...In August 1957, I packed my bags & moved to Paris after Nicole Barclay hired me to work for
Barclay Records as musical director, arranger, & conductor.
I was only 24 years old & wanted to suck up as much knowledge as possible, but Paris was shut
down at the time, so I hurried to the S. of France to join Nicole & her husband, Eddie, in Cannes
(after they told me I could stay at their villa until I could return).
Even though I had toured Europe with Hamp, nothing I’d seen/experienced prepared me for the
surreal world that was the S. of France.
It was like the epicenter of culture...
I’ll never forget the day when Nicole, Eddie, & I were sitting in a restaurant when Pablo Picasso
(who also happened to be our neighbor at the villa), his wife Jacqueline & a friend walked in.
They joined us, Pablo ordered sole meuniere, ate the fish carefully, arranged his silverware neatly
when he finished eating, & gently inched the plate with the fish bones into the sunlight.
He knew exactly where to place it so that it became parched enough to serve
as the masters canvas...
Then he took some pens & turned the bones into a multi-colored Picasso design.
When Nicole said, “Check, please,” Picasso pushed his plate forward...
His way of paying...
The next day those bones were on the wall!!
He opened my 24 year old eyes to the true value of art & I told Nicole that
“I want to be just like him when I grow up!”
...Happy Birthday Pablo!
You will always be the absolute definition of authenticity & creativity...
And I’m forever grateful for the lessons you taught me!
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