you think of willie brown we like no other. he's the kind of dude that you like as your brother. i say he's the kind of dude that you want as your brother. he's the kind of dude that you want as your brother. [ applause ] but since i'm an old dude, i'm not going to do that because that would seem unseemly. what i do say is when this is all said and done, willie would seem to be an individual who em bodies the classic american story success of invention and reinvention. born of talent, skill, determination, brilliance, lots of plain old

hard work. and the ability to take one's god given talent, fashion it, shape it, mold it into something quite remarkable and remarkably effective and enduring. willie brown is a game changer. thank you, willie, for all your work, talents, brilliance, heart, your and forgiving a damn. thank you. [ applause ] on that note, i believe i should bring mayor brown to the stage. is that correct? ladies and gentlemen, mayor willie

brown. [ applause ] >> that was remarkable. but then again you are a vocalist. mr. mayor, kristin, vernal, vernal was rather reserved tonight. last week when we were at macy's during black history month, the first thing she said, "see it?" she has one of

those world champions diamond rings. she won't let her husband touch it and she shares with everything and she has two of them now. i thought she would do that again tonight. >> it's your night. >> yes, it's my night so you are being cool. i also noticed that david chew ended up with some friends of his. supervisors. david, would you please take a bow to the rest of your supervisors, malia, campos, the tall man, scottie. stand up scottie. let people see you. mr. farrell?

eric maurd, norman yooe, you've got the whole board. oh, my god!. i am just so delighted, christina that mom's at the mayor's office that you altogether decided to do a closing ceremony for black history month. harlem would disagree with you on that because tomorrow there is another harlem kelly version of black history and he's been doing it for years. it's the most inexpensive event that i have ever been to. i'm going to try to get him to upgrade it, mr. mayor, now that he's the

big man. we just finished the most magnificent chinese new years parade it was and the lord obviously smiled on the

chinese because it didn't rain this year. most years it rains for the chinese new years. this was at an incredible location. it's always the location over the last years or so, an elective family has reached out to include an -- array of people. in january it was chinese new years celebration and now we are doing black history month. in about five weeks we'll be doing the cherry blossom festival which is japan's town and and then carnival and then we follow

that almost instantly in june with this incredible occasion where the whole world see's how san francisco is when you get 300,000 bikes leading a parade of gay lesbians when we have our pride parade in san francisco and we eventually got around to letting the italians do something in october. so it's an incredible city. it's just an incredible city. i marvel he asked me what do you think the republicans call you black history month? i start to think, republicans, black history month, what could they

call it? before i can answer he said february. [ laughter ] but we call it black history month here in san francisco and we mean it's black history month in san francisco and am indeed delighted that i'm being honored and i'm looking forward to the next year to the next person we honor and i really want us, mr. mayor, under your guidance and leadership to elevate the level of black history month in the same way we have collectively elevated the level of chinese new years and all the other wonderful celebration we do in the city because it gives us a chance to

teach, demonstrate and to show exactly who we are and what we are about in the kind of contribution we made to the development of this nation. i am again, honored and delighted. i'm absolutely honored and delighted and delaroi, you performed. i know if they ever do a movie we are going to see if we can cast you as me. thank you again, very much. to all of you, thank you for coming. i understand there are some interesting food there that if

you want to indulge in. i know it's going to be a continuations of just what we've done here in the rotundum. i must tell you that the rotundum is always a challenge to make it better than how i left it. this was one of my projects. harlem was the city engineer at that time. the mayor was head of department of public works at that time and we were really proud to do this city hall in the way in which we did it. i don't remember this fancy lighting being part of what we did. i don't remember this gold carpeting being part of what we d whoever did this, clearly had in mind how i always wanted to appear. [ laughter ] so i am -- [ applause ] >> i'm really just delighted.

but you really should have called me because my tie would have been a different color. >> the one and only willie brown junior. >> we have a presentation for you, sir. christina? >> you want that now? then we shall do that. can we give it up for delaroi? that was fantastic. i bet you didn't think you were going to see him rap today. before we present mr. brown with his award tonight, where are the supervisors? all right. that wraps up that segment. malia is

ready? where is malia? malia cohen, everybody. please c'mon up. >> hello. i'm a strag ler. we recessed the board meeting. it feels good to see you all here. congratulations and mayor brown thank you you for an allowing us to have the opportunity to celebrate you once again. i do have prepared remarks. i will skip to the end. i want -- i'm going to quote with you my words. i want to leave you this

quote. bringing the gift that my ancestors gave, i dream the dream and the hope of a slave, i rise, i rise, and i rise and i think that really captures african american culture, history tradition, not just here in san francisco but around all the world. thank you. maya anglo. >> she says thanks for putting me on the spot. they are all gone. willie retires from a work of politics. he continues to appear and upon the and he writes for san francisco

chronicle and perhaps what keeps him the busiest is up with that beautiful and mature beyond her years 11-year-old daughter sydney. she's amazing. let's hear it once again for the san francisco, the wonderful willie brown junior. we now present you with your award. >> honorable brown on behalf of the mayor's services we would like to present you with a living award for black history month. [ applause ]

