The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization that honors jazz, blues and gospel musicians in the state of Oklahoma. Housed in the former Tulsa Union Depot, which it now calls the Jazz Depot, the Hall of Fame is a music venue that hosts regular jazz performances. It is also a museum, displaying photographs, biographical information, artifacts, and memorabilia from musicians such as Chet Baker, Earl Bostic, Don Cherry, Charlie Christian, Tommy Crook, Pat Kelley, Barney Kessel and Jimmy Rushing.Danilov, Victor J. ‘’Hall of Fame Museums: A Reference Guide.’’ Greenwood, 1997, p.180
Overview The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame holds an annual induction ceremony to recognize the meaningful contributions of individuals and groups in jazz, blues, and gospel music. The Hall of Fame originally inducted its members every June,Johnson, Hannibal B. ‘’Black Wall Street: From Riot to Renaissance in Tulsa’s Historic Greenwood District.’’ Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum, 1998, p.130 but the annual induction is now held in November. To date, the Hall of Fame has inducted more than 100 musicians and groups. Music instructor Zelia N. Breaux was the first inductee into the Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame also established the Jay McShann Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999 to honor musicians who enriched Oklahoma's music during their lifetimes. Recipients of this award include Jay McShann, John Hendricks, Lou Donaldson, Dave Brubeck, Marilyn Maye, Ramsey Lewis, Nat King Cole, George Duke, Billy Taylor, Eddie Palmieri, Bob Wills, and Lalo Schifrin.
In 1991, guitarist Barney Kessel made a speech about improvised music at the Hall of Fame; this was his last recorded public appearance before a stroke forced him to retire in May 1992.Yanow, Scott. ‘’Jazz On Film: The Complete Story of the Musicians and Music Onscreen.’’ Backbeat, 2004, p.22 Singer Joe Lee Wilson also made his last public performance at his 2010 induction into the Hall of Fame.
History
The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame was established by the Oklahoma Legislature in 1988, with legislation authored by State Senators Maxine Horner and Penny Williams. The Hall of Fame was one of several organizations created in the North Tulsa “renaissance” dedicated to reconstructing the city's historic Greenwood district after the Tulsa race massacre. The organization was originally housed in the Greenwood Cultural Center, and co-sponsored a yearly celebration of Oklahoman black music tradition called “Juneteenth on Greenwood.”State Arts Council of Oklahoma. ‘’Juneteenth on Greenwood: A Celebration of Oklahoma’s Black Music Traditions.’’ State Arts Council of Oklahoma, 1989, p.2
In 2004, Tulsa County’s Vision 2025 project allocated $4 million to purchase and renovate the Tulsa Union Depot for use by the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. Work on the building was completed and the building officially opened on June 19, 2007.
In November, 2020, The Tulsa County Industrial Authority (TCIA) filed a lawsuit to terminate the building lease with the Jazz Hall and to recover $8,474 in past-due taxes and utilities. The suit alleged that the Jazz Hall was so far behind in its utility payments that electricity to the building was turned off on October 19th. In January 2021 the Jazz Hall declared bankruptcy. On June 10, 2021, the bankruptcy court approved a $200,000 sale of the Jazz Hall, along with transfer of the lease of the Depot, to a new non-profit entity, The Jazz Foundation LLC, being a firm established by local businessman James Moore. The bid included a pledge of $1 million for deferred maintenance and other improvements, along with $1 million available for operating expenses and to satisfy future obligations under the lease with TCIA. Stated future Jazz Hall plans call for continued celebration of jazz and gospel artists in Oklahoma, expanding to host music festivals and live TV events, and creating a rooftop restaurant.
By July 2022, renovations had begun on the facility, with an expected reopening in early 2023 under branding as simply the Jazz Depot. The Jazz Foundation funded $2 million in renovation updates for the second-floor Grand Entrance Hall, Exhibit Promenade and Performance Hall. Renovations were continuing in July 2026, and no time frame for reopening had been determined.
