[Jazz and Pop] Photograph Archive from the Collection of Jazz Promoter Fred Taylor

[Jazz and Pop]

Photograph Archive from the Collection of Jazz Promoter Fred Taylor

An important collection of photographs, negatives, contact sheets, and promotional materials from a huge range of jazz and pop acts of the 1960's–1970's, from the collection of Boston jazz promoter Fred Taylor. Highlights include: a group of negatives and proof sheets of live performance photographs taken at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival and 1963 Newport Jazz Festival, featuring Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary, Nina Simone, Dave Brubeck, Thelonious Monk and many other stars; a group of original photographs taken at a Woody Herman performance, apparently in Boston ca. 1963; a group of original photographs taken at a large outdoor performance by Chet Atkins, with negatives; and a binder containing original flyers, photographs and press clippings related to the 1971-1972 city-funded Boston summer music festival "Sunset Series on the Common," which featured among others Joan Baez, Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin and the Beach Boys. Also included is a large group of over 250 press photographs of jazz, blues, country, rock, and other performers booked by Taylor over his long career, including Count Basie, Blood Sweat & Tears, Johnny Cash, Bill Evans, Duke Ellington, The Rolling Stones, and many others, as well as some further promotional materials. Complete contents listed below. Most press photographs somewhat buckled, otherwise in fine to very fine condition; other materials very good to fine.

Proof sheets: 13 proof sheets of live performance and candid photographs taken at the 1963 Newport Jazz Festival (July 4–July 7, 1963) and Newport Folk Festival (July 26–July 28, 1963), each with corresponding negatives. The negatives from the two events appear to have been mixed up before printing the proof sheets and are not chronological, but multiple performers from both festivals are shown, including from the jazz festival Nina Simone, Thelonious Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Herbie Mann, Dave Brubeck, Cannonball Adderley, vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan (including several comic shots of Dave Lambert in coke-bottle glasses, and also together with several 8x10 prints of these images); and from the folk festival Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, Peter Paul and Mary, Doc Watson, Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys, The Freedom Singers, Mississippi John Hurt, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Some circlings and other markings to the proof sheets; overall very good.

Original photographs: Small comb-bound album containing 8 black-and-white snapshots from a Woody Herman concert ca. 1963, including Herman posing with several others (possibly including a young Taylor?), and 12 further snapshots from the same event with some corner damage, overall very good; group of 35 black-and-white snapshots taken at an outdoor concert featuring Chet Atkins ca. late 1960's–1970's, together with negatives; large three-ring binder containing 14 original 8x10 photographs of performers and audiences at the Boston music festival "Sunset Series on the Common," including Joan Baez, Rod Stewart, Sha Na Na and Chuck Berry, together with 7 original flyers for the series, 11 pages of press clippings, a 2-page list of revenues from the 1971 concerts and a press release.

Press photographs: saxophonist Cannonball Adderley (2), Monty Alexander, Joan Armatrading, Charles Aznavour (4), Joan Baez (4), Gato Barbieri, saxophonist Gary Bartz, Count Basie (7), the Bay City Rollers, Blood Sweat and Tears (31, including individual photos of each member of the band identified by name, and one group photo captioned with an advertisement for their Boston concert at Paul's Mall), the Brecker Brothers (2), Dave Brubeck (2), Kenny Burrell, Gary Burton (5), Donald Byrd and the Blackbyrds (6), Jackie Cain (3, one with Roy Kral), Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash and related acts (6, including the Tennessee Three, Tommy Cash, and the Carter Family), Betty Carter (2), Tom Chapin, Harry Chapin, Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn (5 film stills from the 1978 movie "Foul Play"), Alice Coltrane, Bill Cosby (2), Jack DeJohnette, Pee Wee Ellis, Duke Ellington (7), Bill Evans (8), Gil Evans, The Four Freshman (7), Helen Forrest, Stan Getz (8), Dizzy Gillespie (7), Eddie Gomez, Grant Green (2), Dick Gregory (3, one with facsimile signature), Vince Guaraldi, Chico Hamilton (4), Herbie Hancock (4), Eddie Harris (3), Donny Hathaway, Jan Howard (2), Jade and Sarsaparilla (2), Quincy Jones, Leo Kottke (2), Rosey Nix Lawhead, Chuck Mangione (6), Johnny Mathis (2), Marilyn Maye (2), The Modern Jazz Quartet (3), Marty Morrell, Anne Marie Moss (3), Alphonse Mouzon (2), Jackie Paris (5, two with Anne Marie Moss), Danny Peck, Oscar Peterson (2), The Pointer Sisters (4), Bonnie Raitt, Lou Rawls, Irene Reid, Minnie Riperton, The Rolling Stones (7), Bobby Rydell (3), Mort Sahl (3), Mongo Santamaria, Wayne Shorter, Phoebe Snow, Candi Staton, Taj Mahal (mounted on orange paper with press caption), James Taylor (2), Stanley Turrentine (2), Sarah Vaughan (6), Loudon Wainwright, Wendy Waldman, Jerry Jeff Walker, Doc Watson (2), Tim Weisberg (2), Bob Welch, Deniece Williams, Flip Wilson (6), Jesse Winchester, Bill Withers, Charlie Ventura, Miroslav Vitouš (2), Yarbles [?], and eight further unidentified artists.

Also including: an original 1978 Billboard magazine featuring the year-end charts; two Paul's Mall flyers for performances of comic George Carlin; and promotional folders with press releases and photos on the Pointer Sisters and Lou Rawls.

From the collection of the legendary Boston jazz promoter Fred Taylor (b. 1930), known for booking jazz clubs Paul's Mall and Jazz Workshop in the 1960's–70's. The musicians he invited to Boston included many greats of the era, such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Muddy Waters, and Dizzy Gillespie, as well as young performers Bruce Springstein, Billy Joel, and Earth, Wind and Fire. He was the first to book the young Bob Dylan to play in Boston, and also staged Miles Davis' comeback show in 1981. The Music Museum of New England writes: "If you are a jazz musician who’s played in Boston anytime over the past half-century, it’s a good bet you got the gig because of Fred Taylor."

The 1963 Newport Folk Festival was a breakout event for the young Bob Dylan, who performed with already-established star Joan Baez. The final song of the festival was sung impromptu by Dylan, Baez, Seeger, Theo Bikel, Peter Paul and Mary, and the Freedom Singers, who stood with linked arms to perform "We Shall Overcome" -- a hymn that had become an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement. This powerful moment is visible in the photographs captured in this collection. (15665)

Jazz Song Archive