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Week 3: SECTIONALS!

Roots of Music instructors: Allen Dejan Jr., Edward Lee, Derrick Tabb,
Lawrence Rawlins, and Shoan Ruffin.

Today we start the third week of the Roots of Music summer pilot session. The program has grown to more than 60 students... and with your help we'll make it to 200 students by the launch of the full program in the Fall!

The most exciting news is the arrival of two new music instructors:

Edward Lee is now the leader of the lower brass section. Edward is the tuba player for the Soul Rebels Brass Band and he came up through the St. Augustine High School Marching 100 and the Jackson State University marching band. The tuba, trombone, and baritone horn players thank Edward for his help!

Allen Dejan Jr. leads the reed players in the RoM marching band. Allen is a graduate of the University of New Orleans jazz studies program and one of the leading saxophone and clarinet players in the city. In this picture, Allen instructs clarinet players Jazz Henry, Kaprisha Walker, Briana Smith, and Marviyan Gilmore (L to R).


A special thanks to all the music teachers at RoM - Matt.

Fundraiser at Tipitina's

Kirk Joseph's Backyard Groove

The second Roots of Music fundraising concert took place on Friday night at Tipitina's.

Kirk Joseph's Backyard Groove kicked the night off with some funky New Orleans tuba-driven grooves. Kirk told the crowd about how he got his start in a middle-school marching band program and thanked RoM for trying to bring education to New Orleans' youngest musicians.


Then Irma Thomas took the stage and wowed the crowd with favorites like "It's Raining" and "Time Is on My Side," as well as music from her Grammy-winning CD "After the Rain." Irma remembered RoM Band Director Lawrence Rawlins as a young man, when his father Wilbert Rawlins Sr. was her drummer. Lawrence went on to play in the legendary St. Augusting High School and Southern University marching bands, and now teaches at McDonogh 32 in addition to leading the RoM band.

RoM VP Allison Reinhardt
and academic tutor Andrea Boll.


It was a festive night at Tip's and we thank the RoM supporters for coming out! - Matt

Roots of Music launches Pilot Session!

RoM Band Director Lawrence Rawlins.

This week marked the official launch of the Roots of Music (RoM), a music education program founded by Derrick Tabb of the Rebirth Brass Band to serve middle-school students in New Orleans. Over 40 children have been attending afterschool band rehearsals, where they have been introduced to the fundamentals of music theory and marching band performance.

The support of Vic Firth drumsticks, HQ Percussion, Tipitina's Foundation, Hudson Music, and B’nai Israel Baton Rouge have allowed RoM to begin with this pilot session.

In June, the program will grow to 150 students and by the Fall we will be fully up and running as a daily afterschool program with 200 students in a dedicated facility. The program is free for all students.

This week, Band Director Lawrence Rawlins started the instrumentalists off with music theory lessons, student Reginald Williams played a tuba for the first time, and RoM Program Director Derrick Tabb helped Drum Instructor Shoan Ruffin get the drummers started with drills and counting.


We are in need of instruments as well as donations to cover the costs of busing, facilities, and salaries for instructors Lawrence Rawlins and Shoan Ruffin. Contact RoM at (504) 723-4666 or make donations at www.backbeatfoundation.org (please indicate Roots of Music on the PayPal form).

Program Director Derrick Tabb of the Rebirth Brass Band

You can learn more about Roots of Music at:

www.lsu.edu/fweil/AfterSchoolMusicProgram
www.therootsofmusic.com

- Matt