"A stop at the Colored Musicians Club is a must for any music fan visiting Buffalo. Founded in 1917—after Buffalo’s African-American musicians were forced to form their own union—the club started as a place to hang out after work, but quickly morphed into a space for band practice, union meetings, and occasional performances. When it moved to its current location in 1934, it became the spot for jazz greats to stop in and show off, welcoming everyone from Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, and Dizzy Gillespie to Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald. Today, it’s the only remaining African American club in the country—it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018—and works to encourage the research and preservation of jazz history in Buffalo. Every Sunday, guests can sit in on a concert and jam session—just make sure to get there early as seats tend to fill up quickly. There’s also a museum in the same building, where you can view and interact with artifacts representing the club’s storied history."
