:: mike errico diary ::

:: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 ::

Happy Holidays.


See you soon.

m
:: mike 7:59 AM [+] ::

I drove through the Lower 9th Ward last night. So much to say, for some other time. If anyone tells you that the situation in New Orleans is under control, they are very, very wrong. It is improving, for sure - but there is still a vast need. Here is a way you can help - give it a minute. A contribution in your folks' names would cost the same any gift, and do a lot more. -m





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Your dad has enough sweaters. Mom doesn't need another scarf. Give a gift you can see, hear and feel -- a contribution to the New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund. NOMHRF helps return displaced musicians to New Orleans, creates gigs in the city, and replaces instruments damaged and destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Your help could put an instrument, and a livelihood, back into the hands of some of the most talented artists in the country. What gift is more meaningful than your own generosity, extended in the name of your loved ones to people who need it the most?



Here's how you can help:






THE NEW ORLEANS MUSICIANS HURRICANE RELIEF FUND


We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to humanitarian outreach for New Orleans musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina. By returning displaced musicians to New Orleans, creating gigs in the city, and replacing flood-damaged instruments, NOMHRF empowers musicians to earn a living and heal our community with music.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

FINANCIAL DONATIONS: All donations are tax deductible and are targeted to meet local needs. Donations can be made online by CLICKING HERE

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST: Sign up here and stay up to date with our progress and with fantastic NOMHRF-affiliated performances in your area.

BUY MERCHANDISE THAT HELPS FUND OUR WORK: CDs, shirts and more are available at the Web site. A portion of proceeds has been dedicated by these vendors to our cause.

INSTRUMENT DONATIONS: By donating instruments, you give New Orleans musicians the means to pursue their livelihood and revitalize their hometown. Notify NOMHRF by e-mail, and ship donated instruments to:

American Federation of Musicians

Local 174-496

2401 Esplanade Avenue

New Orleans, LA 70119

ORGANIZE A BENEFIT CONCERT IN YOUR AREA: E-mail aimee@nomhrf.org or call 800-957-4026 with any questions. You can download an information form HERE.


TELL A FRIEND: Forward this message. Create your own. Put us in your Top 8. Wear our shirts at concerts... Oral history is the foundation of New Orleans music and culture, and it is only fitting that it remains at the forefront of the city's recovery.


Thank you,

The staff of NOMHRF

:: mike 11:06 AM [+] ::

I thought I was going to be hammering nails, and moving bags of concrete. But now it looks like I'm going to be writing and helping organize the office and media portion of this organization.

It's still a mess down here, and I haven't even seen the real damaged areas. I tried to take a cab to where the levee broke, but my cab driver, an ex-New York City cop, said it is too dangerous to let me out of the car. Sure enough, there was a shooting around the second line parade I was hoping to see. Detroit's got nothing on this place.

The roof of the Best Western I'm staying in blew off in the storm and they're still trying to fix it. Broken windows and deserted store fronts are everywhere, even in the French Quarter. I'm working out of a four-room office with three awesome and dedicated people.

New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund

The New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization founded by Ben and Sarah Jaffe of Preservation Hall immediately after Hurricane Katrina. The NOMHRF mission is twofold: to provide humanitarian outreach to New Orleans musicians affected by the storm and to revive New Orleans’ unique musical culture. NOMHRF brings musicians home with rent subsidies and grants for home repairs, creates and underwrites gigs, and replaces flood-damaged instruments. We empower musicians to earn a living and heal the city with their music. Since the levee failure, more than 1000 New Orleans musicians have received these services from NOMHRF, as well as referrals to health care clinics, social services, and other relief organizations.

By actively locating displaced New Orleans musicians, NOMHRF disbursed nearly $400,000 in emergency relief in its first three months. Grants targeting leaders in the music community ensured that New Orleans’ bandleaders, music-related businesses, and educators would be part of the rebuilding process. Performers of all genres, from traditional jazz to hip-hop, from local churches to the Louisiana Philharmonic, benefited from this assistance. Funding for this outreach came almost entirely from private, individual donations.

NOMHRF relocated to Preservation Hall, in New Orleans, in December of 2005. Preservation Hall, the world-renown jazz venue in the French Quarter, stands on a sliver of high ground surrounded by waterlogged residential neighborhoods, still fighting for their survival. These neighborhoods are the source of New Orleans’ characteristic rhythms, which drove the development of jazz and R& B. Their streets are home to brass band parades and Mardi Gras Indians. NOMHRF supports these indigenous traditions by subsidizing second lines and other performances, and continues to help members of the music community return home.

To learn more about NOMHRF, please contact:

New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund
828 Royal St. #833
New Orleans, LA 70116
1-800-957-4026
www.nomhrf.org
:: mike 1:01 PM [+] ::

It was great to see many of you at the Holiday Show this year. I had a great time, and the new songs just fly. It was also the fastest sell out in my history, which is an Omen in itself.

The set:
Strawberry Song // Skimming // Sooner or Later// How it Ends // Ever Since (solo) // You Could Be Anywhere (solo) // Daylight // Run // Underwater // Grace // Springtime (encore, solo)

While I was playing the show, a great friend was uptown, giving birth to a baby girl. Also, my friend Louis, who worked at the Chelsea diner and gave me most of the coffee that fueled my past five records, died of a heart attack. He was 49, and a sweet guy. He's thanked on Skimming and Pictures. I will miss him.



Next, it's off to New Orleans...
:: mike 11:55 AM [+] ::

Hi Mike,

Just want to thank you for an awesome evening. We took our daughters to see you play last night (both seasoned fans) and we all had a blast. And major thanks for the Omens - our ten-year-old got tequila and our fifteen-year-old got the Masters and Johnson book of Human Sexuality; clearly very disturbing things await us in the new year...





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:: mike 11:42 AM [+] ::

Mike,

Amazing Show last night! It was good to see you again. I promise to put the Omen (the perfect piece jumped into my hand) to good use. It may be inspiration for my next line of jewelry.



.
:: mike 11:41 AM [+] ::

Mike

My Holiday Omen was a draidel (sp?)

Past omens for me included:
1) leopard skin women's panties: FACT
2) a crown
3) a leather wallet with chain: FACT
4) two visits to a personal trainer - never used FACT!
5) a draidel

All true.
All omens are true.
:: mike 11:39 AM [+] ::

Rock Star Holiday Wish Lists

Just because they already have everything doesn't mean they don't want more.

CLICK ON THE PIC





FROM BLENDER.COM
:: mike 1:17 PM [+] ::