Kane, Art. (1925-1995)

"A Great Day in Harlem" - Signed Photograph

An original print of the iconic 1958 photograph "A Great Day in Harlem," signed by the photographer, Art Kane. The well-known image depicts 57 of the greatest jazz musicians of the era, posing casually on East 126th Street in Harlem with a group of local children. The musicians pictured include Count Basie (sitting on the curb with the children), Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, Gene Krupa, Charlie Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Pee Wee Russell, Maxine Sullivan, and many others. Matted and framed, with Kane's signature under the mat. 16 x 24 inches.

"A Great Day in Harlem" or "Harlem 1958" is a 1958 black-and-white group portrait of 57 notable jazz musicians photographed in front of a brownstone in Harlem, New York City. The photo has remained an important object in the study of the history of jazz. Art Kane, a freelance photographer working for Esquire magazine, took the picture around 10 a.m. on August 12 in the summer of 1958. The musicians had gathered at 17 East 126th Street, between Fifth and Madison Avenues in Harlem. Esquire published the photo in its January 1959 issue. Kane calls it "the greatest picture of that era of musicians ever taken." (14686)

Signed Photograph Jazz