Apollo Theatre

Jose 1 Janelle Jose Professor Pappas AAS 254 16 April 2008 Our Theater The Hey Dey of the Apollo Theatre Apollo was the classic God of music, Poetry and the arts. His temple was at Delphi and was cognize to be a side of purification. There is a temple of a different that bears the name of the Greek god and its at 253 West 125th Street Harlem in New York City. The Apollo Theater would become as famous as the temple at Delphi. The Apollo Theaters home was in Harlem. Harlem is know worldwide as a major African-American cultural and business neighborhood.It wasnt always the Harlem we know now. Harlem didnt become an African American neighborhood until the Great Migration. During the first decade of the 20th century, Growing unemployment and increasing racial force-out encouraged dims to leave the South. The way they came up north was by working for northern manufacturers who had recruited the southern swart workers to fill factory jobs. So from 1910 to 1930 between 1. 5 million and 2 million African Americans left wing the South for the industrial cities of the North.By 1930 more(prenominal) than 200,000 fatals had moved to New York. As black communities in Northern cities grew, black working people became the patrons for an expanding black professional and business class, gaining in political and economic power. As more and more educated and socially conscious blacks settled in New Yorks neighborhood of Harlem, it substantial into the political and cultural center of black America. During the 1910s a Jose 2 new political agenda advocating racial equality arose in the African American corporation, particularly in its growing snapper class.A black middle class had developed by the turn of the century, fostered by increased education and employment opportunities. There was something acclivitous in the midst of social and intellectual up rise in the African American community in the early 20th century. Harlem renascence was the name of the African Americ an cultural movement of the mid-twenties and early 1930s that was centered in the Harlem. The Apollo Theater has been the most lasting legacy of the Harlem Renaissance. The Apollo grew to prominence during the Harlem Renaissance of the pre-World War II geezerhood.By the time the Apollo had open its doors the Harlem Renaissance was coming to a close. The Apollo Theater that we know today didnt start out that way. It began as a all white music hall and prank theatre. It gained fame a Hurtig and Seamons Burlesque in the twenties and early thirties. The 125th street Apollo Theater didnt open until January 1934. This is when they started showcasing black entertainment. The Apollo theatre was originally owned by Sidney Cohen. After Sydney S. Cohens death, Morris Sussman and Frank Schiffman got together.Schiffman ran the Harlem Opera stand and a merger between the two theaters was formed. Schiffman is credited with guiding the Apollo Theater to greatness. Schiffmans motivation for feat uring black endowment fund and entertainment was not only because the neighborhood had become black oer a two c year period of gradual migration, but because black entertainers were cheaper to hire, and Schiffman could offer quality shows for reasonable rates. For many years Apollo was the only theater in New York City to hire black talent. Jose 3With black performers as the main(prenominal) entertainment in the Apollo came an important facet of American life that has been dominated by blacks. That is shaft. In jazz the black man stands supreme. The products of his creative energies are sought after by musicians and listeners of every background. Jazz didnt start in the Apollo theatre. It didnt start in Harlem either. The roots of jazz lie sound in the history of New Orleans, Kansas City, Chicago, and New York. The true ancestral roots are buried even deep in the music traditions of West Africa and Latin countries.But the Apollo was one of the places that provided a home and a receptive atmosphere in which jazz practitioners felt at ease, where their art could thrive and flourish. Although jazz was a true American genre of music it was formerly held in relatively low class by certain intellectual. some(prenominal) believe the reason for the low appraisal of jazz value was made because most of the jazz practitioners were black and the critics were white. Although the Apollo Theater was essentially a black theater, the main interest was always in quality quite an than color.Even though jazz was predominantly the creation of black musicians, the amount of interracial jazz was relatively subtile thought the history of early jazz. It wasnt because of discrimination from the performers but rather the performers were keeping up with the humour of the times. Many white musicians were accepted with respect and affection by Apollo audience. The first show was called Jazz a la Carte. All the proceeds of this show were donated to the Harlem Childrens Fresh Air F und. Since then the Apollo Theater is known for starting careers of many music pioneers. In 1934, it introduced its regular Amateur Night shows.Billing itself as a place where stars are born and legends are made, the Apollo became famous for launching the careers of artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Diana Ross The Supremes, Gladys Knight The Pips, The capital of Mississippi 5, Patti LaBelle, Marvin Gaye, Luther Jose 4 Vandross, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Ben E. King, Mariah Carey, The Isley Brothers, Lauryn Hill, and Sarah Vaughan. The Apollo also featured the performances of old-time vaudeville favorites like Tim Moore, Stepin Fetchit, Godfrey Cambridge, Dewey Pigmeat Markham, Moms Mabley, Marshall Garbage Rogers, and Johnny Lee.The Apollo didnt only make careers but they also had big name artist. By the mid-thirties, the era of the big bar was in full swing. Of all the personalities we ever vie at the Apollo, none were as vibrant as Fats Walle r. There was never any question nearly Fats playing the Apollo. It was a semi-annual engagement, which he never missed. The Luis Russell knell was a skirt that was put together to showcase the talent of Louis Armstrong. They play a 1937 engagement at the Apollo without Louis, who had left the band by then.They band did include clarinetist Barney Bigard, who later starred with Ellington Big Sid Catlett, who also played with Hines, on drums and trumpeter Henry Red Allen. Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong are probably two of the most important men in the history of jazz. Louis Armstrong played with them all because they all wanted to play with the master. In 1949, Louis band in an Apollo show included such legendary figures as trombonist and vocalist Jack Teagarden, drummer versed Cole, clarinetist Barney Bigard, pianist Earl Hines, and bassist Arvel Shaw.A jazz lover could only be at awe at this office up. Louis influences everyone, even the singers. Billie Holiday once spoke a bout how she wanted to sing exactly as Louis played his horn. The fun-loving genius had vocal trick of finishing his songs with Oh Yeah. In 1939 Duke Ellington played the Apollo. He had played there and at the Harlem Opera House and the Lafayette and, of course, was legendary figure at the old Cotton Club. He played the Apollo again, again, and again. He was one of the Jose 5 giants and one of the transcending figures in jazz history.You cant talk about Duke Ellington musical genius without talking about the incredible number of compositions that he penned. Probably in the solely history of music no one has composed more songs the Ellington. There is said to be over two thousand songs. Women were also very popular in the Apollo Theater. Most of the women were singers, the major exceptions being pianists bloody shame Lou Williams and Hazel Scott. They were the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. Another talented jazzwoman was Blanche Calloway, sister of Cab Calloway.Although she f requently copied Cabs personal manner as a leader, she was a serious musician. Later Blanche ran a club in Washington and brought us Ruth Brown, who became a major Apollo attraction. In addition to introducing a vast number of rising stars, the Apollo speedily became a vital stop for any black entertainer, and virtually every major African American musical act performed there at least once as did several white acts, who very much were booked because they were assumed to be black. The management maintained a policy of alternating live show shows with B movies.The Apollo was the pinnacle of the classic circuit of venues including the Regal Theater in Chicago and the Howard Theater in Washington, D. C. that catered to African American audiences. As a show of respect for its legacy, the building was left untouched during the riots of the 1960s. In 1977 the shows were discontinued, and the theatre was operated as a movie theatre. A year later the building was closed. Purchased by inv estors in 1981, the Apollo received landmark status in 1983, was renovated, and was reopened to the public in 1985.