I found a very interesting batch of photo negatives by an amateur photographer working in New York City in the 1960’s and very early ’70s. I don’t know the photographer’s name, unfortunately, but I believe these are all unpublished. Since first posting these, I have confirmed with Getty Images that the photographer is neither Don Paulsen nor Chuck Stewart.
My negative scans aren’t professional quality, but they’ll do for checking these out.
Besides the ones below there are many others, especially of street scenes, street musicians and more at the Apollo – Ben E. King, Miriam Makeba, Cal Tjader, Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack and others, and also of Machito at Town Hall.
I’ve had help in identifying most of the musicians in these photos, but there are still a couple I don’t have IDs for and I’d appreciate any help you can give. Please do not reproduce any of these.
from left: Micki Harris, Doris Coley (Kenner-Jackson), Beverly Lee, Shirley Owens (Alston-Reeves)
from left: Micki, Shirley, Beverly
I was able to date the photos of the show with Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey to 1961 or 1962 by the overlap between Freddie Hubbard joining the Jazz Messengers in 1961 and Leo Wright’s tenure with Gillespie ending in 1962. There are also photos of Cal Tjader from this show.
According to the online Chronology of Art Blakey, the Messengers with Hubbard played at the Apollo for some dates in beginning September 14, 1961, as well as a benefit show on September 13, 1962.
Chris Sheridan informs me that Leo Wright only played with Gillespie at the Apollo during the week of April 27 – May 3, 1962. An ad in the Amsterdam News includes both Gillespie and the Messengers on the bill for this week of shows.
Many thanks to all who have helped with IDs including John Clemente.
On the first unidentified girl group, an educated guess would be The Cookies, who had just had a hit with Chains in late ’62 and Don’t Say Nothin’ Bad About My Baby was on the radio at the time.
Those girls look like the Rockabyes (Baby Jane & the Rockabyes). There’s no resemblance to the Cookies.
Yeah, that is definitely the Cookies.
I recognize lead singer Earl Jean in the pic.
Thanks Alan and MTM, I’ve added the attribution to the photo above.
I hope someone can confirm this but I think the soul couple from the mid Sixties could be Jerry Butler and Betty Everett.
No – that’s Bobby Byrd with Anna King. They were both part of James Brown’s show
hence the “JB”
Thanks, I’ve updated that now.
The man on the left looks very much like singer Joe Williams.
I am Anna King’s daughter unfortunately my mother passed away in 2002.
I have seen thusands of picture’s of her before but never one of her and “Uncle Bobby” performing
If only there was video of her performances, so that people could not just hear but see how wonderful a performer she was. For those of us who were lucky enough to see her performm live, whether it was R&B or gospel will always have the memories
Thank you so much for posting this, I can’t wait to show it to my brothers!
Ronnie King Curry
Thank you, Ronnie. May your mom RIP and your ‘Uncle Bobby’ as well.
Caption: “MC or speaker at the show with Gillespie and the Messengers”
Description: man holding mic singing with eyeglasses.
This looks a great deal like singer Bill Henderson, which would be a logical deduction.
Looking for an old Army buddy from 1966 thru 1967. I have tried everything to contact him. His name was James Beaman. He was an MC before 1966. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
The free-lance photographer was Don Paulsen who shot for, among others, Rhythm & Blues Magazine published by Charlton Publications. The show with Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey was the week of April 27 through May 3, 1962. The solo guy on that show was a singer named Bill Henderson.
B.B. King and The Shirelles appeared together the week of February 15-21, 1963. The shot of Bobby Byrd and Anna King was taken the week of October 30-November 5, 1964 – the week right after James Brown filmed the T.A.M.I. Show in Santa Monica,Ca. I believe the Michael Ochs Archive bought the bulk of Don Paulsen’s archive some years ago.
Don Paulsen was a professional photographer who had access to take close-up photos of artists when he wanted to. This photographer was a skilled amateur and I do not believe any of his photos were published. It’s a pity I couldn’t find out his name when I bought these negatives.
Look up the Michael Ochs Archives and you will see some of these same photos credited to Don Paulsen. He used to shoot Apollo Shows for Charlton Publications and many of these photos and others like them HAVE been published. Because the Apollo is a small, intimate theater, Paulsen often shot from the orchestra pit or the aisles and the old school theater lighting wasn’t strong enough for decent photography which explains the quality of these shots.
Hi Alan,
I did some searches through the Ochs Archives online, and while I found many similar photos by Paulsen, I didn’t find a single one that matched any of these. If you can find specific ones, please send me the links.
This photographer had many other subjects besides musicians – children (two in particular), friends, scenes around 125th St, etc.
I have the same exact Byrd-King shot….. from a Paulsen contact sheet borrowed from a documentary film maker few years ago. He got the entire Paulsen shoot of that James Brown Show (maybe 100 shots) from Michael Ochs . Send me an email address and Ill send you my copy for comparison
The Apollo Theater is trying to create an archive of photos, advertising, posters, the mic that came up through the floor….
They would love the Freda pic with the Apollo name visible and the flap at the foot of the mic visible.
If they are not Don Paulsen’s then they are Chuck Stewart, a well known New York photographer.
Do you have anymore old Apollo Photos?