TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED: $3,842.00
$2,473.00 for Higher Ground Relief Fund (Wynton Marsalis)
$1,369.00 for Habitat For Humanity (Harry Connick Jr, Honorary Spokesperson)
A MESSAGE FROM GEORGE V JOHNSON JR
As an American and a jazz musician, it was an honor to organize the fundraiser for the musicians and citizens of New Orleans. After watching all the news accounts I felt I had to do something to help. It was actually Willard Jenkins of WPFW who emailed and informed me that Wynton Marsalis was planning the “Higher Ground Relief Fundraiser" to replace musical instruments and other emergency needs for musicians that were lost during Hurricane Katrina at the Lincoln Center in New York City on September 17th. I will personally travel to NYC to present Wynton Marsalis with the proceeds that were collected for the 'Higher Ground Relief Fund at the event.
On the news I watched Harry Connick Jr make a plea for donations to benefit “HABITAT FOR HUMANITY" to help rebuild homes that were destroyed. It was very touching as well. After imagining New Orleans the birthplace of jazz with no jazz clubs, musicians with no instruments and people with no place to live. I put myself in the place of the musicians and citizens and immediately took action. I approached Kelly & Maze Tesfaye, proprietors of Twins Jazz about the idea. Without hesitation, they donated the club and proceeds from that day as well. I had 5 days to pull it off and was up day and night throughout the week planning, networking, personally calling musicians, emailing & faxing radio stations, newspapers, television stations and jazz listeners etc.
By the grace of God everything fell into place. I'd also like to thank the staff at WPFW and other radio stations for announcing the event many times throughout the week reaching many jazz listeners, which also contributed to the success. This is a start in the right direction. Hopefully, it will mushroom and other jazz venues in the Washington DC area who have been presenting jazz music throughout the years will follow suit. The musicians and citizens of New Orleans are in desperate need of our help. I'd also like to thank Dr. Gabou Mendy, Board member of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation & WWOZ Radio host for eloquently speaking at the engagements as well.
Thank you for your support and listening to America's Classical Music “JAZZ" the Original Art Form of America.
Jazzically yours,
George V Johnson Jr For questions or comments:
[email protected]
www.jazzinn.com/gvj.html www.jambuddy.net/?georgevjohnson www.fyicomminc.com/jazzmen/georgev2.htm
PLEASE SUPPORT AND ATTEND:
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER HIGHER GROUND HURRICANE RELIEF BENEFIT CONCERT - WYNTON MARSALIS, BILL COSBY, PETER CINCOTTI, ELVIS COSTELLO, PAQUITO D'RIVERA, ABBEY LINCOLN, DIANA KRALL, JON HENDRICKS AND MORE TBA!
SEPTEMBER 17 at 7pm
ROSE THEATER, FREDERICK P. ROSE HALL, NEW YORK CITY BROADCAST ON NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, XM SATELLITE RADIO,WBGO JAZZ 88.3 FM, AND OTHER BROADCAST PARTNERS TBA CD will be produced and released by Blue Note Records with all profits going to relief funds For more information, please contact: MARY FIANCE FUSS, Director, Public Relations (212) 258-9829 or via email [email protected] ZOOEY TIDAL, Assistant Director, Public Relations (212) 258.9821 or via email [email protected] Jazz at Lincoln Center 33 West 60th St., 11th floor New York, NY 10023 www.jalc.org
For more information contact All About Jazz.
