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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
21-95
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
July 14, 2015
To honor Blues Alley Jazz on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, and to declare July 2015 as “Blues Alley Jazz Month” in the District of Columbia.
WHEREAS, Blues Alley Jazz was founded in July, 1965 by trombonist Tommy Gwaltney in order to present the finest live jazz entertainment in Washington, D.C.;
WHEREAS, Blues Alley Jazz has been in existence for 50 years, serving as Washington, D.C.’s premier performance presenter and as the oldest continuously operating jazz supper club in the country;
WHEREAS, Blues Alley Jazz was acquired in 1973 by local impresario John Bunyan who acted as a catalyst by expanding the venue’s offerings, increasing its market profile, memorializing performances via live recordings, and pioneering programming by producing music education for children;
WHEREAS, Blues Alley Jazz, in cooperation with internationally renowned jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, elevated the visibility of the club in 1985 by initiating nonprofit programming through its Blues Alley Jazz Society;
WHEREAS, the nonprofit Blues Alley Jazz Society was similarly acknowledged by the Council of the District of Columbia on April 10, 2015 for its mission to promote youth, jazz and education here in the District of Columbia;
WHEREAS, Blues Alley Jazz honors our nation’s indigenous jazz heritage with its own Blues Alley Youth Orchestra, Summer Jazz Camp, and BIG BAND JAM! jazz festival for children;
WHEREAS, Blues Alley Jazz has rekindled the careers of jazz’s inimitable past by presenting such notable luminaries as Count Basie, Sarah Vaughn, Dave Brubeck, Tony Bennett, Miles Davis, and Ella Fitzgerald; and
WHEREAS, Blues Alley Jazz has ignited the legends of jazz artists Wynton Marsalis, Eva Cassidy, Charlie Byrd, Ramsey Lewis, and Ahmad Jamal through live recordings.
IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that the Council of the District of Columbia recognizes the significance of Blues Alley Jazz and pays tribute to this legendary jazz landmark that enjoys international recognition as both an industry leader and as our official jazz ambassador to the world. Moreover, we appreciate the cultural contributions of owners Harry Schnipper and Madeline Diehl as they continue to perpetuate the landmark legacy of Blues Alley Jazz as a Washington, D.C. jazz institution and, therefore, declare July 2015 as “Blues Alley Jazz Month” in the District of Columbia.
Sec. 2. This resolution may be cited as the “Blues Alley Jazz Recognition Resolution of 2015”.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.
