Ceramics and Pottery Arts and Resources

‘Sweet Child’, Cover illustration — Fabien Loris–1925

In the early 1900s, music publishers in the USA had drawn the connection that the marketability of sheet music was directly related to the quality and artistic input of the covers. The NY firm of Leo Fiest promoted the artistic development of decorative covers where the beauty of the design and colour scheme was solely important or with illustrative covers, the story of the song influenced the art.

The inclusion of enticing cover art in the creation of a brilliant album was also recognised as a valuble marketing asset by the record companies, especially from the 50’s onwards.. Along with the essential element of the music it became a definitive part of how the package was percieved and it became a potent cultural influence. Abstract, avant garde art became more aligned with modern jazz music releases in the 50’s and acted as a subtle art lesson for many of the music connoisseurs. Surrealist art, collages and provocative art also featured in the 60s with the likes of Mati Klarwein’s art for Miles Davis Bitches Brew LP album and the quirky, humorist art of Robert Crumb on Joplin’s Cheap Thrills album.

Browsing through a large album collection was like visiting an art gallery, which is why Tony Bennett said of the marvellous album covers of the 50’s that, when you bought a record, “you felt like you were taking home your very own work of art”. Incisive portrait photography was also introduced at this time along with ambitious photographic themes and exotic graphics as used on Axis Bold As Love from Hendrix. Klaus Voormann’s pop artwork on the Beatles Revolver was also praised for the classic 1966 album. When he heard the tracks for the recording at the Abbey Rd studios he was so shocked by the extent of their innovation that he felt a radical piece of artwork was needed, leading to his monochrome, psychedelic and Beardsley inspired sleeve art. Bold, artistc and original cover art had now become entrenched with the release of music.

‘Flamin Mamie’ published by Leo Feist, NY

1925

John Lennon asked Klaus Voormann to create a design for the Revolver album. Manager Brian Epstein was so enthralled with the result that they approached more art designers for the upcoming Sgt Peppers.

For ‘Tomorrow Never Knows” John Lennon hoped to sound nothing like his usual self. “I want my voice to sound like the Dalai Lama chanting from a mountaintop, miles away,” he proclaimed in the studio. Engineer Geoff Emerick achieved that effect by running Lennon’s voice through the rotating speaker of a Leslie cabinet,  “That is bloody marvelous!” Lennon exclaimed repeatedly after hearing his effect. McCartney’s reaction was equally joyful: “It’s the Dalai Lennon!”   There was no other place for this track on the album but the end. “Eleanor Rigby,” “I’m Only Sleeping,” “Love You To” and “She Said She Said” were all bold steps toward the unknown — “Tomorrow Never Knows” was the jump from the cliff.

David Stone Martin cover art

1953

‘The Strange Waltz’ – sheet music art Roger De Valerio

1922

‘The Radium Dance’ by Jean Schwartz – from the 1904 Broadway Musical, ‘Piff! Paff! Pouff!’

RetroRocketeer, via Flickr

LP Album ‘Bitches Brew’ – Miles Davis

German painter Mati Klarwein

Party After Hours – Wynonie Harris

Aladdin 703

Wynonie Harris – ‘Around The Clock’- 1955

Jan Garber Jazz Sheet Music – ‘I Never Care About Tomorrow’

1924

‘Relaxin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet

1956

Zule Guerra – ‘El Viaje’ 

Afif Brothers Quartet @ The Fringe by Dozign

Earth,Wind and Fire—‘Millenium’

‘Jarabi’ by AfroCubism

2010

Bryan Ferry Orchestra

Perlen Der Celopatra – art by Willy Herzig

Boogie Woogie Classics – Albert Ammons

Patrick Latimer

Calypso Vol. II, label: Disc (1946) early illustration by David Stone Martin.

‘What’s Going On’ – Marvin Gaye

The Incomparable Jelly Roll Morton

Artwork by Raymond Erny, ‘Castilian Nights’

1927

‘Hello ma baby’,  Howard and Emerson

1899

Igor Stravinski–Columbia

1940

‘The Prophet Speaks’ – Van Morrison

Javapache – B. Cherubinbi

Joni Mitchell — Hejira

Mes Del Jazz

‘Underneath The Havana Moon’ – Mark Gordon /Mark Revel

Eddie Daniels – Live at Iridium

Monterey Jazz Festival

Joe Henderson Big Band

Joe Loco – ‘Mambo Y Cha-Cha Cha ‘

1962

‘Kamgaroo Dance Cake Walk’ – Ad Gauwin, France

Mambo for Cats – Album cover design by Jim Flora

1955

Count Basie – art by David Stone Martin

Desmond Decker and the Aces, 1968

Stanley Turrentine – ‘Easy Walker’

It Is Springs Mistake – art by Einer Nerman

1912

Empire State March – E.Henri Klickmann

The Exotic Sounds of Martin Kenny

Sheet music cover art – Willy Herzig

Art Willy Herzig

Meade Lux Lewis- ‘Cat house piano’

designer–David Stone Martin–1955

Mothers Finest funk rock

Design: David Stone Martin 1950

Nico Gomez pink afro

Orchidee (illustrator Paul Telemann)

Raymond Emy art for Suivez La

Samba Dorpheus New Orleans

The ‘Jelly Roll’ Blues, composed by Fred ‘Jelly Roll’ Morton

1915

‘Some Smoke’ – S.Romberg

Sista Varvet

Sonny Rollins

‘It don’t mean a thing if it aint got that swing’ – Duke Ellington

The Sound Of Tiki — Swen A Kirsten

‘Tin Roof Blues’ — New Orleans Rythym Kings

Tito Puente-(USA)–Art Jaro Fabry

1958

Poster inspired by jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt,–illustrator Nearchos Ntaskas

Billie holiday ‘All or Nothing at all’

David Stone Martin

Lionel Hampton Quintet

David Stone Martin cover art

‘What is this thing called love’ – Cole Porter

‘Yo yo love you and adore you’  —  illustrator–Charles Gesmar

1923

Donna Vatra – Tango serenade Arghentine

Art by Willy Herzig

Harmonica Blues – cover art by Robert Crumb

‘Chromatica’ – Lady GaGa

Photo – Norbert Schoerner

Benjamin Jephta Quintet — ‘Homecoming’

Cover art – Mzwandile Buthelezi