Jazz first floated into the Twin Cities on the Mississippi River excursion boats, which brought the likes of Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong to listeners on the levee—and it never left. When Paul Whiteman, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and other jazz greats toured the clubs and concert halls of the Cities, young musicians listened in the alleys outside clubs, bought records, and learned more of this exciting new music. The local scene began to nurture players like Lester Young and Oscar...
