What happened on this day inJazz March 16th - Bill Evans, Duke Ellington, Gerry Mulligan #injazz

Trying a different format for this episode of This Day in.Jazz. On March 16th in jazz history, several notable events occurred:

In 1937, jazz guitarist and composer Wes Montgomery was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Montgomery is considered one of the greatest guitarists in the history of jazz, known for his unique style of playing with his thumb and his use of octaves in his solos.
In 1949, jazz saxophonist Gerry Mulligan recorded his famous composition "Bernie's Tune" with his quartet, which included Chet Baker on trumpet, Carson Smith on bass, and Chico Hamilton on drums. The recording helped to popularize the "West Coast jazz" style of the time.
In 1961, jazz pianist and composer Bill Evans recorded his album "Explorations" with his trio, which included bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. The album features several original compositions by Evans as well as standards such as "How Deep Is the Ocean?" and "Sweet and Lovely."
In 1999, jazz pianist and composer Duke Ellington was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for music, becoming the first jazz musician to receive the prestigious award. The Pulitzer committee cited Ellington's body of work, including his groundbreaking compositions such as "Mood Indigo" and "Take the A Train," as well as his contributions to American music and culture.
These are just a few examples of the many important events that have taken place on March 16th in jazz history.