Noal Cohen's Jazz History Website

Rochester Jazz Club & Concert Bookings - Major Artists - 1956

Date Venue Artist Comments
56/??/?? University of Rochester River Campus (probably upper Strong Auditorium) Kai Winding/J.J. Johnson Quintet Concert (produced by U of R students) with Dick Katz (p), Al Cotton (b), Al Harewood (d)
56/01/20-22 Ridge Crest Inn Randy Weston Trio & Cecil Payne Intermission with Sara Amiger (p), Al Bruno (b), Don Manning (d)
56/01/31-02/05 Ridge Crest Inn Dizzy Gillespie Band "Last appearance before European tour"
56/02/07 Auditorium Theater Count Basie & Birdland Stars of '56 Count Basie Orchestra, Sarah Vaughan, Al Hibbler, Johnny Smith, Joe Williams, Lester Young, Bud Powell, East/West Jazz Septet
56/02/08-12 Band Box Marian McPartland Trio with Joe Morello (d)
56/02/10-12 Ridge Crest Inn Wild Bill Moore Intermission with Bill Traikoff's band featuring Russ Musseri
56/02/17-19 Ridge Crest Inn Bull Moose Jackson Intermission with Bill Traikoff band
56/02/17-20 Band Box Terry Gibbs Quintet Featuring Terry Pollard (p)
56/02/18 Sheraton Hotel Ballroom Claude Thornhill Orchestra 14-pieces - Sponsored by the Friendship Club of Rochester
56/02/22-?? Terrace Gardens Tony Pastor Orchestra
56/02/24-26 Ridge Crest Inn Art Farmer with blues singer Joan Shaw
56/02/27-03/04 Band Box Buddy DeFranco/Pete Jolly Quartet
56/03/02-03 Ridge Crest Inn Crown Prince Charles Waterford Intermission with Bill Traikoff band
56/03/05-11 Band Box Johnny Smith Quartet & Beverly Kenney
56/03/08-11 Ridge Crest Inn Al Belletto Sextet
56/03/12-18 Ridge Crest Inn Modern Jazz Quartet
56/03/16 Auditorium Theater Will Moyle (WVET) Presents Louis Armstrong & the All Stars and Woody Herman & the Third Herd Featuring Trummy Young (tb), Velma Middleton (v), Victor Feldman (vib), Bill Harris (tb), Arno Marsh (ts), Dick Collins (t)
56/03/18-19 Town Casino Erroll Garner Trio, Kai Winding & J.J. Johnson
56/03/20-25 Band Box Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers with Donald Byrd (t), Hank Mobley (ts), Horace Silver (p), Doug Watkins (b)
56/03/26-04/01 Band Box Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet with Sonny Rollins (ts), Richie Powell (p), George Morrow (b)
56/03/31-04/01 Ridge Crest Inn Charlie Rouse
56/04/01-15 Cotton Club Milt Buckner
56/04/03-08 Ridge Crest Inn Miles Davis Quintet with John Coltrane (ts), Red Garland (p), Paul Chambers (b), Philly Joe Jones (d)
56/04/04-08 Band Box Teddy Wilson Trio with Gene Ramey (b), Jo Jones (d)
56/04/08 Golden Grill Duke Ellington Orchestra one night only
56/04/09-15 Band Box Hampton Hawes Trio with Red Mitchell (b), Chuck Thompson (d)
56/04/12-15 Town Casino Australian Jazz Quartet
56/04/20-22 Ridge Crest Inn Sonny Stitt Intermission with Bill Traikoff's band and Rosalie Michaels (v)
56/04/23-29 Band Box Mel Torme
56/04/24-29 Cotton Club Bull Moose Jackson
56/04/26 Auditorium Theater Record Star Parade of 1956 Ted Heath Orchestra [with Ronnie Verrell (d)], Nat King Cole, June Christy, Four Freshmen (Don Barbour, Russ Barbour, Bob Flanigan, Ken Albers)
56/05/01-06 Ridge Crest Inn Wild Bill Davis Trio
56/05/01-06 Cotton Club Jimmy Smith Organ Combo "Direct from Small's Paradise"
