Formed in 1964 as a vehicle to promote the awareness of jazz music. Members of the board had been involved with an organization in the ‘50s called The Interracial Jazz Society that began in September 1957. The group that included Vernon Welsh and Bennie Kearse began to sponsor jam sessions at the Al-Ho Club on Frederick Avenue featuring local musicians. The first concert in August 1964 featured Jimmy Wells (vibes), Tom Baldwin (piano), Donald Bailey (bass), and Teddy Hawke (drums).
Attending the weekly Sunday afternoon concerts became a ritual for many Baltimoreans. Each week featured different lineups of prominent locals as well as national and internationally renowned musicians. Within a year the Society developed quite a following and was forced to move to a larger hall. The Madison Club on Madison and Chester Streets served as their home until the building was damaged by fire. They then moved to the Famous Ballroom on Charles Street.
A sampling of musicians who performed at the weekly concerts in the 1960s included vocalist Delores Lynn, Brass players Otis Bethel, Mickey Fields, Dave Hubbard, Gary Bartz, Bill Swindell, Blue Mitchell, Hank Levy, Bill Stocksdale, Mousey Johnson, Reppard Stone. Pianists Donald Criss, Claude Hubbard. Drummers Al Cotton, Harold White, Purnell Rice, Stomp Saunders. Guitarist Walt Namuth, Bassists George Hoffman, Phil Harris, Prentice Sterling, Wilbur Little, Keter Betts… Other stars who performed there included Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Jazz Crusaders, Al Cohn, Zoot Simms, Herbie Hancock, Coleman Hawkins, Art Farmer, John Coltrane, and many others.
In the spring of 1967, a sister chapter formed in D.C. where events were held at the Howard University campus and also at the Smithsonian.
Left Bank lost its home base at The Famous Ballroom when it closed In 1985. They continued booking shows at Pascal’s nightclub, Coppin State University and the Teamsters Union Hall on Erdman Avenue, but attendance declined. By 2000 the cost of operation was no longer financially sustainable, and Left Bank Jazz Society presented its final show in 2000.
