VZCZCXRO3973
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHKU #1425/01 1151354
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251354Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4127
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001425 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR R, NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD (CWHITTLESEY), IIP/NEA/SCA, ECA/PE/C 
(DSCHUMAN), ECA/P (NKLEEKAMP) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC OIIP SCUL XF KU
SUBJECT: FY06Q3 PROGRAM EVALUATION: NEW ORLEANS ALL-STARS CAME 
MARCHING IN--KUWAITI AUDIENCES EMBRACE JAZZ BAND 
 
REF: 05 KUWAIT 5163 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  The New Orleans All-Star Brass Band made a glorious return visit 
to Kuwait April 17, 18, and 19, conducting performances and 
workshops reaching more than 5,600 Kuwaitis.  Each of the group's 
five concerts stressed the unique cultural heritage and resilient 
spirit of the American people and the beauty of jazz, America's 
indigenous music.  The traditional sounds that originated in the 
streets and alleys of New Orleans enthralled Kuwaiti youth and adult 
audiences alike.  Embassy offers the strongest recommendation for 
employment of this outstanding collection of musicians as cultural 
ambassadors worldwide.  End Summary. 
 
A Return Engagement 
------------------- 
 
¶2.  Kuwait Public Affairs arranged for the return of the New Orleans 
All-Star Brass Band for a three-day concert tour based on the 
overwhelmingly positive reception of their breathtaking Thanksgiving 
Day performance in Kuwait in November 2005.  Public Affairs 
scheduled the band to engage young Kuwaitis at schools and 
universities as well as Kuwaiti professionals at public and private 
venues.  Enlisting the support of local sponsors, the Embassy was 
able to invite the band for an encore visit thanks to the feeling of 
kinship the people of Kuwait have for the hurricane-stricken U.S. 
Gulf Coast, to which they pledged more than $500 million in aid 
following the destruction of New Orleans wrought by Katrina. 
 
Strength through Diversity 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3.  The New Orleans All-Star Brass Band's visit supported the 
Embassy's MPP goals to strengthen close ties with allies and friends 
and to enhance understanding of American society, culture, and 
values by young Kuwaitis.  The eight-member group composed of New 
Orleans natives focused on exposing young Kuwaitis to the unique 
cultural diversity and musical heritage of America.  Drawing on 
their varied and dramatic personal experiences and extensive musical 
expertise, the marching band easily connected with young Kuwaitis, 
from grade school through university levels, as well as with young 
professionals and government officials. 
 
High Impact on Islamist Debate 
------------------------------ 
¶4.  The jazz band effectively introduced, in a positive way, their 
unique outlook on American culture, compelling Kuwaiti audiences to 
look at the U.S. from a new angle.  Their presence was particularly 
timely and constructive as the U.S. role in the region and public 
music and celebrations in Kuwait are under virulent attack by 
Islamists.  Besieged liberal Kuwaitis, who are on the side of art 
and music education in this intense dispute, viewed the concert 
series as bolstering their position.  The band's multiple 
performances resulted in the appearance of an encouraging op-ed 
article in Al-Seyassah, a major Kuwaiti newspaper, countering 
pressures by political Islamists against music and creative 
expression, especially in the school system.  Arabic daily columnist 
and Kuwait University political science professor, Dr. Shamlan 
Yousef Al-Issa, wrote under the title "A Special Night": "What I 
liked most about the band is not so much the beautiful jazz music 
they played, but rather their success in involving the audience and 
getting them to interact through clapping and rhythmic movements. 
For the very first time, the AbdulAziz Hussein Theater was 
completely full with an audience of Kuwaitis and expatriates, most 
of whom were young men and women.  This means that our youth long to 
listen to good music and would dance to it if given the chance." 
Expanding ACCESS and Public Outreach 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  Kuwait's National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters 
co-hosted the band's initial performance on April 17.  The theater 
filled with a capacity audience of more than 250 students from 
remote areas of Kuwait, including AMIDEAST's ACCESS English-language 
students and music students and teachers from the Kuwait Public 
Authority for Applied Education and Training.  The brass band's 
90-minute cultural presentation, introduced by the DCM, was the 
first exposure to jazz for most of the students.  Al-Rai satellite 
TV interviewed the musicians and guests at the concert and broadcast 
portions of the show on the evening news, thereby extending the 
program's reach to the public. 
 
