In search of traces of jazz music, photographer William Claxton and German musician Joachim Berendt travelled to the United States in 1960. The result of their collaboration, the book Jazz Life, was an amazing collection of photographs and recordings of legendary artists as well as unknown street musicians. The original fruit of their labor has become a collector’s item, valuable to jazz and photography enthusiasts.

In 2003, Taschen began to reassemble this important collection of material from these journeys – along with many colour images that had never before seen the light of day. They are collected in the volume Jazz Life, which includes a foreword by William Claxton documenting his travels with Berendt and his love affair with jazz music in general. A jazz journey through time depicting how Claxton and Berendt experienced the music in those years. A narrative from spirituals to the heart of soul. From anonymous musicians in small bars to the Apollo theater and Ray Charles. Black and white and colour shots bring to life an era that has gone down in history. Featuring photographs of Charlie Parker, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters, Gabor Szabo and many more. Published by Taschen.

Courtesy of Taschen