Some never before seen photos from the Great Day In Harlem.”

[Hardbopjazz]

Here is the link.  It must have been amazing to have been there with all these greats   

 

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6423123/A-great-day-Harlem-frame-iconic-1958-shoot-jazz-artists-published-time.html?fbclid=IwAR0ULzqduU7ciG3hf5SMEBOsCNXWDBF9vEF529-CiwvgxtIPEEHC-hia9iY

 

[Brad]

Thanks for the link. I'm going to ask my nephew to give me the book for the holidays.  

Call me a philistine but I had never focused on who was who in that photo before I read the article. All I can say is WOW!

[Dan Gould]

They should sell prints; I'd buy the Golson - Sonny - Monk shot in a heartbeat.

[medjuck]

IIRC Golson and Sonny are the last ones alive. 

[kh1958]

The three names that are not  immediately familiar to me are: Scoville Brown, Bill Crump and Rudy Powell.

[paul secor]

Rudy Powell is the best known: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Powell

Scoville Browne less so: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_Browne

Bill Crump seems to be almost an unknown: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-crump-mn0001950123/biography

[medjuck]

And I think one of the little kids on the curb is also still alive. 

Esquire reposed those still living a decade or so ago.  BTW The original photo was in a a really good special issue of Esquire entitled "The Golden Age of Jazz".  It really was in that many of the innovators were still alive as were wonderful contemporary artists. 

[BillF]

33 minutes ago, medjuck said:

And I think one of the little kids on the curb is also still alive. 

Esquire reposed those still living a decade or so ago.  BTW The original photo was in a a really good special issue of Esquire entitled "The Golden Age of Jazz".  It really was in that many of the innovators were still alive as were wonderful contemporary artists. 

Yes, a great time at the beginning of my jazz listening career. I remember the photo first appearing, but I can't remember in which publication.

[medjuck]

That issue of Esquire is on-line:

 

http://archive.esquire.com/issue/19590101

[Hardbopjazz]

Just Sonny and Benny are lest from that day, but the music of those that left remain.   

I wonder were they placed in any particular order? Golson and Farmer are standing next to each other. Both founders of the Jazztet. Marian McPartland with Mary Lou Williams. McPartland use to mention on her Piano Jazz radio program she was friends with Mary Lou. 

Both Monk and Rollins wore light colored suits. They wanted to stand out, feeling everyone else would wear dark suits.  There was a film back in the 1980’s or 1990’s about this day.  I have to find a copy and watch it again.  

[mjzee]

 

[paul secor]

I always liked Sonny's line about Pres in the film - It was like he came for a short visit from another planet and went back.

[BillF]

10 hours ago, rdavenport said:

The film of the photo was at the beginning of my jazz listening career Bill. I vaguely remember someone (Benny Golson?) saying something about Hank Jones always commenting on his contemporaries having put on weight in their later years.

I saw it at the Cornerhouse; I suspect you did too.  

Yes. I did.

8 hours ago, paul secor said:

I always liked Sonny's line about Pres in the film - It was like he came for a short visit from another planet and went back.

Wasn't that Sun Ra? 

[Big Beat Steve]

12 hours ago, medjuck said:

And I think one of the little kids on the curb is also still alive. 

Esquire reposed those still living a decade or so ago.  BTW The original photo was in a a really good special issue of Esquire entitled "The Golden Age of Jazz".  It really was in that many of the innovators were still alive as were wonderful contemporary artists. 

I have that photo in the Esquire book "Esquire's World of Jazz" published in 1963 but I do think I saw it reprinted in some other book before I got hold of this one about 15 years ago because I remember I had been aware of that photo. I cannot recall what other book that was, though. (It wasn't the K. Abé coffee table photo book which had been my first thought ...)

Ordered the "Harlem 1958" book last night and will hope it will arrive in time for Christmas. My better half has been nagging me about what to get me for Christmas so this will certainly be something to look forward to ...

[kh1958]

19 hours ago, paul secor said:

Rudy Powell is the best known: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Powell

Scoville Browne less so: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_Browne

Bill Crump seems to be almost an unknown: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-crump-mn0001950123/biography

Interesting. Thanks.

[Big Beat Steve]

Watched it yesterday (for the first time). Fascinating but mindboggling that all the interviewees except Sonny Rollins and Benny Golson are dead now. Time flies ...

But my, did I have trouble understanding Art Blakey and (often) Dizzy Gillespie ...No comparison with Johnny Griffin or Hank Jones or a couple of others ...

