Veryl Oakland is a California-based jazz photographer and chronicler who traveled the globe uncovering personal and compelling photo-stories of many of the jazz world’s finest musicians, capturing each artist using only “available light” – no flash.

An active photojournalist for more than a quarter of a century, he regularly contributed to Swing Journal (Japan), Jazz (Paris), and Down Beat magazines; and his distinctive images have been featured in more than 30 books worldwide.

His first personal published work, Jazz In Available Light Illuminating the Jazz Greats from the 1960s, ‘70s & ‘80s includes a Foreword by Quincy Jones, and features nearly 350 of his photographs. Of note, dozens of these photographs have never before been published, nor seen, by the public. It was only in recent years that he discovered a large body of his archived negatives were still usable, despite flooding that ravaged his home years ago. This treasure rediscovered encouraged Oakland to bring this book to life, as well as reach out to galleries, years after his career had come to a close.

Oakland studied cornet for seven years, but never played professionally. He did not own a camera until age 25, and was entirely self-taught.