See jazz the way Lou Jones hears it. We are thrilled to welcome New England photographer Lou Jones to the Griffin Museum to talk about American Jazz, his long-term project on the music at the root of so much American culture. In our Common Time exhibition, Lou's photographs fill the walls with the sound of the clubs, the stages, and the players who made jazz what it is.
Teddy Pendergrass, Harold Melvin and the Blue NotesMilt Jackson Dec 1974 Boston, MABetty Carter Boston, MARoy Haynes Kansas City April 2000 Drums
About American Jazz -
In the early 1970's, in order to jump start my photography career, I thought to point my camera at a subject matter that I could have to myself and more importantly, one that I was passionate about. Since I knew the music well, I thought it was important to let people actually see the musicians behind the sound.
I had seen too many high contrast pictures of black musicians with shiny horns sticking out of their faces. I would go to concerts, know their music but not know what my heroes looked like even though I had seen many silhouettes of them. To solve that for several years I chased the performers whose music I enjoyed.
I had no funds to elaborate so I talked my way into the back doors of clubs and concert halls. Most of the musicians would respond to my request by stating that I was welcome to take as many pictures as I would like while they were performing, but this was exactly what I was trying to avoid. I wished to capture the musicians outside of the typical club scene. I wanted more intimacy in my portraits. I wanted to capture the true essence of these legends. I photographed in hotel rooms, on the street, backstage, wherever I could. Only a few turned down my elaborate spiel.
Once done, I tried to show anybody and everybody my efforts but nobody seemed to care. I find it very ironic that there is renewed interest now that many of the luminaries are dead.
Someone once told me that music is the closest thing to heaven. If that is so, this is my offering.
About Lou Jones -
Lou Jones' eclectic career has evolved from commercial to the personal. It has spanned every format, film type, artistic movement and technological change. He maintains a studio in Boston, Massachusetts and has photographed for Fortune 500 corporations, international companies and local small businesses including Federal Express, Nike and the Barr Foundation; completed assignments for magazines and publishers all over the world such as Time/Life, National Geographic and Paris Match; initiated long term projects on the civil wars in Central America, death row, Olympics Games and pregnancy; and published multiple books.