William Claxton's Jazzlife

In 1960, photographer William Claxton and noted German musicologist Joachim Berendt traveled the United States hot on the trail of jazz music. The result of their collaboration was an amazing collection of photographs and recordings of legendary artists as well as unknown street musicians.

This Art Edition revives the fruit of Claxton and Berendt’s labors, Jazzlife, in one exclusive multimedia tribute, abuzz with the energy of jazz as much as the excitement of Claxton and Berendt’s original journey. Signed by the artist, the book is accompanied by both a digitally remastered CD from Joachim Berendt’s original jazz recordings and a stunning portfolio of four signed ultra chrome prints. Signed by William Claxton, the images capture Ray Charles, Stan Getz, the George Williams Brass Band, and the Metropole Café on Broadway in New York, making for a stunning collection of the faces and places at the forefront of jazz.

Capturing the breadth and depth and beating heart of American jazz like no other photo collection, the book’s photographs reach from coast to coast, from New Orleans to New York, from Jackson to St. Louis, and from unknown street performers to legends of the genre, including beautiful portraits of Charlie Parker, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters, Gabor Szabo, Dave Brubeck, Stan Getz, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Charlie Mingus, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, and many more. Many of the pictures featured here have never been published before.