Express something with your saxophone; don’t just display your virtuosity; tell a story and not a lie.
Saxophonist Lester Young
Quietly working behind the scenes for almost five years, the Philadelphia Jazz Project has been pulling together Philadelphia Jazz Stories Illustrated: Volume One — a colorful collection of memories and historical accounts about some of the amazing people, places and things that abound in the Philadelphia story.
The book contains stories and interviews from, or about, key figures of Philly’s Jazz community. Musicians such as Odean Pope, Rashied Ali, Raymond A. King, Barbara Montgomery, Bootsie Barnes, Ted Gerike, and Mickey Roker share memories and stories that enlighten us about Philly’s Jazz scene and their lives and adventures. Each story is accompanied by an exquisite illustration by visual artists like Jerry Pinkney, Michelle Ortiz, Eric Battle and many others. Included as well are poignant essays by Diane Turner of the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, George Starks of Drexel University, and award-winning radio producer, Steve Rowland.
You can purchase the volume here.
The Creative Team
Homer Jackson is a Philadelphia interdisciplinary artist with a background in teaching and social service. His work is presented as installation, performance art, public art, video, and audio. He uses images, sounds, text, live performance, video, audience participation, and found objects to tell stories. As a young art student, Jazz nurtured Jackson’s creativity and provided an outlet for self-expression. In 1980, Temple University’s Jazz radio station WRTI recruited Jackson to host a weekly radio program and produce a monthly magazine. Jackson enriched WRTI’s programming through artist interviews, record reviews and profiles on key musicians and musical movements until 1988.
Eric Battle is a Philadelphia artist whose work as an illustrator has covered the spectrum of comic books and graphic novels, fashion illustration, children’s books, and advertising. His client list includes Legendary Motion Pictures & Comic Books, Marvel Comics, DC Entertainment, Philadelphia Jazz Project (PJP), Top Cow, Aspen MLT,Inc., Dynamite Entertainment, Dark Horse, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Beveridge Seay, Del Rey/Random House, St. Martin’s Press, Scholastic Books/Just Us Books, The Philadelphia Inquirer, George Beach Advertising and the Please Touch Museum of Philadelphia.
Lynn Washington is a graphic designer and book/gift shop owner, born and raised in Staten Island, New York. After graduating from St. Peter’s High School for Girls, she attended Philadelphia College of Art, graduating in 1981 with a BFA in Graphic Design. Returning to live on Staten Island, she worked in Manhattan for five years at various design jobs, among them Essence Magazine and Lister Butler; a package design studio.