An uplifting collection of poems captures the world of mid-20th-century Harlem while recounting the efforts of Esquire magazine graphic designer Art Kane, who despite limited resources attempted to photograph a group of famous jazz artists in front of a brownstone. By the author of Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat.
What happens when you invite as many jazz musicians as you can to pose for a photo in 1950s Harlem? Playful verse and glorious artwork capture an iconic moment for American jazz.
When Esquire magazine planned an issue to salute the American jazz scene in 1958, graphic designer Art Kane pitched a crazy idea: how about gathering a group of beloved jazz musicians and photographing them? He didnt own a good camera, didnt know if any musicians would show up, and insisted on setting up the shoot in front of a Harlem brownstone. Could he pull it off? In a captivating collection of poems, Roxane Orgill steps into the frame ofHarlem 1958, bringing to life the musicians mischief and quirks, their memorable style, and the vivacious atmosphere of a Harlem block full of kids on a hot summers day. Francis Vallejos vibrant, detailed, and wonderfully expressive paintings do loving justice to the larger-than-life quality of jazz musicians of the era. Includes bios of several of the fifty-seven musicians, an authors note, sources, a bibliography, and a foldout of Art Kanes famous photograph.
