Friends of New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya at First Avenue in Minneapolis

September 1^st, 2008

By Marni Hockenberg Twin City Blues   Contact

New Orleans has been referred to as ‘The City that Care Forgot.’ Three years after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, one might wonder if our nation has forgotten to care about the region.  Fortunately four groups who are dedicated to preserving music and culture in the region cared enough to band together for the first time to support the New Orleans All-Star Jam-Balaya events that were held at the Democratic and Republican Conventions with benefit shows in between at Aspen, Colorado and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  Friends of New Orleans, Music Rising, Voice of the Wetlands and the Tipitina’s Foundation each contributed essential resources needed to organize, publicize, and successfully execute the shows. The events showcased the best of Louisiana food and music, while calling attention to the ongoing rebuilding efforts of the Gulf region and immediate need to prevent further loss of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands in order to preserve the rich cultural and musical history of New Orleans.

The All-Star Jam-Balaya event at the historic First Avenue club in Minneapolis literally transported the musical royalty of New Orleans up the Mississippi river for a private “New Orleans Jazz Fest” show.  Performers included the Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars including 2008 Blues Music Awards Contemporary Male Artist of the Year and wetlands activist Tab Benoit, Cyril Neville (of the Neville Brothers), legendary Meters bassist George Porter, Jr., Anders Osborne, Johnny Sansone, Waylon Thibodeaux, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and Johnny Vidacovich.  Also on the bill were Gibson artist/guitar virtuoso Leo Nocentelli of The Meters, Louisiana piano legends Marcia Ball and Henry Butler, Marva Wright (The Blues Queen of New Orleans), The New Orleans Brass All-Stars with Donald Harrison Jr., Troy (Trombone Shorty) Andrews, James Andrews, Kirk Joseph, The Soul Rebels Brass Band, the Wild Tchoupitioulas Mardi Gras Indians, Lauren Barrett, and Amanda Shaw.   

Presenters for the evening included former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, who sits on the Board of Directors of Friends of New Orleans.  Other esteemed members of the Board  are political strategist, TV presenter and author James Carville, Simpsons voice actor Harry Shearer and CNN political commentator Donna Brazile. 

Friends of New Orleans is perhaps best known for its “Heroes of the Storm Campaign” which awards organizations that have made significant contributions to recovery and rebuilding efforts in the Gulf region.  Heroes were recognized at the start of the tour at a similar event held in conjunction with the Democratic National Convention and included Music Rising, Tipitina’s Foundation, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, Women of the Storm, St. Bernard Project, Holy Cross Neighborhood Association, Citizens for One Greater New Orleans, Beacon of Hope, Café Reconcile, Broodmoor Improvement Association, Idea Village and New Schools of New Orleans. 

The irony of the timing of the Minneapolis Jam-Balaya was not lost on the attendees and the musicians from New Orleans.  The event was eerily close to the third anniversary of Katrina and Hurricane Gustav bore down on the region that very day.  It was a topic of conversation in the audience and from the stage and served as a reminder that we all need to get involved to work to protect the wetlands that protect the Gulf region from the devastating effects of hurricanes.  Tab Benoit, President and founder of The Voice of the Wetlands told us that by redirecting the Mississippi River from its natural flow, south Louisiana's wetlands are being taken over and destroyed by the stronger current of the Gulf of Mexico at an alarming rate of an acre an hour. The loss of south Louisiana's wetlands contributes to the loss of the region’s unique culture, heritage, wildlife, people and their livelihood.  As Americans, regardless of our party affiliation he said, we must draw the line to protect our borders because this region is worth saving.  The wetlands of Southern Louisiana are America’s wetlands.  They are America’s wetlands because every bit of soil was built by flood waters from 41% of the Continental United States.  They provide 30% of the nations seafood production; are a conduit for 30% of the nations energy needs; and are the cradle of America’s music and unique cuisine and cultural gumbo.  Each of us can make a difference by writing to, or better yet calling, our government representatives, getting involved in organizations such as Voice of the Wetlands, and personally visiting the region.

This tour was monumental, not just because it brought together New Orleans legends never before assembled on one stage.  There was also a certain magic in the spirit behind the tour, a reflection perhaps of the tremendous effort and commitment to the region of the four groups that pulled it off. 

The Friends of New Orleans (www.friendsofneworleans.org) was the primary organizer and is, according to Executive Director Emily Byram, “a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization that provides a vehicle for people in the US and abroad who care about this region to declare their support and get involved.”  FONO advocates for New Orleans and the surrounding parishes; informs people of those key issues that are shaping the national debate and decision making of the rebuilding effort; links individuals who want to help with the communities in the devastated areas; and motivates people to take part in the rebuilding efforts.

Music Rising (http://www.musicrising.org/) is a campaign founded in 2005 by U2's the Edge, legendary producer Bob Ezrin and Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz to rescue the musical culture of the Central Gulf region from the destruction caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita by replacing the musical instruments lost or destroyed in its aftermath. Gibson Musical Instruments partnered with Music Rising for this event by providing the exclusive Gibson Tour Bus for transporting artists from convention to convention with stops along the way, donated limited edition Music Rising Epiphone guitars with artwork designed by The Edge of U2 for fundraising purposes and sent representatives to help garner press and raise awareness on the issues facing New Orleans and the Gulf Region.   One Music Rising guitar signed by artists on the tour fetched $3600 during the live auction at the Minneapolis Sammy Hagar RNC Southern Delegate party held at First Avenue on August 31.

The Voice of the Wetlands (www.voiceofthewetlands.com) is an organization that is made up of volunteers who dedicate their talent, time and resources to bring global attention to south Louisiana and the world’s coastal erosion problem.  VOW recognizes that the people and the region can’t wait to be saved and the time has come to prove that results can happen from people gathering and working together to set a global example by producing results on a local basis that has a direct affect on a world problem. 

Tipitina’s Foundation (Tipitinasfoundation.org) supports Louisiana’s irreplaceable music community and preserves the state’s unique musical cultures.  The history of the Tipitina’s Foundation originates from the Tipitina’s music venue, a revered New Orleans cultural icon that continues to be instrumental in the development and promotion of Louisiana music around the world. The Foundation works to support childhood music education, the professional development of adult musicians, and the increased profile and viability of Louisiana music as a cultural, educational, and economic resource.

Despite worries about their families and friends who evacuated the area ahead of hurricane Gustav, and the homes that they left behind (many of them just recently rebuilt after Katrina), the musicians gave a stellar performance which was greatly appreciated by the fans who understood the magnitude of the line-up. A few conservative-type conventioneers were swept up in the spirit of the evening as they joined the umbrella-twirling second-line dancers throwing Mardi-Gras beads at the crowd.  As the evening progressed, mainly the die-hard music lovers remained, dancing and representing the music-loving community who were not as fortunate to have secured a ticket or been invited to one of the best shows of the year at First Avenue.  Sadly, many of the musicians could not return home to New Orleans for a few days after the event due to Gustav’s evacuation of the city.  The post-traumatic stress syndrome that lingered from Katrina re-opened new emotional trauma for many people from the region.  As the Gulf Coast region’s music and people live on, so must the rest of our nation not forget to care.

By Marni Hockenberg Twin City Blues   Contact

Photos By Lon Mickelson Twin City Blues   Contact

Lon Mickelson

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