Jim Marshall is universally known as “the Father of music photography” and the only photographer to ever be honored by The Grammys with a Trustees Award for his life’s work. Jim Marshall, Jazz Festival is a tribute to his work. Containing 95 percent previously unseen images, Marshall managed to capture the freedom, the excitement and the intimacy of the Newport and Monterey Jazz Festivals of the 1960s. All of the Jazz Icons are here; Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Wes Mongomery, Ben Webster, Nina Simone, Theolonious Monk, John Coltrane and so many more. Marshall’s inimitable lens immortalized them all and his unrestricted access meant that he got the shots others only dreamed about. Effortlessly cool, they capture not only the thrill of the performers and their private, unguarded moments but the unique atmosphere and sense of lightness and openness among the crowd; old, young, black, white.
Newport and Monterey were the first popular music festivals, taking place during one of the most important moments in the annuals of jazz and these influential performers were some of the biggest musicians of the day. Marshall remained lifelong friends with many of his jazz subjects, which would also prove to be the case with his later work, establishing trusted close and professional relationships with music legends. This extraordinary book celebrates Jim Marshall’s unique talent and lifelong desire to “capture the perfect moment”.
The book is also a celebration of the fashion and culture of the jazz scene at this time. As author and designer Graham Marsh writes:
“In the 1960s, when it came to jazz, style was part of the equation in both clothes and attitude. At Monterey and Newport black culture was openly embraced and integrated audiences were the norm. Nobody cared – as long as you looked sharp and dug the music – anything else was just jiving, there was strictly no room for squares. At both festivals, on any given day it was a sea of Bass Weejun loafers, natural shouldered seersucker jackets, essential Lacoste tennis shirts and Clarks desert boots. Definitely on the money were also button-down shirts, chinos and 501 Levi’s. … It was dressing fine, making time and moreover, a visual feast for Ray-Ban and Persol shaded eyes.”
Jim Marshall, Jazz Festival
Real Art Press
Foreword by President Bill Clinton
Introduction by Nat Hentoff
£45/ $75
ISBN: 978-1-909526-32-7
http://www.reelartpress.com/
