Photographer Herman Leonard (1923-2010), who lived in New Orleans for many years, will have his photos featured in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in honor of his creative look at one of jazz’s golden ages.

Known for photographing many of the 20th century’s greatest jazz artists, Leonard’s images featured legends like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, Thelonious Monk and Sarah Vaughan.

The exhibition will be titled “In the Groove: Jazz Portraits by Herman Leonard” and will run Aug. 5 through Feb. 20, 2017 in celebration of the 2016 grand opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The exhibit showcases 28 images he created between 1948 to 1960 that he later compiled into his limited edition 30-print portfolio of jazz portraiture.

A good friend of the OffBeat family, Leonard photographed our November 1997 cover of Jon Cleary.