PROJECTS
Through the end of 2025, the Foundation has given grants to 306 artists in seventeen rounds of Grant funding and was also the recipient of a grant to help produce the musical adaptation of Dan Baum’s book ‘Nine Lives’, a project by Paul Sanchez and Coleman DeKay. A total of over $1,125,900 has been rewarded in our history through grants, donations and special programs.
We will keep the information on all of our grant projects updated here, so please visit us often.
We also invite you to become a member of the Foundation to assist us in raising the funds to provide grants, and to receive regular updates on our activities. For information on applying for a grant from the Foundation, please see the Grants page.
2025 Round 17 Grant Recipients
Adam Pearce & The Dreamers
This grant goes to assist in funding the recording, mixing, mastering, and promotion of four original singles by Adam Pearce & The Dreamers, to be released quarterly throughout 2026.Adam is a born-and-raised Louisiana vocalist, lead guitarist, and songwriter with a passion for rock n’roll. Influences include Chris Cornell, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple & Foo Fighters. His original project, Adam Pearce & The Dreamers, was born when he joined forces with three good-ole-dudes with a penchant for heavy drums, soulful melodies, and tasty guitar. Threadhead support will allow Adam Pearce to continue developing his original music career while preserving and promoting the energy and authenticity of New Orleans Rock for a wider audience. Find out more at www.adampearcemusic.com/
Alex Mallet
This grant was awarded to Alex Mallet for funding to help with musicians pay and for Jake Eckert’s studio and services to create an album of original music. After playing professionally for 10 years in Florida, in 2017 Alex moved to New Orleans to pursue a career in music. Since then, he’s been steadily in demand for many local New Orleans bands and have recorded and performed with many Threadhead Foundation affiliated artists. “I’m beyond thankful to be a recipient of a grant from the Threadhead Foundation. This city constantly reminds me how special its support for local music truly is. Recording music under my own name for the first time feels surreal, and I’m so excited to finally share it with the world” Keep in step w/ Alex via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mallexmusic
The Desert Nudes
This grant will go too record an album of original songs and renditions. From Andre Bohren: “Desert Nudes are honored to be recipients of a Threadhead grant and are truly thrilled to be part of the Threadhead family. With this grant, the band will begin work on our sophomore album of harmony-laden acoustic cowboy music. We have over a dozen songs ready to go for this record, including several originals that invoke classic Western landscapes and themes, and, with the help of this grant, look forward to including members of our extended musical family to really bring this music to life.” To catch up with the Nudes go to their website at www.thedesertnudes.com
St. Joseph Altar Society
This grant goes to the St. Joseph Altar Society on Bourbon Street to support this unique annual cultural event. The St. Joseph Altar was first erected in the 1000 Block of Bourbon Street on March 19, 2010, after a devastating fire that severely damaged the residence at 1028 Bourbon Street where the event was previously held annually indoors for a number of years. The St. Joseph Altar Society on Bourbon Street, Inc. (the “Society”) was formed as a non-profit organization in March 2016 and was recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. Since 2010 the event has grown annually. In 2025, over 650 people attended the event to enjoy the Sicilian tradition of honoring St. Joseph, the patron saint, with Italian and Opera music performed each year by the musical troupe, Bon Operatit, In addition to the musical performance, the street altar is blessed by a local Catholic priest, followed by the serving of homemade, traditional Lenten foods. The annual St. Joseph Altar and other Society events amplify the traditions and culture of the Italian/Sicilian community in New Orleans. To learn more about this event go to www.stjosephaltarnola.org
Arsene Delay
This grant goes to Arsene Delay to create a music video. From Arsene: “I am so honored to be a recipient of this Threadhead Grant cycle! This gift will be used to produce a music video and new recording of my 2015 single “Fest Time”, part of the song list of my sophomore album, Little Alters. While I released that song as a single during festival season in 2015, we’ve lost many folks unexpectedly since then, and I want to leave a visual altar for the archives paying homage to the many musicians who inspired me. I started working on this project in the summer of 2017. Through all the trials and tribulations of independent production, I’m looking forward to fulfilling my dream of producing a video for this song and finishing the album. I offer a depth of gratitude to the Threadhead Foundation for continuously investing in our culture, uplifting the scope of this diverse musical community, and providing artists the kind of support that gives us the ability to create from a place of genuine artistic freedom.” For more on this amazing artist go to www.arsenedelaymusic.com
Big Chief Brian Nelson
