Howard Gitelson at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival©Andrea Canter

Anyone who frequents the Artists Quarter has undoubtedly seen Howard—he’s the guy with the big Canon SLR and monopod, usually perched on a barstool when not roaming the room for a good shot. In fact the AQ has become a small gallery for Howard’s photos of the musicians who perform on stage. A professional photographer (and software engineer) in Minnesota since 1975, Howard’s repertoire includes live musician performances, portrait photography, scenic photography and commercial photography. He also published a book of photos from the old Dakota location in St. Paul, "A Barfly's View of the Dakota Bar & Grill."

Howard Gitelson photo of Charles Brown

Of his seventeen photos on display at Columbia Grounds, all but one are of the jazz musicians who appear locally, particularly at the Dakota and Artists Quarter. Howard is currently assembly a book of photos from the AQ to complement his “Barfly’s View.”

The Columbia Grounds Coffee Shop is located at 3301 Central Avenue, Minneapolis (just near the Metropolis pitch in Columbia Heights). Open til 10 pm Monday-Saturday, Sundays til 5 pm. Information at www.columbiagrounds.com.  Visit Howard Gitelson on the web at www.howardgitelson.com