Ladies in Red again pay tribute to legendary musicians at annual gala

13th June 2011   ·   0 Comments

By Kelly Parker
The Louisiana Weekly

In its continuous efforts to what is motosport fast cash celebrate and sustain the many cultural legacies of our city, The Pre­servation Resource Center is holding its 11th annual Ladies in Red gala on June 10th. The event, held at Generations Hall in the warehouse district, will raise funds for innovative cultural education, while honoring a few of the city’s musical treasures.

The evening kicks off with a patron party at 7 p.m., featuring music by the George French band, along with special guests Lars Edegran, Albinas Prizgintas, and Clive Wilson. The gala begins at 8p.m. which includes the eclectic sounds of Brass Funk /Go-Go octet, Brass-a-Holics. Tickets are $150 per person for the patron party and gala, and $75 for gala tickets. Food will be provided by local favorites Lil Dizzy’s and the Praline Connection.

“The next generation of New Orleanians is very important; we have special ticket prices from our young professionals,” says PRC Director of Education and Outreach, Suzanne Blaum. “This event has always been well attended, but we are trying to reach younger constituents this year. “There our stewards for the future.”

This year’s honorees include vocalist/musician/instructor Maynard Chatters, Pride of the 7th Ward-blues singer Thais Clark, Trombonist and ‘national treasure’ Wendell Eugene along with acclaimed saxophonist Daniel Farrow.

Past honorees include Ger­maine Bazzle, Edward ‘Kidd’ Jordan, Irma Thomas and the late Edwin Hampton.

Heritage institutions will be honored as well. Jan Ramsey and Offbeat magazine, Preservation Hall, and Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro will be recognized; which marks the first time the event will honor establishments that have helped keep the sounds of the Crescent City heard by tourists and locals alike.

The PRC has promoted the preservation, restoration payday loan portage in and revitalization of New Orleans’ historic architecture and neighborhoods for over thirty years.

Ladies in Red, in particular, supports the PRC’ African American Heritage Preservation program. The (AAHP) focuses on identifying and preserving the homes and cultural legacy of New Orleans’ jazz musicians. Ladies in Red proceeds provide funds toward heritage education for elementary school children, community-enrichment events for the general public, historic research of jazz musicians, as well as the production and installation of historic plaques on the former homes of jazz musicians and legends.

Blaum tells The Louisiana Weekly that the program is shaped largely by a wonderfully active, community-minded group of locals, which are not all ladies, despite the name.

“The program (AAHP) got its start in 1997 with Annie Avery, who was part of our Operation Comeback program-which ac­quires blighted houses, restores them and puts them back on the market,” Blaum said.

From there, the organization began identifying and marketing blighted houses that once belonged to musicians.

“They realized they hit on something that was very significant to our history and our culture,” she added.

The AAHP’s newest program-‘My City, My Home’ promotes the preservation, restoration, and revitalization of New Orleans’ historic architecture and neighborhoods by providing a hands-on, interactive curriculum to elementary and middle school students. It focuses on the spaces, places, music and architecture that exemplifies the distinctiveness of New Orleans culture; all while meeting Grade Level Expectancies (GLE’s) for Sociology, Civics, Science, Math and Visual Arts. ‘My City, My Home’ is going into its third year at Dr. Martin Luther King Charter School.

Blaum explains that the program provides the tangible results of our history, which we cash loans in huntsville see every day, but may not appreciate thoroughly.

“Some of the students have commented to me that before the program, they took many things in our city for granted,” she told The Louisiana Weekly.

AAHP will partner with ReNEW Charter Management Organization and Jefferson Parish Public Schools this fall, with the hope, according to Blaum, of working with more schools in the future.

By way of the Jazz Plaque Program, AAHP has identified over 800 houses where early jazz legends lived, and has been able to produce and place historic markers for many of them. Blaum stated that close to 50 markers have been placed so far, with more in the works.

“With the AAHP and Ladies in Red, we’ve restored three former homes of jazz musicians, placed plaques and continue with the advocacy and identification of the homes,” Blaum says.

The three homes saved were the Holy Cross home of Kid Sheik Colar, Kid Ory’s home in Central City and Henry “Red” Allen’s Algiers Point home.

“The event helps fund these programs, but it’s fantastic because it honors our jazz musicians, who are recognized in Europe and other places, but (sometimes) not much here at home, so we want to do our part and give them the recognition that they deserve. It’s a special night,” said Blaum.

Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling (504) 581-7032 and for more information on the 11th annual Ladies in Red event, contact (504) 636.3399 or visit http://www.prcno.org.

This story originally published in the June 06, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.