Songs for Haiti - A Mercy Corps Benefit featuring Thomas Lauderdale, Storm Large, Portland Cello Project & more!
|
This Thursday, Jan. 21, some of Portland's favorite musicians – including pianist Thomas Lauderdale, hip-hop artist Cool Nutz, Portland Cello Project and the legendary Storm Large – join forces for the city's first large-scale musical response to the Haitian earthquake disaster, to raise money for Mercy Corps
As the city reacts to the unfolding destruction in Haiti from the country's recent devastating earthquake, a group of luminary Portland musicians has stepped forward to raise their voices – and some much-needed money as well – in support of our friends in Haiti.
"Songs for Haiti" is the resulting one-night-only show: a meditation on the enormous loss of life in Haiti; a celebration of hope; and ultimately a fundraising concert aiming to raise upwards of $25,000 for the Haiti disaster relief efforts of Mercy Corps.
Some of the marquee Portland performers appearing in "Songs for Haiti" include pianist Thomas Lauderdale (bandleader, Pink Martini), the Portland Cello Project, acclaimed hip-hop artist Cool Nutz, Grammy-nominated pianist Janice Scroggins, Oregon Symphony concertmaster Jun Iwasaki with pianist Grace Fong-Iwasaki, Broadway veteran baritone Douglas Webster (Les Miserables), singer-songwriter Holcombe Waller, and local choral ensembles Flash Choir, PHAME Academy Choir and the Grant High School Royal Blues.
"In the midst of any tragedy, we return always to music," says event co-producer Stephen Marc Beaudoin. "And each of these extraordinary artists has stepped forward to offer their talent to honor those lost and express hope for Haiti's future." In addition to each artist donating their time for the concert, the Aladdin Theater is generously donating its space and additional resources to help produce the event.
Repertoire in "Songs for Haiti" ranges from classical standards – Jun and Grace Iwasaki will play the Rachmaninoff "Vocalise," among other works – to original hip-hop music by Cool Nutz, gospel-flecked tunes performed by Janice Scroggins, and musical theater. There will also be nods to Haitian music throughout: Lauderdale will perform a hauntingly beautiful piano solo, "Ballade," by little-known Haitian classical composer Ludovic Lamothe, who was known during his time as "un Chopin noir" ("a black Chopin").
"Songs for Haiti" is one performance only: 7:30pm on Thursday, January 21, at the Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie in Portland. Tickets are $30, and go on sale 10am Monday, January 18 and are available at the Aladdin Theater box office and through Ticketmaster.
Proceeds, including Ticketmaster fees, will go towards MercyCorps. If you cannot make it to the show, but you want to give to Mercy Corp, please click on this link:
|
|