Post-Hurricane
Katrina
Research and Recovery Work
Frederick
D. Weil
Department of Sociology
Louisiana State University
email: fweil@lsu.edu
"The
Roots of Music"
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| "As the small gold helmets of The Roots of Music Marching Band bobbed along St. Charles Avenue last weekend, onlookers repeatedly uttered one phrase. "Too cute!" they'd scream, pointing at a tiny cymbal player or an elfin saxophonist." New Orleans Times-Picayune, February 18, 2009 (link below) |
See these News Stories:
Recent Gigs
- 2010:
2009:
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Roots of Music at Nomtoc Parade, Algiers, Mardi Gras 2010
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Roots
of Music Director
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Band Director Lawrence Rawlins |
Reginald
Williams
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Feature story on national NBC Nightly News, April 30, 2009 Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
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A promotional video
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Independent
filmmakers Richard Barber and Andre Lambertson
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Working
out a Drum Routine
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Working
with the Lower Brass
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Tutoring while others are Rehearsing more videos here, and here, and here, and here
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Organizing
meeting at Café du Monde, New Orleans,
during JazzFest, April 2008 |
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The program is led by Derrick Tabb, snare drummer for the Rebirth Brass Band, probably the most important younger brass band in New Orleans, and it has support from most of the major New Orleans musicians who carry the city’s musical traditions. Derrick is executive director of the Roots of Music Foundation, which leads the effort; Allison Reinhardt is Vice President. www.rebirthbrassband.com/band.shtml, www.therootsofmusic.com
- Lawrence Rawlins is Band Director, and Shoan Ruffin is Drum Instructor. Mr. Rawlins is an accredited music instructor and has held the position of Band Director throughout the Orleans Parish school system for over 10 years. Mr. Ruffin has been teaching for 17 years in New Orleans middle and high schools. After evacuating from Hurricane Katrina, he taught at Delaware State University, and has since returned to New Orleans. Plus instructors Allen Dejan, Curriculum Director / Woodwinds Instructor, and Edward Lee, Lower Brass Instructor.
- Matt Sakakeeny, Music Professor at Tulane, board member of Roots of Music, and formerly co-producer of the “American Routes” radio show on NPR, provides advice and guidance.
- Rob
Wallis and Paul
Siegel, co-Presidents of Hudson
Music, and owners/partners of the Drummers
Collective, New York, have been
members of the drums/percussion/music community for close
to 30 years and assist in building networks with instrument
manufacturers and other national musicians, also helping
the program acquire instruments. Hudson Music provides
video and audio products for music instruction and entertainment,
with special expertise in drumming and jazz. www.hudsonmusic.com, www.drummerscollective.com
- Duffie
A. Adelson,
President, and Betsy Ko,
Director of the “Bridges: Partners in Music” off-site
program, Merit School
of Music in Chicago, provide expert
guidance in program organization and development. Merit
was founded in 1979 to provide after-school instruction
to the children of Chicago’s public schools, when
that city’s arts programs were ended. Since then,
Merit has educated 46,000 students. Merit owns its own
facility and also offers weekly instruction to more than
5,000 students at 90 Chicago Public Schools, private
schools, community centers and homeless shelters. www.meritmusic.org
- Rick
Weil,
Sociology Professor at LSU,
evaluates how participation in the program benefits parents
and communities from which the students come. He is doing
research and recovery work on post-Katrina New Orleans,
supported by the National Science Foundation, and is
working closely with many community organizations.
- The Roots of Music program is housed in the historic Cabildo in Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter, part of the Louisiana State Museum. Its previous homes were the Grace Episcopal Church on Canal Street in Mid-City, the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center, and Tipitina’s.
- Important additional
support has been provided by the Jazz & Heritage
Foundation, www.jazzandheritage.org
A Winning Solution
for
the Children of New Orleans
www.therootsofmusic.com
Roots
of Music, directed by Derrick Tabb of the Rebirth
Brass Band, is a not-for-profit organization designed
to address the critical need for middle-school music
education in the city of New Orleans. The program is
a free afterschool and summer program for children
between the ages of 9 and 14 with the goal of becoming
a member of the city’s largest youth marching band. Roots of Music will include a hands-on
music curriculum incorporating academic tutoring, guidance
counseling, music theory, history, instrumental instruction,
and physical training. The program is targeted to children
who do not receive musical instruction as part of their
school curriculum and do not have the financial resources
to access music education elsewhere. By rekindling the marching band culture for
youths, we commit ourselves to preserving our city’s
musical legacy and most importantly providing a productive
alternative to street life.
PURPOSE
Roots of Music will address the need for music education
by creating a fully equipped music facility devoted to
providing an opportunity for middle school children to
develop a musical skill. Our program will create an activity center
where students will be invited to audition in year-round
music education with the goal of membership in a citywide
marching band. Roots
of Music is free for students and continued enrollment
requires meeting academic thresholds, with academic tutoring
provided for students in need.
