“New Orleans was only New Orleans because of the musicians.” –Jazz Foundation of America

Second Line

The devastation of New Orleans and nearby gulfcoast communities in the wake of Hurricane Katrina is catastrophic on many levels. Now,more than two weeks later, we are only beginning to comprehend the scope of what likely will prove to be the biggest natural disaster in our nation’s history.

And there is no doubt that Katrina has severely breached a long and seemingly endless tradition of jazz, music born and nurtured in New Orleans. Until a week ago, one could hear not only the sounds of the original “jass” bands along Bourbon Street but also the sounds of its 21^st century offspring in the hands of such modernists as Branford Marsalis, Nicholas Payton and Donald Harrison who appeared regularly at Snug Harbor and other venues. Miraculously, much of the French Quarter is on relatively high ground and landmark structures like Tiptina’s and Preservation Hall may survive. But with much of the Crescent City’s infrastructure destroyed, with most of its residents displaced, the silence of New Orleans may prove deafening to the music community at large.

Immediately, musicians, like all citizens of New Orleans, need help. They need safe havens of food and shelter. Many need medical care. They need instruments. They need work. A number of benefits and relief funds have been established targeting the musicians of New Orleans, Mississippi and Alabama who have been displaced by Katrina. Some sources include:

Kermit Ruffins, Photo by Andrea Canter

New Orleans Musicians Clinic (NOMC)

Established as a health clinic for area musicians, NOMC is tracking down New Orleans artists to find them shelter, seeking to relocate them into the nearby Lafayette/Acadiana community to keep Louisiana music alive. Donations can be made to:

NOMC Emergency Fund

c/o SW LA Area Health Education Center Foundation, Inc

103 Independence Blvd

Layfayette, LA 70506

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; www.swlahec.com,<

Jazz Foundation of America

JFA has long provided support to ailing musicians around the country who need help with housing and employment. Through donations and their Jazz in the Schools program, JFA normally supports 35 musicians per week. To aid in Katrina relief, JFAwill address long-term needs of jazz and blues musicians devastated by the hurricane. They will distribute funds to help cover at least the first month’s rent in new housing as well as to cover replacement of lost instruments. JFA will also work with music manufacturers and music stores to help replace instruments. Send donations to:

Irwin Mayfield, Photo by Don Berryman

Jazz Foundation of America

322 W. 48^th St, 6^th Floor

New York, NY 10036

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; www.jazzfoundation.org

International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE)

IAJE is coordinating to its members via employment opportunities, housing, telephone calling cards, instruments, and relief supplies. They are suggesting that all cash donations be directed to the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org. More information is available at www.iaje.org/hurricanerelief

New York Benefits

“When the Saints Go Marchin’ In” is a weeklong relief effort beginning September 11-18, 2005. During this week, participating bars and clubs have agreed to donate portions of their sales to the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund. Information for participating bars/clubs, events and schedules will be continually updated at AllAboutJazz.com. As of September 9, participating clubs include:

The Iridium, 1650 Broadway, 212-582-2121

The Jazz Standard, 116 East 27th St., 212-576-2232

Birdland, 315 West 44th St, 212-581-3080

Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St., 212-539-8500

SMOKE, 2751 Broadway, 212-864-6662

Tonic, 107 Norfolk St, 212-358-7501

Zinc Bar, 90 West Houston St., 212-477-8337

The Jazz Gallery, 290 Hudson St., 212-242-1063

Lenox Lounge, 288 Lenox Av, 212-427-0253

Session 73, 1359 First Av, 212-517-4445

The Cajun, 129 9th Av, 212-691-6174

Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia St, 212-989-9318

Detour, 349 East 13th St, 212-533-6212

Garage Restaurant & Café, 99 7th Ave So, 212-645-0600

Terra Blues, 149 Bleecker St, 212-777-7776

Louis 649, 649 East 9th St, 917-517-9253

Brooklyn Jazz Consortium, 23 Pulaski St, Brooklyn, 917-535-9781

Estia Cantina, 177 Main St., Amagansett, NY, 631-267-6320

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, 646 West 131st St., 212-694-1777

Sweet Rhythm, 88 Seventh Ave South, 212-255-3626

All donations will be collected on September 19 by The Rosen Group, and will be distributed directly to the New York City branch of the American Red Cross. Companies will receive invoices of their donations for tax purposes. For bars/clubs interested in joining this effort, please contact Mark Ballard at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 212-255-8455 ext. 25

BB King’s Jazz for Hurricane Relief, September 24 at Noon. An all-star line-up featuring Wynton Marsalis, Cassandra Wilson, McCoy Tyner, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Scott and special guests will perform at a benefit for the New Orleans Musician’s Clinic and New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund on the afternoon of September 24th. BB King’s Blues Club and Grill is located at 237 W. 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. Visit www.bbkingblues.com

