Warwick musicians to play benefit tribute for New Orleans

WARWICK-Many of Warwick’s acclaimed composers and jazz musicians will perform on stage in a benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina survivors at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16, at the Warwick Reformed Church, 16 Maple Ave. Composer and River Café pianist Richard Kimball called on his friends in the local music community to join him in presenting “In Concert for the Survivors” as a tribute to the music community of New Orleans