Eugene smith and the jazz loft project the new york times. The jazz loft project center for documentary studies at duke. Eugene smith in new york 19571965, a book by the jazz loft projects director, sam stephenson, documents in photographs and text the legendary afterhours jazz jam sessions and other occurrences that took place at 821 sixth avenue from 1957 to 1965. An exceptionally vivid picture of bohemian life during one of new york citys most exciting eras, the jazz loft according to w. W eugene smith, the photographer who wanted to record. Archivist and author of the jazz loft project, sam stephenson. In this small apartment space, smith catalogued the lives of the likes of thelonious monk, bill evans, rahsaan roland kirk and lee konitz in 4,000 hours of recordings and. Eugene smith 2015 unrated 1h 27m biography photographer w. Eugene smith s obsessive, quixotic documentary work.
With david amram, carla bley, john cohen, harry colomby. Between 1957 and 1965 in new york, dozens of jazz musicians jam night after night in a dilapidated sixth avenue loft, not realizing that much of what they play and say to each other is being. Smith s legacy consisted of some 40,000 photographs and more than 1700 reel to reel tapes which yielded more than 4000 hours of listening. Oct 16, 2015 several people have asked me for a good book recommendation to followup on the w eugene smith episode this one is my recommendation. May 12, 2010 in the meantime, the jazz loft project. Eugene smith, reveals just what the world had been missing all that time. Many of new yorks finest jazz musicians spent time at the loft, and smith made tape recordings and took photos of the proceedings. I posted on here back last year regarding the jazz loft. Aug 06, 2017 w eugene smith, the photographer who wanted to record everything smith took many famous pictures, but also taped hours of audio of jazz greats, writers and artists of the day in his new york loft. Nov 25, 2009 in 1998, sam stephenson discovered smiths jazz loft photographs and tapes, which had remained unseen for 40 years, and spent the following seven years cataloging, archiving, selecting, and editing smiths materials for a brilliantly ambitious book, the jazz loft project. Photographs and tapes of w eugene smith from 821 sixth avenue, 19571965 is a riveting work of social archaeology, and extraordinary testament to artists. Wnycs sara fishko fishko files recreates the vibrant culture of new yorks midcentury jazz era for the modern day viewer.
Harold feinstein photographer the jazz loft, the limelight. The jazz loft project by sam stephenson buy the book. Eugene smith book in the phaidon 55 series in 2001, for example, i wasnt allowed to include that image. Much of the material has survived and it provides the visual and aural.
Eugene smith has his in sam stephenson fred kaplan, new york magazine. Hes put together two books of smiths photographs of pittsburgh, as well as a poetically comprehensive anthology of photos, transcripts. Sam stephenson author has written books about gene smith including gene smith s sink and jazz loft project. Fishko directed the film, and wnyc and lumiere productions produced it. All ten episodes of the jazz loft radio series available now on itunes, and wherever podcasts are available photographs by w. When the little boy was only nine years old and asking his mother for money to buy photographs of airplanes, the child was given his first camera. Eugene smith, a fascinating documentary directed by sara fishko, tells the story of smiths peculiar endeavor and pays conscientious tribute to the mans artistry. Returning from assignment, smith selected two hundred images to send to life but was infuriated by the way the magazine chose to lay out the story. Eugene smith s first published photographsof the droughtdried arkansas riverappeared in the new york times when he was fifteen years old. William eugene smith was born in the city of wichita, kansas on december 30, 1918 to william h. The legendary jazz loft at 821 6th avenue existed and functioned under the tutelage of photographer w. The musicians werent aware they were being recorded or photographed. Eugene smith s jazz loft project has been legendary in the worlds of art, photography, and music for more than forty years, but until the publication of the jazz loft project, no one had seen smiths extraordinary photographs or read any of the firsthand accounts of those who were there and lived to tell the tales. A whopping 4,000 hours of that audio and hundreds of those photographs, just a few of which are seen here, are the building blocks of the new documentary the jazz loft according to w.
