A Band of Brothers

For such a big man he had a gentle way about him. That’s what I remember the first time I saw Clarence.  Sax players back then were often the “Big Men” in the group. Their ability to produce sound as a result of pushing volumes of air out from their lungs that was both rich and sweet at the same time required a robust frame. For me, that’s why the sax was such an integral part of the sound of Soul and Rhythm and Blues. The saxophone was a vessel for the inner sprit and all its complexities. Pain, joy, sorrow and love, the saxophone knew the language of all these emotions.

I grew up with a loving for this music. Before the British Invasion, this was the music we heard on the radio. Years later, rock bands might add a sax to a solo for an R & B or jazz feel. But often it was a track just laid on top of the others. Pleasant to hear in the mix, but for me it never really honored the instrument. But that deep, nasty, raspy, street fightin’, city cryin’, soul searching sound that can only come from down deep in those who lived it, was a rarity in rock circles. Until the E Street Band brought it in and gave it a home. It wasn’t until years later that I learned of the rich R & B sound and history that came out of Asbury Park. Then, to me, it made total sense that Bruce would weave together all these influences to create his own unique sound

Watching Clarence that night and that day during rehearsal, I was mesmerized. Here was this giant of a man with a way about him that was attentive, sensitive and at least from my recollection a bit on the quiet side. But when he performed he was out in front with Bruce and in lock step with the other members of the band. He wasn’t the accompanist; he was an integral and equal part of the band as they all were. That was the magic of the E Street Band that night. They were locked into each other, clearly a Band of Brothers.

When I look at this photo I see Bruce lost in a moment, eyes closed almost physically removed from what is around him. But then Clarence, there is by his side, holding his own, standing tall, as if he was saying, “Just let it go. I got you, brother”. And as we all know, they clearly were.

On the anniversary of "I Saw Rock and Roll Future" - May 9, 1974

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band had been playing regularly in Cambridge bars during the spring of 1974. Still relatively new to the scene, his following was dedicated, though sales of his two albums to date were not what his label was hoping for.

I was living just outside of Boston at the time. A friend brought Bruce’s second album, The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle over one day saying he had heard that this guy was pretty good. He was. We liked what we heard and decided to check him out at Charlie’s Place in Harvard Square.

We took our seats in one of the club’s classic high back wooden bar booths, squeezed into one side and ordered a pitcher of beer. I looked around the room and commented on how surprised I was at how crowded the club was. A patron, sitting across from me heard my comments said, “You mean you’ve never heard him before? You just wait. I’m from Philadelphia and I’ve been following the band up and down the east coast.” I frankly had never heard of anything like that before.

What transpired next has made an indelible mark on me forever. The band came on, six of them squeezed into a corner of the bar in an area about 12 feet by 12 feet. With only a small empty dance floor separating the band and us, they launched into the most incredible set of jazz, R&B, and rock infused music I had ever heard. They had a presence and a swagger that drew the audience into their songs. When the night was over two things stayed with me: one, I had never heard music like that before, and two, I had to see them again. I called my friends at Windowpane Productions, local concert promoters that I was doing photography shoots for. I simply said, “You have to book this guy!” Ira Gold, one of the partners, came over to my apartment and I played him Bruce’s two albums. After hearing them he asked if he could borrow them to play for his production partner, Jeff Hersh, who was also part of Bonnie Raitt's management team. Jeff was equally impressed. My biggest concern then, was that I might not get my albums back!

There had been no plans for an opening act for their upcoming Bonnie Raitt show at the Harvard Square Theatre in May of 1974. Ira and Jeff’s plans were to really give the whole night to Bonnie. She had been recently delegated to mostly being an opening act and they felt this was her turn to headline. After listening to the albums I lent Ira, he and Jeff paid a visit to one of Bruce’s shows at Charlie’s Place in Cambridge. That night a short conversation with Bruce followed the last set of the night. They asked if he wanted to open up for Bonnie. Bruce said, "Sure, why not."

Jon Landau, covering the show that night for The Real Paper in Boston, would write the review that to some, lay the groundwork for Bruce’s success; penning the infamous line “I saw Rock and Roll future and it’s name is Bruce Springsteen.” And the rest, as they say, is history.

Visit Morrison Hotel Gallery to learn more or purchase this unique and historical photo 

The Art of the Fine Print

There are many factors that bear discussion when considering a fine art photograph’s place in the art world. Critics and scholars will often look at three compelling factors.

One is the image itself. How is composed? What subtleties and nuances bear further discussion? What do we feel when we gaze at it?

Next, are its technical attributes. As photography is an evolving art form, what processes and techniques were employed here? How did the artist work with the constraints and parameters of the medium to craft the image? And how is the final print produced? One should always look for the highest quality of finished print when considering a purchase.

And last is its historical perspective. Where does the image live in history? Is its value in a record of some time and place? Is it a moment in the evolution of the artist’s body of work?

If you are considering buying a fine art photograph one last factor should be at the top after all the others have passed the test. Is this an image you would be proud to display in your home?

Fine art consultants cannot emphasize enough picking an image that has meaning to buyer. For the art photography collector and Bruce Springsteen fan, rare photos of Bruce Springsteen are a fit. And one should never discount the investment value. Many Bruce Springsteen photos have more than tripled in value since their initial limited editions have been offered. 

