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'A Great Day In Harlem' Trivia Quiz

Jean Bach's documentary about a famous photograph of jazz greats in Harlem was an Oscar nominee.

A multiple-choice quiz by tjoebigham. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
tjoebigham

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
51,045

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
419

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Who took the photograph? Hint

Bert Stern

Art Kane

Richard Avedon

Alfred Eisenstedt

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Question 2 of 10

2. What magazine did it appear in? Hint

Look

Playboy

Esquire

Life

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Question 3 of 10

3. What jazzman is sitting on the sidewalk? Hint

Count Basie

Louis Armstrong

Benny Goodman

Cab Calloway

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Question 4 of 10

4. And what member of the band of the jazzman sitting on the sidewalk is also there? Name one of the three members of his band to appear with him in the photo.

Answer: (Two Words (First and Last Name, or Just Last Name))

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Question 5 of 10

5. What 'stride' pianist shared a nickname with an Oscar-winning actor's character? Hint

Willie Smith

Art Tatum

Fats Waller

Duke Ellington

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Question 6 of 10

6. What member of Gene Krupa's band was with him?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 7 of 10

7. Name the female jazz artist that wasn't in the photo. Hint

Mary Lou Williams

Anita O'Day

Maxine Sullivan

Marion McPartland

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Question 8 of 10

8. Who is the only player in the photo who played the violin? Hint

Sven Amundsen

Stuff Smith

Stephane Grappelli

Jean-Luc Ponty

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Question 9 of 10

9. Who was the other stride pianist in the photo, known for "Moonlight Cocktail" and "Railroad Blues"?

Answer: (Two Words (First and Last Name, or Just Last Name))

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Question 10 of 10

10. Who was the artist sticking his tongue out? Hint

Dizzy Gillespie

Charlie Mingus

Henry 'Red' Allen

Thelonius Monk

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who took the photograph?

Answer: Art Kane

This photo, Kane's first, began his long career.

2. What magazine did it appear in?

Answer: Esquire

Trivia extra: filmmaker Robert Benton was the magazine's art director at the time.

3. What jazzman is sitting on the sidewalk?

Answer: Count Basie

Seated next to him is fellow jazzman Taft Jordan's son.

4. And what member of the band of the jazzman sitting on the sidewalk is also there? Name one of the three members of his band to appear with him in the photo.

Answer: Jimmy Rushing

Jimmy Rushing's size and girth earned him the nickname 'Mr. Five By Five' from a popular song, but his vocals when singing with the Basie band made him famous. Jo Jones, a member of Basie's band, was also in the photo.

5. What 'stride' pianist shared a nickname with an Oscar-winning actor's character?

Answer: Willie Smith

Willie 'The Lion' Smith, a master of the Harlem-based piano style called 'stride', shared his nickname with the character played by Oscar winner Ben Johnson, 'Sam The Lion', in 'The Last Picture Show'.

6. What member of Gene Krupa's band was with him?

Answer: Roy Eldridge

First starting with the Krupa band, Eldridge also had a notable solo career.

7. Name the female jazz artist that wasn't in the photo.

Answer: Anita O'Day

The year of the photo she was in Newport ('Jazz On A Summer Day'). O'Day and Eldredge had hits with 'Thanks For The Boogie Ride' and 'Let Me Off Uptown' when they headlined the Krupa band.

8. Who is the only player in the photo who played the violin?

Answer: Stuff Smith

Smith was the first musician to play jazz on the violin.

9. Who was the other stride pianist in the photo, known for "Moonlight Cocktail" and "Railroad Blues"?

Answer: Luckey Roberts

Roberts and Smith were probably the only surviving stride pianists at the time.

10. Who was the artist sticking his tongue out?

Answer: Dizzy Gillespie

His face cracked up Roy Eldridge. Quite a clown, that Dizzy!

Source: Author tjoebigham

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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