Thelonious Monk, Minton’s Playhouse, NYC, 1949

Herman Leonard, the great photographer of jazz musicians passed away Saturday at the age of 87.  An important figure in jazz, Leonard went beyond simple portraits and his images of artists in their element defined the heyday of jazz to many listeners.  A great obituary in the LA Times can be found here.

Dexter Gordon, Royal Roost, NYC, 1948

Bud Powell, Birdland, NYC, 1949

Frank Sinatra, Monte Carlo, 1958

Charlie Parker with Metronome All-Stars, NYC, 1949

All images © Herman Leonard