J. Wayne Stark Galleries

This exhibition consists of 50 images taken by photographer Bob Willoughby from 1950–1960. In these vibrant photos, Willoughby's appreciation for and understanding of jazz music is apparent. "Willoughby not only had a good eye, he had a keen ear, and seemed to know when to snap at an inspired moment." – Dave Brubeck By 1950 jazz was here to stay and had migrated its unique sound from the streets of New Orleans to American cities from coast to coast. As the world changed, jazz evolved as well. One of the foremost jazz scenes was in Los Angeles, CA. Some would say it was due to the laid-back surfer culture of California, but the jazz of this region had a flavor all its own and is often considered the birth of what we know as "smooth jazz" today. Willoughby developed photos at night in his Los Angeles garage as he listened to jazz on the radio. If he heard a live broadcast from a nearby venue, he'd drop everything to go take photographs. Willoughby's photographs stand out because of their realism and immediacy. Working in difficult lighting and crowded conditions, these images are jazz improvisation made manifest: they give the viewer a sense of vibrant intimacy as he captured wistful singers, jamming musicians, and enthusiastic audiences. Willoughby photographed jazz greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, DaveBrubeck, and Frank Sinatra, to name just a few. A Program of Exhibits USA with Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts.

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