INDIE NEWS BEAT SPECIAL KATRINA EDITION September 26, 2005 Edition
* The Db's Offer MP3 Track To Benefit New Orleans Musicians Relief Fundings
* Young Band Creates Heartfelt And Passionate Musical Download
* True Team Effort Makes Every Cent Count At Dave Matthews Band "A Concert For Hurricane Relief"
* The Rebuilding Starts Now: Calls For Support Of The Voodoo Music Experience
* Jeff Healey's Jazz Wizards Join With Happy Pals And Other Artists To Raise Funds For New Orleans Musicians
* Tito Puente Jr. Just Added!!! To Relief Event
* Hurricane Katrina Fundraising Challenge From SESAC
* Spectrasonics Releases "New Orleans Strut" Library To Benefit Hurricane Victims
The Db's Offer MP3 Track To Benefit New Orleans Musicians Relief Fundings
On the heels of their first live shows in more than 20 years, The dB's are offering their newly recorded, previously unreleased version of the Motown classic "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted" to help raise money for the displaced musicians of New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina. The track is accessible at http://www.ThedBs.com/katrina
Not one but two members of The dB's have been made homeless by Katrina. Peter Holsapple and his family are fine, but their home is almost certainly beyond salvaging. Former member Jeff Beninato is also fine but had to evacuate; his second-floor apartment may or may not have escaped damage, he doesn't know yet -- and may not for a long time.
They don't need immediate financial help, but many New Orleans musicians do. Jeff Beninato met with some great people at Chase Bank in Chicago and, in conjunction with New Orleans Director of Music Development Scott Aiges, has set up the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund. Donations to the fund will go directly toward getting struggling musical artists back on their feet. It will provide money for food and shelter to those without, and hopefully replace musical equipment that was lost.
Source: 
Munch Music, Inc. - www.MyMunchMusic.com and www.RockandRollDream.com a new digital recording studio launches its first recording artist debut song, "And Air" by Van Paul and the Forever Red. The haunting lyrics, prophetically written prior to the recent hurricane in the US, remind us of the basic needs of humanity as civilization as we know it gets tested.
The powerful yet simple and heartfelt words, "I need, need water to drink / And air, and air, and air" are sung passionately by a new songwriter with a vision to make a difference. Taylor Van Zant, a 16 year old, determined to be the next famous "Van Zant" musician launches his band's debut, as an up and coming artist and as co-founder of Munch Music, Inc.
The musical download, now available, will be a driving force for the new band to speak for their generation as well as to campaign for donations (requested before each download) to the Red Cross to benefit the survivors of the recent hurricane on the Gulf Coast. Songwriter and vocalist Taylor Van Zant stated, "It's important for us to raise awareness of the needs of the Red Cross and to do whatever we can to try and make a difference in this crisis."
At the download location, listeners will be asked to make a donation to the Red Cross Association of whatever they feel is appropriate. Please note that the song "And Air" will start playing as soon as the link is clicked on. The download is available at the following link: http://www.mymunchmusic.com/downloads_VPFReds.htm
Source:
In an unprecedented show of unity and support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, nearly every single dollar raised at Monday night's Dave Matthews Band benefit concert at Denver's Red Rocks Amphitheatre will go to aid those affected by the hurricane.
"We are thrilled to announce that over $ 1.5 million dollars will be donated to the Bama Works Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund," said Chuck Morris, President of Chuck Morris Presents. "The fund will be used to provide short term disaster relief to the affected Gulf Coast population, and long term assistance for rebuilding of communities."
"We are deeply grateful to The Neville Brothers, John Butler Trio and to everyone who supported this effort," said Dave Matthews Band. "We want to especially thank our fans for responding so generously to assist those affected by the hurricane."
Everyone involved in the concert including the band and their crew, the promoter, the City and County of Denver, all of the vendors, truck drivers, stage hands, security personnel, ushers, parking attendants, maintenance services, local police and fire, and many others donated their time to Monday night's concert, cutting the overall expenses of the show to a bare minimum. As a result, the benefit raised over $ 1.5 million dollars for hurricane relief.
Source:
As this year's VOODOO MUSIC EXPERIENCE hones in on a new city (TBA), Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails--one of the headliners for the October 29-30 event--has reinforced his commitment to the event, a New Orleans tradition for the past six years.
The ambition of this year's event has changed, as the Voodoo Music Experience and the Entertainment Industry Foundation have partnered to raise critically needed funds for those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Reznor, a former New Orleans resident who had maintained a recording studio in the city, stated today: "It means a lot to me that the Voodoo Music Experience is continuing on and I look forward to being a part of this amazing New Orleans tradition. It's great that other cities have opened their doors to this year's event, and the New Orleans spirit will definitely remain in the air--that's something the floods cannot wash away. We are going to be part of the rebuilding process and we are asking the entire music community to join us."
Stephen Rehage, founder and independent producer of the annual VOODOO MUSIC EXPERIENCE says, "I'm thankful to Trent for remaining committed to us as we transition this year's event. As a former New Orleans resident, he understands the importance of rebuilding the local music community. Our goals are the same in that we both seek to bring our hometown of New Orleans back to life."
