The Jazz Foundation of America presents:

The 2nd Annual "A GREAT NIGHT IN HARLEM"
at the Apollo Theater

September 26, 2002
7:00pm



All proceeds to benefit the Jazz Foundation of America's
Jazz Musicians Emergency Fund

Bill Cosby will be among the celebrity hosts

Performances from over 50 of the greatest jazz legends including:
Clark Terry, Freddie Hubbard, George Benson, Cecil Payne, Abbey Lincoln, Ron Carter, Lou Donaldson, Ray Barretto, Jimmy Heath, Joe Lovano, Keter Betts, Candido, Billy Bang, Hamiet Bluiett, and many more…

Honorees include Congressman John Conyers, Jack McConnell, Jimmy Owens, Max Roach and Clark Terry

The Jazz Foundation of America is a not-for-profit, 501 (C ) (3) created in 1989 to help ensure that the musicians who have spent their lives bringing jazz to life are taken care of in their later years.

For tickets please contact the
Jazz Foundation of America (212) 245-3999

http://jazzfoundation.org...x_pop.html

Jazz Foundation Gives Key Aid to Aging Musicians

August 14, 2002 09:33 AM ET

By Gary Hill

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Just two weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks the Jazz Foundation of America managed to stage a rapturous, star-studded concert at Harlem's famous Apollo Theater to raise money to help elderly jazz musicians.

But even with Bill Cosby, George Benson, Abbey Lincoln and a host of others lined up, the aftermath of the devastating attacks and the economy's current malaise are making it hard to gear up for this year's fund-raiser, which is set for Sept. 26.

Musicians from all over the United States flocked to last year's concert, which raised $250,000. The money immediately became the foundation's operating budget, said executive director Wendy Atlas Oxenhorn.

This year, it could be much less.

"If we don't make $100,000 we will be severely crippled," Oxenhorn said. "And who do you turn down? Do you turn down the 75-year-old guy who's on dialysis? And on the way to dialysis fell down and broke his shoulder and couldn't play his saxophone? And we had to pay his rent for these couple of months or he'd get evicted?"

The Jazz Foundation has also helped get glasses and real food for an 80-year-old bebop saxophonist who is too blind to shop or cook and was subsisting on Slim Fast diet drinks.

One 77-year-old pianist was evicted before Oxenhorn could get involved and all the possessions of a long, music-rich lifetime were thrown in a basement.

"I got the landlord to let me in and with his son we went through 60 garbage bags," said Oxenhorn. "We saved his recordings, his radio interviews, his albums. He had original sheet music you can't get anymore, beautiful old sheet music."

The music was all the elderly pianist wanted saved, along with a few photographs. The foundation helped him enter an assisted-living home, and bought him a keyboard so he could keep up his chops.

'AN UNUSUAL POPULATION'

Oxenhorn has worked for several nonprofit aid groups, mostly helping the homeless. But coming two years ago to the Jazz Foundation (jazzfoundation.org), which was founded in 1989, she learned firsthand about the pride of these practitioners of the American art form.

"This was an unusual population," she said. "Because it was very rare that anyone would call us direct, or if they did, they would say, 'I'd like to be a member of the Jazz Foundation, what is the donation?' I'd say, it's anything you can give. They'd say, 'OK, well, I'd like to come by.'

"I knew that was my introduction to asking how they're doing. In the course of that I'd always ask, 'Just curious, what do you eat in the course of a day?' Every one said the same thing: 'Oh, food has never been that important to me."'

Oxenhorn explained: "These are people who have always been self-sufficient, have always made it week to week, month to month, paid their rent. They might have been late sometimes but always got out from under, and were successful and respected."

Many of the musicians have never had proper health care and never got rich -- even if they are too proud to ask for help.

Last year's successful concert not only brought in more money, it also drew more attention -- and more people in need.

"Last year it was 30 we saved from eviction and homelessness, this year it was 60...," said Oxenhorn.

On top of the money the foundation spends, the Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in New Jersey and some 40 contributing doctors donate services worth "a couple hundred thousand dollars a year," said Mike Pietrowicz, the hospital's vice president for marketing and program development.

"Unfortunately jazz artists don't have access to routine medical care so when they come to us they may be at a very critical point in their life and requiring intensive care, expensive care," said Pietrowicz, who is also treasurer of the Jazz Foundation of America.

SPECIAL NEEDS

The hospital's commitment to musicians started with a pledge to legendary trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, who spent his last days there. "You promise somebody on his deathbed, you've got to do it," said Dr. Frank Forte, who helps run the Dizzy Gillespie Cancer Institute and Memorial Fund.

Forte, a guitarist himself, said the musicians often have special health-care needs. For example, one saxophonist needed physical therapy for a partly paralyzed upper lip. Several horn players have needed teeth reconstructed.

Often their health problems stem from neglect arising out of travel and poverty; tobacco, alcohol and other drugs; and sadness, Forte said. "There's a lot of sadness in the jazz world."

Oxenhorn had dreamed of an ambitious show this year, but she has had to cut her fund-raising target to $65,000 from $150,000, which would have allowed the concert to be recorded and broadcast.

Jarrett Lilien, president of E*Trade Securities, Inc. and a foundation board member, said: "It used to be pretty easy for me to call up a friend or business contact and say, hey, somewhere in your budget do you have 10 or 20 thousand dollars to get behind this very worthy cause?

"In today's environment, in times like this, it's a test of people's true self, because now when people give they're really giving," he said. "The shame about that is, times like this, the people who can use the money need it more than ever."

"Given 9/11, given the economy, there is not as much money going around as there was last year," noted Pietrowicz.

But he vows the show will go on.

"I think we'll sell out the concert as we did last year," said Pietrowicz. "Maybe your article can help us get some underwriters."

Oxenhorn is also determined to make the concert a gala event. "We're going to have one hell of a concert," she said. "It's happening. And I'm going to have a great time."

http://jazzfoundation.org...x_pop.html



[This message was edited Thu Aug 15 11:27:05 PDT 2002 by july]