Jazz greats photographed by Jimmy Katz are on display in Perugia, Italy

For the fourth consecutive year, the National Gallery of Umbria in Perugia renews its collaboration with the region’s internationally renowned music festivals, such as Umbria Jazz, L’Umbria che spacca and Trasimeno Music Festival, and opens its hallsto the notes of great musicians.

For the occasion, from June 28 to Sept. 1, 2019, the National Gallery of Umbria is hosting an exhibition by Jimmy Katz, an award-winning photographer of the most distinguished jazz musicians.

The exhibition, titled Closed Session by Jimmy Katz, curated by Marco Pierini and running from June 28 to Sept. 1, 2019, brings together 80 images signed by the great American photographer. Katz in more than two decades of activity has immortalized against the backdrop of New York City the major players of the jazz scene such as Cassandra Wilson, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, Keith Jarrett, Ornette Coleman, Chick Corea, Brad Mehldau, Pat Metheny and many others. In the studio, in the clubs, on the streets, at work or at rest, musicians are portrayed at their most intimate, effectively mimicking the improvisational process of jazz itself.

"The style that Jimmy Katz has developed over the years has become a hallmark in the iconography of jazz photography, comparable to the tonality of Louis Armstrong’s trumpet or the sound of John Coltrane’s saxophone," says Michael Cuscuna, renowned record producer and jazz scholar.

The catalog, published by Silvana Editoriale, contains texts by Marco Pierini and Luciano Rossetti.

In addition, from July 13 to 21, 2019, Jazz goes to the Museum, the project developed in collaboration with Umbria Jazz, doubles the dates with two concerts a day, one at noon and one at 3 p.m.

Playing at the Sala Podiani in the National Gallery of Umbria will be the duo formed by Gianluca Trovesi and Gianni Coscia; the Gabriele Mirabassi, Roberto Taufic, Cristina Renzetti lineup; the Fred Hersch Trio; the Fabrizio Bosso and Julian Oliver Mazzariello duo; Dino Rubino Trio; Kenny Barron; Joachim Kühn; Benny Green; the pair Raffaele Casarano and Éric Legnini; Enrico Zanisi; Giovanni Guidi; Daniele di Bonaventura with Giovanni Ceccarelli and special guest Jaques Morelenbaum; Mauro Ottolini and John Patitucci with special guests Danilo Rea and Roberto Gatto.

On Tuesday, July 16 and Thursday, July 18, 2019, at 5 p.m., meetings dedicated to the presentation of volumes related to the theme of music will be held in the Gallery’s education room.

An afternoon dedicated to Fabrizio De André, 20 years after his death, an artist who profoundly influenced Italian customs and culture, is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16.

It begins with the book Fabrizio De André. Sguardi randagi (Mondadori Electa, 2018), which contains over three hundred images taken by Guido Harari of the famous singer-songwriter between 1979 and 1988.

This is followed by Amico Faber. Fabrizio De André narrated by friends and colleagues (Hoepli), edited by Enzo Gentile. “Understanding the words is important but the spirit and atmosphere that flow in his works, that sweet and melancholy magnetism as well as the passion that flows from his songs are above all the result of Fabrizio’s voice,” quoting words from Wim Wenders’ preface.

On Thursday, July 18, we return to Jazz atmospheres with the presentation of a picture book Art Kane. Harlem 1958, published by Archivial Fiene Arta on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the famous shot A great day in Harlem,which immortalizes a group of 54 great musicians and can be considered the very icon of jazz music. The volume features numerous previously unpublished images, forewords by Quincy Jones and Benny Golson, and an introduction by Jonathan Kane, musician and son of the famous photographer.

Thanks to an agreement between the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria and the two festivals, all music fans who come to the museum with a ticket to any of the concerts of the Trasimeno Music Festival (June 29 to July 5) and Umbria Jazz 2019 (July 12 to 21) will be able to visit the collections and the exhibition by paying only the special reduced admission (€4.00).

Jimmy Katz was born in New York in 1957, and after graduating from Bowdoin College in 1980 he worked as a mountaineer, extreme skier and photographer for trade magazines. His interest in jazz began at Carnegie Hall, where, when he was sixteen, he first heard Thelonious Monk and Art Blakey. Since then jazz has indelibly accompanied his life, even in the most extreme moments, such as a freezing night in Peru spent listening to Coltrane in the hope of not being swept down a mountain (at an altitude of 6,000 meters) along with his expedition partner. In 1991 he left mountaineering and embarked on a career as a photographer. He returned to New York, where he began photographing jazz musicians, working for major record labels. He produces images for at least three hundred album covers, while his photographs appear in numerous jazz trade publications, including JazzTimes. Twice, in 2006 and 2011, he was awarded the “Award for Excellence in Photography” by the Jazz Journalist Association. As a lover of jazz (he has a collection of more than 4,000 vinyl records), he has a deep respect for musicians and the music they create. This is very evident in his work as a photographer, which fully reflects his passion for this art form. Recently he has also begun working as a sound engineer and video maker, mostly for live recordings in New York jazz clubs, particularly at Smalls Jazz Club. In this new capacity he has worked on more than thirty CDs. Among the artists with whom he has worked are: Mark Turner, Jason Palmer, Miguel Zenon, Miles Okazaki, Avishai Cohen, Ari Hoenig, Lage Lund, Frank Kimbrough, Greg Hutcherson & Johnathan Blake.

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday noon to 7:30 p.m. (last admission 6:30 p.m.).

Ticket price: full €8, special reduced €4 (on presentation of a ticket from one of the Trasimeno Music Festival or Umbria Jazz concerts); reduced €2 for 18-25 years old. For individual categories see the Perugia Museo Città website by clicking here.

Pictured: Jimmy Katz, Joe Lovano

Source: release

Jazz greats photographed by Jimmy Katz are on display in Perugia, Italy

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