The Owners                  

Clarence Seay  

Clarence, A Jazz Musician for 30+ years, got his start with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.  From there, Clarance had gigs with Wynton, Chico Freeman, Lou Donaldson, Wallace Roney, Billy Harper, and many, many others.  Clarence taught at VCU in Richmond, VA. and many of his former students are working musicians in New York and around the country. ( See Wikipedia for a Bio of Seay)

Clarence Seay

        Clarence Seay will take the stage with his TRIO,  and he will feature a variety of seasoned up & coming artists and in the club. 

        Clarence has played, toured and / or recorded with every major Jazz Figure:  Lou Donaldson, Horace Silver, Wallace Roney, Billy Harper, and many others.  For several years, Clarence was the Bassist for the Smithsonian Jazz Masters Orchestra as well.  So, please join B Sharp's as one of its owners takes the stage.

  Gerri Seay gained tenure with The School of Business and Industry and currently serves as the Director of Upward Bound for Florida A&M University.   Gerri is also a researcher who has worked extensively on African Americans on the Ledo Road, A World War II project.   Her interest in restoring this building is a part of her WWII work.

        Gerri spent many years travelling with Clarence and brings those experiences to the club. Most important, is your comfort and feeling welcomed and at home while in the club.

       Together, she and Clarence raised two boys, Marco and Malcolm.  They are the proud Grandparents of Madison Ameera Inniss who lives in Houston with Malcolm and Timeka, her parents.  Marco lives in Richmond, VA and visits often.

Photo by Kevin James

• On Standing on Shoulders . . .  

• We want to say a big thank you to our first Jazz  Family, The Richmond (VA) Jazz Society.  They taught us a lot about what it takes to keep the music alive and living our "Bright Moments." 

• A Big Thanks to you, RJS!  Tallahassee, Check them out.

  www.vajazz.org 

• "Love you, Madly," RJS!

• We miss you, Gin!
  
  
  
  

The Main Entrance to B Sharp's Jazz Cafe is in the rear of the Building.  Parking is available in this location as well.  

As a part of Tallahassee's List of Historic Buildings, 648 was built in 1921 by a group of African American church women : The "Women's Working Band."  It first served as an Old Folks Home according to the cornerstone which is  dated November 27, 1921.

In 1948, the women donated the building to the returning African American, World War II Vets.  It was named  The Sneed Franklin American Legion Post 205.  The Ladies Auxillary met there as well, and their minutes show they helped many families in need throughout the years.

Many Tallahasseans, as teen agers growing up in the city, remember great times in the building.  648 was  a meeting place for the African American community over many decades.

The cannon in the front of the building is the mate of the cannon on FAMU's campus.  While the building houses  B Sharp's Jazz Cafe, it will always be the home of  The Sneed Franklin American Legion Post 205. 

Listed as historic by Tallahassee's Trust for Historic Preservation, the building has been carefully, historically restored.  This Historic Restoration was supported by a Grant / Loan from the City of Tallahassee and could not have been completed without that support.  Barber Construction served as the Final Project Manager. 

 Application is in progress for the building to be listed as a National Historic  Landmark.