Two years ago a friend gave me The Jazz Loft Project by Sam Stephenson as a gift. This exciting book's subtitle is Photographs and Tapes of W. Eugene Smith From 821 Sixth Avenue 1957 - 1965. A CD of some of the sessions recorded by Smith is also available for purchase. W. Eugene Smith was a well known photographer who recorded 1,740 reels of tape documenting the music performed in his loft by musicians such as Thelonious Monk, Hal Overton, Pepper Adams, Lee Morgan, Yusef Lateef, and Zoot Sims. Smith's loft was Sims' regular hang. There's a marvelous photograph (page 115) of Ronnie Free, Mose Allison, Lester Young (Prez), Mary Lou Williams, Charlie Rouse, and Oscar Pettiford. Ronnie Free was the loft's house drummer. He is also shown in a photograph with Lennie Tristano, Warne Marsh, and Lee Konitz that appears in Eunmi Shim's book Lennie Tristano: His Life in Music.
There was a multi-part series that aired on WNYC on The Jazz Loft Project. This program along with extra material, including recorded music from W. Eugene Smith's tapes, is available via the link provided below. I urge you to tune in to these programs and take a look at Sam Stephenson's wonderful book.
http://www.jazzloftproject.org/?s=radio
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