Comments on: W. Eugene Smith, David X. Young and the Jazz Loft http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/05/10/w-eugene-smith-david-x-young-and-the-jazz-loft/ John Bailey's thoughts on cinematography and artistic expression Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:12:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Colin Hall http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/05/10/w-eugene-smith-david-x-young-and-the-jazz-loft/#comment-200 Colin Hall Wed, 16 Feb 2011 07:45:59 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1418#comment-200 This is a lovely piece with some great images from the great cool jazz era. For me though, my favourite image (being both a photographer and a jazz collector) was "The Loft stairway with Smith's daughter, Shana". What a fabulous shot ... thanks for sharing :-) Cheers Colin This is a lovely piece with some great images from the great cool jazz era. For me though, my favourite image (being both a photographer and a jazz collector) was “The Loft stairway with Smith’s daughter, Shana”. What a fabulous shot … thanks for sharing :-)

Cheers

Colin

]]> By: emendez http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/05/10/w-eugene-smith-david-x-young-and-the-jazz-loft/#comment-199 emendez Tue, 20 Jul 2010 06:27:20 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1418#comment-199 great, thank you for this. great, thank you for this.

]]> By: ross mcdonnell http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/05/10/w-eugene-smith-david-x-young-and-the-jazz-loft/#comment-198 ross mcdonnell Wed, 16 Jun 2010 04:47:59 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1418#comment-198 hi john, great blog! just wondering if you can email me about this article briefly, can't track down a contact for you on the site here thanks ross hi john, great blog! just wondering if you can email me about this article briefly, can’t track down a contact for you on the site here

thanks

ross

]]> By: David Heuring http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/05/10/w-eugene-smith-david-x-young-and-the-jazz-loft/#comment-197 David Heuring Mon, 24 May 2010 05:43:16 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1418#comment-197 Thanks, John. I had read about the tapes, but knew less about the photos. I plan to listen to the WNYC audio. Thanks, John. I had read about the tapes, but knew less about the photos. I plan to listen to the WNYC audio.

]]> By: Ben http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/05/10/w-eugene-smith-david-x-young-and-the-jazz-loft/#comment-196 Ben Tue, 18 May 2010 08:19:41 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1418#comment-196 The idea of the captive or incapacitated artist is remarkably fertile. Rear Window and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly come to mind in films, and Great Jones Street for literature. Something about a mind trapped, processing the world and its own thoughts ad nauseam, but unable to directly contribute back to that world, except through art (or by solving murders, in the case of Jimmy Stewart) ... it's very romantic, I suppose. I can't get enough of Smith's photos, especially knowing now the circumstances under which they were produced. The Girl in White is an absolutely beautiful photograph. The idea of the captive or incapacitated artist is remarkably fertile. Rear Window and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly come to mind in films, and Great Jones Street for literature. Something about a mind trapped, processing the world and its own thoughts ad nauseam, but unable to directly contribute back to that world, except through art (or by solving murders, in the case of Jimmy Stewart) … it’s very romantic, I suppose. I can’t get enough of Smith’s photos, especially knowing now the circumstances under which they were produced.

The Girl in White is an absolutely beautiful photograph.

]]> By: Iyabo http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/05/10/w-eugene-smith-david-x-young-and-the-jazz-loft/#comment-195 Iyabo Mon, 17 May 2010 06:53:15 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1418#comment-195 Thank you for the post on Eugene Smith's work. He seemed to be inspired by exploring the stories of people around him (musicians and other interesting folks). This is the kind of work that interests me as Smith's early work chronicles the people around him that inspired and interested him. This is my dream - delving into the vibrant stories of those around me. In this modern/post modern era, I find it easy to be seduced by the illusory notion that I live in a world in which most people ascribe to the rules of popular modern culture...and what is projected in this representation is often a generic and monolithic representation, simplifying the many facets of modern culture to one bland voice. But there is so much diversity in our modern stories! Eugene Smith seemed to have had a field day exploring the rich stories around him. Thank you for the post on Eugene Smith’s work. He seemed to be inspired by exploring the stories of people around him (musicians and other interesting folks). This is the kind of work that interests me as Smith’s early work chronicles the people around him that inspired and interested him. This is my dream – delving into the vibrant stories of those around me. In this modern/post modern era, I find it easy to be seduced by the illusory notion that I live in a world in which most people ascribe to the rules of popular modern culture…and what is projected in this representation is often a generic and monolithic representation, simplifying the many facets of modern culture to one bland voice. But there is so much diversity in our modern stories! Eugene Smith seemed to have had a field day exploring the rich stories around him.

