On the Scene on WZUM - we salute Duke Ellington at the close of April, Jazz Appreciation Month. We’ll also hear sounds from the special 70th birthday party event held by President Nixon in 1969.

Celebrations of Duke by many notables, and also some Pittsburgh natives, too!

Thursday at 6pm, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday afternoon at 5.

It was April 29, 1969. President Richard Nixon threw a 70th birthday party for Duke Ellington at the White House, where he awarded the maestro the Medal of Freedom. The whole event was from the impetus of White House attorney, saxophonist and one-time Woody Herman band member, Leonard Garment - who later was involved in the defense of Nixon during Watergate.

But this was in April of 1969 - early in President Nixon’s first term. While the event was considered a bit controversial, the opportunity to honor Washington DC Native Duke Ellington was too big to pass up.

The Voice of America's Willis Conover organized the band and performers for the occasion, which included Bill Berry, Clark Terry, J.J. Johnson, Urbie Green, Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan, Jim Hall, Billy Taylor, Hank Jones, Dave Brubeck, Earl Hines, Milt Hinton, Louie Bellson, Joe Williams and Mary Mayo. Ellington himself performed an original called "Pat," in honor of the President's wife.

The Voice of America recorded and broadcast the concert - OVERSEAS - within a week of the event. But we almost never got to hear the event in the states - until attorney and saxophonist Leonard Garment managed to convince his old friend, guitarist Jim Hall, to sign a release to allow the concert to become a 2002 Blue Note Records Release. In an interview with NPR’s Bob Edwards and Garment in 2002, Jim Hall said that young pianist Bill Charlap told him “when you’re gone, they’re going to release it, anyway..” that he might as well contribute to jazz history.