Gelatin silver print of Leslie Hutchinson and his orchestra: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A black and white photograph of Leslie Hutchinson and his All Star Coloured Orchestra.

The orchestra is on a stage. Many of the orchestra members are pictured to the right of the image, seated with their instruments behind music stands with a spade design and the letters "LH". Leslie Hutchinson is standing just left of center in a dark tuxedo and he is holding a trumpet in his proper right hand. Next to him is a woman wearing a light-colored gown, sitting in front of a white grand piano. Seated at the piano is the piano player and standing behind him is the bass player. Above the orchestra is a sign that reads [AMBROSE PRESENTS / LESLIE (Jiver) / HUTCHINSON / and his All Star / Coloured Orchestra].

Above each band member, a name has been inscribed in blue ink, but much is faded and illegible. From left to right it reads [(illegible) De Souza / Bob Henry / (illegible) Johnson / Leslie Hutchinson / Cl(illegible) Maxwell / Joe (illegible) / Joe Appleton / George (illegibe) / Frank Williams / Bertie King / Dick Boothroyd / Johnny (illegible). Beneath the band, in the same hand, is written [ To George Roache, A Great Friend and / Sincere Pal / from Bertie King.]. On the back is incribed [Bertie King / & Rhythm Aces / 1947].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1947-1949
• Photograph by: Unidentified
• Subject of: Leslie Hutchinson, Grenadian American, 1900 - 1969
• Subject of: Albert "Bertie" King, Jamaican American, 1912 - 1981
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Type: portraits
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper with ink
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 6 1/2 × 8 7/16 in. (16.5 × 21.4 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 6 1/4 × 8 3/16 in. (15.9 × 20.8 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
• Topic: Photography
• Object number: 2015.97.38.20
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.