Wail: The Visual Language of Prestige Records

WAIL is the first book devoted exclusively to the pioneering album cover designers of Prestige Records, home to such musical giants as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Sonny Rollins. Unprecedented in detail, WAIL documents a vital decade (1949-1960) of creative brilliance. An independent New York City label founded in 1949, Prestige chronicled the vibrant modern jazz scene of the 1950s. At Prestige, the alliance of postwar jazz and modern art found its deepest and most enduring expression. Inspired by some of the most significant music ever recorded, Prestige album covers provide a compelling panorama of midcentury graphic design.

WAIL introduces the graphic designers, photographers, and illustrators who established a visual language for modern jazz. The book is comprised of meticulously photographed album covers, artifacts, and ephemera, as well as profiles of each of the major Prestige figures. Exclusive firsthand interviews and estate materials provide cultural context and singular insight into the creative process. Unseen sketches, personal photographs, and outtakes from album cover shoots impart a vivid picture of art and jazz in mid-1950s New York. Above all, WAIL is a story of creative triumph. Drawn from a wealth of previously unpublished material, the book is an inspirational record of landmark graphic design.