NEWS FROM THE NEW ORLEANS MUSICIANS' CLINIC
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THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER: FEATURE: New Orleans music revival 'tenuous'
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - When Hurricane Katrina hit landfall in New Orleans a year ago Tuesday, it brought music to a halt in the city that many identify as America's musical capital...
(Read the article)August 29, 2006 - Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
The Mission of the New Orleans Musicians Clinic is that of health care. Health - in the true sense of the work - is the balance of physical, mental and emotional well being. As a staff member of the NOMC, we struggle each day to work with returning musicians that continue to toggle along the fine line that they call life and health since their lives were toppled over almost one year ago.
Now, there will be a repeat flood. Not of water, but of news teams. They will come for two reasons: one to show the world that the City of New Orleans is rebounding and happy and secondly to drag themselves through the streets patting at their eyes and wondering why "those people" haven't done anything.
The one-year cycle of grief is nearing the turn as each survivor has already gone through denial, anger, bartering, depression and acceptance and back again. It is killing the elderly each day. Post traumatic stress disorder is overwhelming and unrecognized.
We speak of health while the city of New Orleans and surrounding parishes (counties to the rest of the country) try to scrape the mold off of the walls that hold their memories. As a visual artist with a over three decades of healthcare administration experience, I know that we can only survive from our resilience. Unfortunately, even the strong must take a breath to regain strength.
This past week, I returned to my home was in Arabi (a small city only blocks outside of the City of New Orleans and less than 5 miles from the French Quarter) from the Technicolor life in a larger city on the other side of New Orleans. I traveled through the City of New Orleans, passing through the grey tones of Lakeview and the 9th Ward, over the Iindustrial Canal Bridge to see the grass is greener over the plot of land that use to hold houses next to the breached waterway. In contrast, stick houses remain smashed and lined up as if an outdoor memorial is planned for the news crews and sightseers that wander to fill their disposable camera with pictures. Both being equal - there is no sign of life.
Katrina brought a 25-35 feet surge up the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet flooding the Parish of St. Bernard in less than 15 minutes to my home of 25 years. Fifteen feet of water sat in my home for over 3 weeks and as the water began to subside, Rita brought another 6 feet. The drawings that were drawn by me and hung on Jackson Square at the age of 7 are gone. My children's drawings that covered my refrigerator are gone. FEMA says I do not need assistance. My neighborhood looks like a graveyard dotted with cement "graves" where houses use to stand less than one year ago. Rats and snakes are thriving and populating the houses.
I am not a musician but I am a person of resilience trying to survive. Each musician that I have met has a similar story. They have lost their homes and their steady work. So where are the musicians? Jazz was born in New Orleans. Hopefully it will not dye there. Musicians need to return. They need work and a place to live.
August 2006
NOMC Summer Solace Program article
http://www.neworleanscitybusiness.com/viewFeature.cfm?recID=477Article by The Guardian UK About New Orleans
http://www.guardian.co.uk/katrina/story/0,,1831459,00.htmlhttp://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001096838
Article: Music Remains Substantial Source of Katrina Aid (Mentions New Orleans Musicians' Clinic, The Jazz Foundation, and Music Maker Relief Foundation).
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4845409
NPR: Katrina Scatters New Orleans' Musicians.
May 17 2006 - Update
The French Quarter Festival and Jazz fest filled our souls with music. How can we ever thank those who came to share them with us for their compassion and outrage when they saw the misery and tragedy that we still must endure.
Its sometimes easy to forget that even though 80% of New Orleans was destroyed, it was still just one section of many levee failures. It may have destroyed our public hospital system, but not our weeds or our spirits.
The scope of the destruction is tremendous. viva nola, and chalmette, and arabi, and....
• Animated Flash Movie recreating the events caused by Hurricane Katrina
The challenge we and our partners at the NOMHRF (Preservation Hall), The Tipitina's Foundation, The Jazz Foundation of America, MusiCares, and the Actor's Fund now must face is the lack of housing for our musicians. Many of our musicians owned homes, yet have been given little insurance compensation to repair them. Others are elderly, thus we must secure apartments for them in assisted living complexes. Others have children from whom there remain no schools.
