Message from the Jazz Foundation of America: One Year Ago

Hello Good People:

Today is the Anniversary of Katrina. I just thought you’d like a copy of this, so you could see all you have helped us to achieve, all the miracles we made possible, all because of YOU…

If you can, allow yourselves the time to read the entire release, the “Quotes from New Orleans” and the “Musician’s Story” are something you won’t want to miss because YOU directly effected their lives…

Love,
Wendy

Media Contact: Wendy Oxenhorn
The Jazz Foundation of America
212-245-3999 Ext. 27

QUOTES FROM NEW ORLEANS

… They came to my rescue..!!!
The JAZZ FOUNDATION of AMERICA is a ‘for real’ Benefactor…
Keeping The Music …and the MUSICIANS….ALIVE!
-Harold Battiste, celebrated musician/producer/teacher
(Cher’s former music director and started first African American owned record label in the 50’s to empower the musicians to own their own music.)

The Jazz Foundation of America it is doing wonders for New Orleans musicians. It’s been a beautiful association. They not only housed us but they put us back to work. And they are also some of the nicest people I ever knew.
-Wardell Quezergue, celebrated arranger/producer/musician

( “You Send Me”, “Chapel of Love,” “Mr. Big Stuff”)

“The Jazz Foundation is doing an amazing job preserving New Orleans music, its culture and the musicians themselves, for generations to come.�
-James Andrews, noted N.O. musician

“The Jazz Foundation has been keeping us musicians afloat, don’t know what we would have done without them. They are doing for us what the government should have. “ – Corey Henry (Lil’ Rascals Band)

“No matter the race, class or genre of jazz, when New Orleans musicians needed help, the Jazz Foundation was there with arms to embrace them�
– Jesse McBride, New Orleans musician

“The physical destruction and psychological vacuum that remains has surpassed my wildest imagination. Through the darkness of this disaster the generosity of the Jazz Foundation of America, and especially the Agnes Varis/Jazz Foundation in Schools Program has helped begin to save one of New Orleans most cherished natural resources, it’s music.â€? Jay Griggs, New Orleans musician

“It’s hard for people to imagine what it’s like to go through something like this, and to then start over with nothing. The Jazz Foundation was there for us every time … they made it all possible. I don’t know what we would have done without their help. The light is coming back after so much darkness, darkness I thought would never end, and now everything’s going to be all right. I am overwhelmed … and so very, very grateful.� — “
Rodney Rollins, New Orleans musician – former drummer with Irma Thomas

“I find solace in the thought that there are real angels watching out for
us helping to mitigate the burden of the compromises we make in our
fight for a more beautiful world through jazz.�

-Evan Christopher – noted New Orleans musician

Jazz Foundation Programs:

HOUSING: Days after the Flood, because of the ongoing efforts and contributions of Jarrett Lilien, President of E*TRADE FINANCIAL & JFA, as well as the special people at E*TRADE FINANCIAL Corp., the JFA was able to establish New Orleans’ first post-Katrina Emergency Housing Fund for musicians — housing, relocating and saving hundreds of New Orleans musicians and their families from homelessness and mortgage foreclosure in nearly 20 states.

EMPLOYMENT: Through the beautiful heart of “Saint Agnes� Varis, of Agvar Chemicals Inc, the Jazz Foundation created the first performance employment program, which has grown into an $800,000 solution. This Agnes Varis Jazz Foundation in the Schools Program was also made possible with the help of Richard Parsons & the good people at TIME WARNER Inc.

To date, this program has already given 3,100 individual employment opportunities. It has put several hundred displaced musicians back to work, with a minimum of $200 per gig, bringing free performances to thousands of children in schools and the elderly in nursing homes, in over eight states where the musicians have been forced to settle.
* Recording sessions are being planned to give musicians a CD they can sell to help increase income at club & festival gigs.

$250,000 OF DONATED INSTRUMENTS:
Through the huge hearts at Music & Arts Center ,Yamaha and New York’s Beethoven pianos the Jazz Foundation secured over $250,000 worth of new top-shelf instruments to New Orleans most beloved senior and junior jazz and blues artists, including Treme Brass Band, Rebirth Brass band, The Hot 8, Davell Crawford, Shannon Powell, Dr. Michael White, Henry Butler, Lionel Ferbos (age 95) Cyril Neville, Derwin Perkins just to name a few.

It was the Jazz Foundation of America that replaced Fats Domino’s piano after the Flood.

To make a donation: Visit –WWW.JAZZFOUNDATION.ORG

Jazz Foundation acknowledges special thanks and love to all we worked with in this effort. What we cannot do alone, we can do together: Baton Rouge Foundation, Musicares, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Higher Ground, N.O. Musicians Clinic, NOMHRF, Tipitina’s Foundation. Actor’s Fund, Society of Singers, Preservation Hall and all the others who are working as we are, to help keep the musicians “afloat.’

A special thanks to all the folks at Jazz Foundation for all the work and lives they have change through Katrina………From everyone at Blue Isle Jazz (Located in the Caribbean)

We love you!