Chargesheimer

[mikeweil]

Today while I picked up an order at my local bookseller I pulled this LP sized photobook from the sales bin for € 14.00 (list price is € 35.00):

Chargesheimer was the artist name of photographer Karl-Heinz Hargesheimer (1924-1971), who became the photographic accompanist of the scene in Cologne after he met Gigi Campi in the 1950's. When I opened the book a page with hands holding drumsticks stared at me, I immediately thought of Kenny Clarke, and indeed it was him. It was Chargesheimer who took the nude photo that was graphically processed for the cover of Clarke-Boland's Sax No End:

Several other shots ended up on album covers. Many series of international jazz fame that performed in Cologne, professional photography on a very high level. Text is in German, but the pics are stunning all by themselves. I'm glad I picked it up.

https://www.discogs.com/artist/2382001-Chargesheimer

https://emons-verlag.de/p/chargesheimer-fotografiert-jazz-6269

https://www.amazon.com/Chargesheimer-fotografiert-Jazz/dp/3740815159/ref=sr_1_1?crid=325NCBLGXI6QK&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.o-VwZBTaBaG9UlQ1FCS-uU5QqDaJh4AkZMI7o9kFovmuofopyoIXigZ7ybXXusY-Q_Vw245vBtN9yMLWTmU8fzAFOl3dy8v2eBZQjgdS-KI-JUIqjYuwdhUthvnWqda0XL0M6uSCKPsfX1ESbvsditksU4sj1vP509pvhacdWR4lc4GDYV9IEdy26m4gPU4fNFtOqCHkb43afGTqjkmDdgZRWn_aLYZI7izg7RN8Xgg.0xQ51KALs8wO25SDxk457N0bNgbjcvEXW72y-dnJKt0&dib_tag=se&keywords=chargesheimer&qid=1786138171&s=books&sprefix=chargesheimer%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C256&sr=1-1

Probably too pricey for US buyers, but a recommendation for German/European members:

https://www.amazon.de/Chargesheimer-fotografiert-Jazz-Herausgegeben-Rheinischen/dp/3740815159/ref=sr_1_4?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&crid=3P6XW4OJGFSG2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MrX4Fg_olBEUNTZ8-M2u4Eqdqq1S6TU4_wO6L2cn9Yr0io-bG23WrlWWtlCmjqrEBJ0lJOGzDo-jROmDMUTAQquqd2z7kYG3HvL6X5GGKLXTPw-KWFe2tC3dIFSTOcNyeZOTCSxltJYWnCkyTptust3ufUWNEmVoHuMMQpm4jErLWb285dlB0MRFckstZ6H-xbRIBjgmFzwEvoH8UivYKhBExbTt_dSvjZ0gt0LILMY.6_eCR_6iZvNxSutQswtuajPgYNIBkW6MtxfeO2p6h7Q&dib_tag=se&keywords=chargesheimer&qid=1786138285&sprefix=chargesheimer%2Caps%2C237&sr=8-4

[Big Beat Steve]

Thanks for the hint, Mike!
That book (published in 2022) totally escaped me so far.

I'll try to browse a copy before buying at the list price, though. How would you assess the overall distribution between photos from the 50s and from the 60s in the book?

Chargesheimer is a familiar name. He is represented in the impressive catalog of the 1965 "Weltausstellung der Photographie" (World Exhibition of Photography) that was shown in a huge number of museums across Europe through 1965. And some of his pics are in the "Jazz in Köln" book by Robert von Zahn (also published by Emons) too.

[Niko]

I have the 1990 book in the Taschen Verlag discussed here:

https://geraldlanger.de/chargesheimer-1924-1971-buchempfehlung/

It's broader than merely his jazz pictures but you can find it relatively easily and cheaply e.g. on ZVAB

Edit: just had another look at the book, it's really meant to be an overview of his work, with only about 5 of the jazz photos... I am also interested to learn about NRW / western Germany in the 50s and 60s so for me almost all of it is interesting... but other jazz fans probably better start with Mike's recommendation... I might also have to get it actually...

Edited August 8 by Niko

[mikeweil]

The book is all about the Cologne scene, Clarke-Boland is very well represented, and stars playing in town, Duke, Satchmo, Lady Day, Ella, Bechet, all 1950's and 1960's. 

The editor spent endless hours going through 40.000 negatives to find all the jazz related stuff.

[Big Beat Steve]

Just found a copy on eBay.de for somewhat less than 11 EUR (including shipping) so jumped on it.
Seems like the book has joined the cut-rate sales bins in several places, so this might be the time to go for it. 

So thanks again, Mike!

 

Edited August 9 by Big Beat Steve

[mikeweil]

You're weicome! 

Wasn't that you who hipped me to the simmilarly recommendable book about Susanne Schapowalow some years go? Here ya go.

Yes it was you.

 

[Big Beat Steve]

Yes it was me, and at the time I should not have thought it would enter the cut-price cycle relatively early. It's been quite a few years now since it showed up on online platforms such as Zweitausendeins and Frölich & Kaufmann at a greatly reduced price (it really was a steal at that price).

Out of curiosity, I did a quick online search now - and ... holy shit ... sellers' asking prices are in the 3-digit Euro figure range now on the usual online book selling platforms ... 
Maybe I ought to check if the NM secondhand copy that's been sitting at a local shop is still there for a measly 20 EUR ... might be a sensible long-term investment 

Edited August 9 by Big Beat Steve

[Niko]

Ordered it as well now, thanks for the tip, Mike!

[mikeweil]

Always great to make other collectors happy!

Please post what you think about it. I find the long series about Kenny Clarke intriguing.

[Big Beat Steve]

Delivery of my book took about one week beyond the date of delivery promised by the seller but IMO it was worth the wait.
Photographs that often palpably tell a story, nice layout, excellent printing and instructive texts to accompany the photographs.

Though this may be a minority taste, I also appreciated the sequences of similar shots from one and the same session. Reproducing the pics from an entire reel accentuates the MOTIONS of the artists and makes the scenes come much more alive than a single shot could ever do.

Same for what is another aspect where I probably am in a minority: It's good to see the book gives fair coverage to the German jazz scene of the 50s and early 60s too (maybe about one third of the book) instead of "just" dwelling on the biggest of big names of the interational stars caught on tour. It's obvious such star pictures were taken (because that's where the resale money was for the pro photographers to make a living by placing them with the print media) but honestly, and without wanting to be too disrespectful - in retrospect, who urgently needs yet more copious amounts of pictures of Satchmo, Ella and whoever else there was among the stars? Individually the photographs are quite impressive but OVERALL, the portrait or one-person feature shots, in particular, tend to get repetitive and interchangeable after a while because they could have been taken (and WERE taken) almost anywhere by pro photographers during those tours. OTOH documenting the grassroots happenings in jazz, particularly on the home turf, is where history is really documented and preserved for posterity. Because not many others bothered or were able to have their camera handy at the right moments. 

All in all, picking a copy up - particularly at the current online discount prices - is something where you can never go wrong. And beyond everything else to get lost in in browsing through the pages, it is also interesting to rediscover pictures that you are only too familiar with from record covers in your LP collection (and no, I'm NOT talking about the "Sax No end" session here! ).

Edited August 20 by Big Beat Steve

[mikeweil]

Thanks for your impressions!

[Niko]

My copy also arrived last week and I like it a lot, indeed especially the fact that the local 1950s scene is covered so much... and that it's simply a beautiful book about beautiful stuff... thanks again for the tip!