Louisiana music and culture has found its way to the Western New York region, thanks to The Big Easy in Buffalo. The nonprofit organization, formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, is the brainchild of Tod A. Kniazuk.

The Big Easy in Buffalo presents live performances with New Orleans musicians, and provides music education and professional development to musicians, students and the community.

More than a year ago, he met a workshop instructor at a networking event for the music industry who told him about the Ella Project. “I was just amazed that this service even existed, and that it was available to musicians!” Rosa said. “One of the most expensive things for a small business, or especially a solo musician, is legal services…”

Over the years, The Ella Project’s intellectual property lawyer Ashlye Keaton has counseled Mr. Johnson regarding his rights as an artist to support himself as a working musician in New Orleans. We believe that artists should get paid for their work. Mr. Johnson also just registered a selection of songs from his 60+ year catalog with the nonprofit Mechanical Licensing Collective in order to collect royalties from streaming services.

Lou Hill is a musician and music/media entrepreneur born and based in New Orleans. You may know him as the drummer, vocalist, and songwriter of the local Billboard-charting funk band Water Seed, his current and long-term project. A true multi-hyphenate artist-entrepreneur, Hill sustains his music career in roles of songwriter, performer, producer, tour manager, and has created opportunities for other musicians as well. Lou is also a lead presenter of The Ella Project’s Crescendo music business intensive program.

Leroy Hill and The Ella Project were initially connected by a mutual friend in the music industry. Leroy wanted to publish an album featuring his brother’s recordings from 2015, which was originally intended as the debut of Leroy’s label, Black Trumpet Productions. As the flagship artist of the label, Leroy’s brother - gifted young musician Travis Hill, aka “Trumpet Black”, had already achieved success with international tours and prestige when he died suddenly…

In early childhood Barriane already knew that she was an artist, describing herself as self-taught prior to kindergarten. Relying on YouTube tutorials and art books gifted by her supportive parents, Barriane became acquainted with drawing. Primary education focused on academics, and she later explored painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, and media arts at NOCCA….

Sullivan Dabney is a professional drummer and vocalist born, trained, and based in New Orleans. For five decades-plus, he has performed in bandleader and support roles, debuting his first band during high school, The Orientals, and starting his long-term project, Sullivan Dabney Muzik Jazz Band, in 1972.