Morning Jazz host Gary Walker recently celebrated his 60th birthday, and the jazz community wasn’t the only one to recognize this important milestone. At Gary’s surprise birthday celebration, he received the following proclamation:

The Newark Municipal Council Hereby issues this resolution commending Gary Walker on the auspicious occasion of celebrating his 60th birthday on October 17, 2009 @ The Glenridge Community Center. The governing body joins with all residents of the city of Newark to extend heartfelt congratulations during this wholesome event

Congrats Gary!

Today is the 87th birthday of a jazz legend - Dr. Billy Taylor. Last night, on the eve of this very special day, Dr. T was one of several featured pianists at the 92nd Street Y in the Jazz in July series. He likes the name of that series because he came up with it himself when he helped to found a summer program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Just this month, Taylor quietly stepped down from his Jazz in July, and U Mass expressed gratitude for many summers on its website. Click to read the story.

Also this summer, Taylor is involved in a development right here in our town. Now we have a Brick City branch of Jazzmobile, the teaching organization he helped found in Harlem.  Newark Jazzmobile is named for the late bassist Earl May, who first proposed it but did not live to see it happen. Click here for the Jazzmobile schedule. Houston Person plays tonight at Mildred Helms Park in the South Ward! Click and hear Billy Taylor play "A Night in Tunisia" on WBGO's (then) new Steinway, live on the air in the 1980s. Another Great Live Moment from WBGO.

Becca