While
learning to play music, students will be making productive
use of time that might otherwise be squandered. Inner-city
youth have few options for structured interaction. Many
of our recreational parks house remain inaccessible after
Hurricane Katrina and those that have reopened offer
substandard facilities and equipment. Consequently, it is easier for a ten year-old
to get drugs or weapons in his hands than it is for him/her
to obtain an instrument, sports equipment, or modern
technology. The discipline of music education combined
with positive reinforcement, physical training, and academic
assistance that will result in: 1) less children being
attracted to “street life” for lack of anything else
to do; 2) fewer children dropping out of school because
they cannot get the personal attention to succeed academically;
3) a healthier population; 4) greater sense of self-worth
and self-esteem; and 5) thereby reducing crime.
The
members of Rebirth Brass Band, which is celebrating its
25th anniversary in 2008, have credited their middle
schools’ marching band for their start in music. Music education in middle-school gave Rebirth
the confidence to form a brass band and the skills to
succeed. Rebirth Brass Band wants to make an influential
move to give back to the community that so strongly supported
their success, therefore, all the musicians of Rebirth
have committed to hands on participation with Roots of Music in order to provide
the same opportunity to the next generation of musical
ambassadors for the city of New Orleans.
PROGRAM
Roots of Music is composed of children residing in Orleans
Parish and attending a public school operated by the
Recovery School District (which includes several charter
schools). School participation is based on the interest
of the principals and other administrators, with preference
given to those schools without a full-time music educator.
Students are selected through consultation with the principals,
teachers, and parents, and is of course based primarily
on student interest and dedication.
The
program offers music instruction at three levels: beginner,
intermediate, and advanced. Each
prospective student auditions in order to be placed in
the appropriate level according to his/her proficiency
with music. The
Beginner Class will focus on a basic understanding of
the fundamentals of music, including reading and performance
techniques. Intermediate
students will be trained in additional music reading
skills and the ability to perform in front of an audience. The 100 most Advanced students will be trained
in ensemble performance and choreography as members of
the marching band and will perform in various competitions
to promote itself and inspire confidence and pride.
3-Week Pilot Session (May
12 – June 2, 2008)
40
students from schools across Orleans Parish have been
selected for a pilot session this summer at the Music
Shed on 929 Euterpe Street, Uptown, New Orleans. For
this introductory program, students will attend music
instruction three days a week for two hours each class.
The class will introduce basic music fundamentals by
band director Lawrence Rawlins and drum instructor Shoan
Ruffin.
Summer 2008 (June 9 – August 8)
Roots
of Music will launch its full program in Summer 2008. The
program will audition 150 middle-school students across
Orleans Parish. The students will be bused to a centralized
facility after each school day and rehearse from the
hours of 10:00am - 2:00pm before being bused to drop-off
locations throughout the city. The
Jazz & Heritage Foundation has donated space for
our program in a building they recently purchased on
Rampart Street. Architects for Humanity has committed to
renovating the space so it is suitable for music students.
Fall 2008
Roots
of Music will continue as an afterschool program in Fall
2008. 200 students will be bused to a centralized facility
after each school day and rehearse from the hours of
3:30 - 5:30pm before being bused to drop-off locations
throughout the city. (Hours are subject to change based
on the schedule of individual schools.) Plans for a permanent
facility are being finalized and we are in discussion
with busing services to negotiate contracts for transporting
students. These two costs represent a large portion of
the Roots of Music startup budget and will require significant
cash grants and donations.
Weekly
curriculum schedules will include full band rehearsals,
sectionals with assistant directors, marching for physical
training, and classes in music theory, instrumental methodology,
and arranging. Students will also be introduced to the
indigenous music of New Orleans through residencies and
master classes with local musical icons such as Troy “Trombone
Shorty” Andrews, Ivan Neville, and the Rebirth Brass
Band.
The
rules and direction will reflect those of the professional
arts community in an environment where students receive
positive reinforcement for their musical and personal
growth. Participating
students are expected to maintain a professional level
of commitment to training and progress and required to
maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher in their core curriculum.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
To provide students with an education in
music
An
integrated arts education was eliminated from New Orleans’ middle
schools in the early 1990s. Though school administrators
are aware of the benefits of music education, public
schools are struggling to meet core curriculum standards
and raise standardized test scores. The problem is especially
acute when we consider New Orleans’ unique musical legacy
and the opportunities that a career in music offers young
New Orleanians.
Marching
bands are a proud tradition in this city, and generations
of families have taken pride in their school marching
band’s heritage and reputation. But too often, high school
band directors are forced to spend precious time teaching
the rudiments to students who have been denied any prior
experience with music. This program offers disadvantaged
children the kind of musical knowledge that would allow
them to fulfill leadership roles among their peers as
they advance to high school.
To keep children off the street
Adolescence
is a crucial time in youth development; one that makes
a long-term impact on life choices that can extend well
into adulthood. Unsupervised youth in a city where children
are killing and being killed is a recipe for disaster.
Roots of Music is taking a proactive and preventive approach
to crime in New Orleans by giving youth something better
to do, something to achieve, and skills to build upon.
The program places children who cannot afford private
music lessons in an enriching environment where they
can interact with one another, learn from first-rate
educators, be part of a team, and find an alternative
to the violence and instability in their communities.
