Hey y’all – I wanted to share this information from my friend Jay
about our endeavor to bring a bevy Of New Orleans Bounce artists
to Austin for SXSW. Please help us make it happen!
There’s a link to the Kickstarter page in his letter below-
it would mean so much to a lot of amazing people if
you could help out, even just a little!
Thank you so much in advance –
and if you can, please help spread the word, won’t you?
Big Freedia + Katey Red – photo by Ports Bishop
“Hello from the Dirty South!
It’s Rusty Lazer (Jay to some of you!), and I’m writing a short letter for some big help!
The Bounce Music performers and promoters I work with here in New Orleans
have been invited to a showcase at this year’s South By Southwest Music Conference
in Austin to our great joy and surprise! They are all creators and originators of what we
call Bounce, which has become the music of the streets of this city over a 20 year period
of steady growth. Katey Red, DJ Jubilee, Big Freedia, Partners n’ Crime, Vockah Redu,
Magnolia Shorty and Miss Tee are all going with us and we couldn’t be happier!
For those that don’t know, Bounce Music is merely the latest unique offering from a city
that defines originality, taking its place among the many historical gifts of New Orleans.
It contains elements of everything you’ve ever heard from here before – voodoo chants,
Mardi Gras Indian songs, Jazz, R&B, Soul, Brass Bands – these are its lineage and
Bounce Music will, like its predecessors, define the music of the future of this city
and possibly much more.
All of these artists are at the top of their game, but none are wealthy, and many have
seen the fruits of their labors commercialized by hugely successful artists like Beyonce,
Lil’ Jon and more. They don’t complain, they just continue to develop the soundtrack of
our reconstruction, bring happiness to their fans and toil in virtual poverty. For a majority
here, their music is what makes some of the challenges of post-Katrina life manageable.
Unfortunately, the conference doesn’t pay for any aspect of the event for artists,
so bringing 10 rappers and just as many dancers, baton twirlers, DJ’s and more,
not to mention leaving lucrative local performances for a weekend, is nearly impossible.
We don’t need much to do this right. Hotels and travel expenses are all we’re trying to cover.
We’re asking for donations through an innovative website called Kickstarter which allows us
to provide interesting premiums to accompany your donation, but we don’t receive any money
if we don’t reach our goal of $1500 by March 1st!
You can see our Kickstarter page here, donate to our cause,
and learn more about what we call “Bounce Music” and the people who make it!
Please spread it far and wide, and if you blog please get it up if you can as soon as possible!
We’ve only got 1 month to pull off a lot!
Kickstarter – New Orleans Block Party Music goes to SXSW
Please help us out, and get some cool stuff in return.
I for one am hoping for Katey Red’s voice
on my outgoing message – stay tuned for that!
Feel free to write with any questions to rustylazer@gmail.com
Thanks everyone, and good day,
Rusty Lazer
aka
Jay Pennington”
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