About the Trombone Shorty Foundation
The Trombone Shorty Foundation’s mission is to inspire the next generation of talented, yet underserved musicians through music education, instruction, mentorship, and performance. By honoring the New Orleans tradition of “playing it forward” from the earliest jazz legends onward, the foundation seeks to preserve and perpetuate the musical heritage of a city where music is everything. Experienced and professional teachers, tutors, and mentors support every student in the pursuit of a well-rounded understanding of New Orleans’ musical traditions, experience in music performance, reading, writing, and now, even business, and the social and academic skills they need to make noise wherever they go – in music and in life. Proceeds from“Getting Funky in Havana” will allow students from the Shorty Foundation to travel to Cuba and perform with the Soul Rebels and Trombone Shorty in Havana.
About Cuba Educational Travel
Cuba Educational Travel (CET) is a leader in cultural travel to Cuba. CET unlocks the best of Cuba by providing access to the country’s top artists, academics, tastemakers, and cultural figures. CET’s tailor-made programs enable clients to experience Cuba’s vibrant culture and gain a deeper understanding of the island, while ensuring full compliance with all U.S. regulations. Our travel programs are all about enrichment and giving back and allow travelers to deeply engage with Cubans they meet, and we focus on building relationships that will be mutually beneficial and empowering for everyone involved.
CET has been on the front lines of cultural collaboration between the US and Cuba. From educational programs to concerts to dance performances, CET has connected its community in Cuba with tens of thousands of American travelers. Recent highlights include organizing the Diplo Major Lazer concert in Havana, which drew a crowd of over 500,000 people, producing Cimafunk’s US tour, and bringing Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba, the country’s top dance group, to perform at the Latin Grammys.
About the Gia Maione Prima Foundation
Gia Maione Prima (“Gia”) was an American singer and widow of singer Louis Prima. Maione Prima rose to popularity in 1962, when she was selected to sing lead female vocals for Louis Prima and his band, The Witnesses. Her rich voice was an ideal match for Prima’s rugged jazz riffs. The next 12 years were a whirlwind of live performances in Las Vegas at the Sahara Hotel, Sands Hotel, Tropicana Hotel; in New York at the Copacabana and Basin Street East and across the country. She and Louis Prima were later married.
In 2011, Gia Prima with the assistance of long-time friend and counsel, Anthony J. Sylvester of Sherman Wells Sylvester & Stamelman, LLP established the Gia Maione Prima Foundation, Inc. for the purpose of making donations to other tax-exempt organizations that support and encourage an appreciation for American Jazz, American popular music and jazz performance.
