the 1970s, Storyville was located near other popular spots in Kenmore Square, close to the famous Citgo sign.
• In 1983 and 1984, at a different location (645 Beacon Street), Storyville hosted rock and alternative bands like the Del Fuegos, Bush Tetras, Til Tuesday, Barrence Whitfield & the Savages, and the Violent Femmes.

Storyville Today

• The original spot at the Hotel Buckminster in Kenmore Square is now a Pizzeria Uno restaurant.
• In September 2011, a new nightclub opened at the Copley Square Hotel (90 Exeter Street) and also used the name Storyville.

See also

• George Wein
• Storyville Records (George Wein's)