International Jazz Day -celebrated this year on Saturday, May 23 - was created in 1991 by musician and bandleader, D. Michael Denny. Since then, Jazz Day has grown into the most recognized one-day, world-wide celebration of jazz (one of the only art forms indigenous to America) and the musicians, past and present, who create and sustain it.
One Park West Gallery artist who will surely take note of this celebrated day is Marcus Glenn. His artwork often revolves around jazz and the musicians who create it. While he doesn’t play any instruments himself, Glenn’s works are influenced by his many friends who are musicians as well as the jazz clubs he regularly visits.
Marcus Glenn is known for his use of vibrant colors, his expressive use of exotic papers and fabrics, and his ability to create a masterful textured collage effect. His figures are animated and mannerist in approach, often stretching and twisting into impossible yet highly expressive positions. All of these characteristics coming together allow viewers to experience jazz in a unique way; they can actually see it.
Take some time on Saturday, May 23, along with millions of jazz lovers, to appreciate jazz and celebrate International Jazz Day. Go to one of the various jazz festivals being held, host a jazz-themed backyard barbeque, or simply play a CD and enjoy music by your favorite jazz musician. And, if you want to see jazz come alive through fine artwork, check out the collection of artworks created by Marcus Glenn.
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