Bob Parent

Original photograph of Billie Holiday performing at Carnegie Hall, New York City, September 26, 1953.

• Bob Parent (Canadian).
• (New York): (Bob Parent), (1953), [print ca. 1970s].
• Photographer's studio stamp to verso, with reproduction rights stamp below and presumed inventory number penciled above. 
• Original double-weight black & white gelatin silver photograph. 

Robert Parent (1923-1987) was one of the pioneers of jazz photography. He combined a keen eye and appreciation for his subjects with a technical know-how that allowed him to capture images that eluded lesser practitioners. Determined not to disrupt performances, he developed a technique that became known as "available light photography" which allowed him to work in the dark environments of clubs and theaters. Using his Pressman Speed Graphic camera, Parent was able to quietly snap pictures without disturbing the performers, a technique on vivid display in this iconic image capturing Billie Holiday dramatically spotlighted onstage accompanied by pianist Bud Powell and drummer Art Tatum. This concert, mounted at Carnegie Hall (one of Holiday's favorite venues, where she played more than 20 times during her career), also featured performances by Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Stan Kenton and his Orchestra.

During his life, Parent's images appeared regularly in Downbeat and Metronome, as well as more mainstream books and publications. He also provided images for numerous album covers (designing many himself) for labels like Mingus's Debut. Most recently he was the subject of a 2019 New York Times article by Peter Facini entitled "Is This the Greatest Photo in Jazz History?" His photos are among the most influential of postwar jazz, capturing it at the height of its cultural and artistic importance. A striking image by a true innovator in the field.