Interesting how the White Album photos (of the other 3 Fabs) are up on the wall. John really depended on those three others in his life---even when it seemed as if Yoko was the be-all and end-all for him. I'm sure a psychologist would have a field-day trying to analyze it all. Arnie
I always thought this record cover showed Zappa in a kind of intense energy display while on stage..... But no.... he was just yawning !
Herbie Hancock Notice how some cars and buildings were airbrushed in the background, to make Herbie stand out more. No Photoshop in 1964, all done manually.
Those classic Bluenotes are a real basic lesson in Art direction and graphic design. The cropping, dodging, burning and artful typographic treatments are transformative. The conceptual continuity created an iconographic language that served as perfect branding for the label. The covers are now almost as celebrated and emulated the music contained therein.
Indeed, I think the legend status of the "Cool struttin'" album is more due to the cover than the music, which is good but rather standard hard bop stuff.
I was browsing Buzzfeed last year and came across a set of pictures of abandoned buildings. I realised that one of them (City Hall Station in New York City) was where the cover for the Brecker Brothers 'Straphangin' album from 1981 was shot. I was inspired by this site that put the Steely Dan 'Pretzel Logic' album cover in the wider context of where it was shot, so I attempted to do the same:
