Katrina Aid From Chris' Jazz Cafe

Chris' club manager Al McMahon cited the appropriate nature of jazz musicians "coming to the rescue" with their art inasmuch as "New Orleans Jazz is considered the birthplace of jazz starting with Buddy Bolden and his band in 1895." He said Chris' would be "hosting the 110 jazz musicians throughout the day and morning to commemorate each year since jazz originated in New Orleans with every hour having either a band, trios, quartets, big bands or vocalists." Styles will cover, he said, "swing, blues, mainstream, bop or New Orleans jazz with all donations and admissions donated to the American Red Cross." CDs will be available with all proceeds going to the Red Cross, he added.

New Orleans jazz will have Jay Webb and Dave Manley bringing on various representatives of musicians providing the gutsy, two-beat style that McMahon notes was "born in New Orleans, the land of dreams." He added that "We all make our living on jazz and this is just something a payback to our parent city in New Orleans."

Chris' Cafe last hosted a fund raiser in February for victims of the tsunami Far East disaster but this event, McMahon notes, "is home country." Chris' Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, 215-568-3131, 3 p.m.-2 a.m., Monday, September 26, $10 and/or donation, All Stars.