Jazz Centre UK celebrates history of the 100 Club

With lockdown measures easing and museums set to be allowed to reopen from 17 May, the volunteer-led charity, The Jazz Centre UK (TJCUK), is preparing to launch an extensive new exhibition at its jazz cultural centre in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, telling the story of the much-cherished live venue, the 100 Club in London’s Oxford Street. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and highlighting the significant jazz heritage of grassroots music venues, new TJCUK CEO Mark Kass and his team have brought together a two-year project that showcases jazz music, dance, and fashion, as well as an audio-visual history of jazz throughout the club’s 78-year history.

Commenting on the content of the exhibition, Kass said: “Famed for its punk, blues. mod and indie music gigs in the 1970s and 80s, the 100 Club was a bastion for jazz in all its forms since its inception as the Feldman Jazz Club in 1942… and as a jazz-themed heritage project, we felt The Jazz Centre UK has a great through-the-ages story to tell jazz fans around the world through this iconic historic grassroots venue.”

In addition to the exhibition, Jazz Centre founder and trumpeter Digby Fairweather has written and edited Ace of Clubs, (with jazz and blues pianist and JCUK Patron, Jools Holland penning a forward), a specially-written book of “fireside chat anecdotes and memories of jazz played at the 100 Club seen through his own and fellow jazz performers eyes and ears”.

For more info on opening times visit www.thejazzcentreuk.co.uk