"...surely the most thorough and imaginative visual record of American jazz at mid-century that we'll ever see." (Newsweek, New York)"

The photographer:
William Claxton (1927-2008) began his career shooting jazz record cover art. His iconic images of Chet Baker, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday and many others reflect his preeminence among photographers of jazz music. Claxton worked for many of the biggest publishers including "Life, Paris Match, "and "Vogue" magazines. His work has been shown in galleries around the world, and his photographic prints are now sought after by collectors of fine art photography. He passed away on October 11, 2008 in his hometown Los Angeles.
The author:
Joachim E. Berendt was a founding member of South West German Radio (Sudwestfunk) and produced more than 250 records. In 1953, he first published "Das Jazzbuch," which became the most successful history book on jazz worldwide. His collection of records, books, and jazz documents form the basis of the Jazzinstitut Darmstadt. Berendt died in an accident in 2000. His contributions to jazz are internationally recognized to this day.