Club Riviera was a nightclub at 4460 Delmar Blvd in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

. It was one of the most popular African-American nightclubs in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s. It was owned by politician and civil rights activist Jordan W. Chambers from 1944 to 1962. In 1964, the venue became the Riviera Civic Center under new ownership. The building was vacant when it was destroyed by fire in 1970.

History

The New Riviera Club was opened by Alex Bayou on December 3, 1943. The opening featured performances by the Smoothies, radio stars

Kate Smith Kathryn Elizabeth Smith (May 1, 1907 – June 17, 1986) was an American contralto. Referred to as The First Lady of Radio, Smith is well known for her renditions of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" & "When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain". ...

, Burns and Allen, Fred Waring, dancer Dorothy Dale, comedian Jack Herbert, and Gus Martel's orchestra. In 1944, African-American politician and civil rights activist Jordan W. Chambers purchased the Riviera nightclub located at 4460 Delmar Blvd. Chambers acquired the property through a white buyer who had an option on it. The grand reopening featured performances by the vocal group Cats and the Fiddle, singers Marcella Wilson, Connie Lynwood, dancer Hortense Allen and her Riviera Chorines, and the

Jeter-Pillars Orchestra Jeter-Pillars Orchestra was an American jazz troupe, led by altoist James Jeter and tenor-saxophonist Hayes Pillars. Career Jeter and Pillars were previously members of Alphonso Trent's big band. After that outfit split in 1933 they formed the g ...

on June 23, 1944. After a three-week closure for redecoration, Club Riviera reopened on December 21, 1945. Performers at the reopening included

Ernie Fields Ernest Lawrence Fields (August 28, 1904 – May 11, 1997)Laprarie, Michael Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'' (accessed May 14, 2010). was an American trombonist, pianist, arranger and bandleader. He first became known for leadin ...

and his orchestra, the Phil Moore Four jazz group, comedians Allen Drew and Grace Smith, and dancer Al Guster and the Riviera Chorines. During its heyday, Club Riviera is said to have rivaled the Cotton Club in

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. Renowned jazz entertainers such as Nat King Cole,

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

, and

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performed at the club. Chambers also rented the nightclub out to social clubs and organizations for events. In February 1952, a reception was held at Club Riviera in honor of entertainer

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who was presented the key to the city. In the early 1960s business began to decline and after Cambers died in 1962, his estate sold the building. In 1964, the building was remodeled and reopened as the Riviera Civic Center. A fire destroyed the vacant building on December 7, 1970. Authorities suspect it was an act of

arson Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...

because the windows and doors of the vacant building were boarded up after a fire the previous month. The venue subject of a play, ''Live at the Club Riviera'', at The Grandel in St. Louis.

Notable performers

Notable performers who performed at Club Riviera include: * Valaida Snow *

King Cole Trio Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...

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* Erskine Hawkins * Jay McShann *

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* Count Basie * Johnny Hodges *

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Dizzie Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but addi ...

* Ike Turner *

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* Little Junior Parker * Ike & Tina Turner *

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References

{{reflist Music venues in St. Louis Music venues in Missouri Music of St. Louis Defunct jazz clubs in the United States