The young girl in this photograph was seven years old when the picture was taken in 1966. She is Yoyo Maeght.
The man in the photograph is the Catalonian artist Joan Miró. Admirers of Duke Ellington will realise where this post is going...
Between 26 and 29 July, 1966, Duke Ellington and his Orchestra appeared at la Côte d'Azur with Ella Fitzgerald.
Fifty-seven years ago today, 27 July, 1966, a trio consisting of Duke Ellington on piano, John Lamb on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums played for Joan Miró at The Foundation Maeght, St Paul de Vence, France.
Yoyo Maeght is the granddaughter of French art dealer Aimé Maeght, founder, editor and publisher of the French art magazine Derrière le Miroir.
Yoyo was present at that recording session and we can step through the looking glass via this delightful photograph I happened upon on-line recently...
In her book La Saga Maeght and the chapter The Minotaur watches over us, Yoyo writes...
A summer of 1966, here I am alongside Duke Ellington
"Miró and I are moving along the path that leads to the Foundation. Grandpa is there, among jazz musicians seated on a terrace with their instruments and our big Steinway which has been taken out. A black giant strikes down chords. Grandpa introduces me and Here I am sitting next to Duke Ellington, playing duet. Then the Duke improvises a memorable "Blues for Miró". Miró listens attentively, I stay by his side.
At the end of the piece, Miró explains to me that, although the notes are so few, like the colors, their combinations are infinite. For me to understand even better - I'm only seven years old - he evokes Prévert who, with the same words as everyone, as me, gives life to unique poems. This discussion will forever change my life. The source is simple, genius does everything."
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