Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Attn: DJs, Record & Gear Companies, Industry Professionals - A Call For Help!
Dear Fellow DJs, Collectors, Promoters & Fans of Rare Groove, Deep Funk, Old School Funk, Old School Hip Hop, Underground Disco, Afro Funk, and Soul Jazz Music & Culture:
First thing first - Thanks for your concern for my community and the citizens of New Orleans and all affected by Hurricane Katrina. No one anticipated the catastrophe that we were dealt, but we will get through it thanks to your compassion and help.
Personally, I am fine and will be sneaking in the city tomorrow to check on the status of where I live and most important to me, my record crates, filled with thousands of funky tunes which I have enjoyed and lovingly collected since I was 6 years old. (I evacuated with 60 records.)
While the status of my professional day job lingers in uncertainty, I have decided to spend some time in New York City and Brooklyn.
I am excited that I will have the opportunity, while there, to record shows at the WFMU studios that will be broadcast live for "WWOZ in Exile" (see wwoz.org for more info). Also exciting is being able to DJ again at club parties that are in the works for when I am in NYC (nothing confirmed yet, but lots of hopeful possibilities).
There is much-needed relief assistance set up for musicians, visual artists and other creative people, but none that I've seen for DJs. So I appeal to you to help me, as I have helped many of you in spreading the word of the good groove for my 10+ year career as a community radio programmer and club/mobile DJ specializing in rare groove and funk-related genres.
Rebuilding record libraries is a serious concern of mine and other DJs.
Immediately, I am in need of:
1)records, records, records (LPs, 45s, comps & reissues OK and appreciated!) that I can feature on the WFMU shows and in club gigs and bring back home to New Orleans to continue the work I've begun. Genres: Rare Groove, Deep Funk, Old School Funk, Old School Hip Hop, Underground Disco, Afro Funk, and Soul Jazz Music
2) professional DJ headphones for gigs
3) leads for gigs, though I might be OK in this area
Long term, I am in need of:
1) gear (The flood has destroyed all of the following items that were on the 1st floor of my home: 2 Yamaha 12" speakers, Squier PA system w/speakers, CD burner (w/ability to burn music from turntables to CD)
2) Contacts to help with benefits for other New Orleans funk & hip hop DJs to help rebuild collections. I will be setting these up once life gets back to normal in New Orleans. I will need either financial, product or promotional assistance.
3) CDs - All CDs that I owned were left on my first floor and destroyed. While I spin 100% vinyl at club gigs and parties, I augment my vinyl collection with CDs on my radio show. I will need CDs of rare groove comps and full releases to get my show back on track.
I promise to acknowledge any company or individual who helps me on my website, on my show, on my email list of 300+ fans/friends/colleagues locally and nationally and I will pray for you every day!
If you have anything you can spare, please send it to where I'll be very soon:
Temp Address to mail DJ Soul Sister from Sept. 18 - October 5*
Melissa A. Weber
c/o Danielle Bias
229 Madison Street
Apartment 1
Brooklyn, NY, 11216
Cell 504-491-6626
Temp Address to mail DJ Soul Sister until New Orleans is officially back up
Melissa A. Weber
c/o Oscar Pedescleaux
8211 Highway 18
Saint James LA 70086-7563
Land Line 225-473-4589
*If your company is in New York and would prefer to meet me, please feel free to contact me as I'd love to meet you.
At this time, all I have to hold on to is sharing music and spreading its healing powers and the incredible sounds and messages of its creators. Thank you for helping me to continue.
peace and love - thank you,
melissa
aka DJ Soul Sister, New Orleans - a Katrina Survivor
www.djsoulsister.com
email: soulsister at djsoulsister dot com
First thing first - Thanks for your concern for my community and the citizens of New Orleans and all affected by Hurricane Katrina. No one anticipated the catastrophe that we were dealt, but we will get through it thanks to your compassion and help.
Personally, I am fine and will be sneaking in the city tomorrow to check on the status of where I live and most important to me, my record crates, filled with thousands of funky tunes which I have enjoyed and lovingly collected since I was 6 years old. (I evacuated with 60 records.)
While the status of my professional day job lingers in uncertainty, I have decided to spend some time in New York City and Brooklyn.
I am excited that I will have the opportunity, while there, to record shows at the WFMU studios that will be broadcast live for "WWOZ in Exile" (see wwoz.org for more info). Also exciting is being able to DJ again at club parties that are in the works for when I am in NYC (nothing confirmed yet, but lots of hopeful possibilities).
There is much-needed relief assistance set up for musicians, visual artists and other creative people, but none that I've seen for DJs. So I appeal to you to help me, as I have helped many of you in spreading the word of the good groove for my 10+ year career as a community radio programmer and club/mobile DJ specializing in rare groove and funk-related genres.
Rebuilding record libraries is a serious concern of mine and other DJs.
Immediately, I am in need of:
1)records, records, records (LPs, 45s, comps & reissues OK and appreciated!) that I can feature on the WFMU shows and in club gigs and bring back home to New Orleans to continue the work I've begun. Genres: Rare Groove, Deep Funk, Old School Funk, Old School Hip Hop, Underground Disco, Afro Funk, and Soul Jazz Music
2) professional DJ headphones for gigs
3) leads for gigs, though I might be OK in this area
Long term, I am in need of:
1) gear (The flood has destroyed all of the following items that were on the 1st floor of my home: 2 Yamaha 12" speakers, Squier PA system w/speakers, CD burner (w/ability to burn music from turntables to CD)
2) Contacts to help with benefits for other New Orleans funk & hip hop DJs to help rebuild collections. I will be setting these up once life gets back to normal in New Orleans. I will need either financial, product or promotional assistance.
3) CDs - All CDs that I owned were left on my first floor and destroyed. While I spin 100% vinyl at club gigs and parties, I augment my vinyl collection with CDs on my radio show. I will need CDs of rare groove comps and full releases to get my show back on track.
I promise to acknowledge any company or individual who helps me on my website, on my show, on my email list of 300+ fans/friends/colleagues locally and nationally and I will pray for you every day!
If you have anything you can spare, please send it to where I'll be very soon:
Temp Address to mail DJ Soul Sister from Sept. 18 - October 5*
Melissa A. Weber
c/o Danielle Bias
229 Madison Street
Apartment 1
Brooklyn, NY, 11216
Cell 504-491-6626
Temp Address to mail DJ Soul Sister until New Orleans is officially back up
Melissa A. Weber
c/o Oscar Pedescleaux
8211 Highway 18
Saint James LA 70086-7563
Land Line 225-473-4589
*If your company is in New York and would prefer to meet me, please feel free to contact me as I'd love to meet you.
At this time, all I have to hold on to is sharing music and spreading its healing powers and the incredible sounds and messages of its creators. Thank you for helping me to continue.
peace and love - thank you,
melissa
aka DJ Soul Sister, New Orleans - a Katrina Survivor
www.djsoulsister.com
email: soulsister at djsoulsister dot com
