Bob Willoughby (1927–2009) is perhaps best known for his candid photographs of famous Hollywood actors, but before taking photos on film sets, he captured many images of jazz musicians. Working in difficult lighting and crowded conditions, the images in Shutter and Sound: The Jazz Photography of Bob Willoughby are jazz improvisation made manifest: they give the viewer a sense of vibrant intimacy as he captured wistful singers, jamming musicians, and enthusiastic audiences.

 By 1950, jazz had migrated its unique sound from the streets of New Orleans to American cities from coast to coast. In the 1950s, one of the foremost jazz scenes was located in Los Angeles, California. 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 photographed jazz greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, and Frank Sinatra, to name just a few. The 50 images included in the exhibit reflect the dynamic jazz scene of the 1950s, a time—in the words of Dave Brubeck—“of youth, exuberance, hope, and change.”

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

Willoughby’s photographs continue to be avidly collected and are in museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Tate Modern in London. Whether visitors are seasoned jazz fans, newcomers wanting to learn more about the music scene, or photography enthusiasts, Shutter and Sound is as enduring as the music.

 Shutter and Sound: The Jazz Photography of Bob Willoughby opens June 14 at the Sioux City Public Museum.