Bruce Springsteen, Cambridge, MA May 1974

On Being Part of a Music Photography Collection

I’m not exactly sure how it all happens but people find my photos. I’m always glad to learn how and why. Often, it’s because of my Bruce Springsteen photographs. Some are looking for a gift, some are researching for a publication and some are collectors who have specific subjects they are looking for. Or looking “at”, like the music photography collector who collects images of music icons shot from behind.

Talking to individuals who “discover” my work is always a great pleasure. For me, the Bruce Springsteen photos are from a very memorable night that showcased an incredible young artist who was performing that night with a clear sense of purpose. No one knew then that, nor suspected, that that evening would end up having the stuff legends are made of. But I knew we were witnessing something remarkable in the making. I remember when the doors opened for the second show that night I had set aside a row of seats down front for my closest friends. I couldn’t wait for them to experience what I already had.

When I chose to revisit the images from that night years later I found that I was not only enjoying looking at the collection of images I took but also in many ways reliving the emotion and excitement of the night. Finding out was more that one piano shot that deserved investigation as well as a few other hidden gems gave me great satisfaction. There was more here than I imagined.

Last August Dave Bett art director at Columbia records contacted me. He was working on a project and was interested in seeing some of my photos of Bruce Springsteen.  I mentioned to him that my collection was from his May 9, 1974 show at the Harvard Square Theatre in Cambridge, MA. The show where Jon Landau penned the now famous line “ I saw the future of rock and roll and his name is Bruce Springsteen”. Dave affirming that it was indeed an important night for He opted to dedicate a full page in the booklet of Bruce Springsteen memorabilia to that night in was to become this weeks Bruce Springsteen Re-Mastered Album Box Set release. History again brought to the surface of an evening for the ages in a collection that brings new light and new sound to a timeless artist.

Music Photography is the New Fine Art Collectible

If you’ve ever thought about collecting art but felt the price, or the whole concept of it was beyond you, read further. In the last decade the idea of collecting fine art photography has risen dramatically. Curators and music photography galleries recommend it for a number of reasons. One, its affordable and a great way to start a collection, two, the market value of many works has risen dramatically giving all signs that this trend is not going away, and three, you can purchase something that is truly unique and you’d be happy to hang on your wall.

A recent article in the highly respected Financial Times not only supported this but also keyed in on collecting music photography.  To quote the Times

“ Music photography – images that were once ripped out of magazines and stuck on teenage bedroom walls – have become increasingly collectable. Musicians are themselves, whereas film stars are pretending to be someone else. There is more of an art to music photography because of the intimacy. Take Gered Mankowitz’s portrait of Jimi Hendrix, which nearly doubled in price from £5,367 to £9,781 between November 2013 and May 2014. Or Annie Leibovitz’s 1980 photograph of a naked John Lennon curled against a black-clad Yoko Ono. Selling for $350 in 1984 at Washington’s Govinda Gallery, the image fetched £15,420 at Sotheby’s New York in February 2013”

Early pictures of Bruce Springsteen, as featured at Gallery5.9.1974 are certainly part of this trend. For the fan who is also a collector, it is more than Bruce Springsteen memorabilia but a record of an era that had gone by. Again to quote the Times

“Simone Klein, director of photography at Sotheby’s Paris, says: “Photographs of celebrities are increasingly important in today’s celebrity-obsessed world. And rock stars from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s are the big heroes, so they are becoming more important in galleries and auctions.” Sotheby’s Paris has a Rolling Stone front cover of Keith Richards by Sante d’Orazio (est €4,000- €6,000) in a sale this month, alongside photographs by Andreas Gursky, August Sander and others.” 

In the last five years, Bruce Springsteen photos in galleries in the United States and Europe have tripled in value.

Bruce Springsteen, Cambridge, MA 5/9/1974

On the Bruce Springsteen Box Set Release

When you get the re-mastered Bruce Springsteen box set, set aside a few moments to page through the elegant book of Bruce Springsteen memorabilia. You’ve purchased this set to hear the marvelous re mastering of his earlier works, but the collection of Bruce Springsteen photos and other items from his past included within wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t.. “For You”. That’s right…you.

Enter the Bruce Special Collection. Housed at Monmouth University this collection outgrew some years ago the Asbury Park Library. The Collection includes approximately 20,000 holdings in multiple formats: books, songbooks, tour books, magazines, fanzines, Internet articles, academic journals and papers, comic books, selected printed items, newspaper articles, historic memorabilia, CDs, vinyl recordings, posters, DVDs and videos. To quote the Collection’s website “The Bruce Springsteen Special Collection originated in the summer of 2001 with a concern over the rate at which magazine and newspaper articles on Springsteen’s early career, once plentiful, had become increasingly scarce.  To address this problem, the Springsteen fanzine, Backstreets Magazine, organized a fan-to-fan campaign to collect and organize essential documents from each phase of Springsteen’s career, ensuring that the historic record would be publicly accessible to all who have a serious interest in Bruce Springsteen’s life and career.” It was this rich collection that Dave Bett, graphic designer for Sony Music, used to hand pick many of the items that the box set’s booklet features. Dave came to Monmouth for a few hours, ending up spending the day and promises to return. All these items, Bruce Springsteen pictures, photos and other memorabilia have been donated from one source, the fans. According to Bruce only one other location has a bigger collection, his mother’s basement.