Home » Jazz Articles » In Pictures » When Giants Walked the Earth

When Giants Walked the Earth

By Allen Mezquida
October 2, 2021
Sign in to view read count

I'm a jazz musician, animator and artist and traveled the world playing alto saxophone with Gerry Mulligan, Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Brad Mehldau, Bill Charlap and many others. I also worked as an illustrator in New York City. While on the road playing, I occupied my down time drawing in airports and hotel rooms. I then taught myself to animate and moved to Los Angeles and now live in Oak Park, CA with my wife and son while I play jazz, direct short form animation and make art.

This collection of jazz portraits was started during the quarantine of 2020 when I was unable to play live music. It's not a who's who list of jazz greats but rather a collection of the players who have moved me deeply. It's also not a complete list as there are many more musicians and vocalists to be drawn/painted. I avoid copying specific photos in order to render more subjectively my personal view of these musical giants; their nobility, their swagger, their humor and the incredible beauty that poured out of them when they walked the earth.

View Slideshow

< Previous
Paolo Damiani/Daniele Roccato Bottesi...

Next >
Open Sky

Comments

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.