A Jazz Musician's Epidemic

NYC resident and alto saxophonist Andrew D'Angelo discovered last month he had a large brain tumor. The shocking news brought the jazz community together, rallying support for the beloved musician - who immediately had an operation to remove the malignant growth. Despite recovering from the surgery, doctors have given 41 year old D'Angelo 5 years to live without further treatment, and on his website he openly admitted to not having health insurance.

D'Angelo's fame has been his saving grace thus far, having received donations from his peers and The Jazz Foundation, but similar scenarios are unfortunately all too common among jazz musicians and Americans in general, many of whom simply cannot afford it. Dennis Irwin of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is also uninsured with a spinal tumor. Benefits will be held in NYC for both Irwin and D'Angelo, so please help support them at the following dates:

Benefits for Andrew D’Angelo:
Friday at the Tea Lounge, 837 Union Street, near Sixth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn, (718) 789-2762, tealoungeny.com;
Feb. 28 at Barbès, 376 Ninth Street, at Sixth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn, (718) 965-9177, barbesbrooklyn.com.

Benefit for Dennis Irwin: March 10 at the Allen Room, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th Street and Broadway, (212) 721-6500, jalc.org.