For over three years Gary Price has supplied the illustration for The Syncopated Times Jazz Birthday of the Month feature. With the May 2019 issue Gary’s contributions to “the only monthly newspaper focused on hot jazz, ragtime, and swing” comes to an end.
This month I’m bidding farewell to one of the elements that has added a unique touch of elegance to The Syncopated Times since our first issue: Gary Price’s magnificent Jazz Birthday illustrations. When Gary submitted his drawing of Irving Berlin for this issue, he announced that it would be his final contribution to this paper. “I will turn 71 in June so it is time for me to cut back, relax, and concentrate on my children’s books and painting. Thank you for letting me be a part of The Syncopated Times. This will be my last drawing for your publication.”
Publisher Andy Senior says goodbye to Gary.
The Syncopated Times’ Jazz Birthday archives with profiles and Gary Price art.
But…
The Jazz Birthday of the Month will continue, though Gary is a hard act to follow. Contributing the drawing for June will be Central New York artist Frank Page, whose great illustration for “The Professor is IN” will be seen HERE. Frank is a gifted illustrator who provides graphics and cartoons for the Rome Sentinel and is the creator of the daily comic strip “Bob the Squirrel.” (His art may be seen at bobthesquirrel.com.) I here would like to express thanks to Peter Franchell, my print Sherpa at the Sentinel, for putting me in touch with Frank.
Below: Bob the Squirrel as James Brown and Joe Cocker.
Curious to see Frank’s style with the Jazz Birthday illustrations.