Guelph Politico: Guelph Music to Help Japan

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Guelph Music to Help Japan

Trying to do our part for the people of Japan suffering the after effects of the 9.1 earthquake and accompanying tsunami earlier this month, a group of Guelph-based organizers and musicians are pulling together for the victims. Find the details and line-up in the below press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“Raise the Sun” – a benefit concert for Japan

April 10, 2011 at Norfolk United Church at 3:00 pm.

Join us for an afternoon of Guelph musicians and dancers and a tribute to the art and culture of Japan.

Following the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, members of the Guelph community have pulled together to organize a benefit event featuring a wide selection of our amazing and world-class local-area talent. With overwhelming support from the local community, event organizers (Paul Clarkson, Ajay Heble, and Marie Zimmerman) have come together in the strong belief that music and artistic expression can create opportunities for hope and help to mobilize new communities of involvement. Proceeds will go to the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre Foundation Earthquake Relief Fund. (All donations are guaranteed to go to the Japanese Red Cross and to infrastructure in Japan.)

The afternoon will be both a gift from Guelph musicians and dancers as well as a tribute to the art and culture of Japan through the performance of Nagata Shachu, a six-member ensemble who perform Japanese taiko drumming and music. We are also very happy to welcome Joy Kogawa, a brilliant Japanese-Canadian writer whose work, Obasan, was instrumental in the redress movement of Japanese Canadians interned in Canada during WWII.

The “Raise the Sun” concert will begin and end with contemporary dance and music by the Fall On Your Feet dance lab working with improvisational greats such as Jane Bunnett, Matt Brubeck, Kevin Breit, Amadeo Ventura, Larry Cramer and Colin Couch.

Improvised jazz by the Vertical Squirrels, dance by David Earle's famous company, and folk music by acclaimed singer-songwriter Tannis Slimmon will round out a tribute to the resilience of the Japanese people and our wish to support their recovery efforts.

Details:

Date: April 10, 2011

Time: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Title of Concert: "Raise the Sun: a benefit concert for Japan."

Place: Norfolk United Church, (Norfolk St. and Cork St. in Guelph)

Tickets: $30 available through the River Run Centre (35 Woolwich St., Guelph; http://riverrun.ca/tickets; 519.763.3000; 1-877-520-2408)

Proceeds: JCCC Earthquake Relief Fund (http://www.jccc.on.ca/japan_earthquake_relief_fund.htm)

Organization: "Small" (Spirit, Music/Movement and Literature for Love)

Website: www.raisethesun.ca

Performers:

Dancetheatre David Earle - www.dtde.ca

Fall on Your Feet Dance Lab