Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi
This time again I can’t make it because I have a gig with my band SoSaLa at Nublu. But…I’ll do my part by wearing the J4JA t-shirt when performing “Low Key Blues.” which is dedicated to this campaign and to the musicians who want and make a change.
Again: What do we want? Pension contributions, pay scales and protections on recordings at NYC clubs including Jazz Standard.
Text by J4JA
Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi
Three days ago my union endorsed Bill de Blasio to be the next Mayor of New York City. Honestly I don’t know whether he’s the right guy to be on the J4JA bandwagon. I don’t know what he has promised the union…us. But in case he forgets the J4JA campaign, I promise you that I and my musician friends and colleagues – who believe and are active in this campaign – will remind Mr. Blasio of all the promises he did to our Local 802 President Tino Gagliardi. Today I registered to vote. This will be the first time for me voting!! I have no idea who I’ll vote for…de Blasio? Hmm…will do my research. Try to meet him and ask him how he would clean up the NY jazz music club scene. I’m old enough not to believe what politicians promise in their election campaign. President Obama is a good example for this. What Mr. Obama promised during his election campaign and what he has achieved as the president by now are two worlds.
Anyway I can’t endorse Bill de Blasio at this time because I still don’t know what he really stands for (but please watch the video below in which he announces his candidacy). In the next weeks I’ll try to find out why my union endorsed him. I’ll try to find out why the leader of the campaign Bob Cranshaw what he thinks of this man. Are we really endorsing a politician who wants to fight for the J4JA campaign? Or is his intention only to use our votes and money to win the election?
Text by J4JA organizers
Justice for Jazz Artists is marching again! Join us this Wednesday, August 7th, as we march with the J4JA Brass Band to demand fair working standards for musicians at NYC jazz clubs.
We’ll be leafleting several locations owned by Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality group, the owners of the Jazz Standard club.
What do we want? Pension contributions, pay scales and protections on recordings at NYC clubs including Jazz Standard.
Text by J4JA, published July 29, 2013 here: http://justiceforjazzartists.org/2013/07/29/j4ja-shakes-up-danny-meyer-and-jazz-standard-partners-2/
Text by Justice for Jazz Artists campaign organizer
Justice for Jazz Artists presents a leafleting and demonstration this coming Thursday night, July 25th, at Madison Square Park (northeast corner of Broadway and East 23rd Street), at 7 p.m.What: Justice for Jazz Artists leafleting and demonstration
