Illustrator David Stone Martin (1913-1992) was one of the most prolific and influential graphic designers of the postwar era, creating over 400 album covers.
Much of his work spotlighted jazz, with his signature hand-drawn, calligraphic line perfectly capturing the energy and spontaneity of the idiom.
Born David Livingstone Martin in Chicago, he later studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and began his career as an assistant to the social realist painter Ben Shahn, designing murals during the 1933 World’s Fair.
Martin spent the remainder of the decade as art director of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and served during World War II as an artist/correspondent for Life magazine.
After returning to the U.S. he mounted a career as a freelance artist; in 1948, he also began teaching at the Brooklyn Museum School of Art, followed in 1950 by a year at New York City’s Workshop School of Advertising and Editorial Art.
Martin entered music illustration through his longtime friendship with producer Norman Granz, designing hundreds of now-classic cover paintings for acts including Count Basie, Art Tatum, Gene Krupa, and Lionel Hampton.
Martin’s work has exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and others.
More of David Stone Martin’s magnificent album covers can be found at http://www.birkajazz.com/archive/stonemartin.htm
I don’t think I’ve got any David Stone one’s, but i do have Elvis – “Blue Hawaii. 1961”, And John Gary, Bobby Darin, and Paul Robeson,
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Are any of your albums as old as the ones David Stone did? My oldest is maybe a Frank Sinatra. No Old jazz.
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Another great article Claudia, and my sort of artwork. I’ve a vinyl collection of over 250 albums. And I’ll post this link to my niece, Kerri in Philadelphia, she’s a graphic design artist.
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I didn’t realize he did so many covers! And the classics. When I came across him I saw he really was an amazing artist.
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Love the Billie Holiday album cover he did. I didn’t know he was once the cart director for TVA. Great post Claudia 🙂 ❤
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