Jazz Appreciation Month kicks off with an exhibit showcasing photojournalist Ron St. Clair who captured jazz greats. St. Clair’s daughter/archivist, Laiya St. Clair and award winning broadcaster Dyana Williams, who curated the exhibition, will facilitate a conversation with the visual architect about his work. Ron St. Clair is a New York City-born drummer turned photographer. His love for music led him to jazz clubs where he captured pictures of black musicians including Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, and many more luminaries. For over 50 years, St. Clair’s photographs have documented decades of cultural heritage about Black people, including the historic White House event that launched Black History Month on June 7, 1979.

Laiya St. Clair’s vibrant career in radio, podcast production, and content creation spans nearly 25 years of work highlighting brilliant Black narratives in music, arts, and culture. As co-host, producer, and strategic talent booker for award-winning podcasts like Questlove Supreme, Jill Scott Presents: J.ill the Podcast, and Love + Grit. 

Dyana Williams is an entertainment powerhouse and beloved advocate and authority in popular culture, especially Black music. The veteran award-winning on-air personality is a trailblazer in broadcasting, music activism and celebrity media strategy. She’s been a staple in radio since the 1970s, and helped establish June as “Black Music Month”. She has been recognized for her music activism in the White House by Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Dubbed by The New York Times as “hip-hop’s artist whisperer,” Williams has engineered media strategies for her celebrity clientele who have included multiple Grammy Award winners, many platinum-selling performers, executives, actors and athletes. Dyana is also a long-time friend of Ron St. Clair.

Image: Roy Ayers with Vibes