Jazz musicians from Knoxville, across the country and the world will headline this year’s “Knoxville Jazz for Justice” concert to benefit children in war-torn Northern Uganda.
The Knoxville Jazz for Justice Project was formed in 2006 by University of Tennessee, Knoxville, professor Rosalind Hackett, concerned students and musicians to help raise awareness and funding for the plight of the children in the African country. More than 30,000 children have been kidnapped and forced to become fighters, sex slaves or servants during a war between the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army and the Ugandan government that has lasted more than 20 years.
The concert will begin at 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2, at the World Grotto in downtown’s Market Square.
Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for non-students and will be sold at the door. Advance tickets are available at http://tickets.worldgrotto.com.
More than 600 people attended last year’s concert, and more than $5,000 was raised.
All of the proceeds from the concerts benefit the Northern Ugandan Girls’ Education Network (NUGEN). The connection with UT already has been realized by children in the program who call themselves “University of Tennessee girls.”
“Tentative peace has lasted a year, but the task of psycho-social healing and resettlement is overwhelming,” Hackett said. “Thanks to supporters of our program, some of those young people are overcoming their trauma and rebuilding their lives.”
Musicians for this year’s concert include:
• South Africa’s multi-instrumentalist Zim Ngqawana (“Zimology”)
• Jeff Coffin and Roy “Future Man” Wooten of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
• Kirk Whalum (“The Gospel According to Jazz”)
• UT’s Jazz Ensemble of Donald Brown, Mark Boling and Rusty Holloway with Kenny Brown
• The Mitch Rutman Group
• Carlos Fernandez
• Wendel Werner, local jazz pianist and teacher
• Jonathan Blanchard, bass vocalist from Atlanta
• Kelle Jolly and Will Boyd with Ghanaian percussionist Kofi Mawuko
• “Just Friends,” UT jazz students
• Chad Melton and Alana Rocklin
• Jeff Korondo of Northern Uganda
For more information, visit the Knoxville Jazz for Justice Web site, http://www.knoxjazzforjustice.org.
Earlier this year, Knoxville Jazz for Justice released a CD to raise more money and awareness. Hackett, professor of religious studies, went to Uganda this summer with UT students Erin Bernstein and Lindsay McClain and Joshua Russell, a UT graduate, local musician and restaurant owner.
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Contacts:
Elizabeth Davis, UT media relations, (865) 974-5179, elizabeth.davis@tennessee.edu
Rosalind Hackett, rhackett@utk.edu
Lindsay McClain, lmcclai4@utk.edu
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