Tipitina's Foundation takes its name back, and its fall calendar fills up

NEW ORLEANS: The nonprofit arm of Tipitina's is taking its old name back. The organization known since 2018 as the Tip-It Foundation is reclaiming its original name, Tipitina's Foundation, in a move the organization says reaffirms its commitment to supporting and promoting New Orleans music, culture, and heritage through the Tipitina's venue and brand.

The change closes a chapter that began when the band Galactic bought the storied Uptown club in November 2018 and established the Tip-It Foundation to carry the foundation's mission forward under new leadership. Eight years later, the organization is restoring the name most closely tied to that mission and to the venue's legacy.

Photograph by Infrogmation of New Orleans, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

"Tipitina's is a living piece of New Orleans' soul, and the band sees ourselves as stewards to protect that for future musicians and fans," said Tipitina's co-owner Robert Mercurio. He said returning to the Tipitina's Foundation name is about clarity and about making sure people know what the organization stands for: preserving the city's music and carrying it forward.

The renamed foundation announced three fall initiatives. The Sunday Youth Music Labs return as free monthly master classes and jam sessions pairing young musicians with veteran professional artists on Tipitina's stage, with musician Billy Iuso coordinating the series and a different established band hosting each session.

The first lab is set for Sunday, Oct. 25, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Tipitina's, 501 Napoleon Ave., with members of Galactic hosting. It is open to intermediate-level student musicians ages 7 to 21, who should bring their own instruments to join the on-stage jam; parents and the general public are welcome to listen in. Attendance is free, and participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Photograph by Ann Larie Valentine, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The foundation also announced production of a feature-length documentary, "Tip's 50: A Musical Remembrance," a working title, celebrating the venue's 50th anniversary in 2027. The film is being made with Song Stew Entertainment and the Gia Maione Prima Foundation, and will tell the story of the club through interviews with artists, musicians, staff, and fans. Updates on the production are posted at Tips50Film.com.

For a venue that has anchored Uptown's live music life for nearly five decades, the name change is a small correction with a plain message: the foundation's identity is the club's identity, and its 50th year is the moment to say so out loud.

Photograph by Infrogmation of New Orleans, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)