]]> By: Kevin Israel Castro http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/05/10/w-eugene-smith-david-x-young-and-the-jazz-loft/#comment-194 Kevin Israel Castro Mon, 17 May 2010 03:55:19 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1418#comment-194 I've always loved learning about artists that are new to me. Time and time again, I've found that some of the most influential artists in my life are those that are so obsessed with their work that nothing else matter. One such artist is someone like Daniel Johnston. Whether you like his music or not, I find it to be extremely pure and honest much like Eugene Smith's work. It's not necessarily about making a name for yourself but instead it's about looking closer at one's body of work in a state of self-analysis. I think many great artists live vicariously through their work. It is a means of survival. I remember watching Terry Zwigoff's "Crumb" a documentary on the underground artist Robert Crumb where he said that if he wasn't drawing, he felt nauseous. This is extremely interesting to me and I feel like Eugene Smith lived by the same principles. It (photography) may not have been something he wanted to do after WWII, but instead something he needed to do. Thank you Mr. Bailey for this interesting piece on Eugene Smith, David X. Young and the Jazz Loft. I’ve always loved learning about artists that are new to me. Time and time again, I’ve found that some of the most influential artists in my life are those that are so obsessed with their work that nothing else matter. One such artist is someone like Daniel Johnston. Whether you like his music or not, I find it to be extremely pure and honest much like Eugene Smith’s work. It’s not necessarily about making a name for yourself but instead it’s about looking closer at one’s body of work in a state of self-analysis. I think many great artists live vicariously through their work. It is a means of survival. I remember watching Terry Zwigoff’s “Crumb” a documentary on the underground artist Robert Crumb where he said that if he wasn’t drawing, he felt nauseous. This is extremely interesting to me and I feel like Eugene Smith lived by the same principles. It (photography) may not have been something he wanted to do after WWII, but instead something he needed to do.

Thank you Mr. Bailey for this interesting piece on Eugene Smith, David X. Young and the Jazz Loft.

]]> By: Richard Walden http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/05/10/w-eugene-smith-david-x-young-and-the-jazz-loft/#comment-193 Richard Walden Fri, 14 May 2010 02:44:18 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1418#comment-193 This essay takes me back to California in the seventies. Early in my career I was working as the second assistant camera on a movie about a movie and we were working with a large compliment of Hollywood Studio Musicians. It was my first time working with them and when the assistant director called lunch, the camera operator Owen Marsh (one of my many mentors and an excellent operator) told me to stay put and to forget about lunch if I liked music. The musicians jammed and it was magic. I was getting paid to have fun and hear some of the best musicians in the world. Although the term “studio musician” may not sound great these men and few women not only played for studio gigs but were also musicians for the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, L. A. Philharmonic as well as working for all the major record labels. It was a concentration of big talent if not big names. It was magic !!!!!!!! This essay takes me back to California in the seventies. Early in my career I was working as the second assistant camera on a movie about a movie and we were working with a large compliment of Hollywood Studio Musicians. It was my first time working with them and when the assistant director called lunch, the camera operator Owen Marsh (one of my many mentors and an excellent operator) told me to stay put and to forget about lunch if I liked music. The musicians jammed and it was magic. I was getting paid to have fun and hear some of the best musicians in the world. Although the term “studio musician” may not sound great these men and few women not only played for studio gigs but were also musicians for the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, L. A. Philharmonic as well as working for all the major record labels. It was a concentration of big talent if not big names. It was magic !!!!!!!!

]]> By: Two Thoughtful, New Takes on JLP http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/05/10/w-eugene-smith-david-x-young-and-the-jazz-loft/#comment-192 Two Thoughtful, New Takes on JLP Thu, 13 May 2010 03:51:47 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1418#comment-192 [...] From John Bailey of the American Society of Cinematographers. [...] [...] From John Bailey of the American Society of Cinematographers. [...]

]]> By: Christine Purse http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/05/10/w-eugene-smith-david-x-young-and-the-jazz-loft/#comment-191 Christine Purse Tue, 11 May 2010 07:28:24 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1418#comment-191 An amazingly beautiful photographic and musical history. Thank you for this well written peace and researched insights -- this story makes me want to walk into the loft on any given night and soak up the music and the crowd. Wonderful! An amazingly beautiful photographic and musical history. Thank you for this well written peace and researched insights — this story makes me want to walk into the loft on any given night and soak up the music and the crowd. Wonderful!

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