President Obama celebrates jazz at the White House
By KEVIN FREKING, Associated Press
Apr 30, 2016 12:16 AM CDT
The Tedeschi Trucks Band with special guests Billy F. Gibbons, right, and Jimmie Vaughan, back left, play on the Acura Stage at Jazz Fest on Thursday, April 28, 2016 in New Orleans. (Chris Granger/NOLA.com The Times-Picayune via AP) MAGS OUT; NO SALES; USA TODAY OUT; THE BATON ROUGE ADVOCATE OUT;...   (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are celebrating International Jazz Day a day early with a concert at the White House.

Borrowing a line from trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie, who ran for president in 1964, Obama says he intends to turn the White House into the "Blues House" with Friday night's concert.

Obama says he first obtained an appreciation of jazz when a father he "barely knew" came to visit him for about a month in Honolulu. He says his father took him to see jazz pianist Dave Brubeck in 1971.

Obama says the world that concert opened up for a 10-year-old boy was spectacular, and he was hooked.

The concert features Aretha Franklin, Al Jarreau, Herbie Hancock and others and is to be televised Saturday on ABC.

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