News

“A Taste of Heaven” Documentary Screening Announcement

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation
Gets First Peek at New Documentary
About Gospel Icon Raymond Myles

“A Taste of Heaven” explores the short, turbulent life and legacy of the Gospel Genius of New Orleans who was murdered on the brink of music stardom

NEW ORLEANS (April 26, 2022) – The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation will present a sneak preview of a long-awaited documentary about a great unsung contributor to African-American heritage, culture and community: New Orleans gospel icon Raymond Myles.

A TASTE OF HEAVEN: THE ECSTATIC SONG & GOSPEL OF MAESTRO RAYMOND ANTHONY MYLES will be shown at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center, 1225 N. Rampart Street, on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 6pm. The screening is free and open to the public but seating is limited. The documentary was funded in part by a New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation Community Partnership Grant.

RSVP: https://atasteofheavennola.eventbrite.com

Doors open at 5pm.

Remarks at 5:30pm.

The screening starts at 6pm. Running time is 90 minutes. Harry Shearer will host the event.

Written, produced and directed by Leo Sacks, the documentary is driven by Raymond’s joyous music and explores his poignant struggle for acceptance and fulfillment in the gospel music business and the Baptist church. The film chronicles Raymond’s dramatic journey from the St. Bernard housing project in the Seventh Ward; to the public schools where he taught music and steered countless young people away from the streets; to the cusp of music stardom — until his shocking murder, in October 1998, in the projects he could not leave behind.

Watch the teaser for A TASTE OF HEAVEN: https://f.io/L24oRkXu

“Raymond’s all-too-short life was a complex and colorful journey,” said Leo Sacks. “Some people saw a prophet. Others saw a hopeless sinner. But everyone agreed that Raymond was like a comet, brilliant and incandescent, shooting across the sky.”

A TASTE OF HEAVEN features interviews with the ambassadors of New Orleans music who were some of Raymond’s biggest fans, including Allen R. Toussaint, Cyril Neville and Big Freedia. “Raymond was bold and outspoken,” Big Freedia says in the film. “He made me the performer that I am today.”

“This is a beautiful film,” said Don Marshall, executive director of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation. “We’re proud to support this celebration of ‘The Maestro’ through our Community Partnership Grant program.”

Media contacts:

Danae Columbus
dcolumbus50@icloud.com
504-453-0523

Baylee Badawy
Marketing Coordinator, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation
bbadawy@jazzandheritage.org
504-766-0671


ABOUT THE NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FOUNDATION

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation invests proceeds from Jazz Fest and additional funds that we raise for year-round programming in education, economic development and cultural enrichment.   Education programs include the Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music, the Tom Dent Congo Square Lectures, the Class Got Brass competition for school brass bands, a youth audio workshop program, youth vocal workshops, and more!  Economic Development initiatives include the Community Partnership Grants, the Catapult Fund accelerator program and Sync Up entertainment industry workshops.  Cultural enrichment programs include the Jazz & Heritage Concert Series and annual Foundation Festivals: the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival, the Congo Square Rhythms Festival, the Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival and the Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival.  Importantly, these are free programs that the Jazz and Heritage Foundation has developed over many years to ensure that we give back to Louisiana. The Jazz & Heritage Foundation also owns radio station WWOZ 90.7-FM and the Jazz & Heritage Archive.  In late 2014, the Foundation opened the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center – an education and community facility named for the late Jazz Fest founder George Wein and his wife Joyce.  In March of 2020, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation established the Jazz & Heritage Music Relief Fund – a statewide relief fund to support Louisiana musicians who were affected by the pandemic. In the last two years the Jazz & Heritage Foundation has been able to provide relief funds of more than $2 million dollars supporting musicians, music industry gig workers, Black Masking Indians and other indigenous cultural practitioners. To learn more about the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, please visit us online at www.jazzandheritage.org