Spirit Of New Orleans Productions
Traditional New Orleans Jazz With A 21st Century Flavor


 

G o s p e l - k o n s e r t t i

Kiitos!
Johanneksen kirkossa 3.2.2006 järjestetty hyväntekeväisyyskonsertti tuotti 3.856 euroa, jotka on toimitettu New Orleans Musicians' Clinic -järjestölle. Suuret kiitokset paikalla olleelle yleisölle, aikaansa lahjoittaneille muusikoille ja lipunmyyjille, konsertin huomioineelle medialle, Johanneksen kirkolle sekä Lippupalvelulle.
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Thank you!
We raised 3.856 euros in the benefit concert in Johannes Church on February 3rd, 2006. The money has been sent to the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic. Many thanks to the wonderful audience, the musicians who donated their time, our friends who helped us with the tickets, the media for noticing the event, the Johannes Church, and Lippupalvelu.

Hurricane Katrina Letter from Katja

October 23, 2005: Pictures from New Orleans

Arabi Wrecking Krewe: More pictures

 

29.9.2005 Letter from Dallas

Dear friends of Spirit Of New Orleans and New Orleans Helsinki Connection,

As I write this I'm in Dallas, Texas, still evacuated from New Orleans since Katrina. It is hard to believe that it has been a month since the storm. And even harder to believe the devastation that our beloved Crescent City has been through. New Orleans' musicians, as its other inhabitants, are still scattered around the country, with little knowledge of the future. All the members of the New Orleans Helsinki Connection safely evacuated: Tricia and Paul are in Houston, Todd in Chicago, Nobu in Portland and Leroy and myself in Dallas. And Thomas, of course, in Helsinki.

Even though the future will without a doubt bring many changes to New Orleans, all of us are hoping that the spirit of the city will remain the same. Hopefully it won't be too long before we can return and start picking up the pieces. At this point it is impossible to know if any of our possessions can be salvaged. Leroy's apartment had about 7 feet (2 meters) of water, Tricia's a little less, and I'm sure that by now mold will have conquered the houses.

But most importantly we are alive. As are our other musician friends that were in the city before (and some during) Katrina. So many things went wrong with this storm: evacuation efforts, levee breaks, extra flooding caused by hurricane Rita,… the list seems endless. In order to rebuild lives and homes a lot of people will need A LOT of help for a long time.

If you would like to donate money to help New Orleans' musicians some good places are:

New Orleans Musicians Clinic - http://www.neworleansmusiciansclinic.org/
Provides free or low-cost health care to musicians, in the aftermath of Katrina also helps with other things. Operating in Lafayette at the moment.

New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief - www.nomhrf.org
Helps musicians with instrument and housing needs.

Back Beat Foundation - www.backbeatfund.org
Dedicated to preserving the unique musical identity of New Orleans. Helps musicians with instrument and housing needs.

Tipitina's Foundation - www.tipitinasfoundation.org
Helps musicians with instrument and housing needs.

For additional information log on to:
WWOZ – New Orleans Radio - www.wwoz.org
Website has a list of all the musicians that have been located since the storm + a lot of other information and links. You can also listen to OZ live over the internet.

Leroy and I are planning to travel to Helsinki in the end of October. We will have a benefit concert for New Orleans' musicians at one of the local churches, please check for updates later.

Until then, best wishes to everyone,

Katja : )

PS. Check out the new pictures... they bring back lots of happy memories!

 

 

 


Contact for further information and bookings:
kamtoivola@aol.com

Web design: Katja Toivola
© 2005-2009 Spirit Of New Orleans Productions
Last updated: January 20, 2009