List of inductees
Name Instrument Year inducted Marvin Ash Strings 2013 Andrea Baker Vocal, Education 2005 Chet Baker Trumpet, Vocal 1991 Helen Baylor Vocal 2000 Samuel Aaron Bell Bass 1992 Wayne Bennett Guitar, Vocal 2001 Joseph Bias Vocal 2006 Elvin Bishop Guitar, Vocal 1998 Earl Bostic Saxophone 1993 Zelia N. Breaux Education 1989 David Amram F Horn 2011 Ruth Brown Vocal 1992 Albert Brumley Vocal 2013 Glenn Burleigh Piano 2001 Charles Burton Guitar, Vocal Barbara Burton Vocal Don Byas Saxophone 1997 J.J. Cale Guitar 2013 Debbie Campbell Vocal 2006 Don Cherry Trumpet 2011 Charlie Christian Guitar 1989 Willie Earl Clark Saxophone, Education 2002 Tommy Crook Guitar 2004 Pam Van Dyke Crosby Vocal 2008 Joey Crutcher Piano 1991 Jesse Ed Davis Guitar 2002 Elmer L. Davis Vocal 1993 Rae Degeer Clarinet, Alto Saxophone 2014 Al Dennie Education 1990 George Dennie Pianist 2012 Ernestine Dillard Vocal 1998 Clarence Dixon Thomas A. Dorsey Piano 1994 Ken Downing Saxophone 1999 Duke Ellington Piano 1992 Dorothy Ellis Vocal 2011 Ralph Ellison Musician 2014 George Faison Dance 1998 Ernie Fields Jr. Saxophone 1996 Ernie Fields Sr. Trombone 1989 Fisk Jubilee Singers Vocal 2012 Ella Fitzgerald Vocal 1997 Artt Frank Drums 2010 Lowell Fulson Guitar, Vocal 1989 Chuck Gardner Piano 2013 Dizzy Gillespie Trumpet 1993 Earl Grant Piano, Vocal 2013 Sonny Gray Piano, Education 2001 Wardell Gray Tenor Saxophone 2014 Jimmy Hawkins Vocal 2004 John David Henry Guitar 2001 Conrad Herwig Trombone 2007 Billy Hunt Trumpet 1996 Mahalia Jackson Vocal 1995 Pat Kelley Guitar 2003 Barney Kessel Guitar 1991 Kenneth Kilgore Vocal 1992 Joe Liggins Piano Jimmy Liggins Guitar 1993 Clarence Love Saxophone 1990 Madeline Manning-Mims Vocal 2005 Frank Mantooth Piano 2004 Junior Markham Harmonica 2006 Tony Mathews Guitar 1997 Bill Maxwell Drums 2008 Cecil McBee Bass 1991 Matthew McClarty Vocal 1997 Howard McGhee Trumpet 2003 Robbie Mack McLerran Bass 2014 Jay McShann Piano 1989 Roy Milton Vocal, Drums 1991 D.C. Minner Guitar, Vocal 1999 Leona Mitchell Vocal 2007 Melvin Moore Trumpet 1996 Patricia Moore Piano 1999 Ace Moreland Jr. Guitar, Harmonica, Vocal 2007 Sunny Murray Drums 2012 Jimmy Nolen Guitar 1996 Carlton Pearson Vocal 2002 Jim Pepper Saxophone 2011 Oscar Pettiford Bass, Cello 1995 Sara Jordan Powell Vocal 2003 Cortes Rex Vocal 2014 Johnny Rogers Guitar 1995 Annie Ross Vocal 2014 Ray D. Rowe Vocal 2008 Marshal Royal Saxophone 1995 Washington Rucker Drums 1998 James Rushing Vocal, Piano 1990 Pee Wee Russell Clarinet 2011 Donald Ryan Piano, Education 2006 Jessie Mae Renfro Sapp Vocal 1989 Rudy Scott Piano, Harmonica 2011 Lynn Seaton Bass, Education 2006 Shadow Lake Eight Band 2013 Lee Shaw Piano 1993 Leslie Sheffield Piano 2003 Hal Singer Saxophone 1996 C.C. Skinner Vocal 1990 David Skinner Guitar 2005 Maurice Spears Trombone, Education 2004 Louie Spears Bass, Education Kay Starr Vocal 2000 Ted Taylor Flash Terry Guitar, Vocal 1994 Oklahoma City Blue Devils Big Band 1990 Walter "Foots" Thomas Saxophone 1996 Wayman Tisdale Bass 2009 Glenn R. Townsend Guitar 2004 David T. Walker Guitar 1999 Hart A. Wand Fiddle 2012 Maxine Weldon Vocal 1999 Lee Wiley Vocal 2000 Floyd Wiley Organ 1994 Stephen Wiley Drums 2009 Steve Wilkerson Saxophone, Education 2005 Claude Williams Violin 1989 Wallis Willis Vocal 2010 Joe Lee Wilson Terry Woodson Trombone, Education Joe William Wright Drums 2012
See also Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame List of music museums
References
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