The Capitol Hotel sat on the corner of Beaver and Green Streets, just off State Street.

The photo on this page is circa "early 1940s". Our source: Albany Group Archive website.

It's role in the history of swing music in Albany was not great. We did not find a great deal of musical activity from 1938 to 1942. But it was located in a district that was flush with musical venues. Transport yourself back to 1939. Stand in front of the Capitol Hotel and walk south, west, or east a few blocks. You would have passed countless clubs and restaurants featuring live music.

The corner of Beaver and Green Streets just might be considered the Crossroads of Albany's Swing Era.

Take a look at the map . The Capitol Hotel is tag number 32.

Let's get orientated. The street on the top (where 18 and 19 sit) is South Pearl Street. The wide street on the far right, heading down to the "Plaza" is State Street. The street on the bottom, in front of the Plaza is Broadway. On the far left, where 22, 27, and others are placed, is Madison Avenue.

Twenty-one musical venues existed between State and Broadway, north and south, and North Pearl and Broadway, east and west. Based on our research, this was the area with the highest concentration swing venues in the city.

(Note: the Count Basie ad is from the Times Union, March 30, 1940).

Here is a listing, in numeric order, of clubs in the region:

18. Red and Blue Club - 128 So. Pearl.

19. University Grill - 84 South Pearl.

22. 87 Club - 87 Madison.

23. Club Frolics - 79 So. Pearl.

24. Oven Grill - 95 Hamilton.

25. Snug Haven - 75 Division.

26. Beachcombers - So. Pearl at Division.

27. Milham's Grill - 85 Madison.

28. Myron and Rays - 50 Beaver.

29. Odd Fellows Hall - 46 Beaver.

30. Wally's Gay Nineties - 44 Beaver.

31. Roseland Ballroom - 31 Green.

32. Hotel Capitol - Green (just off State).

33. King's Cafe - 68 Madison.

34. Hollywood Tavern - 64 Madison.

35. Rhythm Club (aka Leo's Grill) - 61 Madison.

36. Big Charlie's Harlem Grill - 52 1/2 Hamilton.

37. McKenna's 68 Club - 68 Green.

38. Tally-Ho Tavern - 50 Hudson.

39. Ft. Orange Grill - 352 Broadway.

40. Ship O Joy Club - 10 Hudson.

Billy Phelan's Greatest Game by William Kennedy treats us to a tour of a number of bars and clubs in or near the "Crossroads of Albany's Swing Era".

Billy is considering his options regarding going to a club. In doing so, he gives us a picture of some of the places we identified in our research:

"Tommy Dyke's Club Petit? No. Bob Parr's Klub Eagle? No. Packy Delaney's Parody Club? No. Big Charlie's? No. Ames O'Brien's place? No.

Billy didn't want to think about his problem in solitude. He wanted to watch something while he was thinking.

The University Club? Dopey B-girls. Club Frolics? The emcee stinks.

Hey. The Tally Ho on Hudson Avenue. Billy knew the Hawaiian dancer. She was Jewish. And the comic was Moonlight Brady. Billy went to St. Joseph's school with him. He turned off Pearl toward the Tally Ho.

Billy ordered a triple scotch and kept his hat on. The place was jammed, no elbowroom at the bar. The lights were dim while the adagio dancers did their stuff..."

(from the Penguin paperback edition, 1983 , page 241)