Since Hurricane Katrina, the Crescent City has experienced a cultural Diaspora due to crippling loss of the homes, instruments and jobs of hundreds of local musicians. True to form in Jesuit tradition, Loyola students are doing their part to help rebuild the musical community.
Last Friday, Loyola students gathered on the Peace Quad for a live concert in support of the Musician’s Village, a New Orleans-based project organized by Habitat for Humanity.
The performance featured Loyola’s own Fay Wray and acoustic guitarist and singer Mike Doughty, who stopped at Loyola on an open night during his already en route national tour with Barenaked Ladies. Doughty has been featured on the soundtracks of popular television series “Veronica Mars” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” and is known for his collaborations with Dave Matthews.
Admission was free, but a portion of the proceeds from concessions was donated to the Musician’s Village project, as well as all donations collected throughout the night. Doughty showed support for the cause by offering the University Programming Board a discounted rate for his performance at the benefit.
Elliot Sanchez, political science, economy and philosophy junior, helped coordinate the event. He said UPB had approached Habitat for Humanity proposing the benefit idea.
“We usually do events with local musicians but we know there are still so many (musicians) out there struggling without homes,” said Sanchez. “Since the University Programming Board is supposed to be for entertaining students, it’s great to contribute something to the community while making students happy.”
The Musician’s Village is just one of many projects that the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity has begun since the storm. The sub-project is geared specifically towards displaced musicians in an effort to preserve the rich musical culture of New Orleans post-Katrina.
The village will be located on an upper Ninth Ward plot of land and will be made up of 81 homes centered around the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music. In addition to housing aid, the NOAHH Web site offers resources for musicians in need of local gigs, gear and financial aid. This particular project was developed to help local musicians recover. All individuals and families in need of housing are encouraged to apply for aid through Habitat for Humanity.
Since Katrina, NOAHH’s mission is to eliminate homelessness and substandard housing. They have been actively recruiting international volunteers to help in the clean-up and rebuilding process.
Jessica Dore can be reached at [email protected].
