The Chris Bowman Collection of Elizabeth Woolsey photographs and ephemera

This collection includes photographs purchased or taken by Elizabeth Woosley between 1945 and the mid-1950s. The bulk of the photographs are publicity photos or pictures of live performances. Woosley purchased the photographs during the period they were taken.

Most subjects depicted in each photograph are identified on its reverse side. The collection also includes private photographs of jazz musicians off the bandstand. Musicians depicted in the photographs include Herb Ellis, Woody Herman with the Four Brothers band, Harry James, Johnny Griffin, Arnett Cobb, Charlie Fowlkes with Lionel Hampton, Chico Hamilton with Skinnay Ennis and Lena Horne, Gene Krupa with Charlie Ventura, Stan Kenton with Art Pepper, Laurindo Almeida, Bob Cooper, Shelley Manne, Stan Getz with Herbie Fields, Willie Smith, Jimmie Lunceford, Mundell Lowe, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, and Mel Torme. Autographed photographs include Charlie Ventura, Gene Krupa, and Mel Lewis. The collection also includes photographs of non-musicians Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, and Dane Clark.

Ephemera in the collection includes fliers for separate 1948 Royal Roost concerts by Ella Fitzgerald and Woody Herman. The former concert was homecoming for Fitzgerald, who had recently returned from a European tour. Significantly featured as a supporting act in one of their earliest performances was Lennie Tristano's quintet including Lee Konitz and Billy Bauer. Also included are 1992 flyers belonging to Chris Bowman from the short-lived Toronto Bermuda Onion jazz club. One flyer is autographed by Max Roach.