Matted and framed photo of Dizzy Gillespie blowing by Michael Wilderman, 10x13 in 16x18 frame.

MICHAEL WILDERMAN grew up in New York City, where he ran head-on into the jazz world.  He combined his appreciation of jazz and photography in San Francisco about 30 years ago and began photo-documenting jazz performances.  His first photo was published in a jazz magazine in 1974.  In 1977 he moved to the Washington area, and began working closely with various jazz magazines.  He works cooperatively with musicians, music venues, and concert presenters to help support the music and stimulate creative performances.  His pictures have also been published regularly in newspapers, books, video documentaries; and are seen in exhibits, on jazz T-shirts, about 40 CDs, and numerous sites on the world wide web.  Michael has set up his web jazz photo site at www.jazzvisionsphotos.com.

Michael views jazz developments as a photo-journalist embraces the body of the music known as jazz as a creative continuum with individuality and innovation at its heart.  Working freelance, he is free to photograph what he likes to hear, and his musical leanings have frequently placed the “avant-jazz” creators in front of his lens.  Michael’s sensitivity for the music helps him capture the character of the musicians in images that shows their great dedication to their art and demonstrates their spirit and social/cultural significance.  He has great interest in the history of jazz and worked with the National Park Service on the study that led to the establishment of New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park – a park dedicated to the origins, development, and progression of jazz.