[JPL] Location details for René Marie's performance

[Arturo Gomez]

>From the moment I learned about René Marie's performance, less than an hour
after it occured because as commisioner of the Denver Office of Cultural
Affiars-appointed by Mayor Hickenlooper a strong advocate for the Arts and
jazz in particular-he owned a jazz club before becoming mayor, I had a
colleague who was there call me from her cell to inform me what had just
happenned, she was overjoyed, anyhow I found it interesting that it took
place in the Wellington Webb Building, an annex to City/County Hall named in
honor of Denver's first African American mayor and currently the president
of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Denver. The Webb building is beautiful,
very modern, very bright, full of art and controversial to many because it
defies tradition and is named for a person who is still living.

René was introduced by a Black councilmam, the same person who asked her to
sing, why? no one knows for sure because he introduced her as Renay Martin
indicating he was not familiar with her, I guess the councilman is a
consumer of Remy Martin. My colleague an African-American was thrilled to
hear what she heard and told me few persons in attendance realized what she
was doing, she told me she heard a man standing near her mention to another,
oh, I never heard the second verse of the Star Spangled Banner before, she
elaborated that there was little if any rumbling and she was applauded, only
when an eldery white councilman on stage starting to make a commotion about
it to the others by the podium did anyone else react, then the State of the
City address went on as planned without any other nuances.

Arturo