Best in Local Blues, Jazz and Bluegrass – Hungry for Music Presents

Musical Visions: Live Music and Art Auction
Jordan Wright
October 17, 2012

Eighteen years ago the non-profit Hungry for Music was founded by local entrepreneur Jeff Campbell – a man inspired by a vision to heal the world through music.  The idea germinated back in 1992 while Campbell was taking a fund-raising certification program at George Washington University where he came up with the idea to organize a concert to benefit the homeless by asking street musicians to donate their talents.  GW’s Lisner Auditorium became the setting for two concerts to benefit DC’s Coalition for the Homeless and led to many area food drives.

By the time of its founding two years later, the organization had redirected its mission.  Campbell explains, “In 1994 I wanted to do something with kids and music.  I’d met a photographer who was putting cameras in the hands of kids to give back and that was what it did it for me.  I realized how powerful music was for kids.”  He started with kids that wanted to play but had no access to musical instruments – kids in blighted neighborhoods, kids in schools with no music programs, needy kids whose families barely had enough money to put food on the table.

Across America funding has dried up for school cultural programs and entire music departments have shut down.  But Campbell looks to revive the performing arts for kids who have little hope and few creative outlets – – one musical instrument at a time.

As expected the organization takes in monetary donations, but others give new or used musical instruments – horns that were neglected in favor of soccer, guitars outgrown and pianos gathering dust.  Four times a year Campbell drives around the country in a van loaded to the gills with instruments promised to dozens of kids.  He visits with grateful teachers and students from the Appalachian Mountains and out to the Midwest of Chicago and Milwaukee, then on down to the New Orleans’ Gulf Coast where they enthusiastically await his arrival.  “It’s very therapeutic for me,” he admits. The rest of the year is dedicated to shipping instruments to needy kids.

Each spring, in tribute to Campbell’s Louisiana roots and New Orleans supporters, Hungry for Music hosts a zydeco-fueled Crawfish Boil in Alexandria (Read my coverage of that event here – http://whiskandquill.com/?p=1951).   Summer brings the wildly popular, Cof-a-Que weekend fundraiser; a three-day BBQ competition and all-day-and-night music bash set on a Loudoun County farm beside a picturesque lake.  In May 2013 Campbell will be in the Woodstock, NY area to host yet another benefit concert.

Throughout the year Campbell sells CDs compiled from songs donated by some of the country’s leading musicians like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and others.  The legendary bluegrass pioneer Hazel Dickens performed for one of their benefits shortly before she passed away.

The organization’s reach has expanded both nationally and overseas, helping children in places as far-flung as El Salvador.  In Galax, Virginia, home to the country’s renowned Old Fiddler’s Convention, Campbell takes stringed instruments to the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) a youth group founded by musician and elementary school counselor Helen White.  Her initial program has grown to encompass 22 programs in three states and now serves more than 900 kids.

MUSICAL VISION: Live Music and Art Auction

MUSICAL VISION: Live Music and Art Auction

On November 8th, Bluegrass, Blues and Jazz will converge at the Gibson Guitar VIP Showroom across from the National Portrait Gallery for the Hungry for Music Musical Visions: Live Music and Art Auction.  The event will feature food and drink with live performances by local musicians.  “Over 20 DC-based artists have transformed old donated violins, clarinets, flutes and guitars into art and photography for the silent auction.  It’s a really cool performance space with guitars all over the walls,” Campbell says.

For more info on this event visit www.hungryformusic.com.

Scribbles and Quips

From Ted Turner to Ted Lerner Sports Legend and Washington Nationals President Stan Kasten Lunches with ESPN’s Thom Loverro and Kevin Sheehan

Jordan Wright
July 2010

From left ESPN's Thom Loverro, Washington Nationals President, Sam Kasten, Jordan Wright of Whisk and Quill and ESPN's Kevin Sheehan at Morton's DC - photo by Whisk and Quill

From left ESPN's Thom Loverro, Washington Nationals President, Sam Kasten, Jordan Wright of Whisk and Quill and ESPN's Kevin Sheehan at Morton's DC - photo by Whisk and Quill

