[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 83 (Thursday, May 18, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1073]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        TRIBUTE TO CAMARA KAMBON

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                           HON. KWEISI MFUME

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 18, 1995
  Mr. MFUME. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor an individual who has 
demonstrated talent and ambition at a very early age. His name is 
Camara Yero Kambon, which means ``teacher, warrior, of the people,'' 
his creative aptitude and musical gifts appear endless.
  Camara has a wide variety of musical interest and ability. Whether he 
is mastering the keyboard to produce an urban contemporary sound or 
melodically soothing you with a classical or jazz rendition, Camara 
always plays with poise and passion.
  As a native of Baltimore, he began his musical career at the age of 
3, when he learned to play the piano under the instruction of Odell 
Wilson of Delwar Studios. At 10, he was awarded a scholarship to attend 
the Peabody Preparatory of Music.
  His early focus was exclusively on classical and jazz piano but his 
instructors saw in him an endless energy and inexhaustible talent. 
Little did they know that he was also to become a perfectionist. Camara 
has explored rhythm and blues, jazz, fusion, house music, classical, 
and straight ahead jazz, but for the past few years he has worked on 
developing his own new and novel sound.
  His abilities have also been acclaimed in the numerous film scores he 
has helped produce, including several PBS documentaries and projects 
for Boston University, Cornell University, Blackside Film & Video, 
Inc., and most recently the film scores for, ``Malcolm X: Make it 
Plain'' and ``Frederick Douglass: When the Lion Wrote History.''
  His talents have earned him several scholarships over the years, 
including the Eubie Blake Scholarship, the Hilton Head Jazz Society 
Scholarship, the Boston Jazz Society Scholarship for Jazz Performance, 
the Berklee College of Music Merit Scholarship, and the Jesse Stone 
Scholarship.
  In the process of perfecting his sound he has compiled numerous 
awards for his hard work. He won the Emmanuel Zembelli Award for 
Classical Performance. He was a finalist in the ASCAP Young Composers 
Competition and the National Guild of Composers Competition. In 1991, 
he came in first place at the NAACP Act-So National Competition for 
music composition and won first place for contemporary music. He also 
won second place for music composition at the 1990 competition.
  In addition to the impressive array of awards, scholarships, and 
competitions, Camara has performed with some of music's most 
distinguished artists: Dizzy Gillespie, Gary Bartz, Phil Wilson, Chuck 
Rainey, Dennis Chambers, and Giovanni Hidalgo to name a few.
  Outside of his music, Camara finds it absolutely essential to develop 
himself as a role model for younger people. While others have continued 
to praise him as a musical prodigy, Camara hasn't forgotten his 
commitment to others.
  Camara's mother, Anana, has sacrificed over the years in order to see 
both her children's talents flourish. She has never failed to 
encourage, support, and share in the growth and development of her 
children. Camara probably wouldn't have had the same opportunity to 
develop his gifts if it were not for his mother's selflessness and 
dedication to him.
  This is a young man to watch, Mr. Speaker. I have no doubt that 
Camara's greatest artistic abilities have yet to be discovered. As he 
graduates this month from the Berklee College of Music in Boston I want 
to pay tribute to his numerous achievements and thank him for 
presenting his many talents with love and dedication.
  Our Nation and its people join the citizens of Baltimore in 
congratulating Camara Kambon and wishing him continued success.


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