Clef Club

Union Headquarters

The Clef Club was originally located at 912 S. Broad before it moved to its current location. It was the social arm of the Black Musicians' union Local No. 274. The American Federation of Musicians, the national musicians' union was a segregated union that existed on the local level as well. In response, in 1935, Philadelphia's Black musicians formed their own union. More than 700 musicians joined Local 274 over the years.

In 1966, Local 274 members created the Clef Club and expanded its mission in the late 1970s to include jazz performance, instruction and preservation of the city's jazz history. Now known as the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts, it houses classrooms, a performance space, recording studios, and administrative offices.

The legacy of this institution endures through its dedication to preserving the history of jazz through education. Philadelphia's jazz history tells us more than just about the music genre but how jazz served and continues to serve as a vehicle for social change.

Detail from Saxophonist John Coltrane's contract with Peps Lounge, for an engagement from March 21 to 26, 1966. According to the contract, Coltrane is to play nightly from 9:00 PM to 3:00 AM, with matinee performances Monday and Saturday from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. His compensation for the engagement is $2,750.

Contract with Pep

Citations

History- the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts." 2023. December 16, 2023. https://clefclubofjazz.org/about/history.

"Riffing on Philly Jazz History | Historical Society of Pennsylvania." n.d. Hsp.org. Accessed April 20, 2024. https://hsp.org/blogs/archival-adventures-in-small-repositories/riffing-on-philly-jazz-history.

"The Social Stigma of the ‘Musician’ Class – Jazz Philadelphia." n.d. Jazzphiladelphia.org. Accessed April 20, 2024. https://jazzphiladelphia.org/the-social-stigma-of-the-musician-class/.