LONDON.- A swinging new photographic exhibition, presented by the Getty Images Gallery in association with the 50th Anniversary of Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, captures the heat, the beat and the spirit of jazz. Curated by UK jazz artist Jamie Cullum, 'The Spirit of Jazz', will be on display at the Getty Images Gallery in central London from Friday, October 9 to Saturday, November 28, 2009.

Spanning over 80 glorious years from 1927 to 2009, the exhibition includes a selection of rare and previously unseen images featuring some of the finest, most infamous jazz men and women performing at the peak of their heady careers. The high energy of some of the most legendary performances in jazz history is captured in glorious detail in this exhibition, from the sharp suits and instruments, right down to the last bead of sweat.

The iconic images for this show were chosen from the Hulton Archive, Michael Ochs Archives and the Redferns collection and include the work of some of the era's best loved photographers including Slim Aarons, David Redfern, Michael Ochs and Charles Hewitt.

Just some of the magical moments captured on camera include Big Jay McNeely lying on his back, blowing his saxophone with fierce energy as ecstatic fans cheer him on; 'Lady Day' Billie Holiday singing in the spotlight; American banjo player Mike McKendrick performing in Chicago and Louis Prima, jumping and jerking as he plays his trumpet.

Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole and Eartha Kitt also feature but it is not just the famous masters that make this exhibition come alive. Images of jitterbugging couples sit alongside timeless shots of some of jazz's most notorious venues including the Cotton Club in New York, the Door Bar in New Orleans and of course, Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London.