Since the early 20th century, New York City has served as the home for many of the world's most influential jazz clubs including Birdland and Café Society.
On March 3, 1931, Harlem big band leader Cab Calloway recorded “Minnie the Moocher,” the classic tale of chasing opium that made Calloway a national star and put Harlem’s big band sound on the map.
The Cotton Club might be Harlem's most famous surviving jazz venue, but it was also the neighborhood's most notorious especially after WWI.