The iconic 1958 Art Kane photo called A Great Day In Harlem was commissioned by Esquire Magazine and shows 57 jazz musicians of the time sitting in front of a brownstone stoop that still exist today (click top photo to enlarge). We took advantage of the sunny weekend weather and headed out towards the block East 126th Street, between 5th and Madison Avenue. Upon arriving on the block, we were surprised to discover that both sides of the tree lined streets were intact with the original brownstones. There are a couple of plywood fences up on the north side on properties undergoing renovations but this corner of Harlem is free of open lots or non-contextual new developments. The house in the photo is number 17 East 126th Street and can easily be pointed out since it is the only one on the block without its top cornice.
The rare color photo of the event (courtesy of jazztimes.com) shows Marian McPartland, Mary Lou Williams and Thelonious Monk during the photo shoot. We found another site with a guide to all the musicians for folks who want more detail on those present at the historic shoot: LINK. This brownstone block is technically in East Harlem but the architecture is more classic Central Harlem. For those interested, the nearest train is the 2,3 or 4,5,6 at 125th Street.
Thanks for this. My wife and I have been wondering about the location of the photo ever since we saw the documentary film "A Great Day in Harlem," which is about the photo.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't already, you should check it out. It's on Netflix.
I've also seen the documentary and enjoy seeing that photo every time I walk my H&M Frame shop - he keeps it in the window. Thank you for this wonderful piece of history.
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