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Photographer, cinematographer and jazz-lover, Navroze Contractor’s images take the viewer through a range of subjects such as art, morality, censorship, religion, journeys on bikes, sports and the subject he was perhaps most passionate about, jazz.

Having mostly listened to Hindustani music while growing up, Contractor’s fascination for capturing the moods and essence of jazz seems to stem from the history and drama of this...
Photographer, cinematographer and jazz-lover, Navroze Contractor’s images take the viewer through a range of subjects such as art, morality, censorship, religion, journeys on bikes, sports and the subject he was perhaps most passionate about, jazz.

Having mostly listened to Hindustani music while growing up, Contractor’s fascination for capturing the moods and essence of jazz seems to stem from the history and drama of this genre of music itself. Predominantly associated with African Americans, jazz music has always been recognized as a form of rebellion against, and symbol of liberation from the many challenges faced by the community. “I wanted to capture the emotion of a musician while playing the instrument. That is what jazz is all about — emotions. And it is the underdog’s music, of freedom and protest,” the artist explains.

In sharp monotones of black and white, the photographer captures the ‘swing’ and ‘blues’ of jazz. His images have depicted jazz legends like Eddie Moore, Cecil Bridgewater, Calvin Hill, Keith Jarrett, Jimmy Knepper, Albert Mangelsdorf, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Woody Shaw and Michael White. Many of these photographs were taken during the 1970s and early 1980s at a popular jazz venue known as Keystone Korner in San Francisco.

Born in 1944, Navroze Contractor grew up in Ahmedabad. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art, specializing in painting and photography, from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. After graduating, he went on to pursue his interest in film direction and cinematography at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. He also studied photography under the infamous Bhupendra Karia in India and the United States, and studied cinematography with Laszlo Kovacs in the United States. In addition, Contractor spent some time learning the art of video production at Sony Corporation in Tokyo, Japan.

Over the years, Contractor’s photographs have been featured in several solo and group shows worldwide. In 2008, Tasveer Arts held an exhibition titled ‘Listening Camera’ at the Stainless Gallery in New Delhi, showcasing Contractor’s distinctive body of work.

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