The Photography of Joseph A. Rosen

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 Joseph A. Rosen is a working, exhibiting, professional photographer based in New
York City. He regularly freelances for major corporations as well as national
and local publications. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Time,
Newsweek and Sports Illustrated. In addition, he has a long standing
relationship with many of the record labels producing Blues, Jazz and roots
related music. His work has graced the covers of CDs by artists including
Bill Perry, Buckwheat Zydeco, Big Joe Turner, Eddie Vinson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Hubert Sumlin, J.B. Hutto, Mighty Joe Young, Solomon Burke, The Persuasions, Hank Crawford, Lou Donaldson, Roomful of Blues, Ronnie Earl, Sugar Ray Norcia, Ola
Dixon, Bobby Radcliff, Kenny Neal, Michael Hill, Johnny Sansone, Jimmy
Morello among others. For three years he donated his photography to the
Rhythm & Blues Foundation’s Preserving America’s Soul calendars.

 Like many of his generation, he became enamored of the Blues in the “Blues
Boom” of the late sixties. After hearing and loving the original Paul
Butterfield Blues Band LP, he sought out the original versions of the cover
tunes on that LP. That process lead him to Elmore James’ recordings and from
then on he was stone cold Blues fanatic. By the mid seventies he was hosting
a Blues radio show, Late Nite Blues, WYEP-FM, in Pittsburgh, PA.

 Being a Blues fan, a Blues DJ and a professional photographer naturally lead
to his photographing the music whenever possible. It all started in 1976 with
a pilgrimage from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC to see Muddy Waters. It was a
life changing experience. A photo from that night is included in this set of
photographs. After that he photographed every Blues act that he could and
continues to do so.

 It was three years ago, that Joe met up with Jeff Harris of WITR's Bad Dog Blues show and Dave Moskal of WGMC. He was invited to join them at the Pocono Blues Festival by his old friend, the originator of the Late Nite Blues show, Doug Curry. Doug is currently a Blues DJ on WXXI and WRUR in Rochester, NY.

 The photographs shown here run from his earliest efforts to his most recent,
taken at the 1999, 2000 Pocono Blues Festival and the 2001 New Orleans Jazz
and Heritage Festival and everything in between.

 We hope you enjoy them. You can see more of his work and contact Joe at
josepharosen.com. Be sure to check out the Summer 2001 issue of Blues Access
magazine which will feature a spread of Joe’s work on Buckwheat Zydeco, shot
during the making of Buckwheat’s newest CD, “Down Home Live.”