Tuesday, December 15, 2009

House Honors "Kind of Blue"

Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan), who recently received a request from the POTUS to stop "demeaning" him, hasn't been able to get the House to vote on or even talk about a genuine single-payer health care plan.

But Conyers was able to get 409 votes for a resolution honoring the late Miles Davis' jazz classic "Kind of Blue."

Given that Conyers is from Detroit, perhaps he might see fit to get the House to recognize the 40th anniversary of the Detroit-based MC5 classic "Kick Out The Jams." The album is #294 on Rolling Stone's top 500 and includes the rebel anthem "Motor City Is Burning." Somehow I don't think Conyers would get 409 votes for that one, and he might even end up getting another tense call from the POTUS.


HRES 894

111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 894
Honoring the 50th anniversary of the recording of the album ‘Kind of Blue’ and reaffirming jazz as a national treasure
EH

H.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 5, 2009
Mr. CONYERS (for himself, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. MCGOVERN, and Mr. ABERCROMBIE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
RESOLUTION
Honoring the 50th anniversary of the recording of the album ‘Kind of Blue’ and reaffirming jazz as a national treasure
Res. 894

In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

December 15, 2009.

Whereas, on August 17, 1959, Miles Davis, Jimmy Cobb, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, John Coltrane, and Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley collaborated to record the album ‘Kind of Blue’;

Whereas ‘Kind of Blue’ ranks 12th on the list of the ‘500 Greatest Albums of All Time’ published by Rolling Stone magazine;

Whereas ‘Kind of Blue’ was recorded in 1959, the year Columbia Records declared ‘jazz’s greatest year’;

Whereas ‘Kind of Blue’ marked the beginning of the mass popularity of jazz in the United States;

Whereas in 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America awarded ‘Kind of Blue’ quadruple-platinum status, meaning 4,000,000 copies of the album had been sold;

Whereas in 2002, the Library of Congress added ‘Kind of Blue’ to the National Recording Registry;

Whereas ‘Kind of Blue’ was recognized as the bestselling record in the history of jazz;

Whereas 50 years after the release of ‘Kind of Blue’, MOJO magazine honored the Legacy Edition of the album by giving it the ‘Best Catalogue Release of the Year’ award;

Whereas ‘Kind of Blue’ both redefined the concept of jazz for musicians and changed the perceptions of jazz held by many fans;

Whereas today, the sole surviving member of the Miles Davis Sextet, Jimmy Cobb, is performing and touring with his So What Band in tribute to the 50th anniversary of ‘Kind of Blue’; and

Whereas ‘Kind of Blue’ continues to be the standard masterpiece of jazz for American musicians and audiences: Now, therefore, be it

Attest:

Clerk.

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