A New Generation Breathes New Life into an Old Photo

In 1958, Esquire’s art director, Robert Benton, wanted the magazine to capture the golden era of jazz. He proposed that the January 1959 edition of the publication be an all-jazz issue and the magazine take a chance and hire Art Kane, a young photographer who had yet to take his first professional photograph, to do the job. It was Kane’s idea to do an enormous picture of all the jazz players they could convince to participate.

On a summer day that year, lacking studio space and knowing that ten in the morning was far too early for most musicians, Kane nervously waited to see what the photo’s turnout would be. Unexpectedly, 57 of jazz’s greatest musicians, including Thelonious Monk, Marie Lou Williams, Count Basie, Lester Young, Marian McPartland and Dizzy Gillespie, gathered on a 126th street stoop in Harlem to be photographed.

While photos of legends are taken all the time, Harlem 1958 is significant because it captured the spirit of a community — a community of folks who had formed a kinship based on music and were inspired by what they individually brought to the collective.

The shoot is beginning and everyone is trying to get situated

Fifty years later, on June 22, 2008 , over 100 artists, DJs, actors and entrepreneurs who have influenced the Brooklyn community stood on the steps of Fort Greene Park and took a similar snapshot. The project was birthed by Brooklyn-based, KalaLea, whose skill as a certified yoga teacher, photographer, whole foods chef, multimedia producer and restaurant owner has definitely enriched her experience in the New York borough and caused many extraordinary people to cross her path.

After returning from Brazil, in January of 2008, KalaLea decided to remain co-owner of Brooklyn’s Smooch Café but leave the day-to-day operations. Without being at the café everyday, she began missing her usual daily interactions with her neighbors. Two years ago, KalaLea began making journal entries of various people that invited her to events and keeping notes of the artists she had met in the Fort Greene community. “[I was] looking at a notebook and writing things down, and had been thinking about sharing with different friends how amazing these people are,” reminisces the Jill of many trades.

Last winter, KalaLea decided she wanted to document her experience of living in Fort Greene into a piece of art. “I want[ed] to capture the last amazing nine years of my life. [I could] invite all the people who have inspired me, all of the artists and creative beings that have had an impact on my growth here in the community to one central location,” says the Pittsburg native who believes that art driven communities form more quickly than other communities because artists are drawn to one another for inspiration.

Behind the scenes: KalaLea looking for the right shot

The concept was formulated in February, and went from being dubbed “A Great Day in Brooklyn” to “Everyday Brooklyn” because KalaLea wanted to emphasize that on an everyday basis people are doing amazing things. Keeping the theme of community, she also decided to recruit her talented group of friends: photo agent, Stephanie Baptist, actor, screenwriter, and producer Yana Billlé and freelance art buyer and producer Hosanna Marshall to help her produce the massive endeavor. “When she asked me if I would like to be a part of the project, I said yes immediately,” remembers Baptist. “The timing was perfect to create a project of such magnitude.”

Planning for a project of this magnitude took months and many hours of meetings. “There were various stages of production. In the early days, we spent a lot of time researching contacts for the artists, creating the logo and sending out invitations,” recalls Baptist. “Then we began to assemble possible crew members that would be able to lend their assistance to the project.” The producers reached out to Brooklyn-based writers, photographers, cameramen, graphic designers, a web developer, interview personalities, editors and production assistants to join the team. Brooklyn Council Member, Letitia James, took action to help KalaLea and crew obtain a permit to photograph in the historic Fort Greene Park and Brooklyn Art Incubator stepped up to be their fiscal sponsor. Other sponsors include Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, Addy & Ferro, Brownstone Books, Habana Outpost and PETA.

The photograph is a celebration of life, creativity and community, says KalaLea, “I hope that the people in this project realize that they are celebrities in my eye, far more inspiring than any Britney Spears or Kanyé West. I really hope that this creates a domino effect, and that other people document the folks in their neighborhood - whether it’s 10 people or 50 people.”

