The pictorial history of jazz is nearly as interesting as the music itself. Photographers such as William Gottlieb captured enduring, iconic images. One of my favorite jazz photos is the series he shot of Monk in front of Minton’s Playhouse with his band. Photographers such as Gjon Mili, William Claxton, Dennis Stock, Frank Wolff, Herman Leonard, Carole Reiff, Val Wilmer, and Jim Marshall document/ed the phenomenon of jazz music with images like none other.


Gordon Parks in the photo above captured this once-in-a-lifetime visual metaphor that shows the Duke swimming in the lens of Billy Strayhorn's shades.