Keystone Korner: Difference between revisions
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| caption = Odean Pope in front of Keystone Korner, 1982 | | caption = Odean Pope in front of Keystone Korner, 1982 | ||
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| theme = Jazz bar / Night club | | theme = Jazz bar / Night club | ||
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Latest revision as of 20:00, 2 May 2025
| Keystone Korner | |
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| Theme: | Jazz bar / Night club |
| Established: | 1972 |
| Closed: | 1983 |
| Owners: | Todd Barkan |
| Seating capacity: | 200 |
| Address: | 750 Vallejo Street, San Francisco, California (map) |
The Keystone Korner was a jazz club in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood, California, that opened in 1970 and operated until 1983. Many live recordings were made at the club. During the 1970s, Jessica Williams served as the house pianist for several years.
History
In 1969, Freddie Herrera bought Dino and Carlo's Bar in the North Beach section of San Francisco. He changed the name to Keystone Korner, a reference to Keystone Cops, because of its proximity to the Central Police Station on the opposite corner of Emery Lane. Keystone Korner began as a topless bar but quickly changed direction when songwriter Nick Gravenites convinced Herrera that live music would attract more customers. The strength of the music scene in San Francisco allowed Herrera to book young musicians who would go on to have stellar careers. Patrons filled the club to hear new talents such as Saunders and Garcia, Elvin Bishop, Neal Schon, Boz Scaggs, and The Pointer Sisters. Herrera's success made it possible to move across the San Francisco Bay and open a larger venue called Keystone Berkeley. He then sold the Keystone Korner to Todd Barkan, who converted the nightclub from a popular rock venue to an internationally famous jazz club.
Barkan paid $12,500 (equivalent to $93,964 in 2024) for the Keystone Korner in 1972 and hired prominent jazz musicians to perform there. Early gigs by performers, including Sonny Rollins and Art Blakey, established the Keystone as one of the best jazz clubs in the nation—a reputation that continued to grow as musicians like Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, Betty Carter, and Stan Getz took the stage. Faced with economic challenges, Barkan was forced to close the Keystone Korner in 1983.
In 2019, Barkan and Michelin-starred chef Robert Wiedmaier re-launched the Keystone Korner in Baltimore's Harbor East. Bassist and bandleader Ron Carter and his trio, featuring guitarist Russell Malone and pianist Donald Vega, opened the club on April 30, 2019.
Live recordings
- Wikipedia article: Keystone Korner Live recordings
| North Beach, San Francisco |
|---|
The Anxious Asp ↗ ● Basin Street West ↗ ● The Beige Room ↗ ● Big l's ↗ ● Dino and Carlo's ↗ ● Finoccio's Club ● Hungry I ↗ ● Jazz workshop ↗ ● Keystone Korner ● Lusty Lady ● Mabuhay Gardens ↗ ● Miss Smith's Tea Room ↗ ● Mona's 440 Club ↗ ● Pagoda Palace ↗ ● Paper Doll Club ↗ ● The Purple Onion ↗ ● Rose Pistola ↗ ● Sugar Hill ↗ ● Tommy's Place ↗ ● Washington Square Bar and Grill ↗ |
External links
- Rochelle Metcalfe, Beyond Chron (December 14, 2011)
- Article by Sascha Feinstein on Keystone Korner: Portrait of a Jazz Club by Kathy Sloane (October 26, 2011)
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Keystone_Korner ]
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