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Proclamation honoring in memoriam Harold Young, founder and executive director of the Homewood Jazz Workshop.
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WHEREAS, on March 26, 2014, Harold Young, jazz musician and the founder and executive director of the Homewood Jazz Workshop, passed away from this life at the age of 80; and
WHEREAS, in 1973, Mr. Young established the Homewood Jazz Workshop at the Homewood branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in order to "keep jazz alive" during a period when schools were lacking quality music education programs for inner city children. It quickly became an institution and through the years, the Jazz Workshop has grown in student population and diversity; and
WHEREAS, in its 41 years of existence, numerous musicians have come through the Jazz Workshop, including bassist Chris Sullivan; saxophonists Tony Campbell, Roby Edwards and Jay Willis; pianists and educators Geri Allen and James Johnson, Jr.; trombonist Al Dowe; and trumpeters Sean Jones and the late Alphonso "Pete" Henderson and Chuck Austin; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Young secured funds and established a satellite location of the Jazz Workshop in Wilkinsburg where a "Jazz, Jam & Poetry" forum is held each month; He also developed outreach programming to serve the youth of Pittsburgh and surrounding communities;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Allegheny County Council does hereby honor in memoriam Harold Young for his unwavering dedication to serving others. Mr. Young's legacy of his commitment to ensuring that a musical tradition is passed on to young artists serves as an inspiration to this Council and to the residents of Allegheny County.