Florida's Jazz Legacy
Central Avenue in Tampa - pictured: Joyner's Cotton Club (a jazz venue staple during segregation) - c. 1950s
Courtesy of University of South Florida Special Collections
Florida plays an important role in the history of jazz, serving as a key state on the tours of artists such as Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Buster Cooper, and Dizzy Gillespie. Tampa’s Central Avenue was a notable musical hub, and the city was known as the "Harlem of the South."
During segregation, Tampa’s Chitlin Circuit, which included venues like Joyner’s Cotton Club, provided a place for Black musicians to perform and stay. These venues were essential in creating opportunities for Black artists during a time of limited access to mainstream stages.
About WUSF and Jazz
WUSF, a pillar for jazz in the Tampa Bay community for 53 years, continues to support and celebrate the talented Florida jazz musicians who are keeping the legacy of jazz alive in our communities by providing a digital jazz platform dedicated to advertising and amplifying diverse musicians and venues that support all genres of jazz music.
Offering a comprehensive local events calendar, staff-curated Spotify playlists, video performances and interviews, and on-site assistance at jazz events, Jazz at WUSF through Arts Axis Florida aims to enhance local accessibility to jazz and is dedicated to engaging younger audiences through online platforms.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
with help from
Ways You Can Help
Your contribution helps preserve Florida's rich, cultural jazz history and provides support for our current and up-and-coming talented jazz musicians who are continuing the legacy of jazz in Florida.
Donate
The challenging times we live in have greatly impacted the arts community throughout the world. Jazz on Arts Axis Florida was born out of WUSF's mission to provide meaningful and relevant content that enhances our community’s quality of life. We are here to amplify the voices, performances and culture that our arts community delivers every day.
Your donation goes toward producing the
Studio Sessions video and podcast series, creating community events that celebrate Florida's jazz history, and providing social media marketing support for local artists.
If you are able and willing, please donate today. A donation of any amount will help support this incredible jazz community partnership.
Sponsor
Jazz at WUSF is seeking corporate and community sponsorships to continue providing free jazz videos to musicians as a resource, supporting the jazz community with our robust events calendar and social media exposure, and creating brand new projects with opportunity to collaborate with your organization.
For more information on sponsorships, please contact Warren Buchholz at wbuchholz@wusf.org.
Collaborate
Jazz at WUSF is seeking collaborations and partnerships with venues, brands, and musicians. While we primarily partner with nonprofit organizations, we are open to working with for-profit entities. If you would like to collaborate, please email Warren Buchholz at wbuchholz@wusf.org.
Advertise
Word of Mouth goes a long way and is one of the best ways to help us (but if you're able to, please donate). Tell your friends, your family, hairdresser, coworkers
(except Dan, you know why), the grandparents, that one cousin you've only talked to twice, your D&D group, high school reunion classmates, the babysitter, Barb from bookclub, and even the in-laws about our jazz platform. There's so many talented musicians throughout Florida, and they all deserve to be celebrated. Help us celebrate them and spread the joy of jazz!
No matter how you help, please know that we appreciate your ongoing support of making Florida jazz more accessible to all. Thank you.
