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Birdie Dunlap's Organ Soul Jazz Mecca where the "In-Crowd" Mingled
The Hurricane Club, located on Center Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, in its glory days during the mid-'50s through the late '60s was one of the hottest small jazz clubs in the world. The cozy club offered shows six nights a week and a Monday afternoon matinee. Working class jazz fans and celebrities mingled and rubbed elbows crowding the club to hear top “soul jazz” and hard-bop acts. Wes Montgomery, Roland Kirk, Kenny Burrell, Roy Eldridge, Sonny Stitt, Nancy Wilson, George Benson, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Charles Mingus, Wild Bill Doggett, Jimmy Smith and many other jazz stars played the stage of the Hurricane. It was a must stop for true jazz fans. As one patron said "if you hadn't gone to the Hurricane over the weekend you hadn't been out."
The Hurricane was the queen of "The Chitlin' Circuit" of small “soul jazz” organ clubs spread across the East and Midwest. Jazz organist Jimmy McGriff hailed the Hurricane as “the Apollo Theater” of the jazz organ universe. Many jazz organists established their national reputations wowing the audiences of the Hurricane. If an organist did well at the Hurricane the booking agents in New York heard about it and gave them more gigs on the circuit. The Hurricane was the proving ground and launch pad for the careers of organists Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Groove Holmes, Johnny Hammond Smith, Shirley Scott, Don Patterson, Wild Bill Davis and Pittsburgh’s own Gene Ludwig. According to George Benson who got his start playing with organist Jack McDuff, the Hurricane helped to make the Hammond B-3 organ a “legit” jazz instrument.
Within the Chitlin Circuit the Hurricane was unique as it was owned and managed by African-Americans Birdie and Shine Dunlap. Birdie Dunlap was a self-sufficient African American woman who was a pioneering entertainment leader. She was jazz maven who gracefully welcomed a socially diverse mix of jazz fans to her club. Jack McDuff called Birdie “a big voice in jazz organ" who introduced her patrons to great new artists. As the hostess of her upscale club Birdie insisted that her customers sit together, respect each other, forget their differences and mingle to share the joyful jazz experience.
Hurricane Opening 1953 - Birdie in White in center
Teenie Harris Photo
The Music of Artists who played the Hurricane
The Hurricane was an oasis island in the sea of prejudice and segregation of the 1950s and 1960s. The Midway and other downtown Pittsburgh clubs featured many of the same acts that played clubs in the Hill, but unwritten segregation rules shut African Americans jazz fans out. The musicians union often kept African American artists from working the down town clubs. Clubs like the Hurricane and the Crawford Grill welcomed a diverse set of jazz fans and provided work for African American jazz artists.
The Hurricane’s great jazz scene drew crowds from the Hill District neighborhood and from all over Western, Pa. Frequenting the club were young and old, white and black, blue collar and white collar, the famous and the common, the upper crust and the under crust all side by side as described by Ann Butler of the Pittsburgh Press. Birdie told Ann Butler “I just can’t explain it to you because segregation and prejudice was rampant. But everybody would be sitting together in the same booths. And I had a good time with ‘em.” Birdie Dunlap provided a welcoming safe atmosphere for everyone to socialize.
Birdie on Right - Seating Everyone Together
Birdie Dunlap - Great Grand Daughter of a Historic Leader
Birdie Dunlap was born Anna Simons in the Hill District of Pittsburgh in 1900. Her mother’s family the Woodsons, came to Pittsburgh in 1831. Reverend Lewis Woodson, her maternal great grandfather, became the pastor of the Bethel AME Church in 1831 and founded a school for African American children. One of Reverend Woodson’s pupils was Martin Delaney who became a physician, abolitionist, author, and the first commissioned African America officer in the U.S. Army. Rev. Woodson was also an abolitionist leader and a participant in the Underground Railroad. Woodson wrote in the abolitionist newspaper "The Colored America" and traveled around the country with Fredrick Douglas, Martin Delany and John Vashon speaking against slavery. Reverend Woodson was also one of the founders of Wilberforce University in 1856. Birdie’s grandfather James Woodson was born in Pittsburgh in 1835.
