Peacock Alley (jazz club)

City Hospital #2 at 2945 Lawton Boulevard in 1920. The building was adjoined to Centenary Hospital, built in 1902; this building became the Midland Hotel that housed Peacock Alley.[1]

The Peacock Alley was a jazz club at 2935 Lawton Boulevard St. Louis, Missouri. It was one of St. Louis' most important nightclubs in the 1950s.[2][3] Due to its close proximity to Union Station, it was favored among musicians.[4]

History

The venue was located in the Mill Creek Valley neighborhood of St. Louis at 2935 Lawton Boulevard (the street no longer exists).[4] Some sources report that it was located in Gaslight Square, although this is incorrect.[5] It initially opened in the basement of the Hotel Midtown as the Glass Bar and Gold Room on November 3, 1944.[6][4]

In 1956, the Glass Bar was remodeled and renamed the Peacock Alley.[7] Peacock Alley was located inside the new Midland Hotel.[8] It was named after the Peacock Alley cocktail bar inside New York's Waldorf-Astoria.[9] The Billy Williams Quartet performed at the opening of the Peacock Alley on April 20, 1956.[10][11]

The Peacock Alley was operated by Al Fein.[12] DJ Spider Burks hosted a radio show at the venue for the jazz radio station KSTL.[4] Burks recorded trumpeter Miles Davis and his band during an engagement in February 1957, which was later released on the album Spider Burks and the Miles Davis Quintet at Peacock Alley (1997).[4][13]

The saxophonist Bob Graf recorded some tracks from his album The Bob Graf Sessions (1959) at Peacock Alley in 1958.[14]

The Peacock Alley continued to attract renowned jazz musicians well into 1959.[15][16] By the fall of 1959, the venue was open for private parties only before it was closed.[17] The building was demolished as the Mill Creek Valley neighborhood was razed for an urban renewal project.[4][18]

Notable performers

Notable musicians who performed at the Peacock Alley include:

• Miles Davis[19]
• John Coltrane[3]
• Arthur Prysock[20]
• Ike Turner[21]
• The Chet Baker Quartet[22]
• J.J. Johnson[23]
• Max Roach[15]
• Carmen McRae[23]
• Chico Hamilton[23]
• Art Blakey[23]
• Eddie Davis Trio[24]
• Shirley Scott[24]
• Cozy Cole[16]

References

1. "OLD MEDICAL COLLEGE, HOSPITAL WILL BE RAZED". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1960-11-18. p. 21.
2. Owsley, Dennis (2014-07-25). "The Jazz History Of St. Louis-Part 4: The 1950s". St. Louis Public Radio. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
3. Owsley, D.; Terry, C.; Sheldon Art Galleries (2006). City of Gabriels: The History of Jazz in St. Louis, 1895-1973. Reedy Press. p. 129. ISBN 978-1-933370-04-0. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
4. Olson, B.R. (2016). That St. Louis Thing, Vol. 2: An American Story of Roots, Rhythm and Race. Lulu Press, Incorporated. pp. 98, 356. ISBN 978-1-4834-5799-4. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
5. Tremeear, J. (2011). Wicked St. Louis. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-61423-343-5. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
6. "Grand Opening of The Glass Bar and Gold Room". The St. Louis Argus. November 3, 1944. p. 16.
7. Duncan, Steve (March 16, 1956). "Off With my head". The St. Louis Argus. p. 23.
8. "Peacock Alley In The New Midland Hotel Opening Fri. April 20 (Advertisement)". The St. Louis Argus. April 13, 1956. p. 11.
9. "Peacock Alley Opens Friday April 20th with 3 Shows Nightly (Advertisement)". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. April 15, 1956. p. 39.
10. "Billy Williams Quartet Will Open Peacock Alley". The St. Louis Argus. April 13, 1956. p. 23.
11. "Peacock Alley, Camilles' Room, Bar All Open Friday". The St. Louis Argus. April 20, 1956. p. 23.
12. "Jazz Rooms Still in Demand, Alley Welcomes Miles Davis". The St. Louis Argus. July 13, 1956. p. 23.
13. "New Local Recordings". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. April 10, 1997. p. 12.
14. "Jazz Records" (PDF). Down Beat: 26. April 2, 1959.
15. "Peacock Alley Presents In person Max Roach, His Drums * Quintet Playing Nitely Thru April 18 (Advertisement)". The St. Louis Argus. April 17, 1959. pp. 10B.
16. "Peacock Alley Presents In Person Cozy Cole Quintet featuring Lee Parker, May 28-June 6 (Advertisement)". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 29, 1959. pp. 7B.
17. "For Rent - Peacock Alley". The St. Louis Argus. October 30, 1959. pp. 7B.
18. Hemphill, Evie (March 1, 2018). "Remembering Mill Creek Valley, once home to 20,000 black St. Louisans". STLPR. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
19. "Peacock Alley Starting Friday, July 13 - Mile Davis and His Combo (Advertisement)". The St. Louis Argus. July 13, 1956. p. 23.
20. "Arthur Prysock Next at Alley". The St. Louis Argus. August 3, 1956. p. 23.
21. Lonesome, Buddy (November 30, 1956). "Strolling Along The Avenoo with Buddy Lonesome". The St. Louis Argus. p. 23.
22. LaFaro-Fernandez, Helene (2009). Jade Visions: The Life and Music of Scott LaFaro. University of North Texas Press. p. 60. ISBN 978-1-57441-273-4.
23. Owsley, Dennis C. (2019). St. Louis Jazz: A History. Arcadia Publishing. p. 71. ISBN 978-1-4671-4174-1.
24. "Eddie Davis Trio Featuring Shirley Scott Opening Tonight - Peacock Alley (Advertisement)". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 8, 1959. pp. 6E.

38°38′00″N 90°13′18″W