4420 Hon. G.K. Butterfield Hon. Corrine Brown Hon

4420 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS March 29, 2006 PRESIDENT HU JINTAO— TRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY LEADER and artistic presence for which she has re- PRESIDENT OF CHINA PAULA WHITNEY ceived international acclaim. She came to our community from Detroit, Michigan where she HON. G.K. BUTTERFIELD HON. ANTHONY D. WEINER and her sister Sharon were raised by their OF NEW YORK grandmother. Dianne inherited a love of music OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES from her parents and as a child, took piano IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wednesday, March 29, 2006 lessons and sang at every opportunity. While Wednesday, March 29, 2006 singing with the George Washington High Mr. WEINER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in School big band, she was spotted by jazz Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, it is with recognition of a great civic and community trumpeter Clark Terry at the National Associa- great importance we have the opportunity to leader, Paula Whitney, upon her retirement as tion of Jazz Educators Conference in Chicago discuss Chinese President Hu Jintao’s upcom- President of the Mill Basin Civic Association. where the band took first place in the 1974 ing visit to Washington this April. During his Paula Whitney is a lifetime resident of the Mill visit, a number of issues will be discussed with Basin community and can trace her roots back jazz festival. She studied music at the Univer- President Bush, especially the issue of Tai- to one of the first families to establish a resi- sity of Denver before moving to Los Angeles wan. dence in the area. She has a deep love for in 1976. Dianne experimented with various musical genres including Latin American We welcome President Hu Jintao and we this close knit Brooklyn community and has hope his visit will help reduce mounting ten- dedicated a large part of her time and energy music and toured with Eduardo Del Barrio’s sions in the Taiwan Strait. to ensuring the opportunities provided to her group ‘‘Caldera.’’ She sang with the Billie Child’s ‘‘Night Flights’’ jazz band and later As President Hu Jintao visits Washington, and her family over the years are preserved toured with both Sergio Mendez and Harry we urge the administration and the inter- and fortified for future community residents. national community to help China accept the Paula Whitney joined the Mill Basin Civic Belafonte as his lead singer. universal values of democracy, freedom and Association in 1979 and held several offices In 1987, Reeves was the first vocalist human rights and to renounce the use of force before being elected president in 1989. As signed to the reactivated Blue Note/EMI label. to resolve the Taiwan issue. president, Paula Whitney has spearheaded Reeves has recorded with Daniel Barenboin Mr. Speaker, I welcome President Hu Jintao many campaigns to improve the Mill Basin and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, with to the United States and hope that he has pro- community and keep it family friendly. She has Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic ductive meetings with the administration on a brought many problems that otherwise might and she has also recorded and performed ex- wide range of issues, especially the issue of be swept under a rug into the light of day and tensively with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Taiwan. had an uncanny ability to demand the proper Center Jazz Orchestra. Over the course of nu- amount of attention and respect from elected merous recordings and hundreds of live per- f officials, our local police precinct and our local formances, Dianne Reeves has burnished a schools. Thanks in large part to Paula Whit- reputation as a versatile and vivacious singer THE ELLA J. GILMORE STREET ney’s persistence and hard work, no issue who has been compared to such masters of DESIGNATION raised at her meetings ever went unanswered. jazz as Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Paula Whitney taught civic responsibility by Carmen McRae and Sarah Vaughn. example, and her two children, Michael HON. CORRINE BROWN Francis and Jeanne Marie, learned it well. Dianne Reeves is in a class by herself. She OF FLORIDA Jeanne serves on the civics’ Board of Direc- won her fourth Best Jazz Vocal Grammy IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES tors. Paula is married to Allan Whitney, a civic Award for the soundtrack to the critically ac- Wednesday, March 29, 2006 leader in his own right, who serves as the claimed Good Night, And Good Luck, which Third Vice President. chronicles Edward R. Murrow’s confrontation Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Paula’s dedication to our community runs with Senator Joseph McCarthy. Dianne is the Speaker, on behalf of Congressional District deeper than devoting herself to just one orga- only artist to have three consecutive record- Three, the Central Florida community, and the nization. She has represented her Mill Basin ings win in the jazz vocal category—A Little City of Apopka, it is my sincere pleasure to community at School Board meetings, served Moonlight, The Calling: A Tribute to Sarah congratulate Ella J. Gilmore for this historic as a former Board Member of the Mill Bergen Vaughn and In the Moment, She is an Ella street name designation. Chemical People Task Force, as a member of Fitzgerald Award recipient and was awarded Your numerous noteworthy accomplish- the Flatlands Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and the Denver Mayor’s Award for Excellence in ments and leadership in the Central Florida as a member of Community Board 18, where the Arts. She was the first Creative Chair for community includes work in the early 1970’s in she is chairperson of the Libraries Committee. Jazz of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orches- obtaining street paving and lighting for West Therefore, on behalf of the United States tra and has performed throughout Europe and 14th Street residents. You coordinated and House of Representatives, I congratulate Asia. Reeves is the first internationally re- provided leadership for the Orange County’s Paula Whitney upon the completion of her nowned jazz artist to perform in Qatar and re- South Apopka Targeted Initiative Pilot Project service as president of the Mill Basin Civic As- cently, she was the featured performer at in 1991, which included community improve- sociation and thank her for her many years of UNICEF’s Annual Gala in New York City. ment projects, street lighting and paving, pub- hard work on behalf of my constituents and lic facilities and youth programs in the South the City of New York. We are indeed fortunate to have an artist of Apopka community. f such consummate reputation and international It has often been said, ‘‘To whom much is acclaim in our community. She has mastered TRIBUTE TO DIANNE REEVES given, much is required.’’ This statement is ex- a wide range of styles and interpretation, all of hibited by the work you have done and con- which reflect both a perceptive and unique ar- tinues to be done in your position as Deputy HON. DIANA DeGETTE tistic ability and skill. Her artistic sensibilities Director of the Orange County Health and OF COLORADO are set apart by a fidelity to the spirit of var- Family Services Department. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ious compositions and renderings of notable Continue to let your light shine as God di- Wednesday, March 29, 2006 artists; by an intimate expression of mood and emotion and a style of singular elegance, so- rects your path in your mission to impact this Ms. DEGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to phistication and grace. and other Central Florida communities. Your recognize the extraordinary accomplishments unending involvement helps to improve the of a remarkable woman in the 1st Congres- We owe much to our artists as they have quality of many, many individual lives. Your sional District of Colorado. It is both fitting and the unique ability to distill our cultural essence community involvement will never go unno- proper that we recognize Dianne Reeves for from our collective experience. Please join me ticed. her preeminent artistic achievement and her in commending Dianne Reeves, a distin- Again, I say ‘‘Congratulations.’’ It is an excellence in numerous creative endeavors. guished artist. Her gifts enhance our culture honor to say you are truly a ‘‘Phenomenal Dianne Reeves has used her talent, skill and her contributions have enriched the Amer- Woman.’’ and energy to create an inimitable musical ican Experience.

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