Bringing The Music Back

Some Special Musicians Get Help Returning To Post-Katrina Big Easy

(CBS)  The band members evacuated with just a few days' worth of clothing, a beaten-up horn or two, and a couple of Bibles. Some of them lost houses, cars and antiques to the storm, not to mention their beloved instruments. Donna's itself was badly damaged.

But now it’s coming back to life, and Sims is confident Treme's members, somehow, will make their way back home. "They will be back," he insists. "Nobody leaves New Orleans and stays away from New Orleans."

Eddie King, the trombonist, had 10 feet of water in house.

"Half the roof was blown off," he said, "so it rained in my house and ruined my clothes, my organ, refrigerator and bed. The ceiling had fallen in some of the rooms from the weight of the rain, so there goes the microwave and computer. Not salvageable. Everything is gone."

The men wound up in various parts of the country, but several landed in Chandler, Ariz., where a local concert promoter and jazz-lover, Bart Salzman, took them into his home at first, then moved them to condos nearby.

Out of his own pocket, Salzman bought them clothing, paid their rent and provided transportation and other necessities, but he can't afford to do that forever.

He also arranged the donation of some secondhand instruments so they could play at Katrina fundraisers out West.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is supposed to provide money to repair or rebuild their homes, but the band members haven't been able to go home, assess the damage and get the photos and other information FEMA requires.

While some of the younger band members have decided to stay in Arizona, the older guys want back into New Orleans. Some still have family there.

When Eddie King was asked if he wants to go home, he said, "Oh yeah, that's where the music is! Our rhythm is entirely different from rest of the country. It's that hip, syncopated rhythm, more of a Latin and African beat than anything."

The Early Show is making it possible for the band to return and get a fresh start.

On the show Tuesday, co-anchor Syler chatted (video) with Treme's Eddie King, a trombonist, and Benny Jones, a drummer, about the hard time they've had since Katrina hit.

As is usual during "Week of Wishes" segments, the guests had no idea what was really in store for them.

Then Syler brought out Pat Lindgren, the tourist from Minnesota, who read portions of her letter.

"In 2002," it said at one point, "I went to New Orleans and ended up going to Donna's. It was the highlight of my trip. I have wondered ever since the hurricane what happened to those musicians at Donna's. I would like to see her musicians get a gig that would put a little money in their pockets to help them recover."

Then Syler introduced Herb Boydstun, president and CEO of Hibernia Bank, which is sponsoring Rejazz New Orleans with the support of Capital One. Boydstun announced that Hibernia has secured temporary housing in New Orleans for the band members, and the bank will pay their rent for four months, giving them time to get on their feet.

Beyond that, Wendy Oxenhorn of the Jazz Foundation of America said the organization and eTrade Financial Group will give each band member a security deposit and first month's rent whenever they settle into permanent apartments. In addition, the foundation has arranged jobs for the band teaching jazz workshops to children in New Orleans schools, keeping the culture and tradition alive. She also announced that the Music and Arts Center of America is donating $50,000 worth of instruments.

Then came more surprises. Once the musicians get into permanent housing, Sam's Club Warehouse Clubs will give them furnishings for five full apartments, everything from living room and bedroom sets to major kitchen appliances, stereo equipment, even flatware and linens.

And Orbitz.com, an online source for discount travel, which brought King and Jones to New York for their appearance on The Early Show, will fly them from Arizona to New Orleans when they're ready to go home.

With that, Jones said, "We'll go back to New Orleans and help put New Orleans back on the map."

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