Duncan Scheidt
Jazz Scholar & Photographer
Inducted into the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame in 2000
Duncan Schiedt
(May 13, 1921 - March 12, 2014)
Duncan Schiedt was a photographer of jazz players from his teens and became an internationally known figure in jazz circles, having authored four books on the subject. A native of Atlantic City, New Jersey, Duncan became a professional photographer and filmmaker during his working years and specialized in the making of 16mm color and sound movies for nonprofit clients such as universities, hospitals and charitable organizations.
In the late 40s, Duncan was engaged in writing his first book, Ain't Misbehaving, a biography of the famed Harlem jazz pianist Fats Waller, who was Duncan's musical idol. In the early 50s Duncan and his wife moved to Indianapolis, where he became acquainted with local musicians and jazz record collectors, who were relatively few in number, but equally dedicated to the music.
Schiedt, along with two other individuals, formed the Indianapolis Jazz Club in early 1956. The Club has served over the years as a meeting ground for lovers of "classic American jazz", giving periodic concerts which supported both local and visiting musicians. His deep interest in jazz history led to several in-depth articles for the Club's "Jazz Notes" paper, and eventually a second book, The Jazz State of Indiana, which he self-published in 1977. This work, originally intended as a tribute to largely unsung Hoosier musicians of the past, turned out to be an international hit among jazz enthusiasts as it revealed little known details about the early histories of later-famous musicians and personnel of recording bands that had largely been mysteries. It also provided a narrative as to how jazz music developed in a typical Midwestern state in the early 20th century, Indiana's experience matching that of many other states at the time. The book has had a long life and remains a valuable reference to later historians and authors. It is currently in print, having been reissued by the Indiana Historical Society.
Two other works bear Duncan's name: Twelve Lives in Jazz, a profusely illustrated volume of essays on a dozen jazz giants of the past, from Jelly Roll Morton and Bessie Smith to Charlie Parker; and Jazz in Black and White, which presented many of Duncan's own images of jazz players taken over a 65-year period.
In addition to his personal photography, Duncan diligently collected historic jazz images, rescuing many from oblivion, and making his files available to editors, researchers, authors and various media for use in education and entertainment. He was a prominent contributor to Ken Burns' TV series, Jazz, and had his images used on sets of such TV programs as Grey's Anatomy, the Young Indiana Jones, and the Hollywood film Spiderman 3. He mounted photography exhibitions in many museums and galleries in the US and, with his camera, was a familiar sight at numerous jazz festivals.
