D.C. jazz musicians fight to be heard as once-lively music halls shut down
Renowned as the home of jazz master Duke Ellington, the District once held currency among aficionados for its jamming jazz joints. City residents and tourists alike would converge in clubs along U Street any night of the week to hear bebop, blues and ballads.
Today, U Street is lined with the darkened husks of once-glowing music halls.
The D.C. Jazz Festival opens Friday, three months after the behemoth Bohemian Caverns club shut down. Now another local jazz spot is facing foreclosure, and the owner of a third popular club is hinting at a move.