41 PARKER, Charlie; Stan Getz; James N. Seidelle (photo.) Group of 40 original photographs of Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, Roy Eldridge, Zoot Sims, and Stan Getz in performance. [Cleveland, OH: 1951] live in cleveland Wonderful group of images dating to 1951, captured by amateur photographer James N. Seidelle at Lindsay’s Sky Bar in Cleveland, one of the city’s longest-running and most popular jazz clubs and the first to regularly feature national performers. The highlight is the series of eight stunning images featuring Bird during a week-long residency from Monday 7 to Sunday 13 May. This dates to the period when Parker was touring “with strings” but he is pictured here “sans fiddles”. Particularly eye-catching are those showing him with drummer Roy Haynes. Seidelle employs the club’s mirrored stage backdrop to excellent effect, catching the performers in unguarded moments; one of these features Haynes, with Parker pictured in the mirror, a promotional poster for the forthcoming attraction of Johnny Hodges – his predecessor as the pre-eminent altoist – juxtaposed on his shoulder. James Naughton Seidelle (1925–2018) was a native of Akron, Ohio, who graduated from the University of Akron with a degree in electrical engineering and was subsequently employed by the Ohio Edison Power Company and then Goodyear Aerospace. His father taught him photography and film processing and, as these images attest, he was clearly a talented amateur. His keen interest in jazz is shown by the fact that his name appears in Jazz and Coda magazines during the 1970s and 1980s, while he was researching a discography of trombonist Bill Harris, a member of the first and second Herman Herds. Seidelle’s verité images of the Sky Bar have the great virtue of capturing the atmosphere of the club and the spontaneity of the performances. The collection comprises: Charlie Parker Quintet: Benny Harris (tr), Kenny Drew (p), Teddy Kotick (b), Roy Haynes (d). 8 images. Johhny Hodges Septet: Al Sears, Emmett Berry (ts), Lawrence Brown (tb), Leroy Lovett (p), Lloyd Trotman (b), Sonny Greer (d). 10 images. Roy Eldridge-Zoot Sims: Teddy Cohen (vibes), Ted Sturgis (b): 11 images. Little Jazz and Zoot had a close musical and personal friendship, both effortlessly spanning the bridge between swing and bop, John Chilton describing Sims as “one of Roy’s favourite people and favourite musicians” (Chilton, p. 284). Five of the images show Eldridge at the kit; he had originally trained as a drummer and Chilton cites him as saying
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All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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