WHEREAS,
Gerald Wilson has helped open the doors to
gain recognition of jazz as an art form,
reflecting the American ideals of freedom
and individual expression balanced with group
responsibility and the common goal of teamwork
and unification; and,
WHEREAS,
Gerald Wilson’s Orchestra has, for
over sixty years, consistently given the
top jazz players of the West Coast an outlet
for musical employment and artistic expression
through live performance and recordings of
the highest order; and,
WHEREAS,
Gerald Wilson has added tremendously to the language,
breadth, and scope of jazz through innovative
and forward-looking arrangements and compositions
since his inaugural big band sixty-three years
ago; and,
WHEREAS,
Gerald Wilson has educated the masses in
the history of jazz and improvisation through
institutions of higher learning in California
for thirty-eight years; and,
WHEREAS,
Gerald has honored Monterey with unique commissioned
works celebrating the 20th, 40th and 50th
anniversaries of the Monterey Jazz Festival
entitled “The Happy Birthday Monterey
Suite” in 1977; “Theme for Monterey” in
1997; and “Monterey Moods” in
2007; and,
WHEREAS,
Gerald has remained a friend and patron of
the Monterey Jazz Festival for forty-five
years, returning to Monterey nine times as
a performer and countless times as a fan.
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT I, Chuck Della Sala, Mayor of the City of Monterey, on
behalf of the City Council and citizens, hereby recognize Gerald Wilson for
his achievements and lifelong dedication to music, creativity, education and
the advancement of the arts.
Dated: May
2, 2008
Chuck Della Sala,
Mayor |
