Bob Willoughby (1927–2009) is maybe greatest recognized for his candid pictures of well-known Hollywood actors, however earlier than taking pictures on movie units, he captured many photos of jazz musicians. Working in troublesome lighting and crowded circumstances, the photographs in Shutter and Sound: The Jazz Photography of Bob Willoughby are jazz improvisation made manifest: they offer the viewer a way of vibrant intimacy as he captured wistful singers, jamming musicians, and enthusiastic audiences.
By 1950, jazz had migrated its distinctive sound from the streets of New Orleans to American cities from coast to coast. In the Fifties, one of many foremost jazz scenes was positioned in Los Angeles, California. Some would say it was because of the laid-back surfer tradition of California, however the jazz of this area had a taste all its personal and is usually thought of the delivery of what we all know as “smooth jazz” at this time. Willoughby photographed jazz greats similar to Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, and Frank Sinatra, to call only a few. The 50 photos included within the exhibit mirror the dynamic jazz scene of the Fifties, a time – within the phrases of Dave Brubeck – “of youth, exuberance, hope, and change.”
Willoughby ‘not solely had a very good eye, he had a eager ear, and appeared to know when to snap at an impressed second’. – Dave Brubeck
Willoughby’s pictures proceed to be avidly collected and are in museums world wide, together with the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Tate Modern in London. Whether guests are seasoned jazz followers, newcomers eager to be taught extra concerning the music scene, or images fanatics, Shutter and Sound is as enduring because the music.
Shutter and Sound: The Jazz Photography of Bob Willoughby opens April 6 on the Gallery of History (412 E. Faulkner, El Dorado, AR)
Exhibition: Shutter and Sound: The Jazz Photography of Bob Willoughby Organized by Mid-America Arts Alliance
Host Organization: South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society
Runs: April 7 – May 23
Gallery Hours: 9:00am – 4:00pm Tuesday by Friday; 10:00am – 4:00pm Saturday
Location: 412 E. Faulkner, El Dorado, AR 71730
Admission: $5
Contact: (870) 862-9890 [email protected]
About ExhibitsUSA
This exhibition is toured by ExhibitsUSA, the nationwide touring exhibition program of Mid-America Arts Alliance. ExhibitsUSA sends greater than 25 exhibitions on tour to over 100 small and mid-sized communities yearly. These exhibitions create entry to an array of arts and humanities experiences, nurture the understanding of numerous cultures and artwork types, and broaden the depth and breadth of cultural life in native communities, rural and concrete. For extra about ExhibitsUSA, e mail [email protected] or go to www.eusa.org.