The New Orleans culture embraces all of the natural cycles of life, turns sadness to joy with parades, Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs and even funerals. Celebrating life, death and rebirth is more than a custom in NOLA; it's become the city's cultural trademark inspiring all who visit. When Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast a few weeks ago, donating the proceeds from Phish's Jazzfest performance in 1996 seemed the perfect way for the band and their fans to help bring the city's mojo full circle. In true NOLA fashion, the beauty and joy of music can uplift spirits and help support the city's incredible network of artists and musicians.

Phish and the city of New Orleans have a long relationship. Since the band first played the city in 1990, Phish performed there semi- regularly and have been adopted with typical local hospitality. Keyboardist Page McConnell's father co-founded the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic for local musicians in 1998, funded in part with money raised by the sale of a collaborative CD titled "Get You A Healin'" on which Page appears, along with bassist Mike Gordon and an all-star NOLA cast. Page also recorded Vida Blue's self-titled first album there and drummer Jon Fishman has played there with a variety of bands. The city also provided the backdrop for the formation of Oysterhead, guitarist Trey Anastasio's collaboration with Les Claypool and Stewart Copeland. All the band members have enjoyed working and playing in New Orleans, collaborating with local musicians, in Phish and other projects over the years. From the early Tipitina's shows to State Palace Theater and ultimately to the Jazz and Heritage Festival and beyond, Phish has soaked up the bayou's unparalleled taste for exploratory music and next-level reveling. By the time they arrived at the 27th annual Jazzfest in 1996, Phish was welcomed with open arms and they played in a manner befitting the occasion.

Mike recently spoke to Rolling Stone about the tragedy's effect on New Orleans. "I'm very passionate about the city -- I've had amazing experiences there. We used to go canoeing on the bayou, go to Mother's Restaurant and see these hip brass bands that no one knows about. New Orleans is such a fuel for the entire country's music. There is such a looseness to the city and the people, a happy-go-lucky quality, throwing caution to the wind. I don't think the pure essence of the place can be wiped away by natural disaster." Trey added in a statement on his web site "...Every musician has musical connections to New Orleans because it's not just the birthplace of American music, but over the years it's maintained its place as The Source of American music. You want to learn how to groove? Go to New Orleans. New Orleans is in trouble, so music itself is in trouble...anything we can all do now to help is crucial. If you love music, please do whatever you can."

Upon review of Phish shows in the Crescent City, it is clear that Tipitina's (known by locals as "Tip's") rivals Jazzfest as the foundation of the band's initiation into local musical culture. This is true for most bands who encounter the famous night club and its attentive and uncommonly cool staff. Tipitina's was founded with a desire to celebrate the music of Professor Longhair (Henry Roland Byrd) who, despite incredible talent and soul, was without a suitable place to play because of racial discrimination. Tipitina's thwarted that discrimination and allowed the Professor's light to shine, cementing his and the club's legacy as legendary. Throughout its long history, Tipitina's has continued to celebrate New Orleans music, hosting local and touring bands with a constant eye toward helping develop local musicians and their craft. As a result, Tip's has become a shrine to Longhair and the city's culture as well as a mainstay on the national touring circuit. During Jazzfest, Tip's throbs from sundown to sunrise with some of the deepest grooves by combinations of musicians only fantasized about anywhere else in the world. It doesn't get any better and the Tipitina's Foundation is dedicated to nurturing that tradition for the long term.

In response to the horror bestowed by Katrina, the club's web site states "Tip's has a big vision, of being an incubator for New Orleans music - providing practice and recording facilities and caring for the human needs of musicians. Until Katrina's recent devastation, the Tipitina's Foundation has devoted its charitable efforts to uplifting the New Orleans music community through its Music Co-Ops, Instruments A-Comin' benefit concerts and the Tipitina's Internship Program. Now Tip's fights to rebuild New Orleans' scattered music community and keep the music alive. Tipitina's is currently finding musicians housing, gigs and instruments while raising funds through donations and nationwide benefit concerts to meet these challenges. Meanwhile, Tip's is actively seeking donations to provide the music community in exile with whatever resources they need to survive, including clothes, gigs, instruments and options for resettlement. Donations can be made online or can be mailed to Tipitina's Foundation's temporary address in Baton Rouge. Since opening its doors in 1977, the music club Tipitina's has provided New Orleans artists with a place to call home. Now Tipitina's is saving our home that is New Orleans." For further information please visit www.tipitinasfoundation.org and www.tipitinas.com.

Phish's "New Orleans Relief" consists of the entire April 26, 1996 performance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and is available now at www.livephish.com in both MP3 and lossless FLAC format. "New Orleans Relief" is rounded out with filler consisting of the entire second set from November 7, 1991 at Tipitina's where Phish was joined by special guests from Colonel Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit, who opened the show. The master cassette of set I of the Tip's show is missing, so "New Orleans Relief" provides a perfect chance to highlight the magic that occurred when Phish and ARU combined their talents to the great appreciation of those sufficiently "out-erested" to follow along. Both shows were mastered from the original 2-track soundboard recordings by Fred Kevorkian.

In addition to this very special download release, Phish Dry Goods is offering a special "New Orleans Relief" T-Shirt and a brand new, limited edition poster by Jim Pollock. The t-shirt and poster are available for pre-order now at drygoods.phish.com/nola.

All artists and vendors involved in the project donated their time to the cause and ALL proceeds from "New Orleans Relief" downloads, t-shirt and poster sales will be donated directly to Tipitina's Foundation and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation has earmarked their funds for "Raisin' The Roof"; a program that builds affordable housing for New Orleans musicians, and to fund 2nd Line Parades.

Please pitch in to enjoy these great Phish performances in the Big Easy and help do your part to keep the music and musicians of this unique city alive and sharing in the groove.

PHISH "NEW ORLEANS RELIEF" CLICK HERE to download
April 26, 1996 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival New Orleans, LA Ya Mar AC/DC Bag > Sparkle > Stash Cars Trucks Buses* You Enjoy Myself > Wolfman's Brother > Scent Of A Mule > 2001 > Harry Hood > Sample In A Jar A Day In The Life > David Bowie Hello My Baby Cavern * with Michael Ray on Trumpet	November 7th, 1991, SET II Tipitina's New Orleans, LA Brother > Bouncing Around The Room My Sweet One Reba Tube > Horn > David Bowie** Take The A-Train** Love You** Possum Fee Rocky Top Lawnboy Fire **with Colonel Bruce Hampton and ARU

Very special thanks to Quint Davis and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Foundation, Adam Shipley and Bill Taylor and Tipitina's Foundation, Burt Goldstein & Co., Colonel Bruce Hampton & ARU (Apt. Q-258, Oteil Burbridge, Col. Bruce Hampton, Jimmy Herring and Matt Mundy), Fred Kevorkian, Paul Languedoc, Ben Collette, Mockingbird Foundation, Beth Montuori Rowles, Diamond Time, Ltd., Musictoday, nugs.net, Jim Pollock, Michael Ray, Select Design, Jared Slomoff, and Villanti & Sons Printing.

For more information about "New Orleans Relief" visit LivePhish.com. For more information about the Tipitina's Foundation visit www.tipitinasfoundation.org, and for additional information about the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Foundation, please visit www.nojhf.org or www.nojazzfest.com