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The Jazz Loft According to W. Eugene Smith


Starting in the 1950s, dozens of jazz musicians jammed night after night in a dilapidated New York loft. Acclaimed photojournalist W. Eugene Smith, who lived next door, recorded and photographed the sessions and conversations, day after day for nearly a decade, creating 4000 hours of audiotape and 40,000 photographs between 1957 and 1965. It’s a remarkable archive that, presented in this impressive film by WNYC producer/host Sara Fishko (who also made a radio documentary on the subject), provides us with an insight into some remarkable jazz history. We see Thelonious Monk and Hall Overton preparing for Monk’s acclaimed 1959 big-band concert at Town Hall, drummer Ronnie Free getting hooked on hard drugs, and Zoot Sims jamming through the night. Smith’s demons begin to take hold (he starts to record his own phone calls), and the ’50s give way to the ’60s. Through interviews, vignettes, and powerful melodies from famed musicians, the vibrant culture of New York’s mid-century jazz era comes alive.

Event Location and Ticket Information

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Jacob Burns Film Center
364 Manville Road
Pleasantville, 10570
Handicap Accessible? Yes

Date: Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Times: 12:00 am

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Presenter: Jacob Burns Film Center
Presenter Phone: 9147475555
Presenter Website: https://burnsfilmcenter.org/

Sponsor Message

This series is sponsored by Adam R. Rose and Peter R. McQuillan