William Whitener With Ballet Company Dancers

Kansas City Ballet Artistic Director William Whitener with the company dancers. 

 
Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Mayor Sly James

Sly James is the 54th Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. In the late 1960's, he was the lead singer in a band, and it was the opening act when Jefferson Airplane performed in Kansas City.
 
Mayor James served in the Marine Corp, graduated cum laude with a Juris Doctor degree, and was the first African-American partner in the large, prestigious Kansas City law firm for which he worked.
 

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Forrest Whitlow

Forrest Whitlow hails from Kentucky, and his music has been described as, "David Lynch meets Neil Young". One can discern elements of country, folk, and rock in the songs he skillfully writes and performs.

Ghosts From The Old Country, his ninth studio album, was recently released. It was produced by Forrest, along with Pat Tomek.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

JJ's Restaurant

I made these photographs at JJ's Restaurant. Zagat Survey rated it as, "one of the top restaurants" in the Midwest, and Wine Spectator stated JJ's Restaurant had, "one of the best wine lists in the world". 

The wine rack image shows a portion of the 1800 bottles of wine destroyed following an explosion and fire. When I shot these images, I never imagined using them in a eulogy for the acclaimed restaurant.



Photographs copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Michael Pink

Michael Pink, an internationally-celebrated ballet Artistic Director and Choreographer, was born in the city of York, England. When he auditioned for the Royal Ballet School, he was accepted on a scholarship. Michael was the recipient of a Royal Society of Arts Choreographic award, which he used for travel to the United States to study with the Joffrey Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Early on, he worked as répétiteur for Rudolf Nureyev at the Paris Opera and La Scala Milan. 

Michael is perhaps best known for his creation of the narrative dance works, Dracula, Swan Lake, Coppelia, Cinderella and Peter Pan. Michael's theatrical productions have been described as, "Classical ballet for the 21st century". 

Michael told me that audiences attending performances of Dracula dress in character, similar to attending The Rocky Horror Picture Show. 

He recently celebrated his 10th anniversary with Milwaukee Ballet. 

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Zildjian Cymbals

In the early seventeenth century, Avedis Zildjian was an Armenian alchemist striving to make what every good alchemist at the time was attempting to make - gold. He made a spectacular discovery; an alloy of copper, tin, and silver yielding sensational sound qualities. In 1618, Mr. Zildjian used this alloy to create cymbals.

The acclaimed company continues to make Zildjian Cymbals, and the business has been passed down through the family for hundreds of years. It is now located in Norwell, Massachusetts, and owned by two Zildjian sisters (14th generation), Craigie and Debbie. It is recognized as the oldest family-owned business in the United States, and one of the oldest in the world.

Photograph copyright 2013 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Steve Schmidt

Steve Schmidt holds a degree in Engineering. While working on that degree, he and a friend started a computer business, which thrived until a fire left it in ashes.

Not one to be discouraged, Steve set out on his own in 1991, and founded Tekniq Data Corporation. Today, Tekniq is a successful Information Technology firm with very talented programmers, developers, network engineers and designers.

Tekniq creatively assists clients with computer and telephone systems, document management, software development and website design.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

A number of years ago, my photographs were accepted into an abundance of top-notch juried art shows around the nation.  I had a fabulous time traveling, meeting other artists and selling images. Although I am no longer involved with these events, I continue to shoot fine art photographs.  One can view all the art shows that accepted my work on my Résumé.

In this architectural image, I am looking straight up, and I rotated the image 90 degrees. I have a couple of other images that were most striking when oriented upside down, and that is how I framed and presented them.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Marilyn Maye

Johnny Carson, host of The Tonight Show, described Marilyn Maye as, “Super Singer”, and Ella Fitzgerald referred to her as, “The greatest white female singer in the world.”

Marilyn began her musical training at the age of three with her mother, who accompanied her on the piano. At age nine, she began classical voice lessons.

Steve Allen invited her to appear on his very popular television show, and soon after, Marilyn signed a recording contract with RCA records. 

She appeared on The Tonight Show an unprecedented 76 times, and received a Grammy Awards nomination for “Best New Artist”.

Her most recent award, among many, was the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chicago Cabaret Professionals.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Christine Elise McCarthy

#WomenYouShouldKnow

Multi-talented Christine Elise McCarthy starred as Emily Valentine in Beverly Hills, 90210, and wrote three of the episodes. 

She wrote the, "Jeopardy" episode, and described Alex Trebek as, "Lovely."

Additional television credits include ER, HBO's Tell Me You Love Me, Law & Order:SVU, China Beach, and In the Heat of the Night. 

