Milton Hinton (1910-2000)
Sarah Vaughan, Pearl Bailey, and Ella Fitzgerald, Television Studio,
Pasadena, California, c. 1979
Gelatin silver print
11 x 14 in. (27.9 x 35.6 cm) – 16 1/2 x 20 1/2 in. (41.9 x 52 cm)
Gift of the Class of 1992
The Mishkin Gallery

Recognized as one of the best American jazz bassists of the 20th century, Milton Hinton spent many years between Chicago and New York City performing with the most influential jazz figures of his time. After several years with the Cab Calloway band, Hinton recorded decades worth of albums and TV shows on his own. He developed a passion for photography that led to a collection of thousands of pictures portraying some of the most legendary moments and figures of American Jazz history.

In this picture, we see three of the most influential voices of jazz: Sarah Vaughan, Pearl Bailey, and Ella Fitzgerald. The trio is rehearsing a medley of songs for the “Third Annual Kraft All‐Star Salute: Pearl Bailey,” a show honoring Miss Bailey’s 40 years in show business which aired from 10 to 11 pm on CBS‐TV on March,14th 1979. The final performance included fragments from some of the most recognizable tunes of the time: “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” “Perdido,” “Don’t Mean a Thing,” “Cherokee-Sarah Vaughan,” “Sweet Georgia Brown.” Hinton performed in the show as well.

In this photograph, three of the most powerful and beautiful female voices of the great American jazz era come together to create a magical musical moment. If you still believe that this is a man’s world, they surely remind you that it means nothing without a woman.