An internationally celebrated music photographer from Liverpool will be exhibiting work in his home city this February.
William Ellis’ photographs of iconic artists have appeared in The Times, The Guardian, New Statesman and on the BBC, magazines and record covers and he is a co-author of the forthcoming book Rethinking Miles Davis published by Oxford University Press.
His work has been exhibited in the United States, Canada, Cuba, South Africa, Europe, China and the Far East. They are in numerous private collections and those of National Portrait Gallery, London, the Archive of Contemporary Music, New York, The American Jazz Museum, Kansas City MO, and on display at Birdland, New York.
His reggae project One Love, produced in his role as Visiting Research Fellow in Photographing Popular Music Culture at Birmingham City University is in the archives of the University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica.
From 3rd February to 15th April 2026, Ellis’ images of musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Clark Terry and Dizzy Gillespie will be exhibited at The Capstone Theatre, coinciding with the Liverpool International Jazz Festival. Visitors will be able to see photographs of these music legends on stage, in rehearsal spaces, even in their own homes, revealing details about performance practices, instrumentation, fashion and interpersonal dynamics.
Creative Director of the Liverpool International Jazz Festival, Neil Campbell said: “Jazz is an art form rooted in improvisation and spontaneity – photography shares this instantaneous nature of creation in capturing for us an in-the-moment impression which provides a visual context that enriches our understanding and appreciation of the music’s cultural and social environment.”
There will be a Private View event on Thursday 26th February at 6pm with William Ellis in attendance. All are welcome to attend and pre-booking is not required. For more details please visit The Capstone Theatre website.