Movie credits include Mojave Phone Booth, Child's Play 2, Boiling Point, Vanishing Point, and Bodysnatchers.  

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

#CelebratingWomen

When my long-time client, and television-news personality, asked if I would photograph her baby, I jumped at the opportunity. This perfect angel was mesmerized by the studio lights, and most likely destined to work in front of the camera like her mother.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

A noun, architectonics refers to the scientific study of architecture. It includes musical, literary, and artistic structure.

The definition is quite appropriate for this photograph I made at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, one of the most technically and architecturally advanced performing arts centers in the world.

I admire the graceful lines and simplicity of the solitary, lighted candles on tables nestled in the curve of the wall. The walls are not normally this color; there was a wash of blue light from below.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Dan Thomas

A passionate performer, Dan Thomas is a musician and educator who came to the United States from Canada in 1993. He has performed and presented with some of the most important jazz performers and academicians in the United States, Canada and abroad.

Dan can often be seen at jazz festivals throughout the United States and Canada, plus he performs regularly in small jazz combos, classical chamber groups and with big bands.

Listen to Dan's CD's, "City Scope" and, "Musical Sanctuary". Both have received high praise in recent reviews.

This image of Dan is much more interesting to me than shooting during a show, because it is his solitary, privileged time not seen by an audience. We made this when he stepped outside to warm up just before a packed-house performance.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Bobby Watson, Musician

Bobby Watson is a saxophonist, composer, arranger and educator. He attended the University of Miami along with fellow students Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius and Bruce Hornsby. After graduating, he moved to New York City and joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.

Bobby has worked with a multitude of notable musicians, including drummers Max Roach and Louis Hayes, fellow saxophonists George Coleman and Branford Marsalis, multi-instrumentalist Sam Rivers and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. In addition to working with instrumentalists, Watson has served in a supporting role for a number of distinguished vocalists including Joe Williams, Dianne Reeves, Lou Rawls, Betty Carter, and Carmen Lundy, and has performed as a sideman with Carlos Santana, George Coleman, Rufus and Chaka Khan, Bob Belden and John Hicks.

Bobby also composed an original song for the soundtrack of Robert De Niro's A Bronx Tale (1993).

A resident of New York for most of his professional life, he still performs live engagements around the world and leaves time for teaching. Watson is currently involved with the Thelonious Monk Institute's yearly "Jazz in America" high school outreach program.

Addendum: Bobby Watson was presented the prestigious Benny Golson Jazz Master Award at Howard University in Washington, D.C., March 7, 2013. He was honored for his excellence in jazz.


Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Toni Pimble

Toni Pimble is Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer and co-founder of Eugene Ballet Company in Eugene, Oregon. She was born in England and studied at Elmhurst Ballet School.

Ms. Pimble's work has been performed by an abundance of ballet companies in the United States including Atlanta Ballet, New York City Ballet, Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Ballet Omaha, Washington Ballet, Nevada Dance Theatre, Oregon Ballet Theater, Ballet NY and Kansas City Ballet.

With Ms. Pimble's leadership, Eugene Ballet Company has toured 32 states, and internationally to Taiwan and visited India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Syria, Jordan, and Tunisia. Her creative work has brought her a number of awards and fellowships, including two Oregon Arts Commission Artist Fellowship Awards and a National Endowment for the Arts Choreographer's Fellowship Grant.

She has choreographed over 60 works for Eugene Ballet Company. Many of those productions involved collaborations with composers, literary and visual artists and local arts organizations including the Eugene Concert Choir, Eugene Opera, Oregon Bach Festival, Oregon Mozart Players, The Shedd Institute for the Arts and the University of Oregon School of Music.

Ms. Pimble's most recent choreography was seen in "Carmina Burana" performed by the Kansas City Ballet.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Lynne Taylor-Corbett

Choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett's work spans theatre, dance and movies. She was nominated for two Tony Awards and a Drama Desk for direction and choreography of Broadway’s “Swing!”, and for two American Theatre Wing Star Awards for it’s National Tour.  She also choreographed Broadway's “Chess” and “Titanic”.             

Her dance works have been commissioned by numerous companies throughout the world, and in the United States by the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Company, and Pacific Northwest Ballet.

In 2008, Taylor-Corbett was the recipient of the Joseph A. Callaway Award for excellence in stage directing and choreography given by the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Broadcasts of her work have been seen on “Live From Lincoln Center", “Live from the San Francisco Opera House” and on UNCTV.  Her movies include “Footloose”, “My Blue Heaven”, “Vanilla Sky” and “Bewitched”. 