Source:
Guitarist, trumpeter and bandleader Jeff Healey will host a "traditional jazz" benefit performance at his club in Toronto on Sunday afternoon October 2. With his Jazz Wizards in tow, Healey will welcome The Happy Pals - long the resident Saturday afternoon band at Grossman's Tavern - as well as an intermission skiffle session from Mr. Rick & The Biscuits.
Other guests taking part will include New Orleans trumpet player Kevin Clarke (who is running a benefit the previous week at The Distillery), Donnie "Mr. Downchild" Walsh (who frequently sits in with both The Wizards and The Pals), and singers Terra Hazleton and Laura Hubert.
All proceeds will go to the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic. Said Healey: "Obviously, we are all touched by the plight of the city that has given us so much music. We want to do what we can to help New Orleans musicians bring their music back to their audiences at home and around the world."
Who: JEFF HEALEY'S JAZZ WIZARDS with THE HAPPY PALS, MR. RICK & THE BISCUITS, KEVIN CLARKE, DONNIE WALSH, LAURA HUBERT, TERRA HAZLETON... and more
What: Jazz & blues in the tradition of New Orleans
Where: Healey's, 178 Bathurst St., Toronto
When: Sunday afternoon, 4.00 p.m.
Tickets: $10.00 at door
Source:
Tito Puente Jr. Just Added!!! To Relief Event
The event of the year for a wonderful cause is in full swing as the hottest Latino entertainment both local and international will assemble onto the Hard Rock Café, 2601 McKinney Ave. this coming Monday, September 26th for what has been billed as "Latinos Unite For Relief. This will be a first of its kind as the best of the best come together for the cause.
Wonderful news just in, Mr. Tito Puente Jr. has jumped on board with full passion to help those in need from the Hurricane Katrina devastation. Mr. Puente Jr. will fly in on Monday to jump on stage and perform his late fathers classics such as "Oye Como Va", "Ran Kan Kan" and more as he joins stage with Havana NRG! Mr. Puente returns from several long weeks in Korea perfoming for the US Troops as part of the USO Tour program.
From the very early stages of this production, we asked for help from Dallas-based entertainers, whom, in their own right have toured the country and some around the world and when the request was put into action the wonderful calls came flowing in. This event will headline such entertainment as the very hot Havana NRG!-Cuban Salsa Orchestra, SONY Recording artist, Zayra Alvarez whom is jetting in from Puerto Rico just be apart of history in the making, Fort Worth's very own Latin Express whom will provide their hot brand of music, Latin Fire Salsa as they burn their way into the night with their steaming Salsa and the Booker T. Washington Latin Ensemble!
Source:
Hurricane Katrina Fundraising Challenge From SESAC
All of our hearts go out to the victims of Hurricane Katrina as they try to rebuild their lives. True to form, America's music community has stepped up and done its part to ease the suffering of those affected by this catastrophe. Although most of us have already given (and given), the needs continue to increase, and SESAC, working with the American Red Cross, has come up with a convenient way to make your ongoing contributions accomplish twice as much.
We are calling on our affiliates, vendors, music business colleagues, neighbors, friends and staff to contribute to the Red Cross. SESAC will match your donations, dollar for dollar, for the next $50,000 our affiliates, vendors, employees and friends contribute.
Here's how it works:
Make your check payable to the American Red Cross (checks only please).
Write "National Disaster Relief" on the memo line of your check.
Send it to the American Red Cross c/o SESAC, 55 Music Square East, Nashville, TN 37203.
We will forward your check to the Red Cross with a matching contribution from SESAC to double your donation.
Source:
Spectrasonics Releases "New Orleans Strut" Library To Benefit Hurricane Victims
Spectrasonics announced the release of the New Orleans Strut mini drum loop collection to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The library features 50 ALL NEW live grooves from seven world-class drummers. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the $25 library will go to Habitat for Humanity's relief effort in rebuilding homes for the victims in New Orleans and Mississippi. http://www.habitat.org/
Producer Eric Persing explains the motivation of the project, "Hurricane Katrina devastated the homeland of America's true original music  this region has given us the Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Funk and Rock & Roll that have influenced the world for generations. By offering this collection of authentic grooves at an affordable price, our hope is to inspire other musicians creatively and especially to benefit the disaster victims by donating the project to re-building homes in the area."
New Orleans Strut Drum collection includes 50 ALL NEW grooves by:
Abe Laboriel Jr. (Paul McCartney, Seal, Sting)
Alex Acuña (Weather Report, Joni Mitchell, Whitney Houston)
Billy Ward (B.B. King, Robbie Robertson, Joan Osborne)
Gregg Bissonette (Santana, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai)
John Ferraro (Steve Morse, Aaron Neville, Albert Lee)
Bob Wilson (George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Boz Scaggs)
Eric Boseman (Liquid Grooves, Backbeat, Justo Almario)
Source:
Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © Tag It 2005 - Republished with Permission
Comments