Nan Schwartz

Central Avenue thrived as a Black entertainment metropolis of Los Angeles during the 1920s through the mid-1950s. While it is often assumed that women who performed on Central Avenue were mainly vocalists, some of the most celebrated female instrumentalists in the history of jazz performed on this scene. When Central Avenue slowly closed its doors in the 1950s, many of these women instrumentalists continued to perform in Los Angeles and beyond. But more importantly, their legacy as "The First Ladies of the Horn" opened the doors for the next generation of women instrumentalists on the Los Angeles scene. Beyond Central Avenue documents the musical narratives of some of the leading contemporary female instrumentalists of Los Angeles and their impact on the music industry.