Trumpets NOT Guns raises money musically to provide local New Orleans youth with trumpets and other musical instruments in an effort to keep them out of the violence of the city. To help in their quest, the Grillots have enlisted the help of local musician and celebrity spokesperson Glen David Andrews. Lisa said, “Glen is just embedded in the musical culture of New Orleans. Like my husband and I, he is so passionate about this city and he’s someone who wants to help the youth of New Orleans. For the Trumpets NOT Guns kids, they get to see a physical body, someone who’s seemingly larger than life, doing what they want to do.”

She continued, “Glen has taken that step to be right there in the midst of a kid and say, ‘This is what you can be doing.' He actually asked a group of kids one time, ‘How many of you all know someone that’s in a coffin?,’ and I was amazed at the number of kids that raised their hands. And that’s something that we want to change in Trumpets NOT Guns. We want to provide them with an alternative route with music rather than picking up guns. We’re trying to save the streets one horn at a time.”
 
Trumpets NOT Guns accepts both new and used instruments. Donations can be dropped off at the New Orleans Music Exchange (NOME) at 3342 Magazine St. and monetary donations can be made on the Trumpets NOT Guns website. The monetary donations are used to refurbish old instruments and also buy new ones (in fact, $150 buys a new trumpet).

“We want the kids to have a trumpet, saxophone, clarinet, or whatever instrument that will keep him or her off the street,” Lisa said. “And maybe there’s a child who wants to attend a program like Roots of Music or NOCCA or even wants to start their own band, but can’t afford the instrument. Trumpets NOT Guns wants to be able to provide him or her with that opportunity through an instrument.”
 
She added, “One of the greatest highlights of Trumpets NOT Guns was watching the kids from the Preservation Hall Junior Brass Band’s faces light up when they received their instruments. Here were kids who were passionate, sitting on benches without an instrument, just listening, watching, and wanting to learn. Those are the kids that you want to have an instrument.”

And this Friday, InthekNOwla is having an awesome event to benefit Trumpets NOT Guns. Hot 8 Brass Band, Free Agents Brass Band, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, To Be Continued Brass Band, and Baby Boyz Brass Band with a special guest performance byGlen David Andrews all under one roof at InthekNOwla.com Presents Heritage: A Brass Band Celebration!

Hosted by Treme actor, comedian, and native New Orleanian Tony Frederick with music by Definition DJ Chris Stylez, InthekNOwla invites you to come enjoy the culture of New Orleans with proceeds going to Trumpets NOT Guns.  

Join InthekNOwla.com at Heritage: A Brass Band Celebrationon Friday, January 20, 2012. Doors open at 8:00pm with performances starting at 8:30pm at 12 Bar on Fulton St. Tickets are $12 in advance online and $15 at the door.

Join us as we celebrate New Orleans!

For more information about Trumpets NOT Guns, please visit their website at www.trumpetsnotguns.com. And for more information Heritage: A Brass Band Celebration, please visit the website at www.intheknowla.eventbrite.com.

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