“Take my Harlem Air Shaft. So much goes on in a Harlem air shaft. You get the full essence of Harlem in an air shaft. You hear fights, you smell dinner, you hear people making love. You hear intimate gossip floating down. You hear the radio. An air shaft is one great big loudspeaker. You see your neighbors’ laundry. You hear the janitor’s dogs. The man upstairs’ aerial falls down and breaks your window. You smell coffee. A wonderful thing, that smell. An air shaft has got every contrast. One guy is cooking dried fish and rice and another guy’s got a great big turkey. Guy-with-fish’s wife is a terrific cooker but the guy’s wife with the turkey is doing a sad job. You hear people praying, fighting, snoring. Jitterbugs are jumping up and down always over you, never below you. That’s a funny thing about jitterbugs. They’re always above you. I tried to put all that in Harlem Air Shaft.” (Duke Ellington in Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya. The Story of Jazz as Told by the Men Who Made It, ed. by Nat Shapiro & Nat Hentoff. New York, 1966)
This picture was inspired by the Duke’s description of a Harlem air shaft (his inspiration). I practically saw the picture in front of me when I read the above lines. It took a while to build this, but here we go … I am so lucky there’s the last chance challenge with the lens-artists.
empire of lights 
hello tobias
you have chosen a wonderful photo for the challenge, i really like it.
many greetings robert
Hallo Robert, thank you – and happy 2024! Stay well, stay creative! Best, Tobias
Excellent! Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year 🙂
Thank you, and I wish you the same.
And we are so lucky to have you always bring it. I loved the way you interpreted this, Tobias It tells such a story, AND. reminds me of the apartment I lived in, in New Jersey for awhile. Merry Christmas. Have a nice week.
Thank you! Same to you!
Always so creative your photos are, Tobias. Very nice!
Thank you very much, Egídio!
Always so evocative Tobias! Thanks for joining us as always.
Thank you, Tina. It means a lot to me.
Very effective. Have a good Christmas, Tobias, and all the best for next year!
Thank you so much, Jo. And merry Christmas and my very best wishes for the next year to you, too!