Honoring Life and Work of Duke Ellington

HONORING LIFE AND WORK OF DUKE ELLINGTON -- (House of Representatives - September 29, 2004)

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.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

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.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BURNS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

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.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

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.