Perhaps you know William Gottlieb's name; perhaps not. But if you're a jazz fan, you've probably come upon his photographs before; they are among those which have defined the very images of what we know jazz to be. Billie Holiday on stage, rearing back; Cab Calloway wearing a frazzled look; Monk, McGhee, Eldridge and Hill in zoot suits outside of Minton's Playhouse in Harlem. The man was on the scene in New York in the 1940s, and documented a generation.
Earlier this year, Gottlieb's photographs entered the public domain, according to his wishes. Now, the Library of Congress, which hosted his archives, has begun uploading his photos to its Flickr account. And the Library isn't just adding his 200 photos from his famed The Golden Age Of Jazz book — more info on that at the LOC website — it's adding an astounding 1,600 shots, comprising his entire collection, over the course of subsequent months. Dig in, we say, and be astounded. [Flickr: Gottlieb Jazz Photos at The Library of Congress]
Related At NPR Music: Fancy yourself the next Gottlieb? Just like taking concert shots? Join the The NPR Jazz Photography Flickr pool, and your shots might appear in this space. More info here.
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