Includes photographs by William Claxton taken for the book Jazzlife in 1960. While traveling around the United States with musicologist Joachim E Berendt to record America's original art form, Claxton met and photographed the jazz personalities in every major and minor city, capturing these musicians in their natural environment.

A photo album, which demonstrates that William Claxton's photographic talent and sensibilities were perfectly attuned to the actor, Steve McQueen's multifaceted character.

Growing up in California, William Claxton spent his time collecting 78s by Duke Ellington, Lena Home, Count Basie, and Tommy Dorsey. As he pasted their pictures into scrapbooks, Claxton yearned to become a part of their world. By the time he started photographing musicians himself, he looked for ways to define them as people, not just as performers. He wanted to capture the innate drama in their .

Features photographs of Charlie Parker, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters, Gabor Szabo, and others. This title also includes a bonus CD of digitally remastered recordings of music made during Berendt and Claxton's journey. It includes a foreword by Claxton tracing his travels with Berendt and his love affair with jazz music.

In 1960, photographer William Claxton and noted German musicologist Joachim Berendt traveled the United States hot on the trail of jazz music. The result of their collaboration was an amazing collection of photographs and recordings of legendary artists as well as unknown street musicians. This book presents the original fruit of their labors.