This grant goes to Big Chief Brian Nelson and supports production costs for Hail to the Queens: A New Crown Rises is a feature-length documentary rooted in New Orleans’ Black Masking Indian tradition, centering the leadership, artistry, and cultural responsibility of women within this living Afro-Indigenous practice. This project marks a historic milestone as the first all-women Mardi Gras Indian musical recording, led entirely by Queens of the tradition. The film follows the journey of Big Queen Seven as she steps into leadership through mentorship, beadwork, music, and ceremony, while exploring themes of grief, legacy, and cultural continuity. Supported by a grant from the Threadhead Cultural Foundation, the film’s soundtrack features traditional Mardi Gras Indian music performed by Queen Charmaine Neville, Queen Mary Kay Stevenson, Queen Zena Moses, and Queen Silvana “Seven” Miranda-Nelson. The musical score is produced by Big Chief Brian Harrison-Nelson and Queen Silvana “Seven” Miranda-Nelson, drawing directly from New Orleans’ deep musical traditions to honor ancestral roots while pushing the culture forward. For more on Big Chief Brian you can click bigchiefbrian.weebly.com/
Gov’t Majik
This grant goes to help produce a new record of original music. From Bru Bruser: “Gov’t Majik is beyond excited to announce that we’re the recipients of a 2025 Threadhead Cultural Foundation Grant to help cover the costs of recording our new album, tentatively titled This Magic Feeling. We are using this money to cover the costs to book a day at Studio In the Country to record with Benjamin Mumphrey and pay the musicians for their time and travel. A full day together in such a high-quality studio with an experienced engineer is exactly what we need to capture our chemistry by playing our new music together live on tape! We are super grateful for this opportunity and really looking forward to sharing this new music with New Orleans music lovers, both here, and around the world!” For the lowdown on Gov’t Majik check out their website at www.govtmajik.com
Charliese West/ West Sisters
This grant is to produce a song for an original musical entitled Swell. This Broadway-style musical is about a tiny fictional coastal town (Swell, Louisiana) in the midst of the debate of their lives. They must decide whether to stay or leave as flood waters rise, property vultures circle, and relationship tensions overflow. Their dilemma of whether to stay or leave uncovers a deeper intergenerational debate about the importance of community. 11 songs from Swell’s concept album are already available to stream here at https://ffm.to/kpe0jvy . Get more info about the West sisters at culturalyst.com/west_sisters
Cigar Box Guitar Festival
This grant goes to support the 10th anniversary edition of the New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival at the Jazz Museum which will present an amazing and unique 3-day celebration of homemade instruments and their place in the history of music. In addition to exciting performances by popular and talented homemade instrument musicians from 4 continents, the event also offers a cultural symposium featuring world-famous Blues authority Chris Thomas King, and 6 hours of programing for instrument builders. For more on this unique festival go to https://neworleanscbg.com/
Danny Barker Banjo and Guitar Festival
This grant will continue our support for the Danny Barker Banjo and Guitar Festival, held annually in New Orleans, commemorating the legacy of NEA Jazz Master Danny Barker. This year’s event takes place March 20-29th at locations around town and culminates with 3-days of live music at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. Barker, a renowned musician, educator, and author, had an indelible impact on the cultural fabric of New Orleans. The festival, which has been celebrated each year in March for over a decade, encapsulates the essence of New Orleans’ rich heritage, emphasizing the importance of the banjo and guitar in music history. The festival’s operations involve collaboration with various local entities, including the New Orleans Jazz Museum, New Orleans Museum of Art, educational institutions, and music venues like Tipitina’s and Snug Harbor. Sponsors and partners play a vital role in funding and supporting the festival. Its diverse program schedule and accessible ticket pricing make it an inclusive event for a broad audience. The Danny Barker Banjo and Guitar Festival not only celebrates the musical heritage of New Orleans but also actively contributes to its preservation and evolution. Its cultural and economic impact on the city is profound, making it a crucial event for sustaining the vibrant jazz culture for which New Orleans is renowned. The festival stands as a testament to Danny Barker’s enduring legacy and the unbreakable spirit of New Orleans’ musical community. More on this great fest can be found at www.dannybarkerfestival.com
Debbie Davis and Josh Paxton
This grant was awarded To Debbie Davis and Josh Paxton to support finalizing production of an album of original music. From Debbie: “We are thrilled and honored to be chosen as Threadhead Grant recipients. This support will help us complete an album we began recording in the now-surreally distant era known as late 2019. Guided by influences as cosmic and contradictory as Leigh Harris, Tony Clifton, and Randy Newman, the project features the two of us in a duo setting, exploring themes of love, lost love, and lust through a distinctly New Orleans lens. Like many things started in late 2019, the album was temporarily shelved. Thanks to this grant, we’re excited to bring it across the finish line with the benefit of fresh ears and a renewed perspective informed by a few additional years of lived experience. We’re grateful for the opportunity to let this music tell its story at last.” To stay in step w/ Debbie & Josh go to www.debbiedavismusic.net
Evan Oberla and Abe Thompson
