Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Branford Marsalis

- Branford Marsalis playing the saxaphone at the Earshot Seattle Jazz Festival in Seattle, Washington, 1999. Alan Horsager | international street photography

Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Trumpet Player

- Seattle Jazz photograph of an unknown trumpet player playing the Earshot Jazz festival in Seattle, Washington in 1999.

Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Gonzalo Rubalcaba Band

- Seattle jazz photo of members from Gonzalo Rubalcaba's band playing the drums and standup bass in the Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle, Washington in 1999. Alan Horsager

Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Chick Corea

- Chick Corea playing the piano at the Earshot Seattle Jazz Festival in Seattle, Washington, 1999.

Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Leroy Jenkins.jpg

- Seattle jazz photography portrait of Leroy Jenkins while teaching a jazz music class at the Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle, Washington (1999).

Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Trombone

- Side view of a nearly silhouetted trombone being played during the Earshot Jazz festival. Seattle jazz photos.

Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Drums

- A black and white close up Seattle jazz photo of the drums being played at a jazz club in Seattle, Washington.

Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Bass 1

- A standup bass being played during the Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle (1999).

Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Bass 2

- Another Seattle jazz photo of a blurry motion shot of a man playing the standup bass, plucking the strings in Seattle, Washington around 1999.

Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Joseph Jarman 2

- Joseph Jarman is teaching a class (black and white seattle jazz photo) during the earshot jazz festival in 1999 (Seattle, Washington).

Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Joseph Jarman

- Part of the Seattle jazz photography series, Joseph Jarman gesticulating while giving direction to a musician at a class being taught at the Earshot jazz Festival in Seattle, Washington (1999).

Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Piano

- Close up of hands playing the piano during the Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle, Washingtion, 1999. It's a black and white photograph. Alan Horsager | international street photography. Seattle Jazz.

Seattle Jazz Photography, 1999 | Saxaphone

- Close up of a saxaphone in its stand (black and white Seattle Jazz photograph) on the stage during the Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle, Washington, 1999. Alan Horsager

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Seattle Jazz Photography at the Earshot Festival (1999)

We’re not going to play the blues anymore. Let the white folks play the blues. They got ‘em, so they can keep ‘em. -- Miles Davis

This collection of black and white jazz photographs was taken in 1999 during the Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle, Washington and include Branford Marsalis and Chick Corea. You can find more of my international street photography on the main page.

Seattle Jazz

The Earshot Jazz festival in an international festival of jazz music and arts, formed in 1984 to support both the local and international jazz community. Earshot has established an international reputation for the quality of its programming and services while becoming an integral part of Seattle's vibrant cultural scene. Early in the 1990s, Earshot Jazz was recognized as one of 20 primary sites in the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest National Jazz Network. Beginning in March 2000, they joined 11 other key organizations in the US to comprise JazzNet, a significant jazz support initiative of the Doris Duke Charitable Fund. Earshot Jazz is also one of the founding member organizations of the Western Jazz Presenters Network.

Over all, I think the main thing a musician would like to do is give a picture to the listener of the many wonderful things that he knows of and senses in the universe. . . That’s what I would like to do. I think that’s one of the greatest things you can do in life and we all try to do it in some way. The musician’s is through his music. -- John Coltrane

Jazz Photography

Miles Davis, supremely cool behind his shades. Billie Holiday, eyes closed and head tilted back in full cry. John Coltrane, one hand behind his neck and a finger held pensively to his lips. These iconic images have captivated jazz fans nearly as much as the music has. Jazz photographs are visual landmarks in American history, acting as both a reflection and a vital part of African American culture in a time of immense upheaval, conflict, and celebration. Charting the development of jazz photography from the swing era of the 1930s to the rise of black nationalism in the ’60s, Blue Notes in Black and White is the first of its kind: a fascinating account of the partnership between two of the twentieth century’s most innovative art forms.

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in black communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. Its African pedigree is evident in its use of blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation and the swung note. From its early development until the present day, jazz has also incorporated elements from American popular music.

Although this doesn't fit in with the other street photography of this site, I have a fondness for these seattle jazz images due to the fact that they are some of the last images I shot on film.