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As we close out the year, Dan & Stevedores, I sit here at home, on vacation, listening to Abdul Zahir Batin & the Notorious Ensemble live at the Jazz Cultrual Theatre, an albu I bought on the street from Abdul himself, I find myself reflecting on the beauty of the old Jazz community.

I just re-watched the lovely documentary, “a Great Day in Harlem” which is the story of the most famous photograph in jazz history and one of the most famous photographs in history.

It was the subject of “the Terminal,” you know, and the picture is now celebrating it’s 50th year since publication.

As I look at the picture, the other pictures taken that day, and what little video there is, I am in awe of the idea of 57 musicians not only standing together, but that they knew one another, were friends colleagues, played together. They weren’t just there, they were happy to see one another.

Art Kane, the photographer, described it as watching a family reunion.

In a time when the two or three people featured on a magazine cover were photoshopped together from individual photoshoots, it is incredible that this all just happened and it’s something genuine from the past that I miss.

I particularly miss the way the mixed and matched bands. There were mainstays and members, but, if Louis Armstrong went to see Dave and Imogen Brubeck, they didn’t say, “Sorry, Satch, we’re recording, so we’ll call you tomorrow.” They said, “Hey, it’s the Ambassador! We’re recording, why don’t you jump on the cornet for a couple songs!”

Where is stuff like that now?

-Ian K.