Nonprofit seeks to help those who lost instruments in January’s fires
When January’s catastrophic wildfires swept through Southern California, Brandon Jay and his wife, both professional composers and musicians, lost not only their home but also more than 200 instruments housed in their Altadena recording studio. Guitars, keyboards, harmoniums, recording gear — every piece held both practical and emotional value. “It wasn’t just the monetary loss,” Jay recalled. “It was the sentimental value, the stories behind those instruments. That’s what hurt the most.”
Just days following the fire, Jay posted on Facebook about the unique loss musicians feel when their instruments are destroyed. Soon after, his band played a show. To his surprise, friends and strangers arrived with instruments in hand — some nearly identical to the ones he and his wife had lost. “It gave me the idea,” he said. “Why not do this on a larger scale? Why not create a space where musicians who lose their instruments in disasters can be matched with donors who want to give theirs away?”
That thought grew into Altadena Musicians, an initiative that has since blossomed into a lifeline for fire-impacted musicians across California and beyond.
Jay mobilized quickly with the help of his longtime friend, bassist/songwriter De Ivett, who had previously built websites for him and his wife. Within days, Ivett had a website online — AltadenaMusicians.org — where affected musicians could share what they lost and donors could offer what they had to give.
“The stories started pouring in,” Ivett recalled. “We were hearing from people who had lost cherished pianos, violins, or even record collections. And on the other side, donors weren’t just giving instruments — they were sharing the stories behind them.”
This storytelling became central to the mission to their grassroots effort to reunite professional musicians and, also importantly, students and nonprofessionals with the instruments they use to make music and heal souls. Jay explained, “If you go buy a new guitar with an insurance check, it doesn’t carry the history or the soul of the one you lost. But when someone hands you a family instrument and says, ‘This belonged to my uncle who played in a band in the ’70s,’ that gift has meaning. It makes you feel connected, and that connection is healing.”
To manage the growing interest, Ivett used her tech skills to set up an online registry database to track needs and offers. “If someone wrote in saying they had a piano, we search our database and find recipients who need one,” Ivett explained. “We introduce them directly so they could connect, just like a ‘buy nothing’ group.”
Altadena Musicians is not limited to Eaton Fire survivors who lost their musical instruments, the group has always aided Palisades Fire-impacted musicians as well. And now the process to register has been made easier with their app called Instrumental Giving, designed to connect donors and recipients seamlessly. “If there’s a hurricane in Florida or a fire in Northern California, this could be a model to help musicians anywhere,” said founder Jay.
The highly organized Altadena Musicians has already placed 1,200 instruments with over 500 recipients. The group has replaced sheet music, audio gear, and record collections. At pop-up events, registered participants can “shop” crates of donated vinyl, to rebuild their libraries free of charge.
The organization also facilitates access to recording space, lessons, and music mentorship. One of its most exciting developments is the formation of teen bands made up of fire-impacted youth. “We put these kids together — maybe one’s a drummer, another plays guitar — and with help from volunteer mentors, they learn how to play together,” Ivett said. “We’ve already booked them shows, even a paid gig. It’s about giving them a sense of normalcy and letting music stay in their lives.”
Community support has been strong with companies like Yamaha that donated truckloads of instruments. Area music shops have repaired donated saxophones, clarinets, and pianos, while volunteers handle pickups and deliveries. Creative Visions, a Malibu-based nonprofit stepped in early to serve as the group’s fiscal sponsor, making tax-deductible donations possible.
Most recipients of musical instruments and gifts have touching stories after the fire. One young fire survivor dreamed of owning a bass modeled after Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan’s. Not only did Altadena Musicians secure the bass, they arranged for McKagan himself to record a video message for the boy. “It’s about more than replacing what’s lost,” Ivett explained. “It’s about creating new stories of hope.”
After his devastating loss and while still volunteering his time to Altadena Musicians, Jay is currently in New York launching an off-Broadway musical. But his heart is equally invested in ensuring other musicians can recover from their losses. And Ivett, who will serve on the board once nonprofit status is finalized, says Altadena Musicians will be a long-term community resource. “We’re here for the long haul,” she said. “Even if someone isn’t ready for a piano until their home is rebuilt, we’ll be here to help when the time comes.”
Jay concluded, “The music community in Los Angeles is remarkable — so supportive, so generous. Out of something devastating, we’ve been able to build something beautiful.
“Life is a little fuller, a little brighter, when there’s music in it.”
Altadena Musicians accepts both monetary and instrument donations. For more information, visit AltadenaMusicians.org.