Obama Salutes Jazz Great Brubeck, Springsteen, DeNiro, Bumbrey, Mel Brooks at Kennedy Center

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

Obama Salutes Jazz Great Brubeck at Kennedy Center

Stars, politicians line up to honor Springsteen, De Niro, Brubeck, with Kennedy Center Honors
By BRETT ZONGKER Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON December 7, 2009 (AP) The Associated Press

Nearly 40 years ago, a Kenyan father was visiting his son in Hawaii and took him to his first jazz concert. The boy was Barack Obama and the performer was jazz great Dave Brubeck.

"I've been a jazz fan ever since," the president said Sunday, crediting the pianist and composer with bringing jazz into the mainstream and transforming it with new rhythms. "The world that he opened up for a 10-year-old boy was spectacular."

Obama greeted Brubeck at the White House on the musician's 89th birthday. The musician was lauded with the Kennedy Center Honors, along with rocker Bruce Springsteen, actor Robert De Niro, comic genius Mel Brooks and opera singer Grace Bumbry.

- snip -

Jon Stewart opened the tribute to Springsteen, recounting his theory on how The Boss came to be.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=9266337

[Demeter]

1. I'm Waiting for the Award to Leonard Nimoy

Seeing as Obama is a Trekkie and Spock fan, which is starting to look like his best point (and another betrayal, by the way).

[taurus145]

2. Brubeck, Schmoobeck

Brubeck would have remained a lounge player without Paul Desmond (original member 1951) and Joe Morello (joined in 1958).

Yup. I'm prejudiced about Desmond and Morello.

[Wizard777]

3. Did Bruce Springsteen ever find that bus to 82nd street?

:shrug:

[The Wizard]

4. Does this mean

Springtime for "you know who" has become mainstream?
"Joy of joys, dream of dreams. They're going to clear Der Fuehrer's name."
(Franz Liepkund)

[DFW]

5. That's one event I would have flown back to DC for

I saw the Brubeck quartet with Desmond, Morello and Wright back in the mid-sixties. My dad even got me
the Take Five album with autographs from all four of them (who the hell knows where that one landed?)

But it sounds like the whole event was one memorable personality after another. Just wow!!! When Democrats
are in office, the country suddenly seems to remember that it has more artists than Chuck Norris, country
and western singers, and Don Rickles.

[Mike Daniels]

6. I suggest you look at prior Kennedy Center winners even during the Bush years

Neither the president nor the political party in power has anything to do with the selection of KCH artists.

[DFW]

10. No, I guess not, but the priority accorded them by the man in the Oval Office makes a difference n/t

[Blue_Tires]

7. cool...De Niro was there, too!

[groundloop]

8. Not that these folks aren't deserving, but what about some Chicago Blues Artists

President Obama does count Chicago as his hometown now, so I've been a tad disappointed that there hasn't been more recognition of some of the Chicago Blues greats.

[mopinko]

9. boy, how

would you pick?