Jazz at Lincoln Center, Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Benefit JLC announces a benefit concert on September 17, 7 pm at the Rose Theater of Frederick P. Rose Hall at Broadway and 60^th St. in Manhattan. Performers will include Wynton Marsalis, Bill Cosby, Peter Cincotti, Elvis Costello, Paquito D’rivera, Abbey Lincoln, Diana Krall, Jon Hendricks, and more. XM Satellite Radio will carry this concert live from coast to coast on channel 70, the Real Jazz channel. Higher Ground will also be broadcast live via radio partner WBGO Jazz88.3FM in the New York City area and offered nationally and internationally via National Public Radio and its 807 member stations in the US, NPR Worldwide, and streamed live on www.npr.org www.wbgo.org, and www.xmradio.com. A CD of the concert will be produced and released by Blue Note Records, with all profits going to relief funds. Concert tickets will go on sale on September 8th at the Jazz at Lincoln Center box office; call (212) 721-6500 or visit www.jalc.org. CenterCharge service fees will be donated to hurricane relief efforts. Ticket prices are $50, $100, $500, $1000, $5000, and $10,000.

Vision Artists for New Orleans, September 20th. Art for Art, Inc., and Angel Orensanz Foundation have organized an all-star gala of jazz and creative music to benefit Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Taking place at the Angel Arensanz Center for the Arts at 172 Norfolk St (just south of Houston), from 6 pm – midnight, the line-up includes Jazz Passengers with Deborah Harry, Bill Dixon, Masada with John Zorn and Dave Douglas, Muhal Richard Abrams, Amiri Baraka, Reggie Workman, Tri-Factor (Hamiet Bluett, Billy Bang and Kahil El-Zabar), Oliver Lake, Hamid Drake, Matthew Shipp, Roy Campbell, Guillermo Brown, and many more. Special New Orleans guests include Kid Jordan, Alivin Fiedler and Clyde Kerr. Tickets are $30 (available at the door). All money raised will go to organizations helping the musicians and artists of New Orleans rebuild their lives.

Bay Area

For information about benefits in the San Francisco area (most for the weekend of September 9-11), visit http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/09/03/LOCALARTS.TMP

Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul)

Dakota Jazz Club, Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? Benefit, September 18. Charlie Devore and the Bill Evans New Orleans Jazz Band will play from 3:30-7 pm. Suggested donation of $10 will cover both bands, with all proceeds going to New Orleans relief efforts. The Dakota is at 1010 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis.

Rice Park and Landmark Center, “A Jazz Beau Geste to the Big Easy"--Sunday, September 18. The City of St. Paul, JazzMN Big Band and the Twin Cities Hot Summer Jazz Festival are planning a benefit for hurricane relief, "A Jazz Beau Geste to the Big Easy," on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2005, from 1:00 to 5:00 PM at Rice Park and the Landmark Center. Admission is free with a donation. The line-up includes some of the top traditional and modern jazz talents of the Twin Cities:

At Rice Park:

• 1:00 PM Minnesota Dixie

• 2:00 PM Bobby and Ginger Commodore

• 3:00 PM Big Walter Smith

• 4:00 PM JazzMN Big Band

• 4:50 PM Voice Trek

At Landmark Center:

• 1:00 PM Echoes of Ellington

• 2:00 PM Connie Evingson

• 3:00 PM Clay Moore>/p>

• 4:00 PM Twin Cities Seven and Charmin Michelle

Rice Park is located at 109 W. 4th Street, between 5th St. & Washington, 4th St. & Market. The Landmark Center is at 75 West Fifth Street on the north corner of Rice Park; phone 651-292-3233 or go to http://www.landmarkcenter.org/.

Help Herman Leonard and Family

Famed jazz photographer Herman Leonard is in dire need of assistance for his family. Leonard has been living in New Orleans, and while he and his family were able to leave their home safely, much of their possessions are lost, including expensive medical equipment for his 10-year-old daughter India who has cerebral palsy and microcephaly. Leonard’s negatives are safe but he lost ten years’ worth of digital work as well as all of his equipment. Contributions for the Herman Leonard family can be made to: Leonard Family Help Fund, c/o Jo Winett, 10716 Esther Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90064; or you can contribute via paypal: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Other Opportunities for Support

www.thenojo.com" –a relief fund for musicians established by bandleader Irvin Mayfield

www.cnn.com/specials/2005/Katrina/help.center —a general site listing organizations accepting donations for Katrina relief.

www.redcross.org —the American Red Cross

Watch Jazz Police and other news outlets for information about relief organizations and benefit performances.