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les mcann, pat thomas, alan abrahams - invitation to openness - fantagraphics books inc - books

Throughout Les McCann’s incredible jazz career, he took hundreds of photos — at clubs, studios, and festivals around the world — and unwittingly documented a side of the vibrant cultural life of jazz and soul between 1960 and 1980 that includes a very young Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sammy Davis Jr., John Coltrane, Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson, Quincy Jones, Tina Turner, Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderly, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, B.B. King, Errol Garner, Stanley Clarke, Bill Evans, Lionel Hampton, and other seminal African-Americans, such as Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Muhammed Ali, and Stokely Carmichael to name but a few. These photos are characterized by their intimacy, and the cross-section of names listed is merely the tip of the iceberg. The book features candid commentary by McCann himself and is curated by Pat Thomas (Listen, Whitey!: The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965-1975) and maverick music producer Alan Abrahams (Pure Prairie League, Joan Baez, Stanley Turrentine, Kris Kristofferson, Taj Mahal).

About the author:
Pat Thomas is the author of Listen, Whitey! The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965 – 1975 and the author of the forthcoming book Did It! From Yippie to Yuppie: Jerry Rubin – American Revolutionary (both published by Fantagraphics). As a reissue producer, Pat has overseen the release of vintage recordings from Public Image Limited, Allen Ginsberg, Carole King, Les McCann & Eddie Harris, Gene McDaniels, Gabor Szabo, Sly Stone, and Judee Sill, among others. He has appeared multiple times on BBC and NPR discussing the impact of the Black Panther Party on popular music and serves as a consultant to several documentaries and museums on that subject. He resides on the Left Coast.