To bring children from different
parts of the city together
Too often, teens from disparate parts of the city do not meet or develop
rapport. This separation can lead to the development
of gangs and turf wars. Roots of Music will be centrally
located, pulling students from every part of the city
for one citywide marching band. Students will develop
lifelong friendships through the program, which can help
to further their development in school and into adulthood.
To support economic development efforts
in the City of New Orleans
The
Lieutenant Governor’s Cultural Economy Report offers
important considerations in demonstrating the enormous
need for this type of program. This report argues that
investment in the cultural economy is an increasingly
critical element of any comprehensive economic development
strategy for Louisiana. The cultural economy enhances
the state’s quality of life and distinctiveness, allowing
it to compete effectively in the competition for talent
and business. Tourism, the city’s largest industry, consistently
spotlights the city’s food and music in national campaigns.
People visit New Orleans from all over the globe to experience
New Orleans music during Mardi Gras, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage
Festival, French Quarter Festival, Essence Festival,
Voodoo Music Experience, and throughout the year. Roots of Music is designed to prepare students
for professional careers in music or simply for lives
enriched through music.
PROGRAM OFFICERS
Derrick Tabb, Executive Director
Derrick
was raised through the tradition of New Orleans brass
band music and has been the snare drummer for the Rebirth
Brass Band for 11 years. Derrick served as the marching
band drum instructor at John McDonough Senior High School
(1993-94), Andrew J. Bell Middle School (1995) and McDonough
28 School (1996-1997). As a member of one of the most popular groups
in New Orleans, a father, and an active community member,
Derrick has been a positive mentor to young people. He
is passionate about music education because of the impact
teachers like Donald Richardson, his middle school band
director, had in teaching him the fundamentals of music,
acting as a positive role model, and providing him with
the wherewithal to launch a successful career in music.
Derrick wants to impart to today's youth the life lessons
that can only come about through sustained interaction
with music.
Lawrence Rawlins, Band Director
Mr.
Rawlins began his musical career as a member of Walter
L. Colton Middle School. He is an accredited music instructor and
has held the position of Band Director throughout the
Orleans Parish school system for over 10 years. Rawlins
currently teaches in the Algiers Charter School system.
Shoan Ruffin, Drum Instructor
Mr.
Ruffin has traveled the world as a musician with various
brass bands and has been teaching for 17 years. Ruffin
started teaching at Andrew J. Bell Middle School in 1994,
and went on to teach at John F. Kennedy and Sarah T.
Reed high schools. After evacuating from Hurricane Katrina,
he taught at Delaware State University. Ruffin
has since returned to New Orleans and is committed to
using his talent to instruct and inspire our city’s future
talent, organizing after-school programs and drum clinics.
Allison Reinhardt, Vice
President
Ms.
Reinhardt has spent the last two years acting as a communications
specialist/contact between musicians and national non-profit
organizations. She offers experience in grant writing, marketing
music, strategy development as well as implementation.
Ellis Joseph, Vice President
Mr.
Joseph is a graduate of the famed St. Augustine High
School marching band. He leads the Free Agents Brass
Band and is a dee-jay on radio station 102.9. Joseph
has worked closely with Silence is Violence Musical Clinic
in which he mentors kids in traditional brass band music. He
has also participated in The ESSENCE Youth Outreach Program,
working with kids from various backgrounds during the
Annual Essence Music Festival.
Matt Sakakeeny, Consultant
Mr.
Sakakeeny is an Assistant Professor of Music at Tulane
University and serves as an advisor to the Roots of Music
program officers.
The Backbeat Foundation
The
Backbeat Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation
whose mission is to foster support of the rich New Orleans
cultural heritage by providing assistance to local musical
performers through both programming and resource assistance. Backbeat
is the fiscal sponsor of Roots of Music and offers their
expertise as a corporate legal enterprise.
PARTNERS
Frederick Weil, Sociology Professor, Louisiana
State University, Baton Rouge
Rick
Weil conducts research, supported by the National Science
Foundation, on community recovery and rebuilding in Greater
New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. He will help evaluate the impact of the program
on students’ families and communities.
Rob Wallis and Paul Siegel, co-Presidents,
Hudson Music, and Owners/Partners of the Drummers Collective,
New York
Rob
Wallis and Paul Siegel’s company provides video and audio
products for music instruction and entertainment, with
special expertise in drumming and jazz. They have been members of the drums/percussion/music
community for close to 30 years and will assist in building
networks with instrument manufacturers and other national
musicians. www.hudsonmusic.com, www.drummerscollective.com
Duffie Adelson, President,
and Betsy Ko, Director of “Bridges: Partners in Music,” Merit
School of Music, Chicago
Duffie
Adelson directs the Merit School of Music, which was founded
in 1979 to provide after-school instruction to the children
of Chicago’s public schools, when that city’s arts programs
were ended. Betsy Ko directs their off-site instruction. Merit
has educated 46,000 students since its inception. Merit
owns its own facility and also offers weekly
instruction to more than 5,000 students at 90
Chicago Public Schools, private schools, community centers
and homeless shelters. Ms. Adelson and Ko will
help provide expert guidance in program organization and
development. www.meritmusic.org.
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