On the same day St. Petersburg mayor Ken Welch issued a proclamation officially declaring February as Black History Month in the city, the bay area\u2019s best-known pioneer of jazz music and jazz education was given a posthumous honor.<\/p>\n
Thursday, Feb. 12 was officially named Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association Day. The proclamation was read by Councilmember Corey Givens Jr.<\/p>\n
Al Downing (1916-2000) was a multi-instrumentalist best known as a keyboard player. Formed in 1973 with and his wife Bernice \u201cBunny\u201d Downing, the nonprofit that bears his name exists to this day as a springboard for aspiring bay area musicians. To date, the Downing Association has awarded more than $80,000 in scholarships.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis dedication to music, education and the community has left an indelible mark on our city and nation,\u201d Givens read.<\/p>\n
Alvinette Downing McCleave, the youngest of the couple\u2019s four children, is the current president of the organization.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe organization they started over 52 years ago opened doors of opportunity for young African American people to hone their skills,\u201d she told the council. \u201cTo learn the wonderful music of jazz.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey started meeting in restaurants, because at that time African Americans weren\u2019t allowed in so many different places. My parents searched out restaurants that sad \u2018Yes, come on in and have a jazz jam here.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd allowed my sister Evelyn, as well as other young jazz musicians, to play. And that was just an amazing opportunity for all of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Jacksonville native, Al Downing served as a Lieutenant with the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. Although he wasn\u2019t a flier, Downing was made the adjutant of the 613th Air Force Band.<\/p>\n
He retired from the military in the early 1960s and returned to St. Petersburg, where he and Bunny had purchased a home during the war.<\/p>\n
Downing taught music locally for many years, first at Gibbs High School, and later at St. Petersburg Junior College.<\/p>\n
He established a longtime friendship and musical bond with Tampa saxophonist Ernie Calhoun, playing the Hammond B3 organ in Calhoun\u2019s band, and creating a band of his own, the Al Downing All Stars.<\/p>\n
To keep jazz front and center, and to provide opportunities for young players, he and Bunny formed the Allegro Music Society. Later known as the Al Downing Florida Jazz Association, it \u00a0absorbed Calhoun\u2019s Tampa Bay Jazz Society in 1984.<\/p>\n
Downing was the first African American Commissioner of the St. Petersburg Housing Authority, and the first African American to play in the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra. He was Minister of music at a number of St. Pete churches.<\/p>\n
Al Downing Association concerts remain the gold standard for jazz performances in the Tampa Bay area. With a rotating roster of musicians, the organization holds a Jazz Jam every Monday (7-9 p.m.) at the Hangar restaurant, at Albert Whitted Airport.<\/p>\n
The jazz community comes together once a year for the Al Downing Honors, a concert and awards ceremony, at the Palladium Theater.<\/p>\n