We are determined to partner with several international relief agencies in order to bring our musicians home. We are also hard at work on a hurricane evacuation plan for this summer.
Please continue to help us fund these efforts. Donate Here
May 1 2006 - Our 8th Birthday
French Quarter Fest was a soothing jolt to those of us who have been struggling in the trenches for the past eight months. The weather was glorious and each event lifted our spirits. What a joy to see the Palm Court packed to the rafters with Jazz fans from the world over! The NOMC staff particularly enjoyed meeting many of our compassionate donors from England, Holland, Germany and Norway.
With Jazz Fest and the Ponderosa Stomp (Memphis) upon us, we are ready to kick up our heels! The clinic has just treated our 500th musician since our return to New Orleans in December. Yet, preventive care has never ever been more vital.
Since our levees broke, New Orleans has lost
77 % of its primary-care physicians :29, 617 primary-care doctors were practicing in New Orleans in mid-August 2005, today there are 140.
70 % of its dentists: Prior to the hurricane there were 259 dentists, now there are 77. The LSU Dental School remains in Baton Rouge and our musicians must wait for months for an appointment.
89 % of its psychiatrists : There were 196, now we have only 22. That's less than one psychiatrist for every 21,000 residents, and I can assure you that anyone who is living here today wrestles with the misery.
Hospital beds for the uninsured remain scarce throughout the state.
We assure all our friends that we are doing all we can to keep the music alive!
April 21 2006 - New Orleans Musicians' Clinic and Hurricane Relief Fund Partner to Keep The Music Alive!
New Orleans, Louisiana -Thanks to a partnership between the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic (NOMC), The New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund (NOMHRF) and Louis Armstrong International Airport, passengers flying to New Orleans for the upcoming festival season will enjoy live music performances by local brass bands immediately upon arriving in New Orleans. Funding for these events are made possible by NOMC and NOMHRF. The goal of the program is to encourage visitors and locals to actively support the struggling local music community.
This is just one of the many new initiatives by a partnership of two of the local musician-based organizations dedicated to preserving the distinct music culture of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. " New Orleans' music remains the beacon of our 'bent not broken' culture," states NOMC Program Director, Bethany Bultman." Greeting new arrivals with home-grown music is our way of assuring folks that our levees may still be broken, but our music is very much alive."
Performances include local favorites such as Washboard Chaz, Hurricane Brass Band, Hot 8 (April 20), Soul Rebels Brass Band (April 27), Pin Stripe Brass Band, NewBirth Brass Band (April 28), and Algiers Brass Band and Treme Brass Band (May 4). Performances typically occur between 1:00pm until 7:00pm. in the baggage claim area.
Established in 1998, The New Orleans Musicians' Clinic is a 501(c)(3) fund of the Foundation for the LSU Health Sciences Center. The first of its kind anywhere, the NOMC provides access to health care and social welfare services for the music community in collaboration with health and social service providers. For further information or to make a donation, visit www.savenolamusic.org or www.wwoz.org/clinic.
Founded by Benjamin and Sarah Jaffe of Preservation Hall, the New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund is an independent 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to aiding New Orleans musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina. For more information, visit www.reneworleansmusic.com.
April 21 2006 - New Orleans Musicians' Clinic Endorses Ernie K-Doe
New Orleans, Louisiana - In a move that startled local political observers, The New Orleans Musicians' Clinic announces today its endorsement of Ernie K-Doe for Mayor of New Orleans. When asked about Mr. K-Doe's viability as a candidate considering he is deceased, official spokesperson for NOMC Bethany Bultman replied "Mr. K-Doe, Emperor of the Universe, represents the constituency that got Louisiana politicians elected in the first place, and he is committed 'not to budge' on campaign promises."
Long adored by music fans for his active cultivation of the unique local music scene, Mr. K-Doe's platform is simple and addresses the immediate needs of the city: 1) FEDERAL FUNDING: Sell New Orleans to Iraq so it can receive USA aid 2) CITY REVENUE: Legalize prostitution so the city can generate much-needed income 3) HEALTH CARE CRISIS: Reopen Charity Hospital via funding provided solely by video poker and slot machines in waiting rooms and 4) CORRUPTION TAKEDOWN: Pay all councilmen $1 million in advance to avoid bribery offers. If a councilperson is caught taking other bribes, their hand will be cut off in public.
