Central Avenue was once the place to be for jazz music. But where has the music gone now?
(continued from Part 1)
"Leimert Park has become the heart and soul of the arts community," Brophy says.
It's not too far from the truth, either. Leimert Park has its history rooted in music and arts culture as well, though the jazz scene began invigorating the community in 1989. The World Stage, founded by drummer Billy Higgins and poet Kamau Daáoud that same year, keeps the jazz tradition alive.
"It activated the community in arts," says Cornel Fauler, a musician who gives private lessons at the World Stage. "There were a lot of closed shops—a lot of hair and nail salons where you needed an appointment. This was the first place in the community that was open door, and welcomed all kinds of backgrounds. You could be completely welcome here."
Fauler offers a drum workshop at the World Stage, as well as Thursday and Sunday night weekly jam sessions open to all musicians. He also offers a master's class, where he has brought in jazz greats like Herbie Hancock and Diane Reeves. He says he started these to maintain Higgins's open-door policy that has been in place since the World Stage's inception.
"Most things are defined by who's excluded—here, we're defined by who's included," he says. "I want to bring in musicians [to this area] so the community can have free events."
But just like on Central Avenue, Fauler says these phases happen in cycles. Right now is a bit of a low point, though residents are optimistic that jazz in the area could be on the rise again. Sika, a shop owner whose nose piercing shop is just a few doors down the street from the World Stage, is one of those people.
"I want to see if I can bring it back up, it's just that things cost a lot of money these days," he says. "But I know it's going to come back."
Fauler, too, is optimistic. With a little help, he says, a new age of jazz could expand far beyond just the Leimert Park area.
"Numerous musicians have honed their skills here in ways not available in the classroom," he says, adding that the programs he offers are a great way to expand awareness, participation, and development. "It's my hope that USC or UCLA could meet with us and develop a mutual benefit, an acknowledgement of our history."
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