Washington Nationals President, Stan Kasten, was the “Living Legend” featured at Morton’s DC luncheon yesterday.  A font of inside sports info from his days with Ted Turner and the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks, the loquacious and astute Kasten told us, “There aren’t enough cameras and media for Turner who has a separate staff that works to create buzz for him.”  Are we surprised?   About his early days, “I used to drive around the country going to minor league games when I was a teenager.”  Must be the junior training camp for running a team…

Children Uniting Nations Pre-Gala Dinner Is Full of Surprises

CUN Founder Daphna Ziman (left) with Lani Hay - photo courtesy of  Shutterbloom photography

CUN Founder Daphna Ziman (left) with Lani Hay - photo courtesy of Shutterbloom photography

Lani Hay, President and CEO of Lanmark Technology, Inc., uber-lobbyist, Dr. Christine Warnke and Greg Houston, President of PSA-DC hosted a private dinner at Neyla’s to welcome the celebs to town.  Jermaine and Randy Jackson, Quinton Aaron, co-star of “The Blind Side” with Sandra Bullock, Def Jam artist and Oprah discovery, Abraham McDonald felt the crush beside locals like Modern Lounge’s Janine Schoonover, whom some of you may not know got her Edward R. Murrow Award when she was an investigative reporter for a documentary shown on PBS’s “Frontline’”, and hair stylist-to-the-stars, Erwin Gomez, of the Erwin

Gomez Salon in Georgetown.

Erwin Gomez (center) with Janine Schoonover (right) and friend

Erwin Gomez (center) with Janine Schoonover (right) and friend - photo courtesy of Shutterbloom

McDonald’s dynamic sister and manager, Breeze, told me the announcement of his win on Oprah’s “Karaoke Challenge” was a surprise, “We were all sitting around the computer when Ms. Winfrey Skyped us and we saw that we were on the show live!”  The surprise at this party was McDonald’s astounding vocal range as he sang to the wowed crowd a cappella.

Alice in Wonderland at National Harbor

A visitor considers the Alice display - photo courtesy of The Art League

A visitor considers the Alice display - photo courtesy of The Art League

Yesterday evening’s opening of Alexandria’s The Art League’s exhibition of paintings by Carol Dupre was held at its latest venue in National Harbor.   Dupre’s “Alice in Wonderland” series has been a voyage of artistic discovery.   “The final ‘staging’ of my second painting series of Alice has a totally different feel that the first series…. Alice has moved from child-growth and child-awakenings in many different accumulative ‘forms of knowledge’ to later years of further access reconstructing the initial identity forms” she informed the gathering at the location’s first ever show.

 

Jermaine Jackson Sings at DC Gala

Last night’s Children Uniting Nations gala at the J. W. Marriott had a wealth of talent with Def Jam artist,

Def Jam Artist Abraham McDonald after his crowd-stopping number at Neyla's for Children Uniting Nations - photo by Jordan Wright

Def Jam Artist Abraham McDonald after his crowd-stopping number at Neyla's for Children Uniting Nations - photo by Jordan Wright

Abraham McDonald and Jermaine Jackson who was accompanied by his

gorgeous wife, Halima Rashad.  McDonald sang his latest hit “Miracle”.  Surprise performer Jackson channeled his late brother, Michael, with his haunting rendition of “Smile”.

“This was his favorite song, “ he wistfully told the predominantly LA gathering, most of whom had been on Capitol Hill all day lobbying for global foster care advocacy.  “A cause that” in the words of founder, Daphna Ziman, “counts on us.  The children don’t vote and don’t pay taxes.”

 

Jermaine Jackson wows the crowd at the gala for Children Uniting Nations - photo by Jordan Wright

Jermaine Jackson wows the crowd at the gala for Children Uniting Nations - photo by Jordan Wright

I spoke with California Congresswoman Diane Watson who gave one the most moving tributes of the evening.  On cooking she told me. “I only cook once a year at Christmas, but I make all the same dishes my grandmother did.  She was from New Orleans and could make all the wonderful recipes from Cajun to Creole.  My sister and I had to figure it out since she never wrote down the recipes… but we remembered the flavors and worked it out on our own.”

Well, you knew I was going to steer the conversation around to food…

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Extra photos courtesy of Shutterbloom Photography http://shutterbloom.com/ and The Art League http://www.theartleague.org