ONOFFON

[onoffon]

You read on these posts that I have sent Letters of Inquiry and/or Proposals to more than 500 foundations, but that really doesn't give you a feeling for what that actually entails. So, just for the record, here's a list of the first 100 foundations I have approached, in no particular order -Ford Foundation Doris Duke Charitable Fund Park Foundation Universal Studios Foundation, Ltd. Irene Diamond Fund Lewis B. & Dorothy Cullman Foundation Jerome & Kenneth Lipper Foundation Puffin Foundation, Ltd. The M&T Charitable Foundation Edward John Noble Foundation A. Gary Anderson Family Foundation The R.C. Baker Foundation The Ira M. Resnick Foundation, Inc. The Hurd Foundation, Inc. JL Foundation Abe & Frances Lastfogel Foundation The Colburn Fund Cecil B. DeMille Foundation Eris & Larry Field Family Foundation Berberian and Gazarian Family Foundation The Good Works Foundation The Film Foundation The Colonnades Theatre Lab, Inc. Good Neighbor Foundation, Inc. The Julio R. Gallo Foundation The Getty Foundation The Engelberg Foundation Gold Family Foundation Mary Pickford Foundation LEF Foundation Lucius & Eva Eastman Fund, Inc. The Herb Alpert Foundation The DeVito/Perlman Family Foundation Lenore & Richard Wayne Foundation Waldfogel Family Foundation Flora L. Thornton Foundation The Times Mirror Foundation The Thornton Foundation Union Bank of California Foundation Zolla Family Foundation Myron Zimmerman Foundation Selim K. Zilkha Foundation Virginia Zanuck Charitable Foundation The Windfall Foundation WELfund, Inc. David & Sylvia Weisz Family Philanthropic Fund Mandell Weiss Charitable Trust Barry Taper Foundation The Mitchell J. Stein Foundation Eugene and Daymel Shklar Foundation The Shanbrom Family Foundation The Setzer Foundation The Seinfeld Family Foundation Richard C. Seaver Charitable Trust Robins Family Foundation Adam Richter Charitable Trust Warren and Carolyn Richards Charitable Foundation Rex Foundation L. Robert & Patricia L. Payne Family Foundation, Inc. Pasadena Art Alliance The PMI Foundation Synopsys Technology Education Opportunity Foundation The Segerstrom Foundation Simpson PSB Fund Hal & Jeanette Segerstrom Family Foundation Robert Gore Rifkind Foundation Peggy & Tom Pollock Foundation The Pergo Foundation The Diandra De Morrell Douglas Foundation The Eugene Garfield Foundation The Salah M. Hassanein Foundation Moon Foundation Nestle USA Foundation Olimpia Foundation Rohauer Collection Foundation Chernow Fund Kirkeby Foundation Gladys Turk Foundation Margaret Mary & Owens Miller Charitable Trust Morris Greenspun Foundation The Wallace Foundation The ASCAP Foundation Murphy-Chutorian Family Foundation Dextra Baldwin McGonagle Foundation, Inc. Nathan M. Orbach Foundation, Inc. The Sudikoff Family Foundation The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Lauder Foundation, Inc. Pew Charitable Trusts The Starr Foundation Kresge Foundation The Annenberg Foundation Skirball Foundation The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Jerome Foundation MetLife Foundation The Fuller Foundation, Inc. Estelle Funk Foundation Marsteller Family Foundation The Moody's Foundation Now, multiply this post by five. Every one of these foundations list 'arts & culture' as being in their funding priorities and yet I still have not received even a single grant.I have spoken with foundation representatives that tell me I write a 'great' proposal - that I'm clear and concise - that my overall budget is actually 'reasonable' for the production of a film - and yet I have yet to find 'a good fit' with any of them.But, I remain undaunted and even more determined to find the right individual or foundation to bring this important project to fruition...

[onoffon]

I received an email today to let me know that a review of our CD, Bridge to Presage, was re-posted today after the hosting website had server problems for about a year. I'm not going to post the whole review here, but I will post the link and the introduction -CD Reviews - OnOffOnhttp://www.iommagazine.com/CDReviews/CDOnOffOnPresage.htm"I first introduced myself to ONOFFON in late 2004 when I began conversing with Von Babasin on anything from the talent he and his fellow band members possessed to the influences his father Harry “The Bear” Babasin’s career had made on his son. Over the past year, Von has presented himself to be a genuinely kind person as well as a passionately devoted musician that has allied himself with a tremendous team of like minded and fantastic performers that are, in amalgamation, the life-boat of ONOFFON. This is a band that has established 'permanent presence' in the hearts of those who have been fortunate enough to experience their music."This is probably one of the nicest intros that I, and ONOFFON, has ever received. This review led to Bridge to Presage being named the International Online Music Awards 2006 Best Album. Groups that play the genres of music that we play usually don't receive these kinds of awards so it was, and still is, one of the greatest honors bestowed upon our little group of musicians...

