Illustration Friday: Jazz

Good Ol' Louis Armstrong. 

How can anyone think of jazz and not think of Louis  Armstrong?  I know I can't.  My sweet husband introduced me to the wonderful world of jazz music when we were dating, and now I can't help but love it.

Decades ago my husband's father, a volunteer d.j., used to play jazz over the closed hospital circuit in Detroit for the patients.  The music was soothing and comforting for them, I'm sure. 

After my father-in-law's death, my husband inherited a mound of notebooks from his late father.  Inside these lined steno pads are notes, playlists, important dates written in beautiful penmanship by my father-in-law during his stint as volunteer d.j.  I find it intriguing to flip through these notebooks to see what the musical lineup was for, say, May 4, 1967.

Another treasure left by my father-in-law was his beloved (and massive) record collection.  Sometimes when the mood strikes, Hank will put on a record, filling our house with music from the past.  Over the pops, clicks, and static, I can't help but imagine my father-in-law listening to that very record.  In my mind's landscape I see him carefully placing the vinyl disk onto his own turntable imagining and dreaming of his future.  I like to believe that when Hank plays these records, he is, in a sense, connecting with his late father.

Comments

[Karen]

This is wonderful!

[Roosa]

Very nice!!!

[Marilyn]

Aw, sweet post...and cute illo. We arrived home last night after my boyfriend's JAZZ gig (ha!)...I curled up in bed with the laptop to do some surfing...and was pleased to find that jazz is this week's topic. Fun to see what people are doing with it. :)

[starky]

Nice one, like composition and colors

[Jessica Kenenske]

gorgeous illustration!

[hannah]

i love how you always tie your beautiful illustrations with and equally beautiful story! very sweet...

[Giao]

Sweet story and lovely illustration! I love the textures and soft colors that have come to be like a signature style for you, Ms. Leslie! Great work!!

[Karen]

Another great illo!

[ani]

Lovely post to go along with the wonderful illo!

[Jess]

Leslie, this is so wonderful and I love the story you posted. Great job!

[Nuray-Tulipland]

I love your story and illo as well..:)

[violette]

Great retro illo and story....wonderfuL!

Violette

[Kerry]

what a wonderful story! sounds like a beautiful person. great illo too!

[Lisa]

What a wonderful illo. I love your use of texture and color. Great story to go along with it. He does sound like a beautiful person.

[shelagh]

I love, love love this! I am a big fan of "old" jazz. Good job!

[Kathleen]

The story is as beautiful as the illustration. Lovely!!!

[Kim]

I like this so much because it seems to use both old and current design and illustration elements, I think it works very well.

[Michelle]

Great illustration, I really like the textured background and the colours you have used.

[Elisa]

Cool image, I love the colors and texture in the background and letters. Nice style as well.

[erika]

awesome illo girl! I AM SO GLAD YOU GOT THE WRISTBAND. Man, that was freaking me out. So I am very happy, that was a big delay. Phew. I'm very happy so thank you for the update!!!

[Nicole]

Hey, gorgeous. You can see that you enjoyed doing this illo. I agree, great textured background.

[violetismycolor]

Leslie, the illo is wonderful. It so evokes a real poster of Louis Armstrong. How wonderful that the prompt this week was so inspirational for you. It seems to have brought so many loving memories up for you, too.

[Elle]

This is very nicely done, Leslie - and the story is wonderful. It's great when you & the one you love can share and enjoy the music. The lettering fits the feel of the image too. Thanks for sharing!

[Yvonne]

Great story (you're such a good story teller) and illo :o)

[Hank]

Les:
Another beautiful illustration. How is that your story touches me so even though I know it by heart? Must be something in the telling. By the way, what's an illo?

[missdaze]

This is wonderful. Love the retro style and the aged quality to it. Looks like a poster you'd find in an antique shop. Great!

[Marieke]

You're amazing and so talented, I love your illo but pleas Leslie tell me...were do you find the time to come up with such beauty's everytime????

[Dawn]

I love your illo! It's so great that your husband has all of that stuff from his dad. I think that there's nothing like old records. I love all the pops & crackling.

[Amanda]

My father is only 58, but I decided a long time ago that when he leaves this earth, the ONLY possession of his that I'll fight my siblings for is his collection of jazz cd's. It's priceless, especially since I'm the only one of four children who shares his love of jazz. Beautiful post.

[thesoulofhope]

I love Jazz, the old stuff. And I love this illustration, I showed it to Mike and he loved it too!