Legacy Museum to host exhibit, events about legendary bassist Milton Hinton

September 07, 2018

Contact: Brittney Dabney, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
  

A current exhibit and upcoming events at 抖阴短视频鈥檚 Legacy Museum will memorialize famed legendary bass player and photographer Milton John Hinton. During his seven-decade career, Hinton became one of the most recorded bassists in history, while also capturing behind-the-scenes life in music.

During the week of September 11-14, the Legacy Museum will host 鈥淧laying the Changes: The Life and Legacy of Milt Hinton,鈥� a traveling exhibition of the Oberlin Conservatory Library. The exhibit combines Hinton鈥檚 original photographs with insightful biographical materials.

The exhibit provides an unrivaled perspective on the life and legacy of one of the 20th century鈥檚 most accomplished bass players, while also documenting the sobering racial inequalities faced by African-Americans throughout the 20th century.

The grandson of a slave growing up in rural Mississippi, Hinton knew the realities of racism. Discrimination continued during his Jim Crow-era travels with the Cab Calloway Orchestra in the 1930s and 鈥�40s. Later, segregation persisted when Hinton worked to break through the color line in New York recording studios.

鈥淭he title of this exhibit, 鈥楶laying the Changes,鈥� is metaphoric because Milt Hinton did just that 鈥� he played the changes of life by dealing with life in a segregated America, overcoming hardship, and being able to see America change throughout the years,鈥� said Legacy Museum curator, Dr. Jontyle Robinson.

Through his hard work, Hinton became known as a first-call studio musician in the recording industry.

鈥淢r. Hinton would be one of the firsts that recording agencies would call, because he was reliable, talented and creative,鈥� noted Robinson. 鈥淗e worked with performers across the spectrum of styles, from Cab Calloway to Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Barbara Streisand to Paul McCartney.鈥�

Not only was he a musician, but Hinton developed an interest in and eye for photography. He began taking photographs of his friends in the 1930s and, during the following six decades, his collection grew to more than 60,000 images.

One of his photographs on display as part of the exhibit is of recently deceased Aretha Franklin, during a recording session. In the photo, a confident Franklin is seen before or between a set 鈥� 鈥渟erene, perfectly dressed, perched atop a stool with legs crossed at the ankles and her feet splendidly adorned in wonderful high-heeled shoes,鈥� Robinson noted.

鈥淢r. Hinton reveals his mastery of the camera in the manner like no other. He was rare in that he was a master of both the musical and visual arts,鈥� Robinson said.

The exhibit includes 50 framed black-and white pigment prints that highlight Hinton鈥檚 passion for capturing moments in history. The prints are featured selections from the Milton J. and Mona C. Hinton Collection and the Oberlin Conservatory Library Special Collections.

鈥淗e captured and documented the extraordinary lives of several notable celebrities, including Wynton Marsalis and Cab Calloway 鈥� you name them, and they鈥檙e on the walls of the Legacy Museum,鈥� Robinson noted.

In conjunction with the Milt Hinton exhibit, David Berger and Holly Maxson will show their film and lead a question-and-answer session focused on Hinton on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Thursday鈥檚 events honoring Hinton will begin at 4 p.m. with Dr. Willie Ruff鈥檚 media presentation 鈥� 鈥淎 Tuskegee-trained Tailor, Mr. Handy鈥檚 Blues, a Band and a Parade鈥� 鈥� followed by a musical performance by Antoine Roney and Kojo Roney.
   

   
鈥淏ecause of the accommodation of music and the visual arts, we like to highlight interdisciplinary exhibits in the museum to educate our students. Through this effort, we hope to open their eyes to our continued history,鈥� Robinson explained. 

The exhibit is sponsored by Jock Reynolds, former director of the Yale University Art Gallery, and his wife, Suzanne Hellmuth.

鈥淭he Legacy Museum is proud to have this important exhibition, and we could not have done this without the support and generosity of Jock and Suzanne. This is a phenomenal exhibit and we urge everyone to come and view it,鈥� Robinson said.

The 鈥淧laying the Changes: The Life and Legacy of Milt Hinton鈥� exhibition will be on display through the end of 2018. It is open to the public without an appointment during the Legacy Museum鈥檚 normal hours of operation 鈥� Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To learn more about the Legacy Museum, visit  /legacymuseum.

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