Duke Ellington. Bo Diddley. Shirley Horn. These are just a few names that prove Washington, DC's indisputable tie to jazz and blues. All called the District home once upon a time and filled the myriad lounges and clubs which lined U Street with sultry riffs and spirited rhythms.
A few Fridays ago, I was transported back to a bygone era at HR-57 Center for the Preservation of Jazz and Blues, a musical cultural center located a few blocks south of the U Street Metro. The institution takes its name from a 1987 House Resolution which designated jazz as a "a rare and valuable national American treasure."
An evening at HR-57 is most certainly an entertaining one. The place boasts an impressive line up of talented musicians who provide a steady stream of performances. Prices vary depending on the artist, but my $15 at the door bought me an excellent night's worth of jazz. Jam sessions also take place every Wednesday and Thursday night from 8:30 pm to 12:00 pm for a mere $8.
Though HR-57 offers a fully stocked bar, most patrons take advantage of its BYOB policy. Mercifully, the corkage fee is a pittance; only $3 per person.
Despite a rather official and institutional sounding name, the ambiance at HR-57 is all lounge. Low lighting, throwback artwork and exposed brick walls make for a rich, warm atmosphere one might associate with the jazz clubs of the last century.
HR-57 is one of several music venues which many believe herald the return of U Street's glory days. Its arrival in 1993 is part of a larger movement to reinvigorate the neighborhood with trendy new restaurants, shops and recreation centers which are already enticing DC's young and hip.
The U Street area was once the epicenter of the DC music scene, but social turmoil following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 and the rise of the drug trade in the mid 1960s led to the neighborhood's rapid decline. With it went the area's vibrant music scene.
However, recent renovation and gentrification efforts have breathed new life into the once great U Street. Those critics who write Washington off as a transient city void of any original character should head down there before making any rash judgments. The area is fast remembering its roots, becoming once again a cultural hot spot for those of a musical disposition.
HR-57 Center for the Preservation of Jazz and Blues
1610 14th St NW
Washington, DC 20009-4307
(202) 667-3700
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