This grant will fund a recording of new original music. “After the Storm (is Life)” is a new original gospel-inspired album with songs written by native New Orleanian drummer & vocalist Abe Thompson and is being produced by the multi-faceted trombonist Evan Oberla. These two musicians forged a fast friendship when Evan interviewed Abe for Oberla’s latest release, “Canal Street Revolution.” Abe Thompson is an integral member of the New Orleans musical community, from growing up in the 9th Ward and studying at SUNO, to becoming a masterful performer, musical ambassador and teacher. This new record, which will be recorded with a lineup of longtime musical compatriots of both artists, deals with all that we weather in life, and staying deep in gratitude for each and every day we receive. These songs are coming straight from the heart and soul, fortified with decades of devoted musical & spiritual practice. The spaciousness in these tunes is a shout of joy, with deep-rooted rhythms underpinning lush chords, sinewy horn arrangements, and uplifting vocal harmonies. Many thanks to the Threadhead Cultural Foundation for supporting this project, as it adds to the lineage of the New Orleans music culture. Get more background on this music-making team at www.evanoberla.com
Ghalia Volt
This grant will be used to record a live session w/the band featuring 3 of her new original songs to support the new record coming up in March 2026 as well as shooting three music videos to support the release of each single. Belgian-born and now rooted in New Orleans Louisiana for over a decade, Volt seamlessly blends the grit of Hill Country blues with the raw energy of rock and roll. Her electrifying performances—whether as a One-Woman Band or with her unconventional, bass-free trio—are leaving audiences spellbound and cementing her reputation as a rising star in the genre. From Ghalia: “I’m very grateful to THCF for its support to its community and honored to be part of it. I’m thrilled to be graced with this financial support to accomplish the visual artistry of my brand-new album “Burn The House Down” coming out on May 8th. On this new album, I bring American roots music to the spotlight and let the music talk for itself. In a world where “tags” and “genres” are prominent, this Blues oriented album is just freeform art with no creative boundaries. The songs are spontaneous, raw and organic. Excited to bring some colors, shapes and lights to these first singles, creating some visual content for the first singles and a taped live session.” Get more info on Ghalia by going to www.ghaliavolt.com
Irene Collective
This grant was awarded to Irene Collective, a female driven New Orleans based theatre company to support its upcoming production of A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. The company aims to contribute to and support the artistic infrastructure of the New Orleans culture and community, while lifting underrepresented voices. The production will run March 19 – April 3, 2026, at Big Couch, New Orleans 1045 Desire Street. Set in post-World War II New Orleans, the play tells the story of two sisters. Blanche DuBois, a former schoolteacher from Mississippi, who arrives on her sister Stella’s New Orleans doorstep after suffering a series of personal losses. Her stay is met with resistance from Stella’s husband, Stanley, whose domineering and volatile ways threaten, and ultimately, crush Blanche. This production takes place as part of the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival. This Sreetcar will be an intimate staging (55 seats a night), and feature a diverse ensemble of New Orleans artists, musicians and performers. For more info please visit www.streetcarnola.com
Ingrid Lucia
This grant goes to Ingrid Lucia for an LP recording of original music. This will be her 14th album but first vinyl product. The plan is for four days in Studio to include artists including Trombone Shorty, Kermit Ruffins, Damion Neville, Delfeayo Marsalis, Shamarr Allen, Caleb Tokarsky, Jermal Watson, Cameron Watson, Jermal Watson, Josh Hawkins. The title is ‘Lotus in the Asphalt Jungle’ and will include 12 original songs that incorporate ALL New Orleans feels and sounds arranged into a pop album for contender status and all original music written by Ingrid. The material is catchy beats, honest stories, inspirational ideas, an Alice in Wonderland Fellini style interpretation of losing light, finding light, keeping light, in the Asphalt Jungle called New Orleans. From Ingrid: “My goal for this vinyl is to sell a firsthand art piece to my big fan base around the world. Also, I am sober six years and singing my very best to date.” Keep in step w/ Ingrid at www.ingridlucia.com
Jamey St. Pierre
This grant goes to Jamey St. Pierre to record original music. Jamey was born and raised in New Orleans/ Bridge City, and he has a lifelong experience of performing gospel, blues, funk music locally and is seriously a hometown boy. Jamey has many unrecorded fan favorite and frequently requested songs including “The Missing Piece”, “Invalid”, “Release”, “From the Rooftops”, as originals. Plus, there are opportunities for studio recordings of “Baby gets the Blues”, and several more live recorded songs to be studio recorded. With this funding he will now be able to put these favorite requested songs on the recording market and for further play on WWOZ and other local stations. He also plans to collaborate with some of New Orleans current living legends by using some of the funding to invite culture bearers and stakeholders to participate in collaborating on legendary songs centric to our culture preserving and marking the indelible talent of New Orleans. To learn more about Jamey and his music go to www.jameystpierremusic.com
Jamie Bernstein
