Jazz Idiom: Blueprints, Stills and Frames

The Jazz Photography of Charles L. Robinson; Poetic Takes and Riffs by Al Young

The jazz greats, as photographed on stage and behind the scenes

Jazz Idiom showcases the intimate photography of Charles L. Robinson. A friend to many of the jazz musicians photographed, he often caught them in moments of candor: Charles Mingus, goateed and pensive, hunched over a Steinway, phrases dancing in his head. The legendary Earl "Fatha" Hines, in the groove, the original cool cat in sunglasses, famous for breaking piano strings. We see Muddy Waters and Jimmy Rushing backstage, talking about sometime back in the day. We see Milt Jackson and Dizzy Gillespie sharing a joke.

California Poet Laureate Al Young riffs, scats, and bebops along with the photographs as he provides poetry, anecdotes, and insight into the players and moments in question. A beautiful medley of music, photography, and poetry, Jazz Idiom pays homage to one of the most exciting times in American music history.

Photo by Joseph L. Robinson

About the Authors

Charles L. Robinson (left) was the staff photographer of the Monterey Jazz Festival for several years. He currently lives in Berkeley with his wife, Sarah, and contributes his time to community work in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Al Young (right) is the author of more than twenty books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction and has taught writing and literature at Stanford University, UC Santa Cruz, and the University of Michigan. The recipient of Guggenheim, NEA, and Fulbright fellowships, he lives in Berkeley and was the former Poet Laureate of California.

Watch Al Young's appearance at Authors@Google here.