Label
Councilwoman McPherson
Title
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Toledo Jazz Legend, Jon Hendricks.
Summary
WHEREAS, Jon Hendricks, a legend in the jazz world who taught at The University of Toledo 16 years, died Nov. 22, 2017 at age 96 in New York City; and
WHEREAS, Jon Hendricks was born in Newark, Ohio, in September 16, 1921; his family moved to Toledo when he was 4 years old where they lived on the same street as Toledo’s other jazz legend, pianist Art Tatum; and
WHEREAS, at age 14, Jon Hendricks started performing at the Waiters and Bellmen’s Club on Indiana Avenue in Toledo, of which recalled “I met a lot of people at 14 - Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk, Don Redman. I met just about anybody that there was because everybody came to hear Art Tatum;” and
WHEREAS, Jon Hendricks, the Scott High School graduate sang in Detroit and in the Glass City - until he was drafted into the army in 1942; there after serving his country, returned to Toledo; and
WHEREAS, Jon Hendricks, in 1946, he enrolled at The University of Toledo, where he studied literature and law; some of his poetry was published in The Collegian, UT’s student newspaper; all the while, he worked as a singer and drummer at night; even sat in with Charlie “Bird” Parker when he played the Civic Auditorium in Toledo in 1950; and
WHEREAS, Jon Hendricks started writing and trying to sell his songs, where, after some success on his own, he teamed up with Dave Lambert; and in 1955, they wrote “Four Brothers,” which they recorded as Jon Hendricks and the Dave Lambert Singers; and
WHEREAS, after “Sing a Song of Basie” by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross was released in 1958, the trio continued their success, teaming up with the Count Basie Orchestra for “Sing Along With Basie” in 1959; and
WHEREAS, as a solo artist, Jon Hendricks continued to gain attention behind the microphone with his early recordings included “Bossa Man” (1963), “Salud!” (1964) and “Watermelon Man” (1965), and also sang with the Count Basie Band from 1959 to 1965 and with Duke Ellington from 1965 to 1974; finally, another collaboration found Hendricks recording a song with the Grateful Dead in 1966; and
WHEREAS, after living in London from 1968 to 1973, Jon Hendricks moved back to the States and was a jazz critic at the San Francisco Chronicle, while he taught jazz classes at California State University at Sonoma and the University of California at Berkeley; and
WHEREAS, while always in demand as a singer, Jon Hendricks never got far away from his way with words; and over the years, he penned lyrics for music written by Ellington, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Antonio Carlos Jobin. Thelonious Monk wouldn’t have anyone else but Hendricks write words for his songs; and
WHEREAS, through the years, Jon Hendricks received numerous awards, including, in 1992, he was the recipient of the highest honor given to a jazz artist - the National Endowment for the Arts American Jazz Masters Fellowship; in 2004 he was given a French Legion of Honor in the class of knight - France’s highest civilian commendation; and the Satchmo Award for his lifetime commitment to jazz; and
WHEREAS, in 1999, Hendricks received an honorary doctorate from The University of Toledo in recognition of his iconic career, one year later, he was named Distinguished Professor of Jazz at the University; of which he stated, “It was such an honor for me to be invited back to my hometown to teach what I do,” he said in an interview for “The University of Toledo Alumni Who Have Changed the World.”; and finally The Legend retired from his UT teaching gig in 2016; NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That the Council hereby recognizes and celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Toledo Jazz Legend Jon Hendricks.
SECTION 2. That this Resolution shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.
Adopted: January 18, 2022: yeas 9, nays 0.
Attest:
Gerald E. Dendinger Matt Cherry
Clerk of Council President of Council
Approved: January 24, 2022
Wade Kapszukiewicz
Mayor