Kind of Blue by CoreyBlack
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Description
I'm working on a historical private eye story that takes place in Chicago in the late Fifties. Needless to say, I'm waist deep in research and soaking in the glamorously frothy bubblebath of 1959. The jazzy, jet-powered, tail-finned, goin' to the moon America. The swaggering, I've-Got-The-World-On-A-String-Don't-You-Wish-You-Were-Me land of plenty. Plenty strong, plenty nice and plenty worried. Worried about the Commies, and the Bomb, and all those spooky brown people who are tired of riding at the back of the bus. In short, an interesting time to drop a private eye, and his gray fedora, into.
In addition to the gray fedora, and sharp suit, my Eye smokes Chesterfields, drinks his whiskey out of the bottle, drives a two tone 55 Chevy Bel Air, and loves to listen to Jazz. That is between dealing with thugs, dames and deadbeats while trying to scrape together that one last payment on the Bel Air. Can't you picture him now sitting in his cheap room, his head ringed with cigarette smoke as he finishes his nightcap, looks back on another tough day and is soothed by the smokey sounds of Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue."
Comments (11)
Chipka
I saw you a bit earlier in your research and I'd have to say that you're at least shoulder deep. But that's just me: when I go into serious detail-grep mode, I do the full immersion thing, which is a bit disconcerting when it's necessary to channel the physiology and mentality of someone that isn't even human. It leads to some...um...interesting perceptual shifts, but makes for some really interesting days. And since I'm actually sitting across from the table from you now, I can say that you're probably more like chin deep in research. I like this. I like the moody blue. I like the hard-boiled bit of prose and you captured the late '50s vibe quite well. I sometimes wonder how we survived that era, as a species as well as as a collection of single nations, each one convinced that it was the only valid nation around. Well...there was that weird amalgam that called itself Communist: they were hell-bent on...um...something. A narcotic form of idealism that didn't really take human nature into account. Ah...but that's a ramble for another post. Needless to say, you captured the '50s to a tee. There were the commies. There were the...um...'disturbing' prospects of women voting and wearing pants! There were those 'Coloreds' forgetting their place...and The Future was going to be ruled by square-jawed men named Mitt in lucite sandals and togas with food pills in their utility belts and a wife at home, pushing buttons in the kitchen. Yeah...the '50s. 21st Century any day. I kinda like the absence of lucite sandals and food tablets and push-button kitchens. But I gotta say that the '50s had something. A texture. A smell. Oh, what a smell. It was acrid and raw and kinda fungal in the corners. And to top it off...yeah, Miles Davis! Now, as for this image. Yeah. I like it. It's moody. It's blue. It's moody. It's a view from a window far away from the windows I commonly look out of, and I like this view better than that one. The trees are superb and oddly fitting to the current season oozing upon us with the scent of candy-corn wrapped in plastic and that sweet pressed vinyl smell of this year's copious number of zombie masks. Yeah. This shot rocks.
mgtcs
Very beautiful sly my friend, excellent work!
whaleman
It's a great image you have already built in my mind Corey and your photo fits right into it! I also have to remark on a great laugh Chip provided with "square-jawed men named Mitt in lucite sandals..." Cool stuff!
durleybeachbum
Brilliant writing, and the perfect pic for it!
fallen21
Amazing capture!
kgb224
Love the mood and capture my friend. God Bless.
flavia49
wonderful image
auntietk
I had Miles Davis in my head right from the start. Image and title are perfect together! I can see your PI listening to the then brand-new Davis album, his feet on his desk and his hat hanging on a hook next to the door. My grandfather always wore a hat like that ... he wouldn't have been seen in public without it, even through the 60s and 70s! I'll look forward to reading your story!
sandra46
SUPERB WORK!
KatesFriend
Beautiful shot regardless of the music - though Davis is a good choice. I guess it is a bit of what it must be like to be your detective in that particular era. More than just the deep shadows in a city's night which he no doubt must navigate as part of his trade. But here and for him, the contrast between the light and the dark are minimized to such a degree one could slip easily between the two worlds with little effort or influence. BTW: Speaking of shady things. That low rumbling sound you may have heard coming from the east on Monday was the sound of Toronto mayor Rob Ford's head exploding as he learning that he was being ousted out of office by the courts for conflict of interest violations.
myrrhluz
Beautiful image! I love the silhouettes of the roofs and trees, dark and distinct against the soft variations of the clouds. The solidity and angles of the roofs make a great contrast to the more delicate and complex lines of the trees. I like the delicate lines dripping down from the taller tree and the individuality of the two trees. There is a looming quality of the trees that along with the jagged look of the roofs, gives the image a menacing quality (at least when Verdi is playing in my ears). I felt distinctly stared at. Excellent image and great narrative.