Over 800 musicians have signed our Justice for Jazz Artists! (J4JA!) petition to get benefits in the NY area jazz clubs.
Most have come in via the J4JA website, the Broadway pit orchestras, and a Constant Contact mailing from earlier this month. Many signatures have also been procured by musicians.
Recent prominent signers include:
Regina Carter James Carter David Amram Bob Wilber
Phil Woods James Spaulding Rudresh Mahanthappa
Judi Silvano Nicholas Payton Phil Woods
Organist, DJ and Local 802 Member Jon Hammond came through with streaming video and KYOU radio spots, and some timely postings on the web, which have had a definite impact.
Thanks Jon!
http://www.viddler.com/explore/h…
Justice for Jazz Artists Facebook Cause page has 115 members and is growing daily. If you are on Facebook, join the cause and get your frinds to join as well.
We are negotiating with Judson Memorial Church (in Washington Square Park) so that they may rent us space for an NYC rally at the end of September
Our letter to former NYC mayor Honorable David N. Dinkins is signed and ready to go. We are also preparing letters for Chairman of House Ways and Means Committee Charles Rangle and other prominent NY political figures
Here is an updated list of our Coalition Endorsers:
American Federation of Musicians, Tom Lee, President; Sam Folio, Secretary Treasurer
Local 802, American Federation of Musicians
Local 802 Jazz Advisory Committee
Local 802 Theater Committee
Jazz Foundation of America
Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition, Rabbi Michael Feinberg Executive Director
New York City Central Labor Council
Jazz Ministry at St. Peter’s Church, Amandus J. Derr, Senior Pastor
New School Jazz Department Faculty Committee
Andy Kirk Research Foundation
Rutgers-Newark Master’s Program in Jazz History and Research
Dr. Lewis Porter, Jazz Historian and Educator
Dan Morgenstern, Jazz Historian and former editor of Down Beat
Amiri Baraka, Poet, Writer, Activist*
John Chilton, Jazz Historian
Loren Schoenberg, Jazz Writer, Archivist*
Stanley Crouch, Journalist, Jazz Historian*
Maxine Gordon (widow of Dexter Gordon) *
Gary Giddins, Jazz Journalist
Nat Hentoff, Jazz Journalist
NY City Councilwoman Diana Reyna (D-34, Brooklyn)
NY City Councilman Eric N. Gioia (D-26, Queens) *
NY City Councilwoman Jessica Lappin (D-5, Manhattan) *
*signed on in the last two weeks
Thanks for all of your hard work, and for supporting J4JA!
Spread the Word!
Best,
Todd Bryant Weeks
J4JA
