NEW ORLEANS— While paddle boarders enjoyed a lovely evening on Bayou St. John, preparations were being made for an event to benefit folks close to the heart of trumpeter/band leader Terence Blanchard and his wife and manger Robin Burgess.

Certainly efforts to aid musicians are going on around the area but for this one, they opened their own digs.

Blanchard said, “We said why don’t we do something here at the house. Bring some guys over and let them play. Invite some people over, have them donate and have a great time.”

FOr people that play the music, the night offered some financial assistance, but also fulfillment of a need to connect in-person with their craft. Something the pandemic has robbed them of.

Drummer Herlin Riley chimed in, “As a musician, we always like the comradery of being on stage with people, and the interaction and the spiritual connection that we get from playing with people”

The Blanchard family’s work has continued thru film and television projects but it was Robin’s idea to help others with this event after hearing about arts patron Sherri McConnell doing a similar benefit.

According to Burgess, “Sheri was kind enough to share her playbook with me, and I said alight let’s go raise some money for the New Orleans musicians that are friends of ours who are having a bit of a tough time like a pot of people are right now, so this is all for them”

Burgess also said they plan to do another event like this to help.