>> willie said, "off to the food". we are not done yet. this is your life. we want to acknowledge from the mayor's

office. may cha is here. now sir, we have a very special presentation. let's welcome from savannah jazz l l c from san francisco international schedule and chairperson of the economic development committee n aacp . >> good afternoon, mayor brown, supervisors and friends. we are gathered here today to pay attribute to a man whose

visionary guidance, leadership, preservation of america's only indigenous form jazz had made the city of san francisco a beacon for higher aesthetics around the world. i'm a jazz musician. as jazz indicator and club owner and i'm here on behalf of the jazz musicians, club owners who could not be here to say thank you. from the artist ry to king oliver to armstrong from the magic of duke elg ton, the elegance of nat king coal to

the prestige of lady day this is formed from the african american communities to the south literally lifted this nation to the status of a super power. [ applause ] >> mr. mayor brown, your commitment to the preservation of our american art form resulted in the creation of hundreds of jobs and thousands and thousands of nights of employment for jazz musicians in the city of san francisco and all over the united states. jazz musicians and college students from europe to asia, australia to africa come to perform and visit the san francisco jazz venues that were created under your leadership of the jazz preservation

district. and to the man who dresses like the duke elg ton and was visionary commitment of this art form to date. mr. mayor brown, we say thank you, we salute you on behalf of my partners and hundreds of jazz musicians from san francisco to new york city, chicago to miami, from copenhagen to tokyo. it's my pleasant on behalf of the jazz society a plaque to thank you for keeping

our form alive. [ applause ] as the chairman of the economic development committee of the n aacp san francisco branch it is my distinct pleasure to introduce to you our reverend amos brown to present the plaque to mayor brown's unwavering commitment to civil rights. [ applause ]

>> thank you richard brown. it's good to see you and thank you dr. parkel. that's all i got. i could listen to him talk all day. that was fantastic. >> christina, would you like to come up again? >> thank you. we have a few special thank yous that we want to wrap the ceremony up with. if vernal, elsie and deanna if you can please come up. we would really appreciate it.

and so behalf on the mayor's office we would like to say thank you deeply for your contribution for making these services such a success. >> thank you. >> they are beautiful. >> for you. we have certificates of honor on behalf of the mayor's services. we are good at making certificates of honor. >> thank you.

>> okay. and thank you to everybody for your contribution, your time and commitment to showing up today. the sponsors, we appreciate your support. now that concludes our ceremony. please enjoy the reception. thank you.

(music) >> herb theatre,open rehearsal. listen to the rehearsal. i think it is fun for them, they see our work process, our discussions, the decisions we make. it is good for us. we kind of behavior little bit when we have people in the audience. msk (music) >> we are rehearsing for our most expensive tour; plus two concerts here. we are proud that the growth of the orchestra, and how it is expanded and it is being accepted.

my ambition when i came on as music director here -- it was evident we needed absolutely excellent work. also evident to me that i thought everyone should know that. this was my purpose. and after we opened, which was a spectacular opening concert about five weeks after that the economy completely crashed. my plan -- and i'm absolutely dogmatic about my plans --were delayed slightly. i would say that in this very difficult timefor the arts and everyone, especially the arts, it's phenomenal how new century has grown where many unfortunate organizations have stopped.

during this period we got ourselves on national radio presence; we started touring, releasing cds, a dvd. we continue to tour. reputation grows and grows and grows and it has never stopped going forward. msk(music) >> the bay area knows the orchestra. you maybe take things for granted a little bit. that is simply not the case will go on the road. the audiences go crazy. they don't see vitality like this on stage. we are capable of conveying joy when we play. msk(music) >> any performance that we do, that a program, that will be something on the program that you haven't heard before.

string orchestra repertoire is pretty small. i used to be boxed into small repertoire. i kept constantly looking for new repertoire and commissioning new arrangements. if you look at the first of the program you have very early, young vibrant mendelson; fabulous opener and then you have this fabulous concerto written for us in the orchestra. is our gift. msk(music) >> and then you have strauss, extraordinary piece. the most challenging of all. string orchestra work. 23 solo instrument, no violin section,

now viola section; everybody is responsible for their part in this piece. the challenge is something that i felt not only that we could do , absolutely could do, but i wanted to show off. i can't tell you how aware i am of the audience. not only what i hear but their vibes, so strong. i have been doing this for a long time. i kind of make them feel what i want them to feel. there is nobody in that audience or anywhere that is not going to know that particular song by the fourth note.

and that is our encore on tour. by the way. i am proud to play it, we are from san francisco. we are going to play that piece no matter where we are. few cities have. and now, please join me in welcoming the mayor of our great city the honorable edwin m. lee (applause) . . >> thank you very much mr. davis for that introduction,