Club DeLisa

The Club DeLisa,^[1] also written Delisa or De Lisa, at State Street and Garfield Avenue, on the South Side, was an important nightclub and music venue in Chicago.

While possibly not the most prestigious venue in the city,^[2] together with the Regal Theater and the Rhumboogie Café, the 1000-seat^[2] Club DeLisa played a key role in the city's association with jazz, blues, rhythm and blues and soul music. It closed in 1958,^[3] but was re-opened as The Club in 1966.^[4][5]

Club DeLisa

The Club DeLisa was owned by the four DeLisa brothers. It opened in 1934. In 1941, the original building burned down but was soon replaced with the New Club DeLisa. Nightly entertainment at the club was in a variety-show format. The show featured singers, comedians, dancers, and the DeLisa chorines, accompanied by a house band that ranged in size from 7 to 12 pieces, depending on the club's revenues. Another less heralded source of revenue was gambling, in the club's basement. During its heyday in the 1930s and 40s, the club would remain open 24 hours a day, offering round-the-clock entertainment with musicians, dancers and vaudeville acts.

Among the musicians and performers associated with the venue over the years were Red Saunders, whose band was in residence from 1937–45 and 1947–58,^[6] Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie, Sun Ra, Johnny Pate, Joe Williams, LaVaughn Robinson, George Kirby, Sonny Cohn, Earl Washington, Leon Washington,^[7] Albert Ammons,^[8] LaVern Baker,^[2] and Reverend Gatemouth Moore (1946–1947 and 1948–1949).^[9]

The Club DeLisa closed its doors in February 1958, after the deaths of two of the DeLisa brothers. The closing was commemorated in Jet magazine.

House bands

• Red Saunders: 1937–45 and 1947–58
• Jesse Miller: June 1945–February 1946^[10]
• Fletcher Henderson: February 1946

The Club

When DJs E. Rodney Jones and Pervis Spann re-opened the venue under the new name,^[5] Cannonball Adderley's quintet was one of the first bands to perform there, in March 1966. Although Adderley's October 1966 album Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at 'The Club' was supposedly recorded at the venue (under a new name and management), it was in fact recorded at Capitol's Hollywood studio with a live audience.^[5] It was the tracks later released on Money in the Pocket that had been recorded live at The Club.^[5]

References