Jazz Greats Photographed by Terry Cryer

View the Telegraph’s Picture Gallery and see the series of beautiful pictures taken by Terry Cryer of some of the greats in the world Of Jazz.

Count Basie (1904-1984)

“I never really took posed photographs,” recalled Cryer, “but this was one of the few. Count Basie was a dapper dresser and he always wore a dinner jacket on stage. But this was taken backstage at the Royal Festival Hall in London in 1959 with a Rolleiflex. It was the only shot. I had a roll of 12 shots and couldn’t afford to go berserk and takes lots. The Melody Maker only occasionally bought my photographs and if Jazz News took one you’d get about 10 shillings. Count Basie was another very obliging man. But I was never really listening to the music while I was taking pictures of people performing. I’m a fan of traditional jazz although I am tone deaf and one ear doesn’t work much, so most of my music I haven’t even listened to, and my photographs have been on a lot of CDs.”

Picture: Terry Cryer

Visit the Jazz store at eil.com

#eil.com, #eildotcom, #Jazz