Umbria Gives Back to New Orleans
Every year from deep in the delta, arrives the swanky, sultry sound of the south–the southern United States that is. Annually, Perugia hosts Umbria Jazz, a world renowned week-long festival that pays homage to one of America’s greatest legacies, jazz. Every year in July thousands of tourists, muscians and music lovers flock to Perugia as the streets transform into great stages where jazz, gospel, zydeco, R&B and even marching bands perform.
In light of Katrina, this year the Umbrian community of Orvieto has decided to give back to the jazz community in its time of need. “Umbria Jazz Loves New Orleans” will be blazed across sweatshirts and sold for 40 Euro each during the festivities. Proceeds will go to those in need in New Orleans after the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. If all of the sweatshirts are sold, Orvieto will have raised 80,000 Euro in proceeds for Katrina victims. The Umbrian community states, “UMBRIA JAZZ LOVES NEW ORLEANS sweatshirts is a small sign of our love and affection for that part of America hit by Katrina which is the part that is neither rich nor powerful. It was in this America, neither rich nor 
powerful, that jazz was born. By raising money to help victims of Katrina, we hope to repay some of the debt that we owe it.”
For more information on Umbria Jazz and sweatshirt sales, go to http://www.umbriajazz.com/