Blog: Famed 'Hollywood Jazz' Mural Creator to Speak at Altadena Community Arts Center

Should you have read Tuesday's Los Angeles Times, you probably were treated as was I, to a brief but plentiful lesson regarding an important and culturally iconic period in Los Angeles history that was punctuated by the presence of many giants of jazz.  Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Nat King Cole, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald - to name a just a few.  At the center of the cultural storm during that period stood the equally iconic Capitol Records Tower, known for both its architectural uniqueness and as the place where all that jazz was produced in L.A.  In 1990, muralist Richard Wyatt, Jr. was commissioned to create a piece of public art that would memorialize these and several other jazz greats. And that he did, quite well.  

The "Hollywood Jazz" mural at Capitol Records Tower has been awe inspiring for decades.  Thanks to the artistry of the very same Richard Wyatt, Jr., its richness, color and boldness has now been restored.  Wyatt is scheduled to appear at the Altadena Community Arts Center on Friday evening, February 23, as part of its symposium series.  He will not only discuss his work on the 'Jazz' mural, but several other selections of his art that are included in the Center's "Black History Month Exhibition."  The event starts at 7:00pm and is open to the public. Information may be obtained by calling 626-797-5798.