an oddball post - photography & jazz

I have 5 movies on my computer hard drive and one I've enjoyed often. The Jazz Loft is about W.Eugene Smith the photographer, jazz musicians, the flower district, NYC and a deep dive into a slice of life at the time - late 50's, early 60's.

You know Gene Smith, think Life Magazine, his photo essays The Country Doctor, Maud Nurse Midwfie, Albert Schweitzer Man of Mercy, Minimata and others. He was passionate and obsessive about his photography often to the exclusion of all else. He was driven by that passion, and dexedrine! He was said to describe himself as the "Rembrandt" of photography. You may be familiar with his photo essays and have certainly seen some of his iconic single images.

He made about 4,000 hours of recordings on reel to reel tapes and nearly 40,000 photographs in the loft building in Manhattan's wholesale flower district. The tapes also contain recorded street noise, late-night radio talk shows, telephone calls, television and radio news programs, and random dialogues among musicians, artists, and others. He was equally driven about recording it all. To see the book or the movie is to marvel at artistry and our cultural history.

This is a picture of 821 6th Ave building as it looks today. Back in the day, it was an extremely decrepit, even dangerous, place filled with famous musicians who found a place to play together at all hours of the night and early mornings. It also managed to attract many notables brave enough to climb the stairs. An historic site that will likely face the wrecking ball.