Ms. Taylor-Corbett choreographed "Mercury", the opening piece of "Carmina Burana", recently presented by the Kansas City Ballet.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Google Fiber is a project to build an experimental internet network using fiber-optic communication in Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri.  Over 1,100 communities applied to be the first recipient of the technology.

The internet service offers connection speeds 100 times faster than what most Americans have today.

Shige, an engineer from Japan, is located at the Google headquarters in Mountain View, California. He is working with the Google Fiber marketing department.



Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Kevin is General Manager, Google Access, and is also based at Google headquarters.



Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Ten-Year-Old Guitarist

This talented ten-year-old has been playing his Gibson Les Paul guitar, his drums and singing in popular venues since he was eight years old. 

He loves an audience, and says his goal is, "to be a legendary rocker the whole world knows." 

He taught himself to play - no lessons. 

Perhaps he will take me on tour with him.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Young Mensa Member

Mensa, the largest and oldest High IQ Society in the world, accepted my eight-year-old client when he was seven years old. 

At the Mensa Mind Games in Washington, DC, (April, 2012) he was the youngest adjudicator present, responsible as a Mensa member to play, review and vote his top 7 picks of the new board and card games competing for the 2012 Mensa seal of approval. 

When asked what he wants to be when he grows up, his response was, "A scientist. I'll invent all day and party all night."

Sounds right to me.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Steven Nagel - Astronaut

Steven R. Nagel  (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) joined NASA's astronaut program and served on missions aboard shuttles Discovery (1985), Challenger (1985), Atlantis (1991), and Columbia (1993). 

Colonel Nagel was Pilot on the Challenger mission and Commander on the Atlantis and Columbia flights.
 

Photograph © 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

The Illustrated Woman

This lovely lady is a feminine work of art.

Her tattoos are a combined picture, meaning she can put her arms together to make a solid drawing. The flowers represent each family member she loves. 

The butterflies illustrate a time when she was an iron worker. It was her first time on a particular type of girder, and wore no safety cables. She was ninety-feet in the air and just as she took her first step onto the girder, a butterfly landed on her shoulder staying with her all day. The trolls are a man and a woman giving each other a lady bug; the gnomes are protectors.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

World Series Trophy

Victory at the Super Bowl, the World Series and every major championship is commemorated by the presentation of custom-designed trophies from Tiffany & Co.
 
This is the 2012 Commissioner’s Trophy, which many people know as the World Series Trophy.  It is awarded annually to the winners of Major League Baseball’s World Series, and presented by the Commissioner of Baseball. It has been awarded 44 times since 1967, and like the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Tiffany makes a new one each year as the winners keep the one they are awarded.

This is the first time I have seen a championship trophy, and it was stunning in silver and 24k gold. 

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

National Guard

This focused soldier is part of the four-person Color Guard of the Kansas National Guard with whom I recently worked. 

They keep us safe. Thank you.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Greg Brenneman, Turnaround Authority

Greg Brenneman holds an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School, and has a reputation as the man who can turn troubled corporations around. 

When he joined Continental Airlines as President, the company was plummeting toward its third bankruptcy in a decade. During his tenure, Continental's stock price rose from $6.25 to $120.00 per share (pre split). 

In 2004, Mr. Brenneman accepted the position as Chairman and CEO of Burger King Corporation, and most recently, Brenneman has served as president and CEO of Quiznos Subs. Brenneman also serves on the board of directors of The Home Depot, Inc. and Automatic Data Processing. 

He is an Emmy Award winner, book author, founder of Turnworks, Inc, and has been published in the Harvard Business Review, and profiled often in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fortune magazine, and Chief Executive magazine.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Kimberly Cowen

Accomplished ballerina Kimberly Cowen makes her grand final bow with Kansas City Ballet. 

Kimberly had a momentous 20-year history of dance with the company.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Michael Stern

Michael Stern is Music Director and Lead Conductor of The Kansas City Symphony. 

As a young conductor, he debuted at the New York Philharmonic, invited by Leonard Bernstein to participate in a conducting workshop. 

Stern later became the permanent Guest Conductor of the Orchestre National de Lyon in Lyon, France. While in France, he appeared with orchestras in Paris, Bordeaux, Lille, and Toulouse, as well as others throughout Europe.
 

 Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Lee Daniel

Lee Daniel is an award-winning movie and documentary cinematographer.

His projects include Slacker, Dazed and Confused, Fast Food Nation, and the documentary, A Mother's Promise: The Barack Obama Biography. 

Lee worked on many movies with Director Richard Linklater, and the two of them founded the Austin Film Society.
  
