by Jamara Wakefield
430 Broadway Street is an unassuming location in downtown Newark, New Jersey. But for lovers of House music, this site conjures memories of an era that continues to influence musicians today. It is the former address of Lincoln Hotel, the home of the Club Zanzibar. This nightclub not only changed the history of the Jersey Club sound, but also fostered a community of people who continued to dance, fellowship, and express joy together for over four decades.
Zanzibar first opened its doors in 1979. Three years later, DJ Tony Humphries began his residency there and, along with others, helped "spawn the sometimes raw but always soulful, gospel-infused subgenre" of house music known as the Jersey sound. Humphries’ sets blended R&B, soul and gospel lyrics into their mixes, a technique that is still largely popular today. When asked about the emergence of the sound in Jersey at the time, Humphries told XLR8R, “There were a number of house producers coming up; I liked quite a few of the records. there was a certain groove I would try and build, using records to bridge to others, a vocal to an instrumental and vice versa, keeping a flow—I liked how that built the dancefloor.”
This sonic revolution was furthered by advances in sound technology, specifically that by Richard Long of Richard Long & Associates (RLA). RLA developed, designed, and installed the cutting edge sound system at Zanzibar, which is credited for making disco spaces the “immersive audiotopias that they were.” This meant that Jersey was now able to offer a sound experience equal to that of other popular dance clubs, like Chicago’s The Warehouse and Studio 54 in New York. Performances from Chaka Khan, Patti Labelle and Grace Jones, coupled with a sound system that allowed party goers to not only hear the music clearly but feel the vibrations coming from the speakers, helped the Zanzibar create a full-body experience that remains sought after within the House Community.
Tony Humphries playing at Zanzibar New Jersey.
This importance of community was apparent not just in the sound, but in the guests who frequented Zanzibar.
The Queer Newark Oral History Project (QNOHP) reports that LGBTQIA+ friendly club spaces in Newark date back to the 1930s. Over half a century later, the Zanzibar was continuing the tradition of inclusivity and in 1988, American drag performer Paris Dupree held her now-famous Paris Is Burning ball at the club. The ball was documented by Jennie Livingston for her 1990 film( also called Paris Is Burning) and gave straight, mainstream America a glimpse into the lives of the queer Black and brown community. Additionally, Dance Music Hall of Fame inductee DJ Larry Levan, an openly gay man who was also active in the drag scene, was the opening jock for weekly gay nights at the club. Zanzibar wasn’t just an immersive music headquarters, but also a communal sanctuary for Black and Brown LGTBQIA+ people where their bodies, voices and lives were valued.
Grace Jones at Zanzibar, date unknown, by Vincent Bryant.
Memories of Zanzibar live in the hearts and minds of Jersey House heads. Annual summer events, like the Roselle House Music Festival in Warinanco Park, the Weequahic Park House Music Festival, and the Lincoln Park Music Festival in Newark, serve as unofficial "Zans" reunions. And a connection to Zanzibar is the cultural capital that proves you are a part of the rich history of House.
Alice Jenkins, of mother-son dance duo Alice and Charon, remembers sleeping in between the speakers at the club to rest before getting back on the dance floor. “Zanzibar was something I couldn't believe,” she recalls. “They were playing disco music but with a different flavor.”
Zanzibar sits at the intersection of music history, Black history and Jersey history.
When I think about Black joy, I consider the resilience of New Jersey’s Black House community. This legacy runs parallel to the decades-long struggle by Black people and our allies to end institutionalized racial discrimination and disenfranchisement in the United States. This history is the story of a community that is self-sustained and created space for those who are outcasts. Zanzibar is one house but the entire community is a place many call home.The festival cultures, the clubs, the virtual DJ sets, are Zanzibar’s most obvious legacy, proving that community is alive. It has a heartbeat, it has a pulse.
Learn more about supporting the Black House, Black Joy film here.