[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22427]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 IN HONOR OF THE MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 31, 2007

  Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Monterey Jazz 
Festival, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary this September in 
remarkable style. The Monterey Jazz Festival is a nonprofit 
organization that provides year-round jazz education programs locally, 
regionally, nationally, and internationally. The festival is famous for 
being the longest running jazz festival in the world and deserves 
recognition for its dedication to enabling the uniquely American form 
of music to remain alive in our community and country.
  The Monterey Jazz Festival began as a dream for cofounders Jimmy 
Lyons and Ralph Gleason. In 1958, the dream finally became a reality 
with the commencement of the first Monterey Jazz Festival. The festival 
attracted many brilliant artists to the stage such as Dizzy Gillespie, 
Louis Armstrong, John Lewis, Shelly Manne, Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, 
Ernestine Anderson, Harry James, Max Roach and Billie Holiday. Ever 
since that initial festival, one full weekend in September is devoted 
to the Monterey Jazz Festival, which presents the best jazz performers 
in the world for a 3-day celebration. The Monterey Jazz Festival not 
only presents live performances, but it also features jazz 
conversations, panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, clinics, and 
an international array of food, shopping and festivities spread across 
the 3-day extravaganza.
  Although the Monterey Jazz Festival is mostly recognized for its 
importance to the legacy of jazz, it is also devoted to keeping jazz 
alive in future generations and has donated its proceeds to musical 
education since its beginning. In fact, every spring, the Monterey Jazz 
Festival holds the ``Next Generation Festival'' which invites top 
student bands from across the country to compete in several music 
competitions, attend clinics and concerts, and even audition for the 
Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. By conferring so many educational 
scholarships to deserving students, the Monterey Jazz Festival displays 
its commitment to music and education. After 50 years of incredible 
jazz performances, the Monterey Jazz Festival continues to keep the 
tradition alive.
  Madam Speaker, it is an honor to recognize an organization that is so 
deeply devoted to the perpetuation and education of jazz. I am excited 
for this year's celebration and look forward to many more years of jazz 
in the Monterey Peninsula.

                          ____________________