Eugene smith in the late 1950s, the photographer w. Eugene smiths jazz loft project has been legendary in the worlds of art, photography, and music for more than forty years, but until the publication of the jazz loft project, no one had seen smiths extraordinary photographs or read any of the firsthand accounts of those who were there and lived to tell the tales. Eugene smith from 821 sixth avenue, 19571965 by sam stephenson. Growing up, smith had taken interest in flying and aviation. Photographs and tapes of w eugene smith from 821 sixth avenue, 19571965 is a riveting work of social archaeology, and. In 1957, eugene smith, a thirtyeightyearold magazine photo. He noticed a row of cardboard boxes stacked against. Eugene smith, and on this edition of night lights ill talk with sam stephenson, author of both the jazz loft project and the biography gene smith s sink. Eugene smiths infatuated vision new york magazine nymag every obsessive deserves his own obsessive boswell, and w. W eugene smith, the photographer who wanted to record everything smith took many famous pictures, but also taped hours of audio of jazz greats, writers and artists of the day in his new york loft. The jazz loft project center for documentary studies at. Eugene smith memorial fund, i attended a tour of the exhibition led by sam stephenson, a writer and scholar from the center for documentary studies at duke university, where the jazz loft project is based.
Clearly in the right place at the right time, stephenson made the most of his good fortune. Now, in this gripping biography, he has extended his research to the whole of smiths turbulent life, adding greatly to our knowledge, understanding and. Like many of his other seminal photoessays, the country doctor works in series. Eugene smith, a 38yearold magazine photographer, left his comfortable world to move into a dilapidated loft building at 821 sixth avenue in new york city. Dec 20, 2010 what became known as the jazz loft project at dukes center for documentary studies, where i worked, began that day. Eugene smith s massive, flyonthewall archive of photos and audio tapes documenting the likes of jazz greats thelonious monk, zoot sims, jimmy giuffre, hall overton and others at work and play in the sixth avenue wreck that was smith s home and studio. Eugene smith, and on this edition of night lights ill talk with sam stephenson, author of both the jazz loft project and the biography gene smiths sink. Eugene smith 19181978 documented the latenight soirees inside a dilapidated new york city loft where some of. Eugene smith s archive of photos documents the careers of jazz legends.
The jazz loft project, devoted to preserving and cataloging the works of smith, is directed by sam stephenson at the center for documentary studies at duke university in cooperation with center for creative photography ccp, part of the university of arizona and the smith estate. A photojournalists most prolific period, set to jazz. Eugene smith, who lives in the loft space next door. It is the photograph on the last page of the book issued in conjunction with the photographic. I first became aware of smith s connection with jazz in the early 1960s, when down beat, the us jazz magazine, published a feature on overtons rehearsals with monk. Eugene smith s massive, flyonthewall archive of photos and audio tapes documenting the likes of jazz greats thelonious monk, zoot sims, jimmy giuffre, hall overton and others at work. Eugene smith available in dvd ship this item qualifies for free shipping buy online, pick up in store is currently unavailable, but this item may be available for instore purchase. Dec 18, 2009 sam stephenson, a 30yearold freelance writer, was camped out at the centers archive, researching a book about smiths pittsburgh project. Eugene smith, a fascinating documentary directed by sara fishko, tells the story of smith s peculiar endeavor and pays conscientious tribute to the mans. Aileen didnt say this to me, but perhaps the context of this conference, with its practical goals and concerns as opposed to an exhibition of fine art for fine arts sake, or the making of subject into object. I first became aware of smiths connection with jazz in the early 1960s, when down beat, the us jazz magazine, published a feature on overtons rehearsals with monk. Eugene smith happened to be manhattan neighbors with musicians dick cary and hall overton, who used their apartment as a gathering place for the great jazz artists of the era. When smith, an esteemed photojournalist, moved to the flower district in manhattan in the 1950s, he started shooting and taping his neighbors.
Eugene smith hosted a loft space for jam sessions and rehearsals. Eugene smith s jazz loft project has been legendary in the worlds of art, photography, and music for more than forty years, but until the publication of the jazz loft project, no one had seen smiths extraordinary photographs or read any of the firsthand accounts of those who were there and lived to tell the talesmore. I was surprised to learn that the great humanist photographer eugene smith, famous. In the midst of manhattans wholesale flower district, painter david x. Sam stephensons earlier books on eugene smiths pittsburgh and jazz loft projects have established him as the leading authority on defining parts of the photographers career. One of only thirteen books in 2009 to make each year end lists of publishers. Eugene smith s jazz loft project has been legendary in the worlds of art, photography, and music for more than forty years, but until the publication of the jazz loft project, no one had seen smith s extraordinary photographs or read any of the firsthand accounts of. Eugene smith moved out of the home he shared with his wife and four children in crotononhudson, new york, and into a dilapidated, fivestory loft building at 821 sixth avenue between 28th and 29th streets in new york citys wholesale flower district. Both photos and choosen texts pull you into the incredible atmosphere of this loft and the madness of smiths project. Every obsessive deserves his own obsessive boswell, and w.
