Uploaded November 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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In March 1946, an important moment in jazz history took place when Miles Davis and Charlie Parker, two all-time jazz greats, performed together at the Finale Club in Bronzeville/Little Tokyo. During World War II, forced removal of Japanese Americans into concentration camps left Little Tokyo largely empty. African Americans coming West for defense jobs moved into Little Tokyo—one of the only neighborhoods without restricting housing covenants. Bronzeville was born.

Dozens of all night “Breakfast Clubs” sprang up in Bronzeville, patronized by jazz musicians and aficionados eager to continue listening to and making music after hours. One of these was the Finale Club which opened in the fall of 1944 at 230 ½ E. First Street, Los Angeles. This year, the Little Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS) unveiled the historic LA City plaque for the Finale Club on First Street to memorialize the extraordinary and rare performance of jazz greats Charlie Parker and Miles Davis at the Finale Club and to honor the continued relationship between the Black and Japanese American communities.

On October 11, 2020, Little Tokyo Historical Society and JANM explored the rich artistic and musical history of Little Tokyo during the Bronzeville Era in a celebration of live music, Bronzeville scholars, photos, and videos. Performers and speakers included the Ron Kobayashi band and historians Hillary Jenks and Kirk Silsbee, along with brief remarks by Miles Davis’ son, Erin Davis.

0:00 Start of Program
05:27 "The Finale Club" sign unveiling by Steve Nagano
07:30 "Bebop Dad” by the Ron Kobayashi Band featuring Ron Kobayashi on piano
12:35 Bronzeville/Little Tokyo historian Dr. Hillary Jenks
30:06 "Stay at Home Blues" by the Ron Kobayashi Band featuring Joshua Childress on sax
34:43 Jazz historian Kirk Silsbee
50:20 Artist Chiho Harazaki
51:34 Robert Shoji interview with Miles Davis’ son Erin Davis
57:20 "Person to Person” by the Ron Kobayashi Band featuring Nolan Shaheed on trumpet
01:04:29 Bronzeville/Little Tokyo historian Dr. Hillary Jenks and jazz historian Kirk Silsbee
01:16:45 “Progressivity” by the Ron Kobayashi Band
01:25:42 Q&A with Alimi Ballard, Hillary Jenks, Kirk Silsbee, and Robert Shoji

This program was presented in partnership with Little Tokyo Historical Society.

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Japanese American National Museum
100 N. Central Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
janm.org