The Fillmore Jazz Festival with William Jones

Fillmore street in San Francisco is one of the great and historic locations for jazz music. All of the “Greats” performed in this neighborhood. If you would like more information on the event, click here. The street was lively with an admixture of people. There were jazz enthusiasts, jazz amateurs, party lovers, tourists, and many more. As you walk up and down the street you are treated to music being played in front of stores, stages on the street, and the many clubs on the strip that hosted artists—all for free.

I was invited to the event by William Jones. Mr. Jones, now 60 years old, has lived in the Bay Area since the 1960’s, over twenty years in San Francisco, and Fillmore Street was his old stomping ground. He enlightened me to the musical and social history of the the street and the community. He told me about a place called “Bop City” which was a great location for local jazz artist to jam all night. He pointed out “The Fillmore,” also known as “The Fillmore Auditorium,” which is one of the great musical auditoriums in the history of the United States. As we walked Mr. Jones eyed an elderly man from the neighborhood (about 80 years old) and began to speak to him. They spoke about the guy who ran the backroom gambling operation, about the crazy neighbored midget, about this and about that. Physically they stood there talking but mentally they dived into a 30 minute time-warp that took them three decades past and back. Mr. Jones told me that he has seen this guy around the neighborhood for years but never spoke to him. Their first conversation ended with a slight hand-shack and warm hug between two close-strangers.

I met Mr. Jones at the UC Berkeley campus. He could always be found at Free Speech Café or the main library with his grand-daughter. We spoke regularly and he often would encourage me to attend a jazz event. When he told me about the famed Fillmore Street Jazz festival I told him I would attend. I had a good time.