A landmark book this will be an essential book for jazz fans, photographer lovers and those interested in the history of new york. Over the next twenty years he made his name as a photojournal ist with an activists eye for depicting drama and injustice. Smith, considered the father of the photo essay after publishing stories. He spent years working with the material to bring the exhibition and book to light. Sam stephenson, a 30yearold freelance writer, was camped out at the centers archive, researching a book about smith s pittsburgh project. In 1957, eugene smith, a thirtyeightyearold magazine photographer. Eugene smith took thousands of photographs and recorded thousands of hours of audio in his loft building, capturing the legendary musicians of the day.
Setting the scene is smiths gritty photographs of the loft and his pictures of the flower district below his fourthfloor loft window. The exhibition evokes the jazz loft through more than 200 images, several hours of audio, and 16mm film footage of smith working in the loft. Absolutely brilliant account of eugene smith and the jazz loft. Eugene smith s massive, flyonthewall archive of photos and audio tapes documenting the likes of jazz greats thelonious monk, zoot sims, jimmy giuffre, hall overton and. In 1957, eugene smith, a thirtyeightyearold magazine photographer, walked out of his comfortable settled worldhis longtime wellpaying job at. Books center for documentary studies at duke university. Sam stephensons book the jazz loft project documents w. Sights and sounds december 5, 2009 in 1957, photographer w. The dilapidated fivestory walkup at 821 sixth avenue, where smith lived and worked for nearly a decade, was an afterhours hangout for jazz musicians who drifted by throughout the night for. Sam stephensons 2009 book, the jazz loft, and now a new film directed by sara fishko, make the nature of that debt a little clearer. The jazz loft project, organized by the center for documentary studies in cooperation with ccp and the w. Eugene smith recorded 4000 hours of audio tape and took 40,000 photographs in the jazz loft between 1957 and 1965. Aug 29, 2017 the story of life in the jazz loft between 1957 and 1965 as captured by the great photographer w.
The book, a compilation of behindthescenes images and impressions. Mar 15, 2010 one morning when i tuned into npr, the voice of sarah fishko announced a new radio series. Eugene smith, whose beguiling life and legacy are explored in stephensons new book, gene smi. Eugene smith estate, is devoted to preserving and cataloging smiths tapes, researching the photographs, and obtaining oral history interviews with a. Smith s thousands of hours of audio and 40,000 photographs were the raw material used to make a remarkable documentary called the jazz loft according to w. Eugene smith exists thanks to its namesakes perhaps pathological. In the 1950s, dozens of jazz musicians jam night after night in a dilapidated new york loft building, not realizing they are all being captured in sound and pictures by acclaimed life magazine photographer w. Viewed alongside his master prints, smiths 5x7inch work prints.
Book spotlight the jazz loft project photographs and tapes of w. Eugene smith and me at helen gees limelight gallery, 1957. Eugene smith captures sights, sounds of an era in jazz. In 1955 smith quit the magazine, and two years later he left his family and moved into a derelict loft building in new yorks wholesale flower district. Cds books at the center for documentary studies are works of creative exploration by writers and photographers who convey new ways of seeing and understanding human experience in all its diversity books that tell stories, challenge our assumptions, awaken our social conscience, and connect life, learning, and art.
Eugene smith will have its new york premiere at doc nyc this friday, november. Eugene smith moved into a lower manhattan loft which served as a latenight hangout for jazz. Eugene smiths jazz loft project has been legendary in the worlds of art. Art, obsession and anxiety permeate a dilapidated manhattan loft building in midcentury. Sam stephenson the jazz loft project knopf doubleday. Several people have asked me for a good book recommendation to followup on the w eugene smith episode this one is my recommendation. Smiths strange, obsessive achievement between 1957 and 1965 in an afterhours jazz haunt in manhattans flower districtforty thousand photos and four thousand hours of audio recordingsspurred me to visit twentyone. Eugene smith is a crucially important slice of jazz history, of a fragile slice of new york and american life that is just a whisp in the history of jazz, photography, and bohemian social scenes. Introduction and tales of the tape in 1957, a photographer moved into a building known as a hangout for new york citys top jazz musicians. Eugene smith from 821 sixth avenue, 19571965 is an exhibition of photographs and audio recordings of an extraordinary chapter in american jazz history and the climate in which it occurred from 1957 to 1965, famed photographer w. Eugene smith, a fascinating documentary directed by sara fishko, tells the story of smiths peculiar endeavor and pays conscientious tribute to the mans. The jazz loft project is a longoverdue book of a longoverlooked time in the life of w.
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