R.I.P. William Claxton and Neil Hefti

This week saw the loss of two important figures in jazz. William Claxton, jazz photographer, died at age 80 on October 11th in Los Angeles. Just a few miles away, 85-year-old composer and arranger Neal Hefti passed away the same day.

Claxton developed a love for jazz as a teen, and would sneak into jazz clubs in L.A. He earned a living by designing album covers for Pacific Jazz Records, and is best known for capturing the stars of the West Coast Jazz scene, often in natural surroundings. His most famous picture features a shirtless Chet Baker holding his trumpet while his wife Helima rests against his knee. Read this for a full obituary from the L.A. Times.

Neal Hefti was most famous for writing the theme to the "Batman" television show in the 1960s, but he injected new life into Woody Herman hits with his arrangements of "Wood Chopper's Ball," and "Blowin' Up a Storm." He also composed some of the Count Basie Band's most popular tunes in the 50s, such as "Splanky," "Little Pony," and "Cute." Read his full obituary in the New York Times.

Image Courtesy of Frazer Harrison / Getty Images