This grant will go to assist in the production of a new full-length album of original music. Jamie Bernstein is a New Orleans-based songwriter, performer, and producer who has been a fixture in the city’s creative ecosystem since 1996, with six albums released and cultural contributions including an appearance on HBO’s Treme and co-hosting the Only Good Vibes News Network. This grant funds his seventh album, Horney Country, a project that fuses his Americana and outlaw country songwriting roots with the swampy, soulful, and rhythmic spirit of New Orleans. Horns and Country music have a long and overlooked history much like Country music and New Orleans. Jamie intends to make the best of this history and bring the brass to New Orleans country music. To get more acquainted with Jamie & his music go to www.jamiebernstein.com
K4K in Harmony
This grant went to K4K in Harmony, a New Orleans–based youth music program that provides free songwriting and instrumental instruction to system-impacted youth. Rooted in the city’s musical traditions, the program helps young people heal, express themselves, and create original works that reflect the culture of New Orleans. Through free weekly workshops at Covenant House, Son of a Saint, Breakthrough at Newman, TEEP, and Waldo Burton Boys Home, students learn to write, perform, and record original songs guided by professional cultural bearers from the city’s jazz, gospel, and brass traditions. Each year, their work culminates in the Annual K4K in Harmony Concert at Gallier Hall, featuring student compositions alongside performances by musicians from Xavier University, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and local artists. For more on this worthwhile program please go to www.k4kinharmony.org
Dusky Waters
This grant went to Dusky Waters for mother magnolia, the second album from this New Orleans–based Americana artist whose work has earned regional critical acclaim for its emotional depth and storytelling. The album is shaped by the ache and beauty of inheriting life in the Deep South. Written in moments of solitude, on long drives through the region, and in conversation with family, the songs weave personal memory with ancestral story, from forebears born in bondage to present-day reckonings with love, loss, longing, and becoming. Guided by an imagined foremother, “mother magnolia,” the album traces how human experiences echo across time, repeating, shifting, and finding new voice. Blending banjo, guitar, horns, and New Orleans–rooted arrangements, Dusky crafts a sound she calls New Orleans New Americana. For more info go to www.duskywaters.com
Jérémy Habegger
This grant was awarded to Jeremy Habegger “Swiss-American pianist and organist Jérémy Habegger (pronounced Ha- becker) for a recording of original music. The music blends funk, jazz, soul, and gospel with the nuance of his European background to bring a distinctly international voice to the New Orleans music community. This project will support his upcoming recording session, in which he will feature New Orleans musicians from different generations, reflecting the city’s rich musical lineage and its ongoing evolution. Building on his involvement in the James Booker Piano Sessions, his role as gospel organist at Blessings Beyond International Church, and recent performances with groups such as Smokin’ On Some Brass and Damon Batiste and the NOSACONN All Stars at Jazz Fest 2024, the project aims to deepen his contribution to the city’s musical landscape. Fluent in French and English, Jérémy also integrates cultural storytelling into his work—onstage and through the French Quarter tours he leads—ensuring that the project not only elevates the music but also celebrates the broader heritage of New Orleans.” To get a taste of Jeremy’s music go to www.youtube.com/@jeremyneworleans
Next Generation Jazz
This grant goes to a program to prepare & equip local emerging artists for their future. “The Sanaa Music Workshop is Second Line Arts Collective’s flagship two-week summer intensive serving 30 young musicians ages 14–23. Rooted in the cultural traditions of New Orleans and Black American Music, Sanaa blends high-level performance training with essential industry education in finance, marketing, tax law, contract negotiation, and more. The program prioritizes access and diversity, offering sliding-scale tuition and scholarships to every student in need. The workshop culminates in a free public concert that celebrates the next generation of New Orleans talent. By preparing emerging artists to build sustainable, New Orleans–based careers, Sanaa strengthens the local creative economy and preserves the city’s cultural legacy. Alumni go on to become skilled performers and entrepreneurial culture bearers—many even return as teaching artists for SLAC’s early-childhood program, Little Stompers—ensuring the cycle of mentorship and cultural continuity remains strong.” For much more on this and other projects by Second Line Arts Collective go to www.secondlinearts.org/
Pocket Chocolate
This grant goes to Pocket Chocolate, a 7-piece funk, blues, and soul collective hailing from New Orleans. Since forming in 2021, the band has performed all over Louisiana and throughout the Gulfcoast, energizing audiences with their infectious grooves and horn-driven music. The group is set to record their second full-length album thanks to the THCF, aiming to lay down an even more ambitious album than their first, featuring many of New Orleans’ best and brightest talents! Pocket Chocolate is honored to be able to create something true and unique that has the potential to help continue to promote and advance the cultural heritage and values of New Orleans. The music community in and around New Orleans is unlike any other and we are so appreciative to be involved at all with it. We hope that this album shows how evident our love for the city and its music is. For more info go to www.pocketchocolatemusic.com
