Join us for Culture & Cocktails, Ogden Museum’s new evening series celebrating art, ideas and conversation.

Culture and Cocktails: A Vinyl Listening Session Inspired by Herman Leonard: Images of Jazz

Thursday, July 9, 2026

6-8 pm

This special edition of Culture and Cocktails presents a vinyl listening session inspired by the classic photography of Herman Leonard. Hosted by Sesthasak Boonchai, artist and co-founder of Sound Sanctuary, and Collector Basil Smith, the evening will feature a curated selection of recordings from Smith’s collection, bringing sound to sight. This will be an intentional, focused listening experience—an invitation to sit with and experience the music with your full, undivided attention within the gallery space.

The unique listening session is limited to 30 participants.

Advanced registration is strongly suggested to ensure a spot.

What to Expect:

•    Start with an exclusive after-hours viewing of a featured exhibit

•    Enjoy one complementary beverage included with registration (signature cocktail, mocktail, wine and beer available)

•    Engage in a dynamic listening session and conversation with special guests and curators.

$40 members / $45 not-yet-members

Basil Smith

Basil Smith is a retired tourism consultant and avid music collector. Throughout his career, he has advised the governments of Jamaica and The Bahamas, along with public and private-sector stakeholders across the Caribbean on cultural tourism development, including assignments supported by international development partners.

His musical interests span several aspects of world music, with particular attention to jazz, as reflected in a substantial record collection built over many years.

Smith is the author of The Bahamas in Black & White, editor and co-author of Bahamian Art 1492-2992, and editorial consultant to The Jamaican Woman, a Celebration.

Sesthasak Boonchai

Sesthasak Boonchai is an artist and educator whose multidisciplinary practice explores how time and distance shape memory through drawing, painting, photography, time-based media, and installation. He has taught at institutions including The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, University of New Orleans, School of Visual Arts, Tulane University, and Maine College of Art. His work has been exhibited at The Mississippi Museum of Art, New Orleans Museum of Art, Contemporary Arts Center, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and Historic New Orleans Collection. Based in New Orleans, he is co-founder of Sound Sanctuary, a nonprofit amplifying Black music's cultural legacy through audio experiences and educational programs.