Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph , by Roxane Orgill, illustrated by Francis Vallejo -- Day 24

It was a special day in New York’s Harlem in 1958 when Esquire graphic designer Art Kane decided he wanted to bring together as many jazz musicians as possible for a photograph -- for the record, as it were. Little did he know that his photo would become iconic, a testiment to the vibrant jazz scene of the era. The day was a true “happening”; Kane was not at all certain it would really come together. Musicians showed up slowly over the course of the morning, neighborhood kids joined the group assembled on the stoop of a brownstone, and finally Kane snapped the photo. Fifty-seven noted jazz musicians in one frame -- Count Basie, Art Blakey, Marian McPartland, Dizzie Gillespie, Sahib Shihab, Thelonius Monk, Gerry Mulligan, to name just a few. Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph captures beautifully the magic of the day. Roxane Orgill’s poem-perspectives highlight with style the varied artistic personalities involved. Francis Vallejo’s expressive paintings detail the upbeat gathering, and when readers come upon the foldout reproducing the actual photograph, it is uniquely spectacular. An author’s note, a key to the people in the photograph, and a few short musical bios contribute to the enormous appeal of this touch-of-history book. Ages 8-12 and anyone who loves jazz or “happenings.”


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