56/05/08-13 Cotton Club Roy Eldridge
56/05/14-20 Cotton Club Eddie Cleanhead Vinson
56/05/15 Ridge Crest Inn A scheduled appearance by the Oscar Peterson Trio was cancelled.
56/05/18-20 Ridge Crest Inn Tony Scott Quartet
56/05/29-06/03 Ridge Crest Inn Gene Krupa Trio
56/05/29-? Cotton Club Richard Otto/Sarah McLawler Also listed for 06/05 opening
56/06/13-? Cotton Club Eddie Cleanhead Vinson
56/06/18-24 Surf Club George Shearing Quintet
56/06/22,23 Jerry's El Rancho Beryl Booker "Direct from Birdland"; also appears several other weekends in June-August
56/06/22-24 Band Box Hampton Hawes Trio Initial ad indicates alternate sets with Billy Taylor Trio ("continuous music") but Taylor not listed in subsequent ads
56/06/25-30 Surf Club Teddi King
56/06/26-07/01 Ridge Crest Inn Bobby Hackett and 6 piece orchestra
56/06/30 Golden Grill Wild Bill Davison
56/07/7-9 Ridge Crest Inn Modern Jazz Quartet
56/07/27-29 Ridge Crest Inn Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop and Jimmy Rushing Plus Sara Amiger
56/08/2-5, 24-26 Ridge Crest Inn Al Belletto Sextet
56/08/14-19 Ridge Crest Inn Neal Hefti Quintet and Frances Wayne "Exclusively on Epic Records"; "Former Woody Herman Vocalist"
56/08/31-09/01 Golden Grill Bobby Hackett Plus the Dixieland Ramblers
56/09/01-02 Ridge Crest Inn Al Belletto Sextet
56/09/04-09 Ridge Crest Inn Charlie Ventura All Star Quintet with Billy Bean (g), Dave McKenna (p), Richard Davis (b), Mousie Alexander (d); "Direct from Birdland"
56/09/08 Jerry's El Rancho Beryl Booker
56/09/18-23 Ridge Crest Inn Teddy Wilson Trio with Al Lucas (b), either Jo Jones or Bobby Donaldson (d)
56/10/09-13 Ridge Crest Inn Kai Winding Four Trombones
56/10/17-21 Ridge Crest Inn Gene Krupa Trio with Eddie Shu
56/10/23-28 Ridge Crest Inn Carmen McRae & Trio
56/10/?? Cotton Club Roland Kirk Trio "A Great New Gimmick"
56/10/31 Town Casino Sylvia Syms
56/11/02-03 Ridge Crest Inn Beryl Booker Plus Sara Amiger trio
56/11/06-11 Ridge Crest Inn Erroll Garner Trio Plus Beryl Booker & Al Bruno
56/11/14-17 Ridge Crest Inn Al Belletto Sextet Plus Beryl Booker & Slam Stewart
56/11/20-25 Ridge Crest Inn Eddie Heywood Trio Plus Beryl Booker & Slam Stewart
56/11/27-30 Ridge Crest Inn Beryl Booker & Slam Stewart
56/12/04-09 Ridge Crest Inn J.J. Johnson Quintet Featuring Bobby Jaspar; Plus Beryl Booker & Slam Stewart
56/12/13-14 Ridge Crest Inn Beryl Booker & Slam Stewart
56/12/21-23 Ridge Crest Inn Joya Sherrill Plus Beryl Booker, Slam Stewart, Don Manning
56/12/26-31 Ridge Crest Inn Frances Wayne & Neal Hefti Plus Beryl Booker, Slam Stewart, Don Manning
56/12/28-29 Band Box Doug Duke

Note: This list is not comprehensive. Many clubs did not advertise their bookings. The information is taken from microfilm of the Rochester Times-Union stored at the main library in Rochester, NY.

Venue Locations:
Auditorium Theater - 875 Main St. E.
Band Box - 420 State St.
Cotton Club - 222 Joseph Ave.
Golden Grill = Mardi Gras - 4775 Lake Ave.
Jerry's El Rancho - 3015 W. Henrietta Rd.
Ridge Crest Inn - 1982 Ridge Rd. E.
Surf Club - 752 Edgemere Dr.
Terrace Gardens - 1151 Ridgeway Ave.
Town Casino - 681 Main St, Buffalo, NY