Houston's jazz history is largely undocumented and difficult to track down, so I started collecting all the bits and pieces to put in one place. And that place is here. Check back often for new contributions.

Please contact me if you have any relevant information, articles, photos, etc. to share. Thanks!

Jazz music and musicians in Houston…

“Uncovering The Mystery Of The King & Carter Jazzing Orchestra” by John Nova Lomax (Texas Monthly)

"Houston's Jazz History" by Chris Gray (Houston Press)

"Today in Texas History: Arnett Cobb, Houston sax talent, born"by Killary Sorin, (Texas on the Potomac)

"Illinois Jacquet: Integrating Houston Jazz Audiences" by Aimee L'Heureux (Houston History Magazine)

"One For All: Sax giant Illinois Jacquet helped desegregate Houston audiences" by Paul J. MacArthur (Houston Press)

"On integration, jazz and the arrest of Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie in Houston" by J.R. Gonzales, (Bayou City History)

"RIP Barrie Lee Hall, Jr." by Andrew Lienhard

"Texas Piano Players: A Legacy: Part 1 & Part 2" by Chris Becker (Houston Press)

"Soul City: The Amazing Jazz Crusaders" by William Michael Smith (Houston Press)

Blues, Gospel and R&B, 5th Ward, 3rd Ward, Duke-Peacock Records…

"The Nickel: A Musical History of the Fifth Ward, Part 1 & Part 2" by John Nova Lomax (Houston Press)

"Duke/Peacock Records To Get Historical Marker Next Month" by Chris Gray (Houston Press)

"Eldorado Ballroom: A Concise History By Dr. Roger Wood"  by Chris Gray (Houston Press)

“30 years after death, Don Robey still a vaporous figure” (Houston Chronicle)

“The Sacred Music of Houston Record Mogul Don Robey” by Michael Corcoran (Houston Press)

“Houston loses another piece of music history, the Bronze Peacock” by Andrew Dansby (Houston Chronicle)

Sig Byrd, Houston culture and history…

The Digital Sig Byrd Archive Collected archives from The Stroller, written by one of Houston’s most prolific columnists, Sigman Byrd, from 1947 through the mid-1950s.

A list of notable figures & organizations, past & present:

Andrew 'Tex' Allen
Arnett Cobb
The Crusaders
Jimmy Ford
Barrie Lee Hall, Jr.
Billy Harper
G.T. Hogan
Illinois Jacquet
Conrad Johnson
Kashmere High School (and Kashmere Stage Band)
Milt Larkin
Hubert Laws
Ronnie Laws
Anita Moore
Joe Sample
Kirk Whalum
Rocky White
Don Wilkerson
Patrick Williams, Sr.
Tod Vullo