Town Tavern

The Town Tavern was an important part of the Yonge Street music scene for 23 years. Opened in 1949 as a theatre restaurant, it was turned into a full-time jazz venue in 1955 by club owner Sam Berger at the suggestion of Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson. Two years later, Peterson, bassist Ray Brown, and guitarist Herb Ellis recorded their live album On the Town with the Oscar Peterson Trio there. During the 1960s and 1970s, it was a popular venue for touring musicians, including American artists Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae, and Lester Young. The Town Tavern closed in 1972 and the building was later demolished.

Ontario · Canada