Great Day in Harlem

[Milestones]

I thought about this famous photo after the death of Benny Golson.

So I have a simple question:  Other than Sonny Rollins,  is there anyone in the photo who is still alive?

 

 

[sonnymax]

According to Golson's obit in DB, Sonny is the lone survivor.

[Brad]

Correct. Sonny is the only one. 

[Milestones]

And retired for quite some time, so it really is the passing of an era.

 

[Gheorghe]

Time flies.

There were still dozens of them alive, when I was a teenager. 
But now I regret I didn´t listen to those, whom I had considered "oldies" in those days (Basie, Ellington, Goodman, Buddy Rich..... and so on). 
I had started only with what was THEN called "modern jazz" including free jazz and rock jazz, that means from Bird to the then super nova electric Miles....

[Ken Dryden]

One of the treasures I have is a framed copy of the Great Day in Harlem photo with a signed note from Marian McPartland. I feel fortunate that I was able to interview a few of the people who were in it, including Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Sonny Rollins, Gerry Mulligan, Milt Hinton, Horace Silver and Marian McPartland.

[Peter Friedman]

I also have a large framed copy of the Great Day In Harlem 1958.

Fortunately I have seen a large percentage of the musicians in that photo perform live.

[BFrank]

For those interested in the photo and would like to see other photos taken that same day, then this book is essential

[Big Beat Steve]

2 hours ago, BFrank said:

For those interested in the photo and would like to see other photos taken that same day, then this book is essential

Yes - really great. I made it a Christmas gift to myself when it came out. Recommended!

[BFrank]

22 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

Yes - really great. I made it a Christmas gift to myself when it came out. Recommended!

Good self-gift!

[RiRiIII]

On 10/21/2024 at 7:38 AM, BFrank said:

For those interested in the photo and would like to see other photos taken that same day, then this book is essential

and this great book is also sold with Benny Golson's and Quincy Jones' autographs. I have both...

https://www.amazon.com/KANE-HARLEM-1958-Deluxe-Limited/dp/8894366634/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.D_0QHCEpg-KPtg8HV0_zlA.Y0nq1jQ1ak-nuNI1GSYSQjrW3ARZq5zbOeIMcx4-kWg&dib_tag=se&keywords=8894366634&qid=1729670790&sr=8-1

Edited October 23, 2024 by RiRiIII
photo adderd

[Big Beat Steve]

Hoping for you this will be a good investment over time. Because the price difference compared to the "standard" edition is sorta "steep" IMO.

[Peter Friedman]

I recall seeing a video (maybe on PBS?) or a DVD I bought?.

It was all about what was involved in the making of the classic photo. 

Well worth seeing if you can track it down.

[mjzee]

11 hours ago, Peter Friedman said:

I recall seeing a video (maybe on PBS?) or a DVD I bought?.

It was all about what was involved in the making of the classic photo. 

Well worth seeing if you can track it down.

[Ken Dryden]

There was both a VHS and DVD of the documentary. Somewhere in my digital photo files I have a photo of Jean Bach, who was instrumental in getting this film made, standing in front of a poster of the famous photo.

[Big Beat Steve]

19 hours ago, Peter Friedman said:

I recall seeing a video (maybe on PBS?) or a DVD I bought?.

It was all about what was involved in the making of the classic photo. 

Well worth seeing if you can track it down.

If you google "Great Day in Harlem" along with "Jean Bach" at least two sites pop up at once where the film is online.

And it is also on Youtube:

I downloaded it from YT after I had become aware of it (a short while after the book arrived here - it may actually have been following a link provided here at the time this book was first discussed here in an earlier topic). So it's saved for posterity now.

[Dan Gould]

NYT article hinging on Sonny as the sole survivor from the famous photo:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/12/09/arts/music/harlem-jazz-sonny-rollins.html?unlocked_article_code=1.gU4.pSd2.wvnJnXa_wd1k&smid=url-share

[medjuck]

IIIRC (and I often don't) the color movie was taken by Milt  Hinton's wife with his 8mm camera. 

[gvopedz]

On 12/10/2024 at 8:16 AM, Dan Gould said:

NYT article hinging on Sonny as the sole survivor from the famous photo:

No more survivors

[Ken Dryden]

Just some of the kids are still living...wasn't one the son of Taft Jordan?

[Big Beat Steve]

7 hours ago, Ken Dryden said:

Just some of the kids are still living...wasn't one the son of Taft Jordan?

That would be an interesting side note. I haven't heard about that before. 

According to reminiscences of Art Kane in the "Art Kane - Harlem 1958" book, Count Basie decided to sit down on the curb for the photo, and then a bunch of kids from the neighboring brownstones decided they'd get into the picture too by sitting down next to the Count.  
I seem to remember having read elsewhere those kids kept sneaking into the picture while all the musicans lined up for the photo, so Count Basie sat down with them, possibly to keep them somewhat under control. (Which would be confirmed by the fact that there are several pics in the book that show plenty of kids sitting on the curb (while everybody was getting lined up), but no Count on the curb yet.) 
However, no mention of any of the kids being a son of one of the musicians present. But that would be a nice extra story. 

Edited May 27 by Big Beat Steve

[Ken Dryden]

I have a copy of the photo framed with a note to me from Marian McPartland. She sent the first copy as a postcard and the USPS mangled it.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I was looking at this annotated picture and wondering how many of these jazz greats I saw... I got:

Hank Jones

Horace Silver

Milt Hinton

Sonny Rollins

Benny Golson

Johnny Griffin

I had several chances to see Art Farmer live but back then, I was not into his music. Mistake on my part. I also had a chance to Dizzy Gillespie but skipped it. I had a reservation for the Jazz Cruise the year Gerry Mulligan was the headliner. Life intruded and I had to cancel. Mulligan died a short time later.

I think I am pretty lucky to have seen any of them. Sonny's passing is the end of an era.

[medjuck]

I saw: 

Art Blakey

Benny Golson

Art Farmer

Charles Mingus

Gene Krupa

Sonny Rollins

Gerry Mulligan

Lawrence Brown

Milt Hinton

Mary Lou Williams

Count Basie

Thelonious Monk

 

 

Edited May 30 by medjuck

[Ken Dryden]

I saw Marian McPartland live numerous time, Sonny Rollins, Milt Hinton several times and Count Basie. Dizzy Gillespie came to our city for an outdoor festival in the 1980s but his set was rained out. 

i interviewed Marian McPartland several times, Sonny Rollins, Milt Hinton, Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Benny Golson and Horace Silver.