On
March 24, starting at 8pm, Upfront
and Company in Marquette, Michigan,
USA, will host the Flat Broke Blues
Band, Nick and Chris, and others in
a benefit concert for One World Beat.
Last year, Marquette was also the
scene of a lively week of activities,
culminating in a concert, all of which
raised awareness about HIV/AIDS and
funds for "Keep
A Child Alive", our 2004
designated charity.
This year, the concert will take place
at a nightclub which serves food and
drink, in addition to showcasing the
musical talents of a wide range of
bands, among them OWB 2004 indie-rockers
Munbut and Ignorant Mob, blues and
jazz groups, and the Chicago Afrobeat
Project, nominated as one of Chicago's
best African groups (www.chicagoafrobeatproject.com)
. The OWB 2005 concert will feature
Flat
Broke Blues Band as the headliner
in an evening of great music, a raffle
of items donated by local businesses,
and guest speakers, including Marquette's
OWB 2004 main organizer, Dr. Louise
Bourgault of Northern Michigan University,
an expert in global communications
and HIV/AIDS in Africa. Dr. Bourgault
has a special interest in the use
of arts to address HIV/AIDS, and has
written a recent book on the subject,
entitled "Playing for Life: Performance
in Africa in the Age of AIDS".
(see
the 2004 event)
Flat Broke Blues
Band, called "one of the region's
most promising", has been playing
clubs, festivals, and concerts for
over a decade. The five member group
includes guitarist/vocalist Walt Lindala
and Mike Letts, bassist-vocalist Matt
Johnson, drummer Jim Cohen, and lead
vocalist-harmonica player Lorrie Hays.
Blues, rock, soul, and R&B are
among their influences, blended into
a sound which intermixes tradition
and new directions. They've shared
a stage with music greats Koko Taylor
and Shemekia Copeland, and their latest
CD, "Worth the Weight",
features 10 original pieces among
its 12 tracks, guaranteed to "rock
your socks", as one reviewer
exclaimed. "An intriguing blend
of the subtle and swashbuckling, with
every note designed to move your spirit",
wrote Tom Hyslop of Blues Review Magazine.
Nick
and Chris, a guitar duo, will also
be featured, and other bands are expected
to perform too for this charity benefit
which is fast becoming an annual event
not to be missed (much to our delight!).
See
the event details...
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