Premiere of Jazzocracy Boosts Better World Books Commitment to Literacy in New Orleans

New Orleans, LA (PRWEB) April 11, 2008 -- How Will Two of America's Quintessential Icons Foretell the Future?

Presenting Jazzocracy: Jazz, Democracy, and the Creation of a New American Mythology by Kabir Sehgal (Better World Books)

With its commitment to promoting literacy worldwide, Better World Books is pleased to return to New Orleans for the premiere of the very first book -- Jazzocracy: Jazz, Democracy, and the Creation of a New American Mythology -- of its new publishing imprint. The celebration reaffirms the company's commitment for social change through literacy.

The celebration kicks off during the week of April 14. The multi-format premiere includes music, talk, and performance:

- MONDAY, APRIL 14 at 6 p.m. Reading/Signing at Octavia Books, 517 Octavia Street near Laurel

- WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16 at 10:30 a.m. Conversation in Congo Square. Jazz leader Terence Blanchard, Kabir Sehgal, and David Murphy of Better World Books will talk about the new set of political mythologies inspired by jazz to hip-hop.        

- WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16 at 1 p.m. Press Conference in New Orleans Public Library (NOPL), Main Library, 219 Loyola Avenue at Tulane Avenue. Press conference to mark $100,000 earned for NOPL from BWB's used-book sales, and to announce a new publishing project with NOPL to produce books exclusively about New Orleans. Those available for interviews include NOPL Chair and jazz musician Irvin Mayfield, Jr., Better World Books CEO David Murphy, and author Kabir Sehgal.    

Written by Kabir Sehgal, an exciting new author bringing his experience as a political consultant and jazz bassist, Jazzocracy argues the evolution of jazz and democracy is forming our next set of mythologies to govern culture, politics and economics. Advance praise has been extraordinary:

"Kabir Sehgal brilliantly shows us how both jazz and democracy require an environment of free exchange and collective ingenuity." Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States

"It's often said that art is prescient. Jazzocracy is a clarion of work about the future of American Culture. As a jazz enthusiast, I am excited to see a fresh, cogent, and stirring paradigm for the music. Maestro Sehgal picks you up on the first page and propels you through the rest with dazzling intellect and wit. Bravo." -- Jude Law, Academy Award nominated actor

Sehgal is a graduate of the London School of Economics and Dartmouth College, and has toured with the Wynton Marsalis Orchestra, as well as the presidential campaign of Senator John Kerry. While studying in New Orleans, he founded Music for Tomorrow, a nonprofit to help post-Katrina musicians. To date, the nonprofit has raised over $1.2 million. He is an economist with JPMorgan in San Francisco. Jazzocracy is his first book.

Jazzocracy is the first book published under a new imprint from Better World Books. A winner of the 2008 Fast Company Social Capitalist Award, Better World Books has raised more than $4.5 million for its nonprofit literacy, library and college partners worldwide by selling used and new books online. Started by three young entrepreneurs and a single book drive at the University of Notre Dame in 2003, Better World Books now partners with over 900 libraries and 1,600 college campuses, collecting millions of used books to raise funds in support of non-profit literacy programs. It also led a nationwide book drive following Hurricane Katrina to benefit the New Orleans Public Library.

Building on these successes, Better World Books is now making a commitment to publishing new ideas. The premiere of Jazzocracy includes the announcement of a new publishing venture with the New Orleans Public Library to publish a series of books exclusively about New Orleans.

"Better World Books was founded on the simple belief that we can change the world one book at a time," said David Murphy, CEO of Better World Books. "Jazzocracy is an ideal title to launch Better World Books' new publishing imprint because it captures the values that the business stands for -- innovation, freedom and social responsibility."

Better World Books (www.betterworld.com) is a for-profit social enterprise that collects and sells books online to fund literacy initiatives worldwide. With more than two million new and used titles in stock, Better World Books is a self-sustaining, triple-bottom-line company that balances the social, economic and environmental values of its stakeholders. Since its founding in 2003, the Mishawaka, Ind.-based company has raised $4.5 million for its non-profit literacy, library and college partners worldwide; diverted more than 6,500 tons of books from landfills; achieved 2400 tons of carbon offsets through carbon-neutral shipping (in partnership with carbonfund.org); and created more than 160 full-time jobs with meaningful benefits. Better World Books is a 2008 Fast Company Social Capitalist Award Winner and certified Founding B Corporation (www.bcorporation.net).

For all media contacts:

Ellis L. Marsalis, III and Kelly Powers

Publicity, Obie Joe Media

410-215-2262

kelly @ obiejoe.com

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