[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 120 (Wednesday, September 29, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H7806-H7808]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING LIFE AND WORK OF DUKE ELLINGTON
Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 501) honoring the life and work of
Duke Ellington, recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Duke Ellington
School of the Arts, and supporting the annual Duke Ellington Jazz
Festival.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 501
Whereas jazz music is America's classical music and is an
art form that is indigenous to the United States;
Whereas the influence of jazz has spread across the world
and jazz truly incorporates and transcends differences of
nationality, religion, language, culture, socioeconomic
status, and race;
Whereas Edward Kennedy ``Duke'' Ellington, who was born on
April 29, 1899 in Washington, D.C., and died on May 24, 1974
in New York City, was one of the pioneers of jazz music;
Whereas Duke Ellington formed his first band in 1917;
Whereas over the course of his 50-year musical career, Duke
Ellington took jazz to the farthest corners of the world,
performing in Europe, the Soviet Union, Japan, and Australia
during the 1960's on diplomatic tours sponsored by the
Department of State;
Whereas among his numerous other public honors, Duke
Ellington was appointed to the National Council on the Arts
in 1968, received the President's Gold Medal in 1966 from
President Lyndon Johnson, and was awarded the Presidential
Medal of Freedom, the highest honor a civilian can receive in
the United States, in 1969;
Whereas Duke Ellington has also received many awards and
honors from private entities, including 13 GRAMMY Awards from
the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences over 40
years, the Pied Piper Award from the American Society of
Composers, Authors, and Publishers in 1968, and honorary
doctoral degrees from 16 institutions;
Whereas after the death of Duke Ellington, Western High
School in Washington, D.C., was renamed the Duke Ellington
School of the Arts and is celebrating its 30th anniversary
this year;
Whereas the House of Representatives has declared that jazz
is a rare and valuable national treasure that deserves
attention, support, and resources to ensure that it is
preserved, understood, and promulgated;
Whereas Washington, D.C., does not currently host its own
jazz festival;
Whereas Charles Fishman, who was Dizzy Gillespie's personal
manager and producer until his death and is highly regarded
in the jazz world, has established the Duke Ellington Jazz
Festival, a non-profit organization which will produce an
annual Duke Ellington Jazz Festival in Washington, D.C.,
beginning in 2005;
Whereas Duke Ellington Jazz Festival will consist of events
across Washington, D.C., over a number of days, most of which
will be free of charge, and will culminate in 2 days of
concerts on the National Mall;
Whereas the rich musical legacy, international character,
and diverse community of Washington, D.C. make it the ideal
city to host a world-class international jazz festival; and
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Whereas the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival will soon become
known as one of the leading jazz festivals in the world,
showcasing the best in jazz music in the shadow of the United
States Capitol: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress--
(1) honors the life and work of Duke Ellington and his
immortal contributions to American and world music;
(2) recognizes the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in
Washington, D.C., on the occasion of its 30th anniversary;
and
(3) supports the annual Duke Ellington Jazz Festival to be
held in Washington, D.C., beginning in 2005.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Burns) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Burns).
General Leave
Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on H. Con. Res. 501.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 501
offered by the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton)
which honors the life and work of Duke Ellington, recognizes the 30th
anniversary of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and supports the
annual Duke Ellington Jazz Festival.
Edward Kennedy ``Duke'' Ellington was born on April 29, 1899 in
Washington, D.C., and formed his first band in 1917. Over the course of
his 50-year musical career, Duke Ellington pioneered jazz music and
took it to the farthest corners of the world, performing diplomatic
tours in Europe, the Soviet Union, Japan and Australia.
Among his numerous other public honors, Duke Ellington was appointed
to the National Council of the Arts in 1968, received the President's
Gold Medal in 1966 from President Lyndon Johnson, and was awarded the
Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor a civilian can receive
in the United States, in 1969 from President Nixon.
During his distinguished career, Duke Ellington received many awards
and honors from private entities, including 13 Grammy Awards from the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Pied Piper Award
from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and
honorary doctoral degrees from 16 different institutions.
Sadly, Duke Ellington died on May 24, 1974 in New York City. After
his death, Western High School in Washington, D.C. was renamed the Duke
Ellington School of the Arts, home of the famous Hexagon Theater.
This school seeks to meet the needs of talented students who are
considering careers in the arts by providing intensive arts instruction
through arts programs of the highest quality, and strong academic
programs that help each student meet the intellectual and artistic
challenges of their future.
Unfortunately, Washington, D.C. does not currently host its own jazz
festival. However, Charles Fishman, who was Dizzy Gillespie's personal
manager and producer until his death, and is highly regarded in the
jazz world, has established the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival, a
nonprofit organization which will produce an annual Duke Ellington Jazz
Festival in Washington, D.C. beginning in 2005.
Because of the District of Columbia's rich musical legacy,
international character, and diverse community, it is an ideal city to
host a world-class international jazz festival.
House Concurrent Resolution 501 does three things. First, it honors
the life and work of Duke Ellington and his immortal contributions to
American and world music. Second, it recognizes the Duke Ellington
School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. on the occasion of its 30th
anniversary. Finally, this resolution supports the annual Duke
Ellington Jazz Festival to be held in Washington, D.C. beginning in
2005.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, Duke Ellington has been called the ``quintessential
American composer'' and is one of the greats of world music history. He
brought a great deal of refinement and elegance to jazz.
