Some of you may be familiar with NAMA or a similar organization in your city or town. Let's into a discussion or how to better support these institutions in our communities. To ensure that "Great Black Music" survives it is a must to do this. Don't you agree?? Or are ya sleepin'??
The New Amsterdam Musical Ass'n (NAMA), the world's oldest jazz organization, was founded in 19O5 as an alternative to the then~whites~only Musicians' Union; NAMA today remains in its home since 1924, a spacious brownstone at 1O7 W. 13Oth St., NYC 1OO27. Legendary musicians includ'g EUBIE BLAKE, BENNY CARTER, FLETCHER HENDERSON, "JELLY ROLL" MORTON & "PANAMA" FRANCIS have come through town & through NAMA's doors, finding opportunities there to catch up with one another & to rehearse, perform, & jam, & there used to be a 1OO~pc. house orchestra. The bldg. is sound but urgently in need of renovation & repairs; in addition, present~day goals of NAMA include building rehearsal rooms, an exhibit area, an archives center, a performance space, & classrooms there. If you can contribute funds, expertise, labor, construction materials, &/ or any sort of useful equipment, call (212)368~8425, or write to above address. We have in Pittsburgh, the African-American Jazz Preservation Society which is made up of members of the former Black Musicians Union Local 471. I recently did a profile of the Union, interviewed one of the oldest surviving members, and displayed informational material in the exhibit I did for Black History Month for my job with the City of Pittsburgh. When I do my weekly radio show I always bring up preserving our cultural heritage....."From the ancient, to the future". take care and ......think....it's ain't illegal yet Kevin Amos
