Seattle's Jackson Street jazz clubs flourished in the first half of the twentieth century, with their popularity peaking in the late 1930s through early 1950s. Seattle-born photographer Al Smith was a familiar figure in the clubs, often taking pictures of musicians and patrons, then returning the following week to sell prints.

The group that Smith photographed on this occasion consisted of a saxophone player, a trumpeter, a singer-guitar player, and possibly more, in front of an enthusiastic audience. Neither the group nor its members have been identified, but the location is the popular Black and Tan nightclub on 12th Avenue S., just south of Jackson Street.