All donations to the K-Doe campaign are being embezzled to pay brass bands to perform at the Louis Armstrong International Airport to music fans arriving for French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest.
Don't throw your vote away ~ Vote #69 Ernie K-Doe for Mayor!
Established in 1998, The New Orleans Musicians' Clinic is a 501(c) 3 fund of the Foundation for the LSU Health Sciences Center. The first of its kind anywhere, the NOMC provides access to health care and social welfare services for the music community in collaboration with health and social service providers at the LSU Healthcare Network (the faculty group practice of the LSU Medical School) and the Daughters of Charity Health Services of New Orleans. The NOMC was founded to sustain Louisiana's musicians in mind, body and spirit by developing access to primary care and preventative health services by addressing health care needs of musicians and their families. Issues of housing, family, new and different financial demands have become more evident for the musicians of New Orleans in the wake of the recent hurricanes. For further information or to make a donation, visit www.wwoz.org/clinic.
April 21 2006 - New Orleans Musicians' Clinic Partners with Non-Profits to Support Music Community
New Orleans, Louisiana - In an effort to employ New Orleans musicians during the upcoming long hot summer, The New Orleans Musicians' Clinic has provided funding for music performances at many local nursing homes, adult day care programs, arts organizations and community 501(c) 3 non-profits. The goal of the "Summer Solace" program is to keep Louisiana music alive. "The summer presented economic hardships for local musicians even before Katrina, so we are very concerned about musicians that hope to stay here this summer," says NOMC program director Bethany Bultman.
The program is one of several new initiatives created by NOMC in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to assist its members. While 'sustaining musicians in mind, body and soul' continues to be NOMC's priority, viable employment for local musicians is a vital component in the well being of the culture of the Birth City of jazz. The NOMC seeks partners to assist in the funding initiative to keep Louisiana music playing as our beacon of hope.
Organizations interested in participating in the Summer Solace program should write to NOMC, P.O. Box 58126, New Orleans, LA, 70158-8126.
Established in 1998, The New Orleans Musicians' Clinic is a 501(c) 3 fund of the Foundation for the LSU Health Sciences Center. The first of its kind anywhere, the NOMC provides access to health care and social welfare services for the music community in collaboration with health and social service providers at the LSU Healthcare Network (the faculty group practice of the LSU Medical School) and the Daughters of Charity Health Services of New Orleans. The NOMC was founded to sustain Louisiana's musicians in mind, body and spirit by developing access to primary care and preventative health services by addressing health care needs of musicians and their families. Issues of housing, family, new and different financial demands have become more evident for the musicians of New Orleans in the wake of the recent hurricanes. For further information or to make a donation, visit www.wwoz.org/clinic.
April 21 2006 - Archie Bell tightens up at last year's Ponderosa Stomp to benefit the NOMC
IN MEMPHIS MAY 8-9-10
At an unprecedented gathering of rock, soul, and blues legends set to perform at three-night roots romp benefit .
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The roll call for the fifth annual Ponderosa Stomp, which benefits the New Orleans Musicians Clinic and MusiCares, reads like DJ Daddy-O Dewey Phillips' play list blended with a bowl of Louisiana gumbo and filtered through Sam Phillips' Memphis dream team, with plenty of Northwest garage rock, Gulf Coast psychedelic fuzz, and Bo Diddley-inspired beats thrown in for good measure.
More than 60 legendary artists are slated to play at the event, described as a celebration 3of the unsung heroes of blues, soul, rockabilly, swamp pop and New Orleans R&B,2 which will take place May 8, 9 & 10, 2006, on the rooftop of the Gibson Guitar Factory in downtown Memphis, overlooking fabled Beale Street and the Mississippi River.
For more information on Ponderosa Stomp, visit http://www.ponderosastomp.com
Jan 03 2006 - The NOMC is back home!
Catherine Lasperches, NOMC Clinical Coordinator, is happily settled into seeing our musicians patients at the NOMC's temporary clinic at 3600 Prytania (near Truro). Call 895-5748 #104 for an appointment today.
