I have a thing for books that tell the story behind photographs or moments in history, and this book does exactly like that in a series of poems. It was the brain child of Art Kane, a graphic designer who thought it would be cool to invite jazz musicians to Harlem for a photograph on one particular morning in 1958. Fifty-eight men and women showed up, and 57 of them posed for that photograph that ended up in a feature for of Esquire magazine, a slice of history captured forever, thanks to Kane's foresight. The poems and the acrylic and pastel illustrations effectively capture the unique personalities and styles of several of the musicians as well as the fears Kane had that no one would show up for the photo shoot. Choosing to acknowledge the young boys and other onlookers to this gathering, the author also seems to have channeled the very feel of jazz in some of the lines. Back matter includes thumbnail sketches of these talented individuals. Readers will surely want to search for their recordings if they aren't familiar with their work. What a pitch-perfect tribute to some of the great jazz musicians of that time! There is a playfulness to many of the poems as one girl just wishes they'd hurry up and leave so she can get outside on the street and play and several of the musicians are more interested in catching up with each other than with capturing this historical moment. The book won't necessarily appeal to everyone, but for anyone who loves music and photography or anyone who has been touched by a moment in cultural history, an event that seems almost larger than life, this book is a treasure.