Join Fats Domino in Saving New Orleans' Music Culture

We were all worried during Hurricane Katrina that New Orleans legend Fats Domino was among those lost in that devastated city. But Fats, we later learned, is alive and kicking, and doing his part to revitalize what was a major center of the Jazz Universe.

This is from the Tipitina's Foundation website:

The Tipitina’s Foundation has announced that legendary R&B and rock ’n’ roll singer, songwriter and pianist, Antoine Dominique “Fats” Domino Jr., is donating proceeds from his new album “Alive and Kickin’” to the Tipitina’s Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to music education, music business development, and preserving Louisiana’s unique musical cultures.

“Alive and Kickin’” is Fats Domino’s first new release since “Christmas Gumbo” in 1993. “Fats was looking for a meaningful way to give back to his hometown after Hurricane Katrina,” said Tipitina’s Foundation co-founder Roland von Kurnatowski. “He made it very clear that he was making this donation to us because he felt it was important to support the Foundation in its efforts to rebuild the New Orleans music community.”

In a scene that played out on television screens around the world, on September 1, 2005, the 77-year-old Domino was rescued from the roof of his flooded home in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward by a Coast Guard helicopter. After spending time in a shelter and apartments in Baton Rouge, the Domino family returned to New Orleans in October to begin rebuilding their home.

“This album is a soulful musical message from Fats to his millions of fans around the world that he, the people of his beloved city of New Orleans, and its vibrant musical community are ‘Alive and Kickin’” said Bill Taylor, Director of the Tipitina’s Foundation. Eleven of the album’s 13 tracks were recorded over the decade prior to Hurricane Katrina, but the effort took on a renewed sense of urgency for Fats as his hometown has pulled together to rebuild.

Fats Domino’s “Alive and Kickin’” is only available online at tipitinasfoundation.org. A CD can be obtained by making a donation to the Tipitina’s Foundation. All Foundation proceeds will go toward helping save and rebuild the New Orleans music community. By supporting musicians who have suffered devastating losses from displacement, homelessness, and a lack of jobs and instruments, Fats Domino and the Tipitina’s Foundation are ensuring that New Orleans’ unique musical heritage will be preserved.

Go. Donate. And enjoy the music.

Harry Allen Countdown

It's an exciting time for Harry Allen fans. We're less than two weeks away from the release of Harry's “Jazz for the Heart” CD, the “Two Tenors & a Piano Player” concert, where Harry's quartet will team up with John Bunch and Carmen Leggio, and the Jazz Masters Class, where Harry will give personal saxophone instruction.

For some background on the new release, check out our press release on MarketWire.

For McMahon Jazz Medicine readers, we will be providing some exclusive video footage of Harry and the band rehearsing and recording in the studio. Check back over the next few days.