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JazzBoston Organizes Local Awards Party for Wally's Cafe on Saturday June 11

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Wally's Jazz Cafe Award Party
Elynor Walcott and sons Paul, Frank, and Lloyd Poindexter, who own and run the storied Wally's Café, in Boston, have been named 2011 “Jazz Heroes" by the Jazz Journalists Association.

Established in 1947 by Elynor Walcott's father, Joseph L. ("Wally") Walcott, an immigrant from Barbados, it was the first African American owned nightclub in New England * and a Boston stop for jazz icons such as Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, and Roxbury native Roy Haynes *

Wally's moved across the street in 1979 from its original location at 428 Mass. Ave. to its current home at 427 Mass. Ave. It is the oldest black family-owned and operated jazz club in the world, designated by the Bostonian Society in 2009 as one of the city's historic sites, on a list with Faneuil Hall and the Old South Meeting House.

JazzBoston, which nominated Walcott and her sons for the award, is organizing a special “satellite party" at Wally's on June 11, at 5 PM, to be held simultaneously with the JJA Awards gala that afternoon in New York City. WGBH jazz radio hosts and former JJA honorees Eric Jackson and Steve Schwartz will be on hand to present the award to the family when it is announced in New York

The JJA's Jazz Heroes award honors “activists, advocates, altruists, aiders and abettors of jazz who have had significant impact in their local communities." Walcott and her sons are being recognized for their decades-long dedication to providing a forum for young Boston area players to develop their craft.

Entry to the party is free, and guests will be able to watch a live videostream of the New York gala on a large screen on the club's stage, including performances by an all-star lineup and presentations of an array of awards for excellence in jazz music and journalism. Spelling the videostream, trumpeter and Wally's regular Jason Palmer, who is also a JazzBoston board member, will host a jam session with his quartet.

Among the special guests expected to pay their respects to the Wally's family are community organizer Mel King, Senior Advisor to the Governor for Community Affairs Ron Bell, and several members of the City Council and State Legislature. For more details about the party, see the JazzBoston events calendar.

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