City of Gabriels Jazz Exhibit

The St. Louis Public Library and The Sheldon Art Galleries present City of Gabriels: The History of Jazz in St. Louis, 1895-1973. The exhibit is in Central Library’s Culver Gallery, 1301 Olive Street and runs August 5-September 30, 2008. Gallery Hours are Mondays: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Tuesdays-Fridays: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Saturdays: 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

The rich history of jazz in St. Louis and its impact on the national scene are illuminated through the exhibition City of Gabriels: A History of Jazz in St. Louis 1895-1973. Archival photographs, posters, and period advertisements, tell the story of the individuals, places, and conditions that helped to shape the development of jazz in the St. Louis area. A companion book by Dennis Owsley with a foreword by Clark Terry will also be on display.

City of Gabriels tells of the politics and rise of jazz in the 1920s-30s and during the War years. It explores the development of Miles Davis’s international career; the jazz scene on the DeBaliviere Strip and in East St. Louis in the 1950s; Gaslight Square in the 1960s as well as the legacy of traditional jazz and the innovations of the Black Artists’ Group in the 1970s.

The exhibition and companion book are made possible by a generous grant from an anonymous donor.

Financial Assistance for this project has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. Support is provided by the Regional Arts Commission, and the Arts and Education Council.

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8/01/2008