The following musicians are now known to be safe

Jeffrey "Jellybean" Alexander, Steve Allen, Kevin Allman, Brint Anderson, Theresa Andersson, James Andrews, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, Johnny Angel, Christine Balfa, Marcia Ball, Lucien Barbarin, Mike Barras and family, Rebecca Barry, Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, Dave Bartholomew, Harold Battiste, Jamal Battiste, Russell Batiste, Tab Benoit, Beausoleil (Michael Doucet and all band members), Doug Belote, Better Than Ezra, Terrance Blanchard, Eddie Bo (plus sister Veronica and his band), Bonerama, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, John Boutté, Lillian Boutté, Tricia "Sista Teedy" Boutté, Alonzo Bowens, Russ Broussard, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Jody Brown, Maurice Brown, Wendell Brunious (Preservation Hall Jazz Band), George and Nina Buck (Palm Court Cafe), Henry Butler, Grayson Capps, Big Al Carson, Ricki Castrillo, Topsy Chapman, Alex Chilton, Evan Christopher, Jon Cleary, Rick Coleman, Harry Connick, Jr., Cowboy Mouth, Susan Cowsill, Davell Crawford, Jack Cruz, Dash Rip Rock, Jeremy Davenport, Theryl "Houseman" DeClouet, Dirty Dozen Brass Band (all members), The Dixie Cups (but lost everything), Big Chief Bo Dollis and the Wild Magnolias, Michael Dominici, Fats Domino, Rockin' Dopsie & the Zydeco Twisters (alll members), Dr. John, Snooks Eaglin (and family of 12, all now homeless), Lars Edegran, Nancy Edwards, Joe Espino & New Orleans Brass Potholes Band (all members), Charlie Fardela, Jack Fine (of the Palmetto Bug Stompers), Pat Flory & Donna, John Fohl, Frankie Ford, Andy Forrest, Gina Forsyth, Pete Fountain, Derrick Freeman, Jonathan Freilich (N. O. Klezmer All-Stars), Bob French, Peter Fuller, Funky Meters, Galactic, Katrina Geenen (WWOZ dj), Banu Gibson, Steve Goodson, Tim Green, John "Papa" Gros and all members of Papa Grows Funk, James Hall, Tony Hall, Jeff Hannusch, Corey Harris, Leigh "Lil' Queenie" Harris, Duke Heitger, Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Corey Henry, Andi Hoffman, Kenny Holladay, Peter Holsapple, Hot Club of New Orleans (all members), The Iguanas (all members), Burke Ingraffia, Benny Jones Sr., Leroy Jones, Dave Jordan and family, Kirk Joseph, Jerry Jumonville, Chris Thomas King and family, Joe Krown, Julia LaShae, Joe Lastie (drummer, Preservation Hall Jazz Band), Tim Laughlin, Washboard Chaz Leary, Bryan Lee, David Leonard & Roselyn Lionheart (David & Roselyn), Herman Leonard, Lil' Rascals Brass Band, Li'l Stooges Brass Band, Eric Lindell, A. J. Loria, Jeremy Lyons, Ronald Markham, Ellis Marsalis, Jason Marsalis, Steve Masakowski, Irvin Mayfield, Tom McDermott, Humberto "Pupi" Menez (and aunt Caridad Delatorre), Charlie Miller, Charles Louie Moore, Deacon John Moore (band members unknown), Bill Morgan, Tom Morgan, Chris Mule, Kenny Neal, The Neville Brothers, Charmaine Neville, Ian Neville, Ivan Neville, Kevin O'Day, Anders Osborne, Joshua Mann Paillet (owner of A Gallery for Fine Photography), Stevenson Palfi, Earl Palmer, Panorama Jazz Band, Joshua Paxton, Michael Pearce, Spike Perkins, Dave Pirner, Renard Poche, Pocketfoxx, George Porter Jr., Dirk Powell, Shannon Powell and family, Gloria Powers, Wardell Quezergue, Quintron & Miss Pussycat, The Radiators, Jan Ramsey & most Offbeat staff, Rebirth Brass Band (Kabuki unknown), Herlin Riley, Marcus Roberts, Coco Robicheaux, John Rodli (New Orleans Jazz Vipers), Biff Rose, Brent Rose and family, George Rossi, Wanda Rouzan, Dixie Rubin, Kermit Ruffins, Scott Saltzman, Mark and Will Samuels (Basin Street Records), Ben Sandmel, Jumpin' Johnny Sansone, Marc and Ann Savoy and family, Alexandra Scott, Mem Shannon and the Membership, Derek Shezbie, James Singleton, Johnny Sketch, Michael Skinkus, Robert Snow (New Orleans Jazz Vipers), Steamboat Willie, Sally Stevens, Armand St. Martin, Brian Stoltz, Marc Stone, Bill Summers, Ken Swartz, Irma Thomas, Dave Torkanowsky, Rick Trolsen, Allen Toussaint, Willie Turbinton, Johnny Vidacovich, Rob Wagner, Mark Walton, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Melissa Weber, Raymond Weber, Mike West, Dr. Michael White, Marva Wright, June Yamagishi

Please don't forget all the other unfortunate people of New Orleans.
You can best help them by making a donation to The Red Cross

 http://www.redcross.org.uk/standard.asp?id=49121 

NEW ORLEANS - POST KATRINA & RITA

From Chris Walker

On the 29th August 2005 Hurricane Katrina followed closely by Hurricane Rita dealt a devastating blow to the Gulf Coast of America and within one month eighty percent of New Orleans, the "birthplace of jazz" had been rendered uninhabitable.

Within a few days of Katrina hitting the city Chris Walker had set up the New Orleans Musicians Appeal Fund, an altruist fund designed to help the musicians of that city who had not only lost their job, but in many instances their homes and possessions including their instruments. This fund to date has raised $90,000 dollars.

Eight months after the hurricane, in April last year Chris and his wife Janet visited New Orleans, to liaise with their partners in the city who had been distributing funds on behalf of NOMAF, and to see the problems the musicians were encountering for themselves. They found a city which felt it had been abandoned by the American government, but was determined to rise again without altering its basic character. Everything that a jazz lover would want on a vacation was still in place, the French Quarter, built on high ground, was still intact, the food was great, and the swamp and Plantation house tours were still running. However a forty seven mile city tour revealed scenes of devastation, houses flattened by the wind and water where the levees had broken, areas with no gas, electricity, doctors, hospitals, shops etc. in fact anything a civilised society would expect for everyday living. 

One year on they returned to find a city that is slowly rising again, FEMA trailers to house the homeless are now more in evidence, and some houses are being repaired or rebuilt. Roads that were blocked by house debris, cars and even boats, have been cleared and reopened and hope is in the air. 

The musicians are still struggling to rebuild their lives, and many are living out of town, bunking down on friends sofas when they come back to do gigs, and keep the spirit of New Orleans alive. Others are still living in the city, many in substandard accommodation and struggling to earn a living. They will be self supporting again when the visitors return in the same numbers as before, and this is the best hope for the regeneration of the city. So please book your air tickets and go have some fun, whether it is at Mardi Gras (a great February event for party lovers,) the April French Quarter Festival or the Jazz Fest. Or just any time you fancy.

In the meantime the musicians still need help to secure new housing (rents have soared) and every day living expenses. To raise funds for them we will have a collection bucket at this event and would like to thank you in advance for your generosity in donating to this worthy cause.