Anna Simmons was nick named ‘Birdie’ by her family. Birdie’s father Rufus Simmons died when she was just 21 months old. Her mother Caroline "Carrie" Simons was a hairdresser who also repaired dolls. To help her family Birdie started working as a house cleaner at age nine. She did well in school, but left after the 7th grade at age 13 to work in a cigar factory.
Learning the Jazz Biz from Bill Herbert & Sell Hall
In 1915 the 15 year old Birdie married Bill Herbert who introduced her to the emerging new world of jazz music promotion. In additional to his full time job as a bank clerk Bill Herbert worked for the music impresario and sports legend Sellers McKee Hall. Sellers was Pittsburgh’s first pioneering African American music promoter. He brought the biggest names in jazz to Pittsburgh for his popular dances that drew crowds of 1,500 to 2,000 to the Pythian Temple and other venues. During the 1920s and 1930s Sell Hall booked Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Billy Eckstine and many other swing bands.
Bill Herbert and Birdie began booking jazz concerts in 1938 after Sellers McKee Hall moved to Chicago. Using Sellers McKee Hall’s contacts in New York, they booked Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, and Chick Web. Their Louis Armstrong show drew 3,000 to the Motor Square Garden in East Liberty. Crazed jazz fans broke down the doors to hear Satchmo. They also brought Fats Waller to Motor Square for his first appearance in Pittsburgh. Booking the New Mirador in Homestead, Bill and Birdie presented the Chick Web Orchestra with rising new star Ella Fitzgerald.
As the Herbert’s music business did not make enough to cover all of their expenses, Bill Herbert worked as a construction laborer. In 1939 Bill was burned in a construction accident and died. Birdie stopped promoting dances and went to work as maid earning $6 a day.
Meeting Shine and new Businesses
The year 1939 was an important time in Birdie Dunlap's life. She was the first ever Pittsburgh African American beauty pageant winner in 1939. She opened an after hours club that sold illegal liquor at 1862 Center Avenue in the Hill District. She also met the man who became her second husband William “Shine” Dunlap in 1939. Shine Dunlap was the owner of the Hill District's Ritz Hotel and was said to be a pimp. As a condition of their dating Birdie made “Shine” retire from his “escort service” business. Shine was born in St. Louis n 1898 and moved to Pittsburgh in 1928.
Birdie and Shine married in 1945 after eight years of dating and traveling. In December of 1945 Birdie took over Johnson’s Barbecue on 1856 Center Avenue near the Roosevelt Theater. She renamed the restaurant Birdie's Bar-B-Que. In her advertisements in the Pittsburgh Courier Birdie offered home cooked meals, Southern Bar-B-Que, chili specials, and pies from 2 PM to 7 AM.
Heavy Weather on the Horizon
On one of their trips Shine and Birdie Dunlap visited Sonny Wilson’s night club in Detroit. The bands at Sonny’s played on a stage located behind and above the bar. Birdie and Shire loved the band set up seeing it as a way to increase drink sales. Patrons lined the bar drinking as they watched the band. Everyone in the club looked towards the bar. They decided to open at a jazz club with a behind the bar stage. Combining her experience in the restaurant business with her experience booking jazz artists Birdie took on a whirlwind of new challenge.
The Dunlaps named their new club “The Hurricane”. Birdie said she wanted a club that was “fast and furious….A place to blow up a storm”. The Hurricane was located at 1603 Center avenue between Roberts and Miller streets a few blocks from the Roosevelt Theater. It was a long and narrow club that could hold 120 people packed in wall to wall. Entering the club there was a long bar on the left side, booths on the right side, and a middle row of tables each separate by narrow walk ways. The raised stage above the bar was about two thirds of the way towards the back wall. Built for trios the stage was only ten feet wide and five feet tall with just enough room to hold an organ, drum set, and a guitarist or sax player. It was later expanded with a narrow walkway on the right to make room for quintets.
