Street Shooting--The Movie!

[Two23]

OK, it's not really a movie.  And, it probably doesn't pass the RSL street "test."  But I'm posting it anyway.    Every spring I attend a conference for railroad photographers in Lake Forest, IL.  I generally arrive a day early so I can wander about downtown Chicago.  In the past I've mostly focused on the Loop trains and how they are woven into the city and life of the people.  I love the noise, the rush, and the constantly changing scenes.  It's sort of like living in a kaleidoscope!  My favorite part of the subways are the buskers.  The video is from shots I made one rainy April day in 2014.  Camera was my trusty Leica IIIc & Leica lenses 28/35/50/90mm (all 1940s vintage except ~1932 50mm).  Film was mostly Ilford HP5 with a few shots of Ilford ISO 3200 thrown in for down in the tubes.  (Film purchased at Central Camera Co., of course.)  Metering was done with a Minolta IVf.  (I found that on cloudy days the exposure doesn't change much.)   The little Leica allowed me to shoot unobtrusively--it's still doing it's job after 75 years!    I am a little disappointed with the image quality that YouTube gives.  Photos are actually much sharper.  However, I think my street shooting movie does deliver what I was after--the feel of the Chicago Loop on a rainy day.

Leica Rides the CTA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3JEY6SiFKA


I will add that I dropped a few $$ into
the hat for all buskers.  Fair is fair.


Kent in SD

[Rob C]

Well, it certainly took five - plus a couple of bars...

;-)

[RSL]

Love it. Wish I could remember the name of the guy on the clarinet. I used to know. He's one of my favorites as is the music he was playing.

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Love it. Wish I could remember the name of the guy on the clarinet. I used to know. He's one of my favorites as is the music he was playing.

Alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. He wrote the saxophone melody for the Dave Brubeck Quartet's, "Take Five".

Cheers,
Bart

[Rob C]

Love it. Wish I could remember the name of the guy on the clarinet. I used to know. He's one of my favorites as is the music he was playing.

Take 5

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Brubeck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmDDOFXSgAs

[Two23]

The music is an integral part of the "movie."  My first job out of college was manager for a record/music store in Kansas City.  I used that opportunity to listen to all the music "standards":  classical, jazz, showtunes, etc.   For me, the banging of the drums and crashing symbols represent the noise of the trains.  The minor key fit my mood--wandering alone in a big city on a chilly rainy day.  The raw saxophone melody expresses the joy tinged with melancholy I felt while exploring an exciting place, and the odd 5/4 time recreates the edginess I felt as I poked around the gritty city.  The b&w film, the people, the trains, and the music all came together very nicely for me.


Kent in SD

[MattBurt]

Funny, I keep hearing that Brubeck album lately. It's following me!
Nice pics too!

On a vaguely related note, my 15 year old son who is a bit of a musical prodigy (but not a jazz musician, yet...) said something to me the other day that really gave me hope for the future.
He said, "Wow dad, Thelonius Monk is SO GOOD! If I like that, what else should I check out?". My heart swelled with pride! 

[Telecaster]

Funny, I keep hearing that Brubeck album lately. It's following me!
Nice pics too!

On a vaguely related note, my 15 year old son who is a bit of a musical prodigy (but not a jazz musician, yet...) said something to me the other day that really gave me hope for the future.
He said, "Wow dad, Thelonius Monk is SO GOOD! If I like that, what else should I check out?". My heart swelled with pride! 

I'd suggest steering him away from Cecil Taylor until he can drink legally.    Coltrane, OTOH…if he likes Giant Steps then go for A Love Supreme.

Brubeck's Take 5 is one of my all-time favs.

-Dave-

[MattBurt]

Too late, we are already into Cecil although he isn't totally sold on it. I tell him to listen to that percussive influence in more modern stuff like John Medeski. I don't necessarily enjoy all the CT I hear either but I like what he has added to the modern jazz sound through innovation and influence.
Of course Miles/Monk/Trane are pretty well covered already so I'm trying to compliment that as I see it might catch his interest. 

[BobDavid]

Dave Brubeck et al. were part of the Cool/West Coast Jazz scene (this recording was made in NYC). I don't think the music goes with the pictures.

[Two23]

Dave Brubeck et al. were part of the Cool/West Coast Jazz scene (this recording was made in NYC). I don't think the music goes with the pictures.

Curious why you think that?  As explained above, I thought it a perfect match.  


Kent in SD

[Adam L]

A few Jazz names that may interest the younger generation:

Scott Dubois
Django Bates
Mike Stern
Kim Simmonds
Joey Defrancesco
Craig Taborn
Jamie Saft
Brian Blade
Donny McCaslin
Jaimie Branch
Cecile McLorin Salvant
Ambrose Akinmusire