The Crawford Grill Jazz Club was one of Pittsburgh's premiere jazz clubs in the 1950s and 1960s-a place where local heroes rubbed elbows with nationally renowned artists and audiences experienced world class music in an intimate neighborhood setting. The Crawford Grill is an important part of the region's vibrant musical and social history, which contributed greatly to the development of jazz and American music. It was also an important institution in the African American community of Pittsburgh's Hill District neighborhood.
Crawford Grill Introduction
A group of local investors aim to reopen The Crawford Grill to pay tribute to its vibrant history as well as to provide a place for musicians and audiences to continue celebrating jazz and American music in Pittsburgh.
Geri Allen -
Director of Jazz Studies University of Pittsburgh
We graciously thank Geri Allen,Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, for sharing her memories of the Crawford Grill. This interview is part of an ongoing oral history project, which focuses on reviving memories and sharing experiences of the Crawford Grill.