His first piano lessons began around the age of 7, but it took seeing
a few great live performances to cement his commitment to music. The
Duke found piano playing jobs at clubs and cafes throughout the
Washington, D.C. area. In late 1917, he formed his first group. By the
late 1920s, his band became the most sought after band in the United
States. Duke Ellington and his band played everywhere from New York to
New Delhi, Chicago to Cairo, Los Angeles to London. Duke Ellington and
his band played with Miles Davis, Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella
Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, and Louis Armstrong, and entertained everyone
from queens to Presidents.
Thirty years ago, Washington, D.C. honored the Duke by renaming a
high school the Duke Ellington School of Arts. I am pleased that today
we will again honor the Duke by passing this resolution which came to
us through the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton)
who knows good music when she hears it. This resolution commemorates
Duke Ellington's life and work, and supports the annual Duke Ellington
Jazz Festival on the mall.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this
time, and also for her help on this bill. I thank the gentleman from
Georgia who is managing the bill for his excellent statement and for
bringing the bill forward.
I also would like to begin by thanking my good friends who have taken
a special interest in this bill, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr.
Conyers) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), as well as
the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner) and the gentleman from
California (Mr. George Miller), the ranking member, for scheduling this
resolution.
I rise today to honor the 30th anniversary of the Duke Ellington High
School named for the legendary composer and musician, the great Duke
Ellington, a native son of the District of Columbia. The genius and
artistry of Duke Ellington and his fabulous 50-year career are
universally recognized. Many of today's musicians, from a variety of
genres, but most especially jazz, look to Ellington as the world-class
leader of the American classic, jazz.
I am pleased to recognize his achievements during the 30th year
anniversary of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, a nationally
acclaimed high school that trains talented area students in a variety
of arts such as dance, theater, instrumental music and the visual arts.
The Duke Ellington School of the Arts operates in the tradition of
Ellington excellence. It has a partnership with the John F. Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts and offers a college preparatory
curriculum with advanced placement courses and professional artistic
training. Students perform and work at professional-quality levels. Its
graduates, such as the famous soprano, Denise Graves, have carried the
Ellington tradition proudly into the arts. The work of students and
graduates alike have shown that the high school is worthy of the
Ellington name.
Duke Ellington was much celebrated during his glittering career. He
was a recipient of the President's Gold Medal in 1966 and of the
Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969. He won 13 Grammy awards and
numerous honors from organization all over the world. His music gave
rise to the famed Cotton Club, which showcased jazz talent from Sarah
Vaughn to Ella Fitzgerald to Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong.
The popularity of jazz music that he helped spread spawned the
creation of Blue Note Records, the influential jazz recording label
which is marking its 65th anniversary this year. Music critics have
been writing about jazz in the
[[Page H7808]]
equally important Downbeat Magazine which is celebrating its 70th
anniversary.
Jazz is our much-celebrated unique American treasure, and Ellington
was the leader of the band. We are particularly pleased to recognize
the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival which will begin next fall. It will
feature a number of artistic events culminating in 2 days of concerts
on the National Mall. It is especially fitting this festival will take
place here in the Nation's Capital, Duke Ellington's birthplace and the
city that nurtured his talent on the 30th anniversary of the
extraordinary high school named for the Duke.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for and support H. Con.
Res. 501.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey)
and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) for
bringing H. Con. Res. 501 to the floor today. I urge my colleagues to
support this measure. All of us have been impacted by the life and work
of Duke Ellington.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, he has been called the
``quintessential American composer'' and considered to be one of
``great musicians along with Bach and Beethoven and Shoenberg.'' Duke
Ellington brought a level of refinement and elegance to jazz.
The Duke's first piano lessons began around the age of seven--but
like many youngsters--he was more interested in going to the Washington
Senators baseball games than practicing. It took seeing a few great
live performances, even sneaking out of school to seek out and listen
to ragtime pianists in Washington and, during the summers, in
Philadelphia or Atlantic City, where he and his mother vacationed. Duke
was taken under the wings of Oliver ``Doc'' Perry and Louis Brown, who
taught Duke how to read music and helped improve his overall piano
playing skills. Duke found piano playing jobs at clubs and cafes
throughout the Washington area.
In late 1917, Duke formed his first group: The Duke's Serenaders,
which years later was renamed as The Washingtonians. By the late 1920s,
Duke's band became the most sought-after band in the United States and
even throughout the world. Duke Ellington and his band went on to play
everywhere from New York to New Delhi, Chicago to Cairo, and Los
Angeles to London. Ellington and his band played with such greats as
Miles Davis, Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony
Bennett and Louis Armstrong. They entertained everyone from Queen
Elizabeth II to President Nixon.
Duke Ellington did not just make an impact on music to the world, but
he made his hometown of Washington, DC, proud. Thirty years ago
Washington, DC, honored him by renaming one high school the Duke
Ellington School of the Arts. It only makes sense that in 2005,
Washington, DC, will be able to honor The Duke of Jazz once again by
hosting 2 days of concerts on the National Mall each year as the Duke
Ellington Jazz Festival.
Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Burns) that the House suspend the rules and
agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 501.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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