Episode 46: The Beat Era: Illustration and Artwork Styles with S. Neil Fujita
Building on our last episode, we continue talking illustrators and jazz albums by sharing the story of S. Neil Fujita. Jump in with us as we recap how pop culture arrived at a “look” for artifacts from the era of the Beats through the work of Fujita, another artist whose work influenced our cultural landscape and helps explain why those jazz-themed Pinterest boards you follow look the way they do.
E X T R A S :
(Top to bottom): Album art for Dave Brubeck’s “Time Out,” designed by S. Neil Fujita; photo of S. Neil Fujita; photo of Dave Brubeck, Glenn Gould’s eponymous album cover and the album art for “Percussion Italiano” by Charles Magnante, both designed and illustrated by Fujita
S. Neil Fujita
Biography (The National WWII Museum article)
An amazingly detailed biography (Kim Rader, Kutztown University)
Obituary (New York Times article)
Listen to “Time Out” by Dave Brubeck
Full album (YouTube video)
Full album (Spotify)
Listen to “Glenn Gould” by Glenn Gould
Full album (YouTube video)
Full album (Spotify)
Listen to “Percussion Italiano” by Charles Magnante
Full album (YouTube video)
Topics of Conversation
Mary Blair’s illustration work
Derek Yaniger’s illustration work
Pete Docter’s illustration work (Instagram)
J. Otto Siebold’s illustration work (Contemporary Jewish Museum exhibit)
Koivo’s illustration work
“The Jaywalker” (1956 public service announcement from UPA)