Philadelphia Area Archives Research Portal (PAARP)

Nels R. Nelson (1923-1996) was a jazz columnist and theater critic who worked for the Philadelphia Daily News for over 40 years. The Nels Nelson clippings files on jazz musicians, 1980-1995, contain newspaper clippings, photocopies of magazine and journal articles, and some proofs for Nelson's articles. (View full finding aid.)

The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts was founded in 1966 as the social club of the Union Local No. 274 of the American Federation of Musicians. Local No. 274, the Black musicians union of Philadelphia, was in existence from 1935 to 1971. With members such as John Coltrane and Dizzy Gillespie, Local 274 was an important organization in the development of jazz in Philadelphia. The Clef Club served as a foundation for the city's jazz community, advancing projects to benefit jazz musicians. The Club continued to function as a social club until 1978, when it expanded its activities to include jazz performance, jazz instruction, and the preservation of Philadelphia's rich jazz history. The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts records, 1925-1974, include records of both the Black Musicians Union Local No. 274 and the Clef Club. The records, which appear to be fairly comprehensive, consist primarily of administrative records, financial records, and records relating to members. (View full finding aid.)