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Last night a group of enthusiastic and fabulous Soul Train fans gathered on Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park to pay tribute to the show’s host, Don Cornelius, who died yesterday.

milwaukee ave line dancing 500x413 Don Cornelius Tribute on Milwaukee Avenue

milwaukee ave line dancing 2 500x366 Don Cornelius Tribute on Milwaukee Avenue

milwaukee ave line dancing 3 500x369 Don Cornelius Tribute on Milwaukee Avenue

milwaukee ave line dancing 4 500x520 Don Cornelius Tribute on Milwaukee Avenue

Last October I photographed the legendary saxophonist Von “Vonski” Freeman for The Reader; here are a couple outtakes. I shot him before and during a set at the fabulous, historic Green Mill. Special thanks to Green Mill owner Dave Jemilo for being gracious and hospitable despite (because of a miscommunication) not knowing a photographer was coming that night.

Von Freeman photo by Jim Newberry 3 500x695 Von Freeman at the Green Mill

Von Freeman photo by Jim Newberry1 500x625 Von Freeman at the Green Mill

Little Village storefront window 500x344 Little Village Window

Shot today in a storefront window on Cermak near California.

douglas park epic sunset 500x217 Epic sunset at Douglas Park
Last Friday the Chicago area was treated to a sublime sunset sky. Here’s a shot (7 actually, stitched together) taken near my studio in Douglas Park. I’m reminded of something Frank Lloyd Wright once said, “I believe in God, only I spell it “Nature”.

My friend Mike Finch directed, edited, and stars in Rob Crow‘s (Pinback) new music video, So Way; I shot it. It debuted yesterday on the Rolling Stone blog, but the resolution is better at Mike’s Vimeo (below).

stop the violence graffiti Little Village 500x390 Little Village

The New York Times published a fascinating, heart-wrenching feature yesterday, called The Lives They Loved. They asked readers to send a photograph of a loved one who died last year; I submitted a picture of my close friend Diane Izzo.

lives they lived diane izzo Diane Izzo: NYT Lives They Loved

Ambidextrous on paper moon Ambidextrous on the moon

I shot this self-assigned portrait at my studio last week. The lunar inhabitants pictured are aerialists Laura Left and Helena Right of the duo Ambidextrous. (here’s an earlier post with a shot of them in the air at a lower altitude). The set was painted by the masterful artist Ray Borchers.

Nick Mazzarella photo Newberry Nick Mazzarella portrait

I photographed Nick just down the street from the Skylark a couple weeks ago, shortly before he played a gig there. This is for an ongoing personal project I’m working on, shooting improv musicians. He’ll be playing tomorrow night at the Hideout with Frank Rosaly’s Green and Gold.

OK, last batch of New York pictures for a while.

015 patriot 329x494 NYC #2
016 sidewalk elevator 329x494 NYC #2
012 acrobat 785x486 NYC #2
013 ups delivery 785x339 NYC #2
014 hot dog 741x494 NYC #2
020 photographers 741x494 NYC #2

ows triptych1 785x401 Occupy Wall Street at Zucotti Park

October 13, 2011, Zucotti Park, New York City (click photo see larger version)

Here are pictures I shot in New York last month; more to follow.

redo bw 729x494 New York City #1

001 bus driver 741x494 New York City #1

002 crossing 785x436 New York City #1

003 long hair 672x494 New York City #1

greetings from rogers park jim newberry1 713x494 Greetings From Uptown: the prequel

While browsing through the vaults here at the studio, I came across this picture (above) I shot in Rogers Park in the mid 1980s. I hadn’t printed this shot before (I had just made a contact sheet), and just now am noticing that this was a prequel to a photograph I took a few years later, Greetings From Uptown (below; some of you might be familiar with this picture but I don’t think I’ve posted it here on the blog). What can I say–I have a way with kids.

greetings from uptown Jim Newberry 721x494 Greetings From Uptown: the prequel

Jason Polan drawing in NYC 731x494 Jason Polan in NYC

I photographed Jason Polan in New York a few weeks ago, and it looks like he drew me as well. He’s on a mission to draw every person in New York; he also once drew all the people in People.

Nate Wooley portrait 363x494 Nate Wooley portrait
Trumpeter Nate Wooley, shot in Brooklyn on October 11th, just before he played a gig with Canada Day. This is for a series I’m doing on imrov musicians. I’ve been loving shooting at night with only available light–challenging but fun. Here his main light is coming from a storefront window. More NYC pictures soon, been (thankfully) working like crazy.

Ariele Ebacher photo by Jim Newberry 385x494 Brilliant Corners of Popular Amusements: this weekend!

Ariele Ebacher

Amanda Crockett photo by Jim Newberry 309x494 Brilliant Corners of Popular Amusements: this weekend!

Amanda Crockett

Ambidextrous photo by Jim Newberry 365x494 Brilliant Corners of Popular Amusements: this weekend!

Ambidextrous

Zoppé Circus photo by Jim Newberry 383x494 Brilliant Corners of Popular Amusements: this weekend!

Zoppé Circus (photographed in 2008)

Mike Reed photo by Jim Newberry 361x494 Brilliant Corners of Popular Amusements: this weekend!

Mike Reed, the man behind the curtain.

Brilliant Corners of Popular Amusements happens this weekend at Eckhart Park, and from all indications it promises to be fooking righteous. Here you can read about the multitude of attractions available to all comers.

The amazing women featured in the top three photos will perform at the show with El Circo Cheapo Cabaret. I shot those portraits recently for a project I’m working on involving acrobats, aerialist, and other circus artists. Also appearing this weekend will be the incredible Zoppé Circus. The suave dude in the bottom picture waiting for a drink is composer, drummer, and culture kingpin Mike Reed, who created BCPA. You might remember him from this post or if not that one, maybe it was this one.

(All photos by Jim Newberry.)

Douglas Park sunset sky 761x494 Douglas Park

I shot this on Monday around 7PM in Douglas Park near my studio. The light was magical. That’s my shadow in the foreground.

soul train dancer chicago 658x494 Chic a go go Soul Train dance party at  Expo 72

Last Friday I was fortunate to have an assignment shooting video for a Chic-a-go-go hosted Soul Train party . I can’t tell you how happy it made me to see a roomful of people dancing in 1970s style without the slightest trace of irony. Everyone was having so much fun. Thanks to impresario Jake Austen, host Mia Park, the beautiful, inspring dancers, DJ Bob Abrahamian, and the great City of Chicago.

The woman in this picture was blowing everyone away, dancing with abandon in her motorized wheelchair. I pity the fool that challenges her in a Valor Game.

Be sure to check out the superb exhibit of photos taken on the Soul Train set during its heyday.

Bridgeport Window 714x494 Untitiled
South Morgan Street.

children in strange space 765x494 Untitled

57th and Lake Shore Drive.