The History of Jazz in Akron, 1920-present
Category: Event Calendar
Date and Time for this Past Event
- Tuesday, Mar 3, 2026 6:30pm - 8pm
Location
Akron Civic Theatre
182 S Main St
Details
The Akron History Center, downtown Akron’s tribute to the city’s 200- year history will collaborate with “America 250-Ohio,” the Ohio Commission for the U.S. Semiquincentennial, to sponsor "The History of Jazz in Akron, 1920-present" on Tuesday, March 3, in the Grand Lobby of The Akron Civic Theatre, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm.
The program features prominent Akron jazz artists Theron Brown and Chris Coles with Akron Symphony Artistic Director Christopher Wilkins and local historian Rose Vance Grom.
The Akron History Center—adjacent to the Civic—which has a significant display on Akron’s music history, “Rhythms of the Rubber City”, will be open for visitors, 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm with free admission.
Brown and Coles, co-directors of the University of Akron Jazz Studies program, will perform styles of jazz showing its contemporary evolution.
Christopher Wilikins, maestro of the Akron Symphony Orchestra since 2006, did groundbreaking work on the history of African American composer Julia Perry, who died in Akron in 1979. Wilkins and Brown also share an additional interest—the music of the legendary Pat Pace, who rose to national fame in the 1970's making multiple well-reviewed jazz albums. Pace battled heroin his whole life and died in 2006 in Akron.
At the root of Akron’s jazz history is Howard Street in the 1930's, home to the greatest jazz artists of the day. Rose Vance-Grom, a historian and an associate at the Summit County Historical Society, will provide an illustrated presentation on Akron's "Little Harlem,” utilizing recently acquired archival photographs of the era.
The panel discussion will be moderated by Mark Greer, who served as Executive Director of Akron 200, the city’s Bicentennial celebration. He is also an accomplished musician and is a performing artist.
