A JAZZ JOURNEY

A Jazz Journey

Sheilah Rechtschaffer

Goelet Gallery

April 18 - June 6, 2020

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Curated by Bibiana Huang Matheis

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In the early 60’s, I married Bert Rechtschaffer, a jazz piano player.  My relationship with him and the five decades of listening to jazz that followed opened my eyes and ears; listening to Bert play, attending performances and becoming friends with jazz musicians integrated jazz into my life. 

 

I start with a small sketchbook that I then line as manuscript sheet music.  Each entry notes the titles, musicians, date, and recording companies.   I find that the dates of the first recordings add a continuous context and perspective.  Titles like: “All Blues" from Miles Davis' “Kind of Blue; “A Nice Idea” from John Abercrombie's Cat “n” Mouse; “Duke’s Place” by Duke  Ellington; “Bright Size Life” from Pat Metheny Trio LIVE, and thousands more become inspirational to the scope of my work.

 

I have also employed the addition of QR codes joining the audio and visual experience.

 

The exhibit at the Hammond Museum evokes the interplay of images referencing specific tunes by many different musicians.  The images explore the visual vocabulary of color, repetition of form, shape, brush marks with watercolor, ink and pencil as it references the musical components of spontaneity and improvisation.

 

My use of color is the key component in these works bringing one “into the moment”.  Color and form can elicit varying emotional reactions, a desire to laugh, cry, love, scream, or dance as one ponders the image as it is created alongside the sound of the music.

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ARTIST RECEPTION - POSTPONED

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Exhibit is open during museum hours:

Wednesday - Saturday, 12 to 4pm