GLENN PERRY IN NEW ORLEANS HELPING HURRICANE KATRINA SURVIVORS

Coming back to life
By Mubashera Asgher

When Glenn Perry visited New Orleans last month, it touched him so deeply he decided to hold a jazz concert to help out the musicians of the city.

Glenn Perry's not an easy one to peg. He grew up on rock, he loves jazz, he's quirky, eccentric, sentimental, secluded, artsy, contemplative, creative … He lives in a million different worlds all at once and when those worlds collide, as they often do, what we get is straight from Glen's heart. In this case, it's a jazz concert on April 12 inspired by Perrry's visit to New Orleans in the United States. "I was there last month, one and a half year after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. It brought tears to my eyes. The worst hit areas still look like a graveyard." However, what touched Perry the most was the destruction of the well-known French Quarter, which was known for its bustling nightlife. The famous Bourbon Street, which was always rather energetic at nights with streets buzzing with jazz, blues and funk, is now often quiet. This hurts Perry, who lives his life for the music. "Once upon a time Bourbon Street never slept," he says. "But more than 50 per cent of the people have still not returned to New Orleans after the hurricane. They are frightened and don't want to come back." Sadly for many, New Orleans will never be the same. The charm has gone. It's missing its glamour, something Perry sincerely hopes will return someday.

While walking the streets of the once-bustling city, Perry met a lot of musicians. And it hurt him just as much, if not more, to hear of their loss. "The musicians had not only lost their lives, but also their personal instruments. Losing an instrument is like losing a baby. I met many homeless musicians who aimlessly wander the streets of their beloved city," says Perry.
Once such musician who touched him deeply was Benny, who is now homeless. "Each time I met Benny," says Perry, "he would say he wants his drum set. Another lady, Katy, would say she wants her piano. Many of the homeless musicians would only speak about their instruments."
Through this upcoming jazz concert at the Four Points Sheraton in Dubai, Glenn wants to help these musicians get back on their feet.

Jazz albums
Perry spent the last two months recording his second jazz album in New York at the same studios that Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Aerosmith, Alicia Keys, Will Smith and Celine Dion use. On it, Perry jams with Miles Davis' musicians: Ron Carter on acoustic bass, Lenny White on drums and Gary Thomas on the saxophone. The album, which is still untitled is due for release this summer and will feature 7 original songs. His current album, also dedicated to his father, might just be one of his most personal ones yet. You see, although it was 4 years ago that Glen lost his dad, the pain never left him. There was no closure, no matter how hard he tried. Until it dawned upon him to make this album, and to make it all jazz, a genre that his father Chris loved. Sitting in his office in Karama, Perry gets misty eyed when he tell us "Late one night I was all alone in the studio. I don't know why, but I started to cry. Suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked around but there was no one. Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Glenn, I have taken something away from you, but I have given you something in return.'"
And so was born the idea of this album. Recording it served a dual purpose for Glen. Besides, the knowledge that he was doing it for his dad, the recording process also worked at a sounding board for him. "I have always been able to express best through music," says Perry. "With music, I want to reach out to others who are hurting. It was music that healed me from the excruciating pain of my father's death."

And it's a sorrow that shows in the tracks. There are plenty of haunting, heartbreaking moments on the album, that will bring tears to the eye. There are moments of raw pain, a pain that Perry still finds hard to express in words. "After Dad was gone, I was lost. I left home, slept on the street, forgot to eat, didn't know what day or time it was. It was only when I got news that my Mum had medical problems that I was jolted back to reality." Caring for her brought some sense of normalcy in Perry's life. It took him back to the studio. It gave him reason to live again. In fact, at one point during the recording of the album, he was euphoric. "I had the guys from Chic Corea in the studio with me, performing and recording my compositions – and I was conducting and directing these incredible world class musicians!" It's moments such as those that shine through in the album. Although inspired by loss, Glenn goes through quite a few highs on many of the tracks. Some sound happy, some hopeful, others peaceful. However, the journey there was long and hard. "One evening when I was at the Santa Monica beach in Los Angeles, someone came and sat besides me. He held my hand and told me to be brave. He told me to get real and to move on with my life. Before I could speak, he let go of my hand. I looked around, but there was no one. But I knew it was my dad. That's when I wrote the song I Love You Endlessly," says Perry.

Another song that Chris inspired him to write was Forever in My Heart. Although Perry originally planned to get to the studio to record a song he had written called On The Wings Of A Cloud, he had a dream the night before. A dream that gave him a brand new song. "I dreamt that I met my dad at the airport. It was a cold, snowy day, very beautiful, and as I got off the plane, there was my dad, dressed in a sparkling white suit, holding his beloved trumpet. I hugged him as hard as I could, whipped out my guitar and had a jam session with him. The music we played in my dream was Forever In My Heart."