Warren Durrett Collection

Warren Durrett standing in front of a piano to the left of his orchestra in a suit and bowtie in a conducting stance, with a white woman singer in a black dress seated in front him. The band members...

Warren Durrett standing in front of a piano to the left of his orchestra in a suit and bowtie, with an unidentified white woman singer in front of the band at a microphone. The band members (white men...

Warren Durrett conducting his orchestra on a makeshift stage. The band members (all white men) are wearing dark red jackets and black pants and bowties, and are standing in three rows behind music...

Warren Durrett Orchestra (all white) performing behind music stands for the 1946 University of Kansas City Convocation. In the back is a guitarist. In the middle row are three trumpet players, and in...

Three unidentified white male saxophonists of the Warren Durrett Orchestra performing behind music stands for the 1946 University of Kansas City Convocation. There are tall windows on the wall next to...

Warren Durrett Orchestra (all white men in photo) performing behind music stands for the 1946 University of Kansas City Convocation. In the back is a drummer and a guitarist. In the middle row are...

Warren Durrett orchestra (white men) performing in rows behind music stands. Back row: two violins, double bass, four trumpets. Middle row: two violins, drums, four trombones. Front row: two violins...

Warren Durrett Orchestra (all white men in the photo) standing and performing at their music stands reading "WD". There is a piano at the left, a bassist, and a row with Warren Durrett and four other...

Warren Durrett standing to the left of his orchestra (one African American man, the rest white men), looking at an unidentified white woman vocalist who is standing at a microphone in front of the...

Warren Durrett with sunglasses and rolled up sleeves, seated at the piano, performing outside. A man is standing in the background, and there are trees behind him.

Warren Durrett in a suit, performing at the piano with an open lid. There is sheet music and a lamp on the piano, as well as a sign that says "Warren Durrett."

Warren Durrett playing piano with a Hammond Solovox attachment at LaSalle Hotel in Kansas City, Mo. Also playing, to the left of Durrett: Bob Wells (drums), John Brentari (bass), and Jimmy Van Asdell...

Warren Durrett performing at an upright piano with his orchestra. A saxophone is resting above the keyboard, and the hammers and strings of the piano are exposed. A sign reading "Warren Durrett and...

Warren Durrett seated at the piano, performing with his orchestra (white men in photo). Scores rest on top of the piano lid, along with a sign reading "Warren Durrett and His Orchestra." Standing in...

Warren Durrett seated at the piano, lid halfway open with music scores resting under the lid. A microphone is in front, and an unidentified white woman is seated to the right in a polka-dot dress...

Overhead shot of recording studio. In back left, Patty Tucker, unidentified white man, Marilyn Maye, Carol Johnston, and another unidentified white man are singing at a music stand. In front of them...

Warren Durrett at an upright piano on a stage, staring intently to the right. A hat is on top of the piano, and the hammers and strings of the piano are exposed. A small piece of paper is right above...

Portrait of Warren Durrett with alto saxophone wearing suit and tie, looking downward.

Portrait of Warren Durrett with alto saxophone wearing suit and tie, looking downward.

Warren Durrett, standing to the far left, performing on saxophone with his orchestra, all wearing light suits and long ties, with an unidentified white woman vocalist seated in front. The band members...

Warren Durrett seated at the piano in a blue suit. There is music on top of the piano, as well as a lamp and a sign that reads: "Warren Durrett." There are curtains hanging over windows in the...

Warren Durrett seated at the piano in a blue suit. There is music on top of the piano, as well as a lamp and a sign that reads: "Warren Durrett." There are curtains hanging over windows in the...

Warren Durrett's orchestra (all white men), performing in dark red suit jackets with black pants and bowties, with Warren Durrett seated off to the side at the piano in a silver suit jacket. Four band...

Unidentified white woman and Warren Durrett seated, turned around, arms resting on some type of cushion. In the foreground is a structure of thin wooden sticks, and to the right is a wall and a gutter...

Warren Durrett seated in a chair on the front porch of a brick house. There is a door to the left and a window to the right, as well as another chair that is perpendicular to Durrett.