We were lucky to catch up with Bob Barry recently and have shared our conversation below.
Bob, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Growing up as a chubby, needy little boy, I was for the most part alienated by my peers. The bullies taunted me, the other boys and girls from my childhood for the most part, ignored me.
I would pretend to myself that it did not matter, and that I could live in this isolated bubble I created for myself, but secretly, in my heart of hearts, I wanted acceptance and friendship.
I mention these memories, because they are critical to the question, “How did I find my purpose?”
As I progressed through grade school, it became clear to me that if I didn’t do something to change, not just to be noticed, but to earn the respect of my classmates, I would be destined for a life of solitude.
My father was a great storyteller and was revered by so many of the people in his circle.
They would come to dinner, or visit, just to hear his stories.
There were times that people were holding their sides, and laughing so hard, that they would be begging him to stop!
It came to me, if it worked for Pop, it could work for me.
And so I started on the path of performing, At first, it was as the class clown, then on to high school variety shows, and performing in school plays.
During college it was the College Theater, where I began to learn the craft and art of the stage.
When I wasn’t right for parts in plays that were being produced, I began to learn stagecraft.
My first professional job came after college, working in an old local converted barn theater. They hired me with a promise that if I worked as an assistant to almost every dept, (stage managing, lighting, set construction), they would give me parts, albeit, small parts in each play. In my first play, I had two lines, I forgot one!
Now you might say, what has all the above to do about finding my purpose?
What I realize now, is that I had found a “trail” to finding my purpose.
People liked my work, I entertained them, and they gave me the recognition and applause that I needed, but it felt thin and fragile to me, and that old adage that “you are only as good as your last performance” plagued me.
I lived in Manhattan for many years as a working actor in NYC doing Musical Comedies, TV commercials, night club work as a singer guitarist, and eventually came to LA in 1980 and did more of the above.
Even with my modest success, I never felt that I had found my purpose.
I had friends now, and that was a very good thing.
I learned that the only recognition and admiration you get that is truly meaningful, is what you get from the people who are your friends, and from those that love you!
It wasn’t until my twilight years in the entertainment world, that I found my true purpose, and it all started as an invitation to a musical event by my dear friend, legendary guitarist, John Pisano.
I have always gravitated towards musicians.
When I was traveling with musical productions around the US, I would always be hanging with the musicians in the orchestra. I found a grounding and an honesty in my musician friends, I rarely found in my brother actors.
John Pisano was creating a new weekly event in LA called Guitar Night, that would feature John playing with another world class guitarist.
On my way out the door leaving for the first Guitar Night, I noticed my old Canon camera sitting on my bureau.
I have been into photography since I was a child, but always as another way of expressing myself, and the enjoyment of capturing special moments, but I never thought of photography as a profession.
I grabbed the camera on the way out and went to Guitar Night.
It amazes me, that the smallest of decisions, can make such profound changes in one’s life.
I took one role of fast film (for low light situations), and shot 36 frames that night.
When I got the proofs back from the lab, I was enthralled by what I saw.
There is something very special about black & white photography.
It has a dream like quality that ads so much more passion and drama to each captured moment.
And so, I went back every week to Guitar Night and started a journey that would go on for the next 22 years.
As my work became more well known in the music community, I began to get offers to photograph recording sessions, CD covers, concerts, individual performances and festivals, both here in the USA, and in Europe. I have a permanent collection of my work, at the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City MO., and also in the Henry Mancini Bldg. on the NBC Universal Lot in LA.
In 2018, I published my first book, A pictorial history called “Guitar Night”.
I am, and have been for the last 27 years, a music industry photographer, jazz photographer and photo archivist.
One day over 25 years ago, my dear friend and brilliant guitarist, Barry Zweig walked up to me after his performance.
He looked at me for a brief moment, and said, “thank you for what you are doing Bob! Without you, so many of us would be invisible,”
It was in that moment, I felt that I had found my purpose.
I am 81 years old now, and still going out to photograph as much as I can, recording and archiving generations of musicians.
Fulfilling my purpose!
Bob Barry
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As an artist, there are the skills that each art form requires, Most of these skills can be learned by repetition and practice.
There are other skills needed by an artist, and ones that in my opinion are the most important are survival skills.
In order for an artist to keep him, or herself viable and available, you have to find ways to maintain a stable life style, that allows you to have the basic necessities to keep healthy, and allow you to be able to learn your art form.
Rule one, is to develop as many skill as you can.
I remember some of my fellow Musical Comedy and stage actors friends refused to do commercials, TV or modeling, because they felt that it was, for some reason, below them, and that they would hurt their career in some way.
It was commercials and TV that supported me until I was working steady, and I still did them even after.
An artist’s first obligation, is to keep him, or herself ready and available for that opportunity when it knocks on their door!
At this time in my life, I am organizing, printing and creating a photographic archival history of the music industry, and musicians here in LA over the last 27 years.
As an art photographer, I have created a series of “Performance Portraits”, ( a phrase describing my work by the late, legendary jazz photographer, Ray Avery.) I am sending along several of my performance portrait images.
These are images taken during live performances in the moment, and in available light.
For me, It is an absolute joy going to work every morning.
I could not say that about any other time in my life!
I particularly enjoy photographing recording sessions. They are very challenging and exciting. Each studio and setup is different, and you are constantly thinking on your feet.
I have photographed sessions in many of the major studios here in LA, including several at Capital Records.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three qualities, that I feel were particularly important in my evolution as an artist and photographer are, my willingness to risk, learning from my mistakes, and my passion for what I am doing.
My advice for those who are thinking about a career in the arts, is to do your homework, “woodshedding” (a term musicians use to describe practice & rehearsing) and that if you don’t risk, you will never know how good you could be, or how far you might go!
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
I live in a world of great creativity, and along with that comes great pressure, especially when you are in a work environment, and you must come up with the goods, and usually in a short span of time.
I have found that if I stop thinking about the big picture and concentrate on the picture I am taking in that moment, my work excels. Stay focussed, and don’t let other peoples issues and anxieties affect your behavior.
Contact Info:
- Website: jazzography.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jazzbarry
- Other: Wikpedia –https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Barry_(photographer)
Image Credits
In order from top Left – John Pisano, Nancy Wilson, Wayne Shorter, Kenny Burrell, In order from bottom Left – Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra Jr., Ron Carter, Chick Corea
