Jazzlife: A Journey for Jazz Across America in 1960

In 1960, photographer William Claxton and noted musicologist Joachim E. Berendt traveled the United States hot on the trail of jazz. Through music halls and marching bands, side streets and subways, they sought to document this living, breathing, beating musical phenomenon that enraptured America across social, economic, and racial lines. The book Jazzlife, the original fruit of their labors, has become a collector’s item that is highly treasured among jazz and photography fans. In 2003, TASCHEN began reassembling this important collection of material—along with many never-before-seen color images from those trips. They are brought together in this updated volume, which includes a foreword by Claxton tracing his travels with Berendt and his love affair with jazz music in general. Utilizing the benefits of today’s digital technology, a restored audio CD from Joachim Berendt’s original recordings has been produced and is included in this package. Jazz fans will be delighted to be able to take a jazz-trip through time, both seeing and hearing the music as Claxton and Berendt originally experienced it. Featuring portraits of Charlie Parker, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters, Gabor Szabo, Dave Brubeck, Stan Getz, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Charlie Mingus, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, and many more Includes bonus CD of digitally remastered recordings of music made during Berendt and Claxton`s journey (originally released in 1960 as two records)

William Claxton (1927–2008) began his career shooting jazz record cover art and made his name with images of such leading musicians as Chet Baker, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Billie Holiday. His work was featured in Life, Paris Match, and Vogue and in galleries around the world.

Joachim E. Berendt (1922–2000) was a journalist, author, founding member of South West German Radio (Südwestfunk), and a producer of more than 250 music records. His 1953 book Das Jazzbuch became the most successful history book on jazz worldwide. His vast collection of records, books, and jazz documents form the basis of the Jazzinstitut Darmstadt.