Synopses & Reviews
The finest collection of jazz photographs ever published, William Claxton's Jazz became an instant classic when it was first published in 1987. Now this seminal volume of portraits is available in a stunning paperback edition. Legendary throughout the jazz world, Claxton began photographing musicians while still a student at UCLA, during the early days of the burgeoning West Coast jazz scene. A personal friend of many of the artists, Claxton captured on film the intimate relationship between the musicians and their music, and his award-winning photographs have graced the covers of innumerable albums. Collected here are 77 evocative full-bleed duotones of the world's great jazz icons, including Sarah Vaughan, Chet Baker, Dave Brubreck, Bill Evans, Gerry Mulligan, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Dizzie Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Art Pepper, Thelonious Monk, and many others. For anyone who loves jazz or fine photography, Jazz is a timeless volume and an outstanding gift.
Review
"The pics by photographer William Claxton are mature, expressive and precise: this glorious paper edition of his 1987 classic is timeless. It's safe to say that these photos have played as big a role in the jazz renaissance as a whole stack of reissues." Time Out New York
About the Author
William Claxton currently lives in Los Angeles.