The Joslyn Dreamland: Jazz Night with Luigi Inc. at Joslyn Castle & Gardens – Omaha, NE

Jazz music was a key element in the Harlem Renaissance. In celebration of our 16th Annual Art & Literary Festival, we invite you to join us for a swanky evening of live music at the Joslyn Dreamland! Old Market Omaha favorites, Luigi Inc. will perform jazz classics from from the era of Langston Hughes and Aaron Douglas in the Joslyn Castle Carriage House.

There will be a cash bar serving beer, wine and a featured jazz age cocktail! Dress in your Art Deco inspired cocktail attire for a night to dance and mingle with great minds!

What: Jazz Night at the Castle

When: Saturday, Nov. 15 at 9:30pm, doors open at 9pm

Where: Joslyn Castle Carriage House

3902 Davenport St. Omaha, NE 681310

Ages 21+

Tickets are available to the public for $20

Combo Ticket $30 for those attending any ticketed Lit Fest performances!

To purchase a Combo Ticket please register here for your preferred Voices from the Harlem Renaissance performance and select the Jazz Night “add-on” at checkout.

Luigi Inc. is a five-piece jazz ensemble based in Omaha, Nebraska, carrying forward the legacy of the late jazz legend Luigi Waites. Founded in 1975, the group’s name — “Luigi Inc.” — stands for including, not incorporated, reflecting its inclusive spirit and collaborative approach to music. Luigi Inc. holds the distinct honor of maintaining one of the longest-running live jazz residencies in the country, performing every Sunday at Mr. Toad in Omaha’s Old Market.

The original lineup featured harp, bass, saxophone, and drums, and the group quickly became known for blending jazz standards, popular music, and original compositions. Over the decades, while personnel and instrumentation have evolved, Luigi Inc. has remained true to its mission of presenting high-quality, soulful jazz to audiences of all kinds. The current lineup features Curt McKean on saxophone, Jeff Scheffler on guitar, Steve Gomez on bass, Steve Knight on drums, and Doyle Tipler on trumpet.

The Great Plains Black History Museum has generously loaned the Joslyn Castle an exhibit on the history of the Dreamland Ballroom, which will be on display in the Castle Library during the festival.

A Night at the Dreamland Ballroom the History of Jazz in Omaha The Dreamland Ballroom was the heart of Jazz in Omaha, during its hey-day it hosted some of the greatest Jazz acts of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. On any given night you could see Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, The Nat King Cole Trio, Preston Love Sr., The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, and Little Esther Phillips. Red, Perkings, Nat Towles, and many others. They performed at the Carnation Ballroom, Jim Bell’s Club Harlem, Cotton Club, Allen Showcase, The Off Beat, all part of Omaha’s Jazz hub.