[onoffon]

I received a wonderful telephone call this afternoon - Mr. Herb Alpert called me at home.No - he didn't want to sign ONOFFON - or fund the documentary... But, we did talk at length about the significance of my father's contributions to jazz history. He was familiar with the Charlie Parker/Chet Baker recordings and I talked about the bossa nova sessions, the pioneer cello recordings, and the Oscar Pettiford duet cello sessions. He was very gracious and supportive - respectful of my project to honor Harry and west coast jazz and he expressed sorrow at Harry's all too early passing at the age of 67.It was a wonderful conversation and he said he would keep in touch...

[onoffon]

I've been given permission to post this article on my own website so now you can read or download it directly from this link -http://www.onoffon.com/JazzArticle.pdfThanks again to the fine people at The Armenian Reporter for caring about this culturally important piece of music history...

[davewalton]

Quote:I've been given permission to post this article on my own website so now you can read or download it directly from this link -http://www.onoffon.com/JazzArticle.pdfThanks again to the fine people at The Armenian Reporter for caring about this culturally important piece of music history...Cool article and what a snazzy dresser that Von character is.

[onoffon]

Quote:Cool article and what a snazzy dresser that Von character is. Nice of you say that, Dave, but as you can see in my dad's photos, he's the snazzy dresser...

[onoffon]

In trying to enlist advice on funding sources for my documentary, I thought it might be a good idea to contact someone who has already gone through the process. Where better to look than the archives of the New York Foundation for the Arts, having an impressive list of previous NYFA artists who have succeeded doing what I'm trying to do. So, I decided to write an introductory letter to Zana Briski, who won the 2005 Academy Award for Best Documentary for her film, "Born Into Brothels", and respectfully pick her brain. If you haven't seen her powerful documentary, you should rent it or buy it - it was well deserving of the award. Anyway, this was her response to me -"Hi Von,Your documentary sounds amazing! I wish I could be of more help, but I don't have any suggestions for you. I was maxed out on credit cards and applying for grants nonstop and there isn't much out there. We did get NYSCA, Jerome and Sundance grants though. I think only Sundance would be relevant to you. I hope you find someone wealthy who loves jazz to be your angel - private funding is best.I'm sorry i don't have anything else to offer...I wish you all the best,zana"First off, I have to say how gracious it was of her to take the time to write to me at all. Many of the endless emails I send don't garner any response whatsoever. So, to receive an answer from an Oscar winner was very cool.But, the most poignant part of her message to me was that she was doing exactly what I'm doing. Granted, while she didn't have any specific foundations or individuals to refer me to, she affirmed the fact that the struggle can sometimes be rewarded. To know that she went through what she went through and how it all turned out is so completely inspirational to me - we all know what it would mean to each and every one of us to actually be recognized for our art. And, in the case of my project, the ultimate affirmation of my father's art.Huge thanks to Zana Briski for her light and inspiration...

[onoffon]

Another GREAT find that adds to the album and photo I referred to earlier in this thread -Quote:I've got this VERY cool picture of the Pete Rugolo Orchestra from 1954. It's one of those that we've had in the family scrapbook all our lives. It is a great shot from Universal Studios - the orchestra is set up next to a huge swimming pool with 1950's bathing beauties sitting all around it - a classic shot.Well, I recently became aware that there was a digitally remastered 2-CD set of this orchestra re-released by Fresh Sound Records in Barcelona, Spain. What an incredible set of recordings!!!!It features the cream of the west coast crop - among others are Maynard Ferguson, Shorty Rogers, Shelly Manne, Jimmy Giuffre, Howard Roberts, Claude Williamson, Bud Shank, Bob Gordon, Bob Cooper, Buddy Childers, Pete Candoli, John Graas, Milt Bernhart, and, of course, Harry Babasin...What a great find - to have the recording that accompanies the picture is tremendous... Well, I got in contact with a film archivist named Mark Cantor. As it turns out, he knew of the picture and recording I was talking about. Not only that but the photo came from a short film that was produced by Universal in 1954 that was hosted by Tony Curtis!!!How cool is that?!?!?! More film of my dad that I previously was unaware existed. I have a meeting set up with Mr. Cantor this week and we will be discussing the film in detail...

[onoffon]

What a great meeting I had with Mark Cantor... This guy is definitely connected in the jazz and film world. Turns out that he was the archival consultant for "A Great Day in Harlem", a documentary film based on Art Kane's August 1958 photograph of 57 jazz musicians on a Harlem street, produced and directed by Jean Bach and 1995 Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary.Also turns out that he knew and worked with my father in the sixties. He had nothing but wonderful things to say about Harry and has offered to be a consultant on my film.There's more in the works but they will have to wait for future posts...

[drew]

I really enjoy reading your thread, Von, it makes me feel like I have a life