A Great Day in Harlem, 1958
The most famous photograph in Jazz? Entirely possible, and considered as such by jazz and photography fans and scholars alike.
Shot for Esquire Magazine in August 1958, it was Art Kane’s first major assignment as a photographer. Kane pitched the idea of a huge group portrait to be shot on location in Harlem. No one knew, with the early call hour of 10:00 am whether anyone would show up, but they did. 58 legendary giants of jazz including Lester Young, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Thelonious Monk, Coleman Hawkins, Mary Lou Williams, Horace Silver, Gene Krupa, Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins and more and more and more. The global impact of this image cannot be underestimated. It’s the subject of an Academy Award nominated documentary ‘A Great Day In Harlem’, it’s been recreated in homage dozens of times with Hip Hop artists, jazz, rock, blues, klezmer, classical musicians and more, it’s the subject of 2 award winning children’s books, and was the ultimate plot point of Steven Spielberg’s movie ‘The Terminal’ starring Tom Hanks.
Original Photograph Printed Directly from the Original Negative.
Hand-Signed/Estate Stamped by the Photographer or Estate.
Limited Edition Available in Select Sizes.
Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.
- Jazz
- Art Blakey
- Charles Mingus
- Count Basie
- Dizzy Gillespie
- Sonny Rollins
- Thelonious Monk
- Art Kane
