Manny About Town
Bill Jordan and the Bar of Music

By Manny Meland

Bill Jordan was the first person to introduce and feature classical music in a nightclub setting. In 1937, he opened the Bar of Music in Collins Park in Miami Beach. At that time, the district had an edgy dynamic. To give you an idea of the entertainment offered in the surrounding area, you could stroll down the street to Club Pigalle, the present day site of the regional library, and see a strip tease show. Murray Franklin was doing his raw humor around the corner in his in his comedy club on 23^rd Street. Across the park just west of Wolfies, the Rockin’ M.B. Lounge rocked with two bands into the wee hours of the morning.

Into this mix Bill Jordan held court with David Elliot on their twin Steinways.  There, you could dine and enjoy a cocktail to the sound and mood of the music of Rimsky-Korsakoff or Mozart and Tchaikowsky.  His classical music repertoire had been enriched during the two years that he played with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Jordan moved between Miami Beach and Los Angeles where he opened a second Bar of Music. He was the “Musical Globe Trotter” on NBC, and for several months, played in “Ken Murray’s Blackouts” in Hollywood.  These were two very popular radio programs of the time. Television was still a future dream.

Then with the start of the second World War, he joined the United States Air Corp. This began his twelve years of wandering. He visited and lived in many different countries where he gathered curious bits of information and knowledge of native music. When I visited Miami Beach in 1956, I was happy to find Bill Jordan back at the Bar of Music. This time he was facing Fred Thompson on the dual pianos still enchanting his guests with his classical music program. Jordan closed shop in the late 60s. Today, Connie Gordon’s Art School occupies the site of the Bar of Music.

I intend to donate the following memorabilia to the art school or the library:

During a visit to Panama City, Florida, I found an autographed record album in an antique shop containing three records by Bill Jordan. 

Bill Jordan

I also found a book of matches on eBay.

I found a great photo at the Historical Museum.

I photographed a frieze of Bill Jordan’s in the rear garden of the club.

Sally Brown, who I met at the Bass Museum, told me that she and some friends dined at the bar of music in 1965. Although they were the only guests in the room, Jordan played a full program for them to dine to.

Rita Stone, who I met in St. Miguel de Allende, Mexico, said that she dined there frequently during the 50s and 60s. It was the place to go for a quiet supper after carousing about town.