‘Jazz and Blues’ Exhibit on Display at Winthrop Public Library

Special to the Transcript

Tim Curry’s photograph collection, “Jazz & Blues” will be in the Winthrop Public Library until the end of October.

Mr. Curry: said, “The photographs exhibited were taken at several Jazz and Blues locations over the past ten years. I began to photograph Jazz musicians in 1960, when I purchased my first Nikon F camera. At that time, I was a student at Boston University but had been involved in Jazz since I we 13 years old.

Although never by profession, I became a Probation Officer at the Boston Municipal Court, but I continued to photograph Jazz musicians and then started my own record company with Bob Porter, a record producer and longtime friend. I did the artwork, which included some of my own photographs for Phoenix Jazz Records. My ability to photograph Jazz musicians came to an abrupt stop when I suffered acoustic trauma in 1970 from recording sessions for Prestige Records, as I could no longer enter nightclubs and shoot.

In the 1990s, I decided to try taking photographs of Blues Musicians with ear plugs, as Jazz had taken a back seat and I was involved with both Jazz and Blues. Within a few years, I would also have my own Jazz and Blues radio shows on Zumix Radio, WZMR 94.9 FM in East Boston. Since then and long retired, I attend as many Blues Festivals that I can find in the area and look for some rare opportunities for Jazz musicians, as the interest in Jazz has dwindled. I try to capture the artist when he or she is unaware that I’m shooting them. It has been a pleasure to be part of the world of both Jazz and Blues for over the past 60+ years, not only photographing them but also having my own record company and more recently, having both Jazz from The Top and Blues From Maverick Square on Zumix Radio since 2007. I will continue my adventure as long as I am able to do so.”

This library features DVDs based on the lives of Chet Baker and Miles Davis as well as live performances recorded in the 50’s and 60’s of such luminaries as John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughn.

Our CD offerings run the gamut from Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Ahmad Jamal, Wes Mongomery, Charlie Parker, Herbie Hancock, and The Modern Jazz Quartet to more contemporary artists like Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Christian McBride, Carmen Lundy, Tierney Sutton, Diana Krall and The Manhattan Transfer.

Many of the Library’s jazz holdings were purchased in memory of Ron Bergman, a passionate jazz aficionado and a tireless supporter of the Winthrop Public Library & Museum.