DETROIT (WXYZ) — Known as the world's oldest jazz club, Baker's Keyboard Lounge has helped keep jazz music alive in Detroit since 1934.
Located at the intersection of Livernois and 8 Mile Road on Detroit's Avenue of Fashion, the historic venue continues to be a popular spot for live entertainment, hosting several acts each week.
What started as a sandwich shop became something much more in 1934 under the leadership of Clarence Baker.
"Started as a sandwich shop and he instituted a jazz musician named Pat Flowers and then the story started from there, food and entertainment," owner Hugh Smith said.
In the years that followed, Baker's became a go-to venue for jazz in Detroit, hosting some of the world's most legendary musicians.
"Miles Davis, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday, Sonny Stitt," Smith said. "If you can name an artist, a giant artist, they've performed here on the stage."
The lounge also became a place where people of all socioeconomic backgrounds could come together.
"You've got millionaires with autoworkers enjoying food, music, and conversation," Smith said.
Bassist Ralph Armstrong, who has worked with the likes of Aretha Franklin, says Baker's holds a special place in his heart.
"My career started at Baker's as a kid," Armstrong said.
Armstrong credits the venue with opening people's eyes to the world of modern jazz.
"Before Baker's came about, most of the jazz was primarily Dixieland style, where the tuba was the main instrument. This is one of the first establishments in the world that employed the string bass, the bass violin," Armstrong said.
For longtime customers, Baker's Keyboard Lounge is still known for its intimate feel, music, and food — but it's the people that make it stand out.
"I've met a lot of friends here, it's like the neighborhood spot," Atiim Funchess said.
"I've always enjoyed myself here, it's like a family," Baldwin Capers said.
Although the lounge has undergone improvements this year, including new patio seating and menu items, the nostalgic feel is here to stay.
"You get the same feel of the world's oldest jazz club then, as the same feel you get now," Smith said.
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