It is with great pride and pleasure to be able to announce an additional name for the Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival 2018 cast. The program will be amplified with the young musicians of the so-called 'The Roots of Music Marching Crusaders' from New Orleans (USA). UU). They are going to be marching during the days of the festival as artists in movement.

The Roots of Music program has been installed after the devastating cyclone Katrina which gives the youth of New Orleans the possibilities through music education, academic intellectual support and mentor guidance towards a musical mastery of an instrument. At the same time it is being done to maintain the musical and cultural heritage of the city.

The program for children between the age of 9 and 14 years covers and encloses annually the amount of 2500 hours of musical history and its theory, music class of the different musical instruments that are used in the so-called 'marching bands' (bands in progress), musical coordination and preparation for musical presentations. The association offers and makes available the instruments while the program is accessible by its amplitude for all children. In addition to receiving music education, children also receive guidance for homework and hot meals, and transportation. Annually 30,400 meals are prepared, 1400 bus trips are undertaken and 150 instruments are made available

Thirteen of these most talented students become the members of The Roots of Music Marching Crusaders. A visual sample and an exhibition of their sounds can be heard during their different presentations of the famous New Orleans musical tradition at the Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival.