Every August, trumpeter and New Orleans Jazz Orchestra bandleader Irvin Mayfield organizes seven nights of music to fuel seven nights of giving back, in what he calls a “Festival of Giving,” or the Love Sessions. During this week of back-to-back nights of intimate concerts, Mayfield curates a hefty roster of New Orleans’ best in jazz, and donates the ticket proceeds to local charities of his choice.

Irvin Mayfield

This year, Love Sessions artists include Gerald French, Davell Crawford, Jason Marsalis, Glen David Andrews, Ed “Sweetbread” Petersen and more over seven nights at Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse inside the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Bourbon Street. Beyond the the stellar line-up of performers was the fantastic selection of local charities supported by this benefit concert series. On Wednesday Mayfield will present a check to each of the local non-profits selected to be a part of Love Sessions. Organizations receiving 2013 Love Sessions donations are:

• New Orleans Public Library Foundation
• Teaching Responsible Earth Education (T.R.E.E.)
• Legacy Donor Foundation
• Eden House
• Unity of Greater New Orleans
• Son of a Saint Foundation
• Louisiana Children’s Museum
• The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra

The presentation ceremony will be held New Orleans-style of course, with a celebration at Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse (300 Bourbon Street) to immediately follow with “love music” from the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. The ceremony takes place Wednesday, October 16 at 6 p.m., with NOJO performance at 8:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.  More Info: www.thenojo.org