Keiko Komaki
This grant goes to Keiko Komaki for a recording of original music. “In 2026, I plan to record and release my debut full-length album, Komaki Soul, featuring all original compositions. I began my musical journey studying classical piano in Japan, and since moving to New Orleans in 2006, I have learned so much through performing with and learning from amazing musicians in New Orleans. Since 2014, I have toured internationally with the Playing for Change Band, traveling the world and making music with musicians from many different countries and cultures. With the support of Threadhead Cultural Foundation, this album brings together all of these musical experiences into my own original project, Komaki Soul.” You can keep up with Keiko on FB at https://www.facebook.com/keikokomaki17
Kirkland Green
This grant was awarded for a recording of new, original music. “Sex Fades” is a collection of love songs written by Kirkland Green. These stories explore one’s experiences with relationships and loss. Though the primary music genre is R&B Soul, “Sex Fades” incorporates multiple black music styles such as Gospel, Jazz, and The Blues to tell a unique perspective of amorous successes and failures. Birthed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this project began in a pre-pandemic world where the exploration of love, intimacy, and endearment seemed most paramount. Years later, after much loss and societal divisiveness, the dissemination and vulnerability of love remains equally if not more important. “Sex Fades” aims to tell these stories. Delve further into Kirkland and his music at www.kirklandgreenmusic.com
Laura DeFazio/Frenchmen Notes
This grant is for Frenchmen Notes which is a digital archive documenting the history, culture, and artistic and economic significance of New Orleans’ Frenchmen Street—one of the city’s most vital music corridors and a long-standing incubator for original local music. Co-founded by writer/bartender/archaeologist Laura DeFazio and musician/advocate/musicologist Hannah Kreiger-Benson, the project has collected more than 80 oral histories from musicians, bartenders, venue owners, residents, culture bearers, and other community members, capturing memories of the street’s creative vibrancy and its evolution through events such as Katrina, the filming of Treme, and ongoing gentrification. Alongside interviews, the archive includes maps, timelines, and analytical pieces that contextualize Frenchmen’s cultural impact. Neither a purely nostalgic exercise nor a strictly academic one, Frenchmen Notes chronicles a rapidly changing cultural ecosystem while offering a resource for researchers and a case study in how cities can nurture organically formed artistic communities. For more on this fascinating effort go to www.frenchmennotes.com
Cultural Curriculum Project
This grant goes to Cultural Curriculum Project which connects students to South Louisiana’s living culture through immersive, curriculum-aligned field trips that bring history, music, and community to life. From Congo Square to New Orleans Jazz Museum… students experience the places, spaces and people that shaped New Orleans culture, community, and traditions. Guided by professional musicians and culture bearers, these hands-on experiences spark curiosity, pride, and cross-curricular learning while strengthening classroom engagement. Free for New Orleans Public Schools, our field trips remove barriers to access and ensure all students can see themselves reflected in Louisiana’s cultural story. With Threadhead support, we can expand this transformative work—giving every child the chance to learn, create, and connect through the culture and community by supporting and sustaining our two most requested field trips: Rhythm & Roots: Congo Square and the New Orleans Jazz Museum. Find out more about this worthwhile program at https://www.culturalcurriculum.org/
Lost Bayou Ramblers
This grant will assist in the creation of a recording of original music. From Louis Michot: “Lost Bayou Ramblers is back in the studio to record their 6th studio album and 10th full length record, to follow up ‘Kalenda’ their previous studio album from 2017 that earned them their first Grammy award for Best Regional Roots Album. The band has released two studio albums since, including their collaboration with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra ‘Live: Orpheum Theater NOLA’ which earned the Ramblers their second Grammy award in the same category. The new project is being produced by Korey Richey and Eric Heigle, and recording is being done in Acadiana at Dockside Studio. The new album will feature all original songs, and possibly a few dug up gems from the endless archives of Cajun and Creole music.” For much more on this legendary Louisiana band go to www.lostbayouramblers.com
Poppet Theater
This grant goes to Poppet Theatre for a new theatrical production by a local Playwriter. Stanley and His Demon is a devilishly hilarious two-act dark comedy about the existential horror of being human. The stage play, produced by Poppet Theater and written by Mariana Santiago, tells the story of Stanley, a cult church leader, and his wife Esme, who perform exorcisms they believe to be imaginary for fun and profit (mostly profit, if they’re being honest, which they rarely are.) The grift goes according to plan until one particular exorcism turns out to involve a very real, very ambitious demon who follows them home. Created by a cast and crew of New Orleanian theater makers, performed for New Orleanian audiences, this play explores what happens when demons make better company than the majority of humans. Stanley and His Demon will be staged with both live actors + wall-sized shadow projections. For more on Poppet Theater go to www.poppettheater.org
