Tag Archives: Quaker City Jazz Festival

Cultural Heritage Preservation, Jazz Landmarks

1st Quaker City Music Festival

The 1st Quaker City Music Festival, a three-day jazz festival produced by George Wein, was held at Connie Mack Stadium in 1960.

1st Quaker City Festival - Connie Mack Stadium -1960

From the August 29, 1960 edition of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin:

The stage was situated at third base with the fans sitting in both the upper and lower stands from home plate to left field.

The lineup included Gloria Lynne, Dizzy Gillespie, Chico Hamilton, Herbert Mann, Nat Adderley, Ornette Coleman, Art Blakey, and Lee Morgan.

Connie Mack Stadium was demolished on July 13, 1976.

Jazz Landmarks, Main Channel

2nd Quaker City Jazz Festival

On September 30, 1967, the 2nd Quaker City Jazz Festival became the first event hosted by the Spectrum.

2nd Quaker City Jazz Festival

The two-day festival was produced by Herb Spivak, co-owner of the legendary Showboat. According to Joe McAllister:

Spivak went to Ed Snider and company (the Flyers were still in their infancy and the Sixers played at the Convention Center) and said he’d like to book a two-day jazz concert. Initially rebuffed because the Snider group didn’t believe a jazz bill would sell. Spivak replied, “That’s my problem.”

Spivak booked 10 groups a day and once again sold out the concert in two days. Dizzy Gillespie opened up the Spectrum with “God Bless America” followed by performances by Stan Getz, Dave Brubeck, Sarah Vaughan and Flip Wilson among others.

The lineup also included Cannonball Adderley, Astrud Gilberto, Groove Holmes and Arthur Prysock.

The Spectrum formally closed on October 31, 2009. Demolition was completed in May 2011.