Light wood paneling with horizontal and diagonal molding covered the walls. Drapes covered he walls behind the booths. The back end of the club had open standing space and provided access to the bathrooms and small kitchen. Birdie offered her patrons big Steaks, jumbo Brazilian shrimp, shack fried chicken, and sandwiches. It was a classy room with jazzy music, good food, and a welcoming atmosphere for people of all walks of life.The Hurricane takes Pittsburgh by Storm
The Hurricane opened on October 28, 1953. Organist Ruby Young’s Trio with guitarist Calvin King and saxophonist Leroy Brown played opening night to start an eight month engagement through July of 1954. The jazz organ ensemble King Solomon's Trio began their stay on July 24, 1954. Also appearing during the inaugural years were Eddie Winters and his Rhythm Rockers, guitarist Ernie Ransome, and sax player Gene Walker's Esquires. A three day first anniversary celebration was held on Oct 28, 29, and 30 in 1954.Jimmy Smith - The Eye of the Storm
Organist Jimmy Smith made his first appearance at the Hurricane in March of 1956. Smith was on his way to stardom with his signing to Blue Note Records and his recent solo debut at the Café Bohemia in Greenwich Village. It was the first of Smith's many week long engagements from 1569 through 1960 that made the Hurricane a must stop on the national circuit for up and coming soul jazz artists. Drawing standing room only crowds in July of 1956 Smith’s second engagement at the Hurricane was extended for a month. The Pittsburgh Courier wrote about Smith’s performances “Get down to the Hurricane in a hurry and have the treat of your life.”
Even the Fans are Stars
At the Hurricane average guys mingled with celebrities. Regular patrons of the Hurricane included local politicians, sports stars, reporters, millionaires, and visiting celebrities The Steeler's hard partying quarterback Bobby Layne dropped big tips on the staff. Feared running backs John Henry Johnson and lineman Big Daddy Lipscomb joined Layne in the fun. After their shows at the Stanley or the Savory touring touring musicians like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Sarah Vaughn would stop in. Count Basie loved Birdies beans. Pittsburgh based musicians such as Walt Harper and Herald Betters headed to the Hurricane after their gigs for after hours jams.
The Hurricane also attracted aspiring future jazz stars. Birdie welcomed under aged listeners to the Monday Matinees held at 5 PM. She sometimes lets them into the evening shows. Sax player Eric Kloss at age 16 came with his father to the afternoons shows. He loved Birdie's chicken and was invited up on stage to perform with the pros such as Sonny Stitt. Drummer Roger Humphries came to the Hurricane matinees at age twelve and sat in Jack McDuff's band. Jazz guitarist Tony Janflone Sr. went to the Hurricane as a teen with Mrs. Dunlap's blessing. Gene Ludwig took up the Hammond B3 organ after he was blown away by Jimmy Smith at the Hurricane.
Greet Them, Seat Them, Serve Them, and Respect Them
The secret of Birdie Dunlap's success was to greet and seat every one, pack people in, get them to mingle, keep them drinking, and throw out disrespectful trouble makers.
Remarkably the Hurricane was able to pay the bands $1,600 to $2,000 a week never having a cover charge or an official drink minimum. The Hurricane made all of its revenue selling drinks and meals to the people they packed in six days a week. Without a cover charge patrons were free to stop in for one quick drink and a set of music or they could stay the entire night. To survive Birdie had to fill the room and keep everyone drinking and eating. When a patron’s glass ran empty Birdie and the waitresses quickly asked “May I get you something else?” A customer could not sit in the Hurricane empty handed.
Birdie did not turn people away from the club even when it was packed. She greeted customers at the door saying ‘Come on in! Plenty of room.’ Birdie escorted her patrons to free seats at a booth or table saying “Please, be seated”. She sat as many people at one table as she could, often seating strangers together. She could not afford to have a couple at a table that held six. Birdie even asked guys to hold their dates on their laps, so she could squeeze more people into the club. Patrons had to sit where she took them and with whoever was already at that table or booth. She broke the color line sitting blacks and whites together in the same booth encouraging them to socialize. Birdie made suburbanites from middle class Mt. Lebanon share booths with couples from Wylie Avenue. She squeezed in as many people as possible into her social melting pot. If there was no room inside she sold drinks to the crowd standing outside in line waiting to get in. Birdie was the ultimate hostess who personally greeted, seated, served, and catered to her patrons showing them a trouble free good time. She never smoked, drank or cursed remaining in control. Birdie did not tolerate fighting or inappropriate behavior. Patrons who cursed or didn’t spend money were asked to leave. Men who were disrespectful to woman were escorted out. She tossed out anyone who attempted heavy petting in the club. Frank Bolden, editor of the Pittsburgh Courier, said in an interview that "Girls were safer at the Hurricane than at the YMCA…She patrolled the place like a drill sergeant…. It was law and order, but it was fun”.