Colossus Brass Band
This grant goes to The Colossus Brass Band for marketing expenses for their 1st recording which will be a combination of traditional hymns and repertoire and original material. Colossus is an all-star ensemble of New Orleans culture bearers, with deep intergenerational family connections within the city’s rich jazz and brass band traditions. The band’s mission is to perpetuate and preserve these cultural traditions by infusing classic standards and new compositions with the authentic spirit of New Orleans music. Inspired and mentored by previous generations, the musicians aim to inspire the next wave of aspiring performers, passing these vital traditions forward. This project features an 11-piece brass band. We are grateful for the interest shown by the Threadhead Cultural Foundation in helping with promotional expenses to assist in getting the band in front of a wider audience. For more on this impressive project check out www.colossusbrassband.com
Max Moran
This grant is awarded to Max Moran for Neospectric: The Next Chapter, a recording project of original compositions that blend elements of blues, R&B, and modern jazz with orchestral instrumentation. Written and produced by New Orleans bassist and composer Max Moran, the project will feature his ensemble Neospectric—a rotating collective of some of the city’s most dynamic musicians—alongside a small orchestra of strings, woodwinds, and brass. The project builds on Moran’s 2018 debut “Neospectric”, expanding its vision to explore lush arrangements inspired by mid-century Black American music. For more on this exciting artist please check out https://www.maxmoranmusic.com/
Max Sanders
This grant will support an album of original music! “Circles” will be Max Sanders’ debut full length LP. Working with producer Anders Osborne, the record will focus on themes of loss and resilience and explore what it means to be a New Orleanian. It also touches on themes of adversity, taking long looks at hard truths and reinventing yourself from the ashes while sorting through the things that are dear to you and make up the fabric of your true identity. And how that reinvention and purification at the hands of fire and mistakes are not an exception but a constant. For more on Max and his music you can go check out www.maxsandersmusic.com
Mela Levine
This grant goes to Mela Levine, a former professional firefighter, is crafting her second original album, Backfire Below Sea Level. After leaving the fire service, she turned to songwriting to navigate an ongoing journey of self-reinvention. While completing her debut record, Arson Below Sea Level, Mela was diagnosed with an incurable spinal disease. Backfire Below Sea Level chronicles her life through a new era of transformation, set to a soundtrack of fervor, resilience, and gallows humor. She will be joined in the studio once again by Grammy-winning engineer Rick G. Nelson and a small army of Louisiana-based musicians, including world-renowned pianist Joe Krown. Celebrated for her unapologetic sass, raspy vocals, and determination in the face of physical disability, Mela’s work has been supported by the Louisiana Entertainment Incentive Program and the Crescent City Sounds 2025 Honorarium. Backfire Below Sea Level marks her first Threadhead Grant. For more info on this project go to www.melalevineofficial.com
Mike Doussan/Josh Garrett/Tyron Benoit
This grant is for a recording of new music by Mike Doussan, Josh Garrett and Tyron Benoit. From Mike: “We are honored and deeply grateful to have received a grant from the Threadhead Cultural Foundation in support of our debut album, The Catfish Sessions. This project brings together three South Louisiana bandleaders to create original music rooted in the blues, funk, zydeco, swamp pop, and storytelling traditions that define our home. Recording locally and collaborating across generations, including the involvement of our young drummer, this record is about preserving culture by actively living it. We are thrilled to align with Threadheads, whose mission of supporting Louisiana’s musical heritage mirrors our own commitment to community, mentorship, and keeping the spirit of South Louisiana alive and moving forward.” Check out their website to keep up with the band at www.doussangarrettbenoit.com
Michael Mastrogiovanni
This grant is for a unique project to create decorative photo blankets for the Downtown Super Sunday event. From Michael: “My idea is to use my photographs of Black Masking Indians taken at 2026 Uptown Super Sunday to create large (50×60 in) blankets/banners that will be hung in Hardin Park as part of Downtown Super Sunday festival. These will serve as “decorations” at the festival that follows the Downtown parade but will also be gifted to the individuals in the photograph once they enter the park as an appreciation of their contribution to New Orleans Culture.” Michael is a self-taught photographer who specializes in capturing Sunday Secondlines and Black Masking Indian Events. “I have been a Jazz Fest Volunteer Photographer for the past several years and have been dedicated to documenting the parades each day at the Fairgrounds. My photo work is regularly featured on the WWOZ website, and I have won 2 times in the past 3 years a best photo award at the annual New Orleans Press Club event.” Check out a WWOZ piece about this artist at www.wwoz.org/blog/952711
Wolfman Fest
Michelle Washington will use the funds for the 4th annual Wolfman Fest. This fest highlighting Walter “Wolfman” Washington at the recently dedicated Walter Wolfman Washington park is held at the park bearing his name every May, this year’s being May 9th, 2026. The fest is a musical treat featuring Walter’s band, The Roadmasters.
Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas
This grant goes to help release a historic “40th Anniversary” recording for SW Louisiana’s historic Grammy-nominated Creole/Zydeco music ambassadors Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas. Blessed with a 65th Grammy Awards nomination for his recording Lucky Man, Nathan Williams is a zydeco legend that has over three and a half decades under his hat as one of Southwest Louisiana’s most beloved Creole music pioneers and cultural ambassadors. “Nathan and the band are so very grateful to the Threadhead Cultural Foundation for this 2026 grant award – which will be used to help production costs for the new Cha Chas LP to be recorded with historic New Orleans producer Scott Billington. Scott is, arguably, one of current New Orlean’s most important producers with 9 Grammy nominations and 3 Grammy wins under his belt, Scott has produced many legends of Louisiana music and culture including Irma Thomas, Johnny Adams, Boozoo Chavis, John Delafose, Beau Jocque, Geno Delafose, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and countless others.” To learn more about this storied Louisiana artist go to www.zydecochachas.com
Noé Cugny
This grant goes to Noé Cugny for The Marigny Tapes, a new music web-series focusing on New Orleans musicians of today stemming from various cultural pockets throughout the city. The format is a 10–15-minute solo performance, captured with a cinematic approach thanks to a team of seasoned local artists and technicians, and released in weekly episodes throughout the year. It aims to showcase local talent in music as well as providing artists with quality documentation of their music for their own purposes. Organizer Noé Cugny worked as a photographer and cinematographer around the New Orleans music scene for over a decade and launched the magazine’s flagship music web-series, The OnBeat Sessions. Over five seasons of 7-10 episodes yearly, the OnBeat Sessions showcased New Orleans bands recorded live in studio, reaching over 40 sessions with musicians the likes of Tank and the Bangas, The Soul Rebels, Stanton Moore, Jamison Ross, Erica Falls, The Rumble and many more. For more on Noe go to www.noecugny.org
Cardboard Cowboy
This grant was awarded to Cardboard Cowboy to assist in covering costs to finish their debut album. This is an album of 100% original music and lyrics by Robbie Smith featuring the studio work of: Adam Kelly, Blue Carl, Frank Stewart, Dennis Aoun, Israel Howard, and Kevin Scott. From the band: “Cardboard Cowboy is tremendously grateful to be named a 2025 Threadhead grant recipient. This award makes possible the full digital and physical release of our long-overdue debut album, Naked Flame. We are thrilled to join the THCF family and finally get these tunes out there!” Get more info on the band and projects at facebook.com/cardboardcowboyband
Romain Beauxis/Big Queen Mary Kay Stevenson
This grant goes to Romain Beauxis for an album recording by Big Queen Mary Kay Stevenson of the Original Wild Tchoupitoulas. The recording spotlights Big Queen Mary Kay Stevenson as the first singing Queen of the Black Masking tradition to record an autonomous album — a space historically led by men. Drawing from her deep call-and-response roots, rhythm, and storytelling that defines this tradition, the project will showcase her powerful voice and narrative gift alongside her long-standing circle: her devoted gang including Big Chief John, Trail Chief Jeremy, Ambassador Clyde, Flag Boy Aaron, Spyboy Steve, Stickman Jesse, and babydolls Cheryl and Neicy, as well as her deeply loyal “all girl band” of drummers, with melodic musical support from To Be Continued Brass Band, and friends. This recording aims to honor Big Queen Mary Kay’s tradition, elevate her voice, and affirm femininity and continuity within New Orleans’ cultural heritage. For more info check out fairground-records.com/
Art Camp 504
This grant goes to assist the youth program Punk Rock Spring Break by Art Camp 504. In 2025, Art Camp 504 produced our first-ever music video and original song, “Stardust, Stardust” by Freddie and the Chins (our camp dogs), during Punk Rock Spring Break Camp. Our students, ages 7–14, led every part of the project — set design, costumes, sound mixing, videography and more. As we head into our 10th anniversary year, we’re taking Punk Rock Spring Break Camp 2026 to a whole new level. This year’s musical style will honor the birthplace of jazz while still holding onto the DIY spirit of punk. Think denim, studs, and patches mixed with saxophones, trombones, and ivory keys — a perfect blend to celebrate the next generation shaping New Orleans’ music scene. Thanks to generous support from the Threadhead Cultural Foundation, we’ll be able to hire 10+ local visual artists, musicians, and dancers to bring our culture directly to our students. We’re also adding songwriting and recording workshops leading up to Spring Break. We can’t wait to see what our students create next! To learn more, go to www.artcamp504.org
Sarah Burke
This grant goes to assist in the creation of a 5-song EP recording of original music. This project centers on the music of Louisiana-born multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Sarah Burke, exploring identity and capturing the emotional landscape of South Louisiana. Each track reflects a different facet of Burke’s identity, drawing on bilingual storytelling and a blend of folk and cinematic soundscapes to honor the quiet ways culture is carried across generations. Intimate and intentional, the project serves both as a celebration of lived experience and as an invitation for listeners to connect with place, language, and the enduring act of reflection. For more on Sarah go to sarahburkeofficial.com/
Sofia Mock
This grant goes to Sofia Mock to fund her debut album, Room to Dance. From Sofia: “The album will be composed of one cover, and eleven songs that she wrote while living in a historic gray house on Moss Street that caught fire in September 2025. This project chronicles her journey into adulthood and a tender, ever-evolving relationship with the joy and resiliency of New Orleans, through the lens of her experience as a public school teacher. Mock has been performing these songs with her band in New Orleans for several years. With traditional jazz and classically influenced string accompaniment, cellist Chris Beroes-Haigis and bassist Steve Walch take the gentleness of her nylon-string guitar and voice and spin it into something full and raw. Their arrangements allow the emotional world of her music to expand in a way she could have never imagined, and she cannot wait to have these songs recorded. Thank you so much to the Threadhead Cultural Foundation for making this possible!” For more about Sofia check out www.sofiamockmusic.com
