The Jazz Foundation of America Succeeds in Helping Return the Heart and
                            Soul to New Orleans

    NEW YORK, Aug. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- One year after the devastation
wrought by Hurricane Katrina, The Jazz Foundation of American has helped
save 1,100 displaced musicians in nearly 20 states to find homes, jobs and
the instruments to keep their music alive. What follows are the stories of
the musicians and the important work the Foundation is doing to save New
Orleans one musician at a time. For example, it was The Jazz Foundation
that gave Fats Domino a new piano after the Flood. This year will be
another hard one for victims of Katrina. Organizations like the Jazz
Foundation need ongoing support to keep the Soul of New Orleans alive and
well till things come back.
    Remember Glenn Hall, the 10-year-old trumpet player/Katrina survivor
from New Orleans who came to New York to be the Grand Marshall of last
year's Halloween Parade and won our hearts? He appeared on every major
television news station from CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, WOR, FOX and every major
newspaper. The Jazz Foundation of America made it possible, they also gave
him a trumpet after he'd lost his in the Flood, and arranged for housing,
food and clothing for his family.
    "The Jazz Foundation has been a lifesaver to so many musicians from New
Orleans, giving them the opportunity to work and earn money with dignity.
They've done more to help the New Orleans musicians then any other group
that I know of." - Dr. Michael White, noted New Orleans
bandleader/historian
    "It's hard for people to imagine what it's like to go through something
like this, and to then start over with nothing. The Jazz Foundation was
there for us every time ... they made it all possible. I don't know what we
would have done without their help. The light is coming back after so much
darkness, darkness I thought would never end, and now everything's going to
be all right. I am overwhelmed ... and so very, very grateful." - Rodney
Rollins, musician, New Orleans resident and Hurricane Katrina survivor -
played with Irma Thomas
    Over the last year, the Jazz Foundation of America has assisted more
than 1,100 New Orleans musician emergency cases, doubling its normal case
load with a small staff working 18-20 hour days. That's why celebrities
like Danny Glover, joined the Board of Directors, and Dick Parsons joined
the Board of Advisors, and Bill Cosby, Elvis Costello, Whoopi Goldberg,
Quincy Jones, Bonnie Raitt and Chevy Chase have been supporters of the Jazz
Foundation of America.
    New Orleans musicians have voted The Jazz Foundation of America the
most wonderful, personal, caring organization -
    "As rewarding as it has been to be there for these strong people who
spent their lives making ours rich with their music, it has been
devastating to see the effects of the aftermath on families. More than
anything, to see the loss of a world like no other, a place that has been
home to over 2000 musicians, where music filled the streets 24 hours a day,
where it was commonplace to see 12 year olds walking home from school,
practicing the trumpet. If low income housing is not created for artists
and for the poor, the very garden that grew this world of music will be at
risk of extinction and New Orleans will become a cardboard city without a
soul," says Wendy Oxenhorn, Executive Director of the Jazz Foundation of
America. "We must find a way to bring the people back home and stop this
unconscionable devastation of American families and lives."
    Highlights of Jazz Foundation Programs

    * With the help of E*TRADE FINANCIAL, the Foundation established New
      Orleans' very first post-Katrina Emergency Housing Fund for musicians --
      housing, relocating and saving hundreds of New Orleans musicians and
      their families from eviction, homelessness and mortgage foreclosure.
      From the first week after the hurricane and Flood, E*TRADE FINANCIAL
      made a commitment that has helped the Foundation save displaced
      musicians in nearly 20 states.  E*TRADE FINANCIAL has pledged to
      continue support this year, so the Foundation can continue to keep the
      roof over the heads of the musicians who made America's only original
      art form.
    "The work of The Jazz Foundation is helping very real people address
very critical needs -- needs like housing and employment -- everyday
necessities that many of us take for granted," said Jarrett Lilien,
president of The Jazz Foundation's Board of Directors and president and
Chief Operating Officer of E*TRADE FINANCIAL. "We are helping to preserve
the musical heart and soul of New Orleans by giving musicians the means and
opportunity to pursue their passion for music, a passion which benefits us
all by enriching our lives."
    * Through the contributions of Dr. Agnes Varis, for The Jazz Foundation
      created the first employment program, which has grown into an $800,000
      achievement.  The program has created 3,100 individual employment
      opportunities and has employed several hundred displaced musicians, with
      a minimum of $200 per gig, while bringing free performances to thousands
      of children in schools and the elderly in nursing homes in over eight
      states where the musicians have been forced to settle. This program was
      also made possible with the help from Dick Parsons & TIME WARNER Inc.
    "The physical destruction and psychological vacuum that remains has
surpassed my wildest imagination. Through the darkness of this disaster the
generosity of the Jazz Foundation of America, and especially the Agnes
Varis/Jazz Foundation in Schools Program has helped begin to save one of
New Orleans most cherished natural resources, its music." - Jay Griggs, New
Orleans musician
    * The Foundation secured over $250,000 worth of brand new top-shelf
      donated instruments.  The Jazz Foundation gave instruments to the
      elderly members of the famous and beloved Treme Brass Band and many of
      New Orleans most beloved senior and junior jazz and blues artists,
      including Rebirth Brass band, The Hot 8, Davell Crawford, Shannon
      Powell, Dr. Michael White, Henry Butler, Lionel Ferbos (age 95!) Cyril
      Neville, Derwin Perkins, with the help of:

    -- Music & Arts Centers donated over $150,000 of top shelf brass.
    -- Yamaha donated nearly $50,000 of their cost to getting high-end drum
       kits to over 30 of New Orleans greatest drummers.
    -- New York's Beethoven pianos gave nearly $50,000 of pianos.

    One Family's Story of Help and Hope
    After being displaced by Katrina, the Rollins family of New Orleans,
like many Katrina survivors ended up in a city far from home. There had
been frightening moments -- like having to search for their oldest son who
had first stayed behind because he wouldn't leave without his puppy. They
found their son, but the police would not allow the one year old puppy,
Zina, to evacuate. They had to leave her in the house with many bags of dog
food. Three months later, when they were all allowed to return, the dog was
still alive! The ASPCA would not let him take the large dog out of state
until they had a house.
    So much fell apart after Katrina, but at least the family, including
mom, dad, four children and two small grandchildren, was still together.
Rodney and Ella relocated to Atlanta, it was difficult, taking the only
affordable housing meant living in a rough part of town. Ella, with four
children, secured a full-time job at a local store making $233 a week
before taxes.
    Rodney, who had earned his living every night of the week as a musician
in New Orleans, was now employed by the same department store as his wife,
he was working the night shift, she was working days.
    Wendy Oxenhom remembers the day he called in a panic. His 18 year-old
son, Davon, was in the hospital after trying to save his three brothers and
sister from a stove fire in the apartment. He was so worried that they
might lose there new home, after all they lost in the Flood, that he tried
to take the fire out of the house and burned himself severely. This young
hero had no health insurance and the Rollins' needed help.
    Davon said, "The Jazz Foundation called the hospital social worker and
got me Medicaid insurance. Then she told me that with all these bandages, I
would need some cool clothes and they gave me $500 to the best store in
town and I even got to rent a tuxedo for my Prom. She even got me some
gloves to cover my hands, I felt so great, I went to my prom and I never
thought I would. They made me feel comfortable with my scars. Wendy emailed
me and called always checking on me, like a friend would do."
    The Jazz Foundation moved the family into a wonderful house, with a
backyard, thanks to E*TRADE FINANCIAL, where they would even be able to be
reunited with Zina the puppy.
    Currently The Jazz Foundation is trying to help Davon get into college,
all his high school transcripts were lost in the Flood, but it is a
struggle. The Foundation moved the family back to Louisiana. Rodney will be
employed in the Jazz in the Schools Program.
    "We're going back to New Orleans," said Rodney. "Thanks to the
Foundation, I will be playing music again, like I am supposed to do on this
Earth. I'm getting back my purpose in the world. I'm getting the music
back, and that's what will keep my soul alive."
    Additional quotes from New Orleans musicians & beneficiaries:
    ... They came to my rescue!!! The JAZZ FOUNDATION of AMERICA is a 'for
real'
    Benefactor ... Keeping The Music ... and the MUSICIANS ... ALIVE!
-Harold Battiste, Jr., famous New Orleans Musician/composer and Cher's
former
                                music director
    "The Jazz Foundation is doing an amazing job preserving New Orleans
music, its
    culture and the musicians themselves, for generations to come."
                     -James Andrews, noted N.O. musician
    "The Jazz Foundation has been keeping us musicians afloat, don't know
what we would have done without them. They are doing for us what the
government should
                                   have. "
                       -Corey Henry (Lil' Rascals Band)
    "No matter the race, class or genre of jazz, when New Orleans musicians
needed
     help, the Jazz Foundation was there with open arms to embrace them"
                    - Jesse McBride, New Orleans musician

    About The Jazz Foundation of America
    The Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) was co-founded by Dr. Billy Taylor
with a group of caring jazz enthusiasts to preserve the interests of an art
Congress has designated "a rare and valuable national treasure" -- jazz.
JFA has been saving elderly jazz and blues musicians in crisis since 1989.
They have gone from assisting 35 musicians a year to now more than 50 a
week. JFA navigated hundreds of musicians through the aftermath of 9/11
when paying venues dried up. Since the Flood and the hurricanes, has
assisted more than 1,100 New Orleans emergency cases, aiding hundreds of
musicians and their families.
    Media Contact:
    Wendy Oxenhorn
    The Jazz Foundation of America
    212-245-3999 Ext. 27
    917-991-6198 cell
    WendyOxenhorn@aol.com

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