Seeing how many of the musicians (and helpers) involved also seemed to have taken snapshots there should be material out there for ANOTHER volume of "behind the scenes" shots (if they can ever be located). Starting with the pics taken by Milt Hinton's wife.

Edited December 4, 2018 by Big Beat Steve

[Rooster_Ties]

19 hours ago, rdavenport said:

Just watched the film again, took me back (only to 1994 like, but you get what I mean). 

I first saw the film at the Kansas City Film Fest, in late '94 or spring of '95.  One of something like 80 films and docs shown over 2 weeks.

I'd just moved to KC less than a year before (from my college town of 30,000, with only 2 movie screens) -- so I bought an all-Fest pass for $120, and burned about 3-4 days of vacation -- and went to something like 20-25 films -- sometimes as many as 3 in the same day.

Fond memories.  I think I did some version of that for the first 3-4 years I was in KC.

[Big Beat Steve]

Surprise ... the mailman delivered the parcel with the book on my doorstep today. Ordered on Saturday night from the publisher in Italy via Amazon and here it is today. This sure was FAST ...

Whew ... as it is a holidays present this is going to be TOUGH wait until Christmas Eve ...

[Brad]

3 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

Surprise ... the mailman delivered the parcel with the book on my doorstep today. Ordered on Saturday night from the publisher in Italy via Amazon and here it is today. This sure was FAST ...

Whew ... as it is a holidays present this is going to be TOUGH wait until Christmas Eve ...

Same for me, in all respects.  I ordered it Saturday and it’s supposed to be delivered today. 

[Dan Gould]

On 12/1/2018 at 1:02 PM, Dan Gould said:

They should sell prints; I'd buy the Golson - Sonny - Monk shot in a heartbeat.

On second thought, only in a heartbeat after I win the lottery. Check out these rates:

https://www.wallofsoundgallery.com/en/harlem--by-art-kane-harlem----i3868

Apparently I can deduct 22% VAT that's still a gigantic figure at the smallest size available.

[medjuck]

My wife got it for me for Xmas.  I love it.  Makes me very nostalgic for the era and my youth. 

[Brad]

It’s an amazing book.  My wife got it for me also. 

[RiRiIII]

Anyone got the DELUXE edition signed by kane ,Golson and Quincy Jones?

DELUXE EDITION : Only 200 copies in special slipcase and different cover, signed by Quincy Jones, Benny Golson and Jonathan Kane. With an exclusive signed/numbered 8x10 inches fine art print (signed by Jonathan Kane) and a commemorative poster. RRP 350 Euro. Deluxe edition available exclusively via wallofsoundgallery.com.

[Big Beat Steve]

On 26.12.2018 at 1:00 AM, medjuck said:

My wife got it for me for Xmas.  I love it.  Makes me very nostalgic for the era and my youth. 

Was finally able to open my copy at Christmas Eve too, and it made for some lengthy and very interesting browsing. Very glad I got this one.

However, without wanting to nitpick, I have a few regrets, maybe due to somewhat false hopes after having read the background story linked in the opening thread and seen the documentary.

1) A bit more background info and memories/anecdotes about how the shooting went along would have been welcome.
2) Captions would not have hurt either in many cases (would have helped to avoid some of the leafing to the ID page and back )
3) I realize the "Closer Look" section does not include all the "Frame by Frame" contact prints but I have my doubts about the selection of some of the full-size views. One or two fluffed exposures where some car drives through the scenery in mid-shoot or someone sees fit to step directly in front of the lens, blocking most of the view, may be nice to show the "in-process" stages of the photo shoot, but they could have limited these a bit. Instead I'd rather have seen a full-size view of the close-up of Pee Wee Russell, for example, and of what looks like an "alternate take" of the final and published group picture. This one can be seen on the extreme right of the cover (differences being that Mary Lou Williams and Roy Eldridge look towards the camera, whereas Prez and Dizzy look sideways). This would have been a nice one for comparison (and maybe discussions about which one would have been the bestest in the end after all ).

The overall idea and concept of this book remind me of the "Charlie Parker" book by Esther Bubley (the title being not quite correct, except as a selling argument, as the other musicians of that July, 1952 Norman Granz session are also featured extensively): Contact prints first, full size next. But the Bubley book has a lot more backgrund info about the shooting and the context.

BTW, anybody checked the biographies closer yet? One goof that struck me was that Rex Stewart did not die in 1972 (as stated there) but in 1967

 

Edited December 27, 2018 by Big Beat Steve