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Thank you, Frankie, for all the joy, love and laughter you shared.
This portrait is a tribute to the legendary Lindy Hopper, pioneering dancer and ambassador of Lindy Hop swing dancing around the world, Frankie Manning, who sadly left us just short of his 95th birthday, which was celebrated in New York City (Frankie 95 Birthday Festival). Frankie was a wonderful man, an inspiration to me and many thousands of other Lindy Hop dancers across the world. I first met Frankie when I attended his workshop in Berkeley, CA, in 1995. It was my introduction to the joy of Lindy Hop, and what an introduction it was! Frankie was so full of joy, love and happiness, it was literally bursting out of him:-) I recall his Electric Slide warm up followed by the Running Man he'd learnt from his grand daughter!
Frankie always had a great big smile. You couldn't help but smile just being around him.
This portrait has been traveling the world, gathering messages and signatures from dancers far and wide. I am cataloging the journey of the portrait in photographs that you can see below. Please scroll down to view them all. I have also included, at the very bottom of this page, some close up details from the portrait.
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| Rebecca and partner Charleston next to the Frankie portrait at Lindy in the Square, San Francisco, May 26, 2010 (Frankie's 96th birthday). | Portrait on stage at the Diego Rivera Theatre, City College of San Francisco, with the Harlem Hotshots, Dawn Hampton (and my portrait of her), Chris Lee and I on the occasion of Dawn's 82nd birthday, June 5, 2010 |
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| Trombonist Danny Armstrong writing a message at the 9:20 Special in San Francisco, September 10th, 2009. | Signing the portrait at the Sutton Studios & Gallery Fall Open Studios, October 11, 2009 | |
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| The portrait on display at the 9:20 Special in San Francisco, September 10th, 2009. From left to right, Michael (Kim's husband), singer Kim Nalley, 9:20 Special co-director Iris Dolowitz, and trombonist Danny Armstrong. | Writing a message at the 9:20 Special in San Francisco, September 10th, 2009. You can just make out Kim performing in the background... | |
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| Dawn Hampton and Steven Mitchell in front of the portrait in the Frankie memorial area at Herrang Dance Camp, Sweden, July 8th, 2009 | Peter Loggins writing a message, Herrang Dance Camp, Sweden, July 4th, 2009 | |
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| Amsterdam Lindy Exchange, June 27th, 2009 | Amsterdam Lindy Exchange, June 26th, 2009 | |
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| Simon Selmon, Sugar Sullivan, me and Barbara Philips at Simon's Stompin' Mondays at 100 Club, London, June 21st, 2009 | The portrait being signed at CJam, London, June 23rd, 2009 | |
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| Singer Kim Nalley signs the portrait at the Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, after completing her performance of the Nina Simone songbook there as part of SFJAZZ. My portrait of Nina Simone can be seen on stage in the background. 6/6/09 | Peter Fitzsimmons, Executive Director, Jazz Heritage Center, signs the portrait at Cat's Corner, San Francisco,6/4/09 | |
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| Legendary jazz pianist and composer Randy Weston writes a message for Frankie at Cat's Corner, San Francisco,6/4/09 | Signing the portrait at Cat's Corner, San Francisco,6/4/09 | |
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| Adding messages to the portrait at Lindy in the Park, San Francisco, 5/31/09 | Two of the LitP organizers sign the portrait: Ken Watanabe (in hat, also a co-founder of the LitP) and Hep Jen. | |
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| Judy Pritchett, Frankie's companion, with Peggy and I after signing the portrait at Frankie 95, New York City, May 23, 2009. | Chazz Young, Frankie's elder son, signs the portrait, Frankie 95, NYC, May 23, 2009. | |
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| Frankie Manning Jr., Frankie's younger son, with me and the portrait at Frankie 95, NYC, May 24, 2009. | Band Leader George Gee signs the portrait in Swing 46, NYC, where Frankie loved to go and dance to George's band. | |
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| Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon and Lana Turner sign the portrait outside Birdland, where Wycliffe had just performed, NYC, May 27, 2009. | Singer Lavay Smith and Chris Seibert, who Frankie always enjoyed whenever he visited the Bay Area, jam with George Gee with the portrait of Frankie in the background at Swing 46, NYC, May 26, 2009. | |
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| Dawn Hampton looking on while Ryan Francois signs the painting at Frankie 95, NYC, May 26th, 2009. | Lennart Westerlund, a key founder of the Herräng Dance Camp, signs the portrait at Frankie 95, NYC, May 26th, 2009. | |
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| Cynthia Millman, co-author of "Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop", signs the portrait, NYC, May 24, 2009. | Chester Whitmore signs the portrait as Frankie 95 draws to an end, NYC, May 26, 2009. | |
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| Group photo with Frankie portrait at Orchid's Saturday Lindy Hop dance in the No. 5 Lounge in Shanghai, China, May 16, 2009. | Signing the portrait in Shanghai, China, 5/16/09 | |
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| Signing the portrait in Shanghai, China, 5/16/09 | Signing the portrait in Shanghai, China, 5/16/09 | |
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| Leru signing the painting at her Monday Lindy Hop night in Beijing, China, May 11, 2009 | Frankie's portrait at the Beijing Haidian Theater, 5/11/09, where I gave a presentation on digital painting. | |
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| Sophie signs the portrait (her message shown here to the right) at Leru's Monday Lindy Hop night at the CD Cafe in Beijing, China, 5/11/09 | Translated into English this message reads: Greetings from Beijing, CHINA Frankie, Thank you for leading me into the swing dancing world, injecting this joy into my life and soul. Though haven't met you in person, I already considered you as an long-known friend. Bon voyage my dear old friend! Sophie Sun |
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| Kermit and Anya, Sutton Studios & Gallery, San Francisco, May 5, 2009 | On display at 323 Gallery, San Francisco, May 9, 2009 | |
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| Tanoa signs the portrait at his "Tuesday Night Jump!", Verdi Club, San Francisco, May 4, 2009 | Stompy Jones plays while dancers read the inscriptions. |
Credits for the source photos used in creating this collage portrait::
Main portrait photo © 2004 Jeremy Sutton
Frames from Hellzapoppin' ©1941 Universal Pictures
Frankie Manning and Ann Johnson at the Savoy Ballroom performing Frankie's "air step" © 1941 W. Eugene Smith
Frankie Manning dipping Hilda Morris © 1934 Campbell
Frankie Manning's Really Swinging Big Band Favorites CD cover © 1995 Living Traditions
Exterior of the Savoy Ballroom © 1955 Austin Hansen
Cotton Club entrance © 1937 Frank Driggs Collection
Frankie speaking at Ashkenaz © 2008 David Wong
Love you, Frankie - we miss you.
All artwork shown is copyright © 2009 Jeremy Sutton
No reproduction or usage of artwork allowed without written permission of the artist.
All World Wide Rights Reserved
http://www.jeremysutton.com
jeremy@jeremysutton.com
415.641.1221
