[Dixielandjazz] Donate To New Orleans

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

Hi BOB & ALL:

USE IT TO HIRE AND PRESENT  NEW ORLEANS MUSICIANS FOR GOD'S SAKE it's a 
NO Brainer and going directly to those who need it the most and who 
more than likely will not have their special needs met by the Red Cross 
United Way or other organizations with big salaries for administration 
folks, expense accounts, and such.

Did anybody think about donating any of the $9,000.00 + money collect 
last week at the Bonerama Concert to those guys who lost their homes in 
N.O. and everything in them.   Yet they are on the Road playing BENEFIT 
CONCERTS Free as I understand it, damn we don't seem to   any Respect 
for our own so how can we expect non music folks to respect us.

My organization is using all the funds we collect to hire New Orleans 
musicians
  and put together gigs to hire them, who wins?  Music and Musicians who 
need it, and who will need it long after the media goes away along with 
the Red Cross and United Way with a lot of that money unspent for what 
it was generously donated for, but to pay their expenses and overhead 
until the next TRAGIC OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE MILLIONS MORE.

I am not saying that they don't do a lot of good for some folks, but 
many others fall between the cracks and life just goes on and on same 
old same old and people forget about places like the Musicians Clinic, 
and Musicians relief foundations.

My phone is gong off the hook asking us to play benefits shows for 
FREE, and I am turning them all down that do not support musicians 
organizations directly, had two organizers last week tell me point 
blank they were not interested in donating money to anybody but the RED 
CROSS even after I informed them that our performance would have four 
several homeless and unemployed New Orleans musicians in the band, and 
that those of us who did not need the money would be donating it all to 
them.

One of the bastards told me to get screwed amongst other things I won't 
repeat and told me to go play for chump change on the sidewalks because 
he had all the Free bands he wanted and had booked three already.

I mentioned that organizations should be careful in the beginning of 
the fundraiser cycle with regards to who they give the money raised to. 
   Try and get the Red Cross or United way to contribute to replacing a 
Tuba or Baritone Sax or Piano,or maybe a used Band van to get to gigs 
if you can find one.

when professional musicians play they should be respected and PAID, if 
they choose to turn around and donate the money in part or totally to 
the cause then that is well and good, but they certainly should have 
that option, not all of them can afford to buy gasoline @ $3.00+ a 
gallon and go play for free on top of it.



Sadly,

Tom Wiggins


-----Original Message-----
From: Robert S. Ringwald <robert at ringwald.com>
To: DJML <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wed, 28 Sep 2005 10:56:13 -0700
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Donate To New Orleans

    I am a bit concerned that when money is donated to organizations, in 
that, how much of it actually gets to who needs it & how much is spent 
on administration? 
 
  At our last Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society monthly concert, we 
collected a grand. We are holding it in a separate acct until we decide 
what to do with it. We will continue, for the foreseeable future, to 
collect moneys at our meetings. 
 
  Our treasurer Pattie Jones is looking into 3 organizations purporting 
to help New Orleans musicians. I will let the List know when we have 
made our decision. 
 
 --Bob Ringwald K6YBV 
 The Fulton Street Jazz Band 
 The Boondockers (Jazz and Comedy) 
 530/642-9551 
  
  
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