Marching with the Masses 
------------------------ 
 
¶6.  On the morning of April 18, the jazz ensemble led a workshop for 
95 energetic 12- and 13-year-old students at the Universal American 
School that recently suffered attacks in the press for holding 
 
KUWAIT 00001425  002 OF 002 
 
 
musical events.  Students enthusiastically queried the musicians 
about the history of jazz music and the city of New Orleans and 
expressed their gratitude for the band's awe-inspiring lessons about 
the United States.  That evening, the band delivered an exuberant 
performance before approximately 4,000 spellbound Kuwaiti guests, 
adding an authentic touch to the Embassy's colorful, Mardi 
Gras-themed National Day celebration. 
 
A Rare Phenomenon 
----------------- 
 
¶7.  The musicians concluded their tour with a stirring performance 
at the two-year-old American University of Kuwait.  Introduced by 
former U.S. Fulbright scholar Lisa Erkovich, they played before a 
spirited audience of between 250-300 college students and their 
instructors.  Clapping, singing along, and clamoring afterwards for 
autographs, the students clearly were riveted by the unprecedented 
outdoor musical show.  They displayed great interest in the music of 
New Orleans and the lives of the members of the band, all survivors 
of Hurricane Katrina.  One Kuwaiti student who sang on stage with 
the troupe exclaimed, "This is the best event we have ever had on 
campus!" 
 
"Won't You Come Back?" 
--------------------- 
 
¶8.  The final concert took place at the highly popular Marina Mall, 
a waterfront venue frequented by large numbers of Kuwaiti youth. 
Band members readily connected with the audience in a directly 
inspiring manner, telling their personal stories, involving the 
audience in the music, and thanking Kuwaitis for their Hurricane 
Katrina donations to the people of New Orleans.  An estimated 1,000 
teenagers and adults listened with rapt attention to their 
passionate rendition of "Down by the Riverside" and other jazz 
favorites on the shore of the Arabian Gulf.  "We hope they will come 
back again," said a hijab-clad Kuwaiti woman standing with her 
children.  "We don't see things like this often and we really 
appreciate them coming to Kuwait." 
 
Glowing Public Praise 
--------------------- 
 
¶9.  Despite attacks in general by Islamists on public music events, 
the string of stimulating concerts attracted plentiful and upbeat 
media coverage: 
 
4/18/06 
--Al-Rai Satellite TV, midnight news bulletin, 10 minutes 
 
4/19/06 
--Al-Anbaa, p. 15, 1/4 page, 2 photos 
--Al-Qabas, p.33, 1/8 page, 1 photo 
--Al-Seyassah, p. 35, Op-Ed by Dr. Shamlan Al-Issa 
--Al-Watan, p. 37, 1/8 page, 1 photo 
--Arab Times, p. 25, 1/8 page, 1 photo 
--Kuwait Times, p. 3, 1/4 page, 3 photos 
-- Kuwait TV covered the Marina Mall concert 
 
4/21/06, 
--Al-Rai Al-Aam, p.19, 1/4 page, 2 photos 
--Al-Seyassah, p. 19, 1/8 page, 1 photo 
 
Hearty Local Support (Cost-sharing) 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  Non-USG Funding: The Embassy organized the concert series in 
partnership with Kuwait's National Council for Culture, Arts, and 
Letters and with the sponsorship of several Kuwaiti and American 
businesses, including Kuwait Airways, Delta Airlines, MTC, Al-Ghanim 
Industries, The Sultan Center, Marriott Courtyard Hotel, and Hertz. 
 
¶11.  USG Support:  Public Affairs Kuwait conceived of and arranged 
all aspects of this cultural program.  Post funds contributed to the 
purchase of giveaways distributed at every event.  Embassy thanks R 
for bringing the group to Kuwait in 2005. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12. Embassy recommends in the strongest terms the New Orleans 
All-Star Brass Band for consideration by any Public Affairs Section 
seeking a group of jazz performers.  The eight-member brass ensemble 
is talented, articulate, lively, and charming with audiences. 
Moreover, they are easy to work with in spite of their geographic 
dispersal following Hurricane Katrina, and adapted willingly to the 
Mission's vision and programming objectives.  End Comment. 
 
LEBARON