The Louisiana Landmarks Society
This grant goes to The Louisiana Landmarks Society which is excited to announce its upcoming Spring Fling Music Series. The music series will be held at the historic c.1799 Pitot House, 1440 Moss Street, along beautiful Bayou St John. The series will be three consecutive Tuesday evenings: March 24, March 31 and April 7 from 6:00 to 8:00pm. Louisiana Landmarks Society is the operator and caretaker of the Pitot House and is always seeking ways to expose more people to its history and culture. The house museum will also be open for tours. Bring your lawn chairs and come take in delightful sounds from talented local musicians. This series is family friendly, and refreshments will be available for purchase. For more on the Louisiana Landmarks Society click www.louisianalandmarks.org
Stephen Walker
This grant goes to Stephen Walker to support his Swinging in New Orleans Big Band Project which brings together an eight-to-nine-piece jazz ensemble to perform and record music rooted in New Orleans culture. Led by trombonist Stephen Walker, the project hires local professional musicians and pays fair wages for rehearsals and a studio recording session. The goal is to produce a high-quality record that celebrates New Orleans jazz and the musicians who keep this tradition alive featuring original arrangements and classic New Orleans repertoire. Funding will be used for musician pay, rehearsal space, studio time, engineering, and mixing. This project supports local artists, preserves New Orleans jazz, and creates a permanent recorded work that represents the city’s musical heritage. To learn more about Stephen go to www.stephenwalker504.com/
Teena May
This grant went to help Teena May create a five-song EP titled “The Riches”, which will be recorded here in New Orleans in March. From Teena: “These original song-stories have been written over several different eras of my life, with each song a slightly different style of Country, Folk and Americana. The single, “Country Night”, will be released Fri May 15th, with a single release party show held that night, with several other musical acts on the bill. Two “The Riches” publicity tours will follow the recording – one during Memorial Day weekend (last week/weekend in May) with my band in the Ashville, Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis circuit. Then I will embark on a solo tour in June, over the gulf coast, south and east coast, landing in New York City where I will dance with my fellow Tailshakers in the Coney Island Mermaid parade. “The Riches” release party will be held sometime during the iconic BlackAmericana Fest, at The Broadside, Fri September 25 and Saturday September 26. The exact date, time and stage details will be revealed and publicized closer to the festival dates. Thank you, Threadhead Cultural Foundation for helping me with growing my music career!” For more info go to www.teena-may.com
Black Men of Labor
This grant was awarded to the Black Men of Labor for their Noir Experience Festival, a vibrant celebration of New Orleans’ rich Black cultural legacy, with a special focus on honoring the city’s traditional jazz music and the individuals who have shaped its enduring spirit and creating a live recording sound track from various local artist of Cuban jazz, Afro jazz and New Orleans Traditional Jazz Music collaboration. At its heart, The Noir Experience Festival pays tribute to the cultural bearers and tradition-keepers who have preserved and passed down New Orleans’ unique identity across generations. These include Traditional Jazz Musicians, Black Masking Tribes, Baby Dolls, Skull & Bones Gangs and Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs. By providing a platform for storytelling, performance, and cultural exchange, the festival creates a space where these iconic groups and individuals can share their history and artistry with the public. Founded in 1994 in the historic Tremé neighborhood, the Black Men of Labor (BMOL) was established in the wake of the passing of legendary jazz musician Danny Barker, as a living tribute to his legacy and a commitment to preserving the cultural traditions of Black New Orleans. Tremé — known as the birthplace of jazz and the epicenter of Black cultural life in the city — remains the spiritual home of the organization. Learn more about BMOL at www.thebmol.org
Second Line Arts Collective
This grant goes to a program to prepare & equip local emerging artists for their future. “The Sanaa Music Workshop” is Second Line Arts Collective’s flagship two-week summer intensive serving 30 young musicians ages 14–23. Rooted in the cultural traditions of New Orleans and Black American Music, Sanaa blends high-level performance training with essential industry education in finance, marketing, tax law, contract negotiation, and more. The program prioritizes access and diversity, offering sliding-scale tuition and scholarships to every student in need. The workshop culminates in a free public concert that celebrates the next generation of New Orleans talent. By preparing emerging artists to build sustainable, New Orleans–based careers, Sanaa strengthens the local creative economy and preserves the city’s cultural legacy. Alumni go on to become skilled performers and entrepreneurial culture bearers—many even return as teaching artists for SLAC’s early-childhood program, Little Stompers—ensuring the cycle of mentorship and cultural continuity remains strong.” For much more on this and other projects by Second Line Arts Collective go to www.secondlinearts.org/
Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars
This grant was awarded to Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars for a recording of new original music. From the band: “Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars are grateful to THCF for this grant which will allow this up-and-coming band from New Orleans the opportunity to produce and release their first professional recordings. The 8-piece band plans to spend multiple days recording and living in a Louisiana studio in early March where they will dedicate themselves to capturing the wonderfully unique and artistic style of New Orleans based singer, Salvatore Geloso. The Silver Dollars band consists of vocals and guitar from Salvatore, 3 horns (trumpet, tenor saxophone, and trombone), Piano/Organ, Upright bass/tuba, drums, and a percussionist.” For more on the band go to www.sallybabyssilverdollars.com
To help us support these and future great projects, please become a member or make a one-time donation to Threadhead Cultural Foundation!