Just as Alfred Hitchcock made very quick, subtle trademark appearances in his movies, Lee's trademark is "709" and it can be seen in many of the films on which he has worked.

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Robert Rosen

Robert Rosen is the former Dean of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, and it was he and Martin Scorsese who organized The Film Foundation. 

Mr. Rosen was the film critic for KCRW National Public Radio, awarded the John Huston Award and decorated by the French Government as an Officer of Arts and Letters.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Allan R, Mulally

Allan R. Mulally holds advanced degrees in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. 

Mr. Mulally served as CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, then took over Ford Motor Company in 2006 as President and CEO. 

He was included in the 2009 Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People, and named the 2011 CEO of the Year by Chief Executive magazine.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

 

Maury Yeston

Broadway loves music composer and lyricist Maury Yeston. 

Yeston won Tony and Drama Desk Awards, and has been nominated for Grammy's and Golden Globe Awards. 

His work includes Nine, Titanic, and Grand Hotel. 

Click on his name, above, and enjoy his engaging music.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Jacques d'Amboise: Dancer, Choreographer, Educator

Jacques d'Amboise is recognized as one of the most superb dancers of our time. 

At age 17, Jacques was made principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, where distinguished choreographer George Balanchine created ballets expressly for him.

Marks of recognition include Kennedy Center Honors, MacArthur Fellowship, and James Keller Award. 

Photograph copyright 2012 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Update: Jacques passed May 2, 2021.

Dr. Regina M. Benjamin - Surgeon General

Dr. Regina M. Benjamin is the Surgeon General of the United States. 

She relinquished her private practice as a Family Practice physician to assume the position, and now counts 300-million Americans as her patient population for which to care.

 Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Michael Murphy

Michael Murphy has 102 credits on his resume, including Law and Order, Judging Amy, LA Law, and M*A*S*H. 

His career began when director Robert Altman cast him in the highly-rated television show, Combat! in 1962.

Photograph 2011 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Dr. Charles Wheeler

Upon finishing medical school, Dr. Charles Wheeler made the decision to acquire a law degree. So, while completing a Pathology residency during the day, he attended law school at night. 

Dr. Wheeler was Mayor of Kansas City, Mo., for two terms in the 1970's, followed by Missouri State Senator. 

What's next? He wants to run for Mayor again. 

 Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Learning to Read

I made new photographs, and new friends, at Literacy Kansas City, an organization that teaches adults to read. 

My delightful subjects were filled with gratitude because they now can read a bus schedule and a newspaper, and write a letter.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

L.Q. Jones

Martin Scorsese, Sam Peckinpah and Robert Altman have directed L.Q. Jones in movies and television. 

L.Q. allows me to direct him as he poses for my camera.

Photograph copyright 2010 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Dick Vermeil

   Dick Vermeil, former Kansas City Chiefs coach, returned to Napa Valley where he was raised, to grow outstanding grapes and produce fine wine at Vermeil Wines. 

   He succeeded at both.

   Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. 

   All rights reserved.

   - Update, February 11, 2022: 

   Dick will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame!

Medical Research Poster

This image was created at a prestigious teaching hospital. It is being used for a research poster, the subject of which is non-epileptic seizures.

 Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Willie Wilson

Lead-off hitter Willie Wilson helped the Kansas City Royals baseball team win the World Series in 1985. 

He's looking first-class 25 years later.

 Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Both my lovely subject, and the image, have gracious, timeless allure. 

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Photographing social and business events is one of my specialties. This image illustrates the elegance of a first-class soirée.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

E. Frank Ellis

E. Frank Ellis is Founder, Chairman and CEO of Swope Health Services. 

He is also Chair of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. 

Frank received national recognition for addressing health issues of the indigent and working poor, and aided investments in some of Kansas City’s most blighted and depressed neighborhoods. 

I have been fortunate to have photographed him many times, and he continually inspires me.

Photograph © 2011 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Ballet Dancers

I like being close to the action. 

These are dancers of Kansas City Ballet, and I was so close with my wide-angle lens, they lightly brushed against me as they entered.

Photograph © 2012 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Angela Hagenbach

The remarkable, exceptional Angela Hagenbach.

Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Architecture and shapes and relative arrangements of items enliven me. When photographing people, I surmise I am searching for a way to make them into a fine-art photograph using geometry.

copyright 2011 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Barry Corbin

Barry Corbin has played major roles in more than 100 movies and television programs.

I made this photograph of Mr. Corbin for a movie in which he played a cowboy, and spent much of the time riding a horse.  That is the real Barry Corbin.

All rights reserved.  Photograph copyright Larry F. Levenson