The Social Oasis Ends
Shine Dunlap died of a brain hemorrhage on December 24, 1964. Birdie kept the Hurricane going another 6 years after his death. On April 5, 1968, the day following the assignation of Martin Luther King, a riot erupted in the Hill District that lasted through April 12th. The residents of the Hill exploded in anger frustrated by the MLK murder, lack of equal rights, segregation, inferior schools, and exclusion from good paying union jobs. Businesses were looted and set on fire. When the smoke of 505 fires cleared there was $620,000 in property damages, one death, and 926 arrests. In the aftermath more than 100 owners abandoned the Hill closing and boarding up their business. The Hill became a high crime poverty area with purse snatchings, muggings, and street drug sales. Pittsburghers avoided the Hill out of fear for their safety.
Attendance at the Hurricane Club dwindled after the riots. Birdie struggled to pay the bands. Bartenders called in sick as they weren't making any money on tips. Thugs demanded protection money. Birdie described the threats to the Post Gazette "They'd say If you don't give us money, we will bomb this place. This one fellow...said he was going to burn me down". On April 18, 1970 fire destroyed the interior of the Hurricane. Birdie restored the club, but never went in again. She sold it in late 1970. Organist Gene Ludwig was the last performer to play the Hurricane. It became a forgotten neighborhood bar. The Hurricane, the Roosevelt Theater and many Centre avenue buildings were demolished a few years later to make way for the Crawford Square housing development.
Birdie Dunlap was honored in festivities held at the Crawford Grill on September 22, 1973. The National Beverage Association honored her with the “Jazz Humanitarian Award” in 1978 for her contribution to racial harmony. Birdie remained in the Hill living in the Washington Plaza apartments across from the Civic Area. She died at age 98 in 1998 leaving behind a legacy of good times and great jazz memories.
References
Birdie Says Bye Bye to Hurricane Bernard Holland Pittsburgh Post Gazette Feb 4 1980 Page 1
Birdie's Place-Ann Butler Pittsburgh Press April 3, 1984
Like A Hurricane Organ Revival At Balcony Recalls Hill District Club - Mary Desena Pittsburgh Post-Gazette October 6, 1995
Birdie Dunlap Has Her Night - Courier Sept 22, 1973
Anna Simmons Dunlap Founder And Owner Of Hurricane Club –Tony Norman Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Tuesday, March 10, 1998
'Shine' Goes To His Last Rest Haven Pittsburgh Courier 04 Jan 1964: 1.
R. Youg, J. Gardner and C. King Big at Hurricane. Courier Jan 23, 1954 pg 20
Music Lovers Hail Ruby, Cal Leroy at the Hurricane Nightly Courier April 10, 1954 pg 17
Famed King Solomon 3 Wises Up Hurricane Pittsburgh courier July 24, 1954 p 19
Hurricane Celebrates First Anniversary Oct 28-29-30 Courier Oct 23, 1954 page 19
Incredible Jimmy Smith Is Packing Hurricane Pittsburgh Courier 15 June 1957: A21.
Mrs. B. Dunlap's Mother Is Buried Pittsburgh Courier 22 Nov 1958: 1
Fire Loss 1 - Pittsburgh Courier April 18, 1970 page 3
Faces in An Album – Pittsburgh Press Sunday Roto Oct 17, 1982
Historical Highlights of Blacks in Western Pennsylvania. 1700-1900: Reprinted from the public research of the
Western Pennsylvania Research and Historical Society, Walter C. Worthington, Executive Director New Pittsburgh Courier 18 Dec 1976: 38.
Maj. Martin Delaney Commanded Union Troops at Surrender of Fort Sumpter Pittsburgh Courier 24 Feb 1962: 17.
MLK riots: When patience ran out, the Hill went up in flames -Pittsburgh Post Gazette April 2, 2009
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