Participants take a moment to reconnect and meet one another

In two years, KalaLea would like to complete a documentary about the art community in Fort Greene and ask questions that speaks to the notion of the neighborhood being an utopia and what this means for a community that is constantly changing. Also, with the closing of the Everyday Brooklyn exhibition at Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), the ultimate goal is to share Brooklyn-like experiences all over the world, including Amsterdam, London, Cape Town, Chicago, Los Angeles, Tel Aviv, Salvador and Barcelona by 2012

“We decided to produce a traveling exhibition because we think other people around the world are interested what we’re doing in Brooklyn,” shares KalaLea. “Brooklyn is like its own little country,”

A sample of a few of the artists photographed:

	Carl Hancock Rux, 37 Writer, Recording Artist, Performing Artist Carl Hancock Rux was tapped by KalaLea to be a featured artist in this project. “I live across the street [from Ft. Greene Park]. I think it’s great. It’s beautiful. It’s iconic. It’s important to capture this neighborhood. When I think of the original photo, it’s an aggregation of people who would never be in the same place again.” Hancock Rux, who has been living in the neighborhood since 1981 says the area has gone through a thousand phases.“People have watched the neighborhood grow.”
	Hosanna Marshall Co-Producer of A Great Day in Brooklyn, Producer and Art Buyer This Maryland native has lived in Brooklyn for five years and was brought into the project by KalaLea. Marshall feels blessed to live in such a small community where she is able to get to know people in the neighborhood. Her favorite thing about Brooklyn? “I love the days when you just walk out the house, roll spot to spot and don’t get home ’till after midnight. You don’t have to have a plan. I have met so many people through this project and love the talent, energy and how open people are.”
	Andre Jointe, 29 Designer, Details Magazine Andre Jointe has lived in Brooklyn for 8 years. “It’s a real chill community vibe. There’s a lot of culture here and people embrace it.” As for the project, Jointe says it’s “beautiful. It’s not really networking, but just seeing what everyone is doing. I have no idea who half these people are but just coming out and meeting them is cool. Plus, it will be historic to see this photo 10 years from now you could not have imagined who was sitting next to you.”
	Timmhotep Aku, 28 Writer, Producer of Web Video, Radio Host Personality and Professional Nice Guy Timmhotep Aku has lived his whole life in Brooklyn. A friend hipped him to the idea of A Great Day in Brooklyn and he decided to get involved in the project. “I felt it was a timely, relevant and a dope idea… a collection of people in Brooklyn who are doing good things.”
	Malik Yoba, 41 Actor Originally from the Bronx, Malik Yoba has lived in Brooklyn for the past two years. Yoba became involved with AGDIB to be a part of history and to contribute and participate in a historical moment. When asked what he loves most about Brookyn, Yoba smiles broadly and says simply, “You.” Say what? Yoba explains, he’s inspired by youth. “The fact that you’re in a mission, the fact that you’re contributing… you represent an idea.”
	Darhil Crooks, 30 Art Director,Esquire Darhil Crooks designed the logo and printed shirts for this project. “I think [Everyday Brooklyn] is very positive and it reinforces the community that we have here. I think it’s important that us black creative types get together every once in a while to share ideas.” Best day in Brooklyn? “When I brought my daughter home for the first time on January 11, 2007. I took her home to a brownstone in Bedstuy.”
	DJ Reborn DJ and Youth Mentor A Chicago native, Reborn moved to Brooklyn to see if she could make it as a DJ. “I wanted to see if I could be a working artist and I felt like Brooklyn was the perfect place to test yourself.” Fifteen years later, she is one of the most successful spinners in NYC, which is why she was chosen to be a part of the project. “I am here today to hopefully be captured in this moment but to rep the fact that Brooklyn has inspired me in my art.”

Learn more about Everyday Brooklyn and post your own great day in Brooklyn on the website blog: www.everydaybrooklyn.com.