Jim Marshall: The Great One is Gone
Jim Marshall: The Great One is Gone
Jim Marshall died recently. The Great One is gone.
This man was rock ‘n’ roll photography. And he was an amazing jazz photographer too. (See his fantastic work here.)
When I was a rock-crazed kid in the dull-as-dishwater suburbs, I dreamed of growing up to be someone like Jim Marshall. His photos seemed to be on every LP I bought.
I was lucky enough to sit down and talk with Marshall at a photo event a few years ago. I had no idea who he was, but when I saw a man sitting among Leicas and gorgeous B&W music prints who seemed open and receptive to strangers, I introduced myself. Marshall was a delight; full of fun, life and mischief. He was a real character, truly Damon Runyon-esque. I will never forget the few minutes I spent talking with this great photographer.
We should all be as full of life as Jim Marshall was.
Spend some time on his site; read the bit written by his printer, dig his Coltrane photos and their Leica-sharp glory, read the obits and tributes, find the photo of a young Marshall with big black eyeglasses and two Leicas hanging on his chest that ran in NY Times. (See that shot here.)
And, if you can, by all means, buy some of his work.
Jim Marshall was a great music photographer, but most importantly, Jim Marshall was a great photographer.
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2010/03/24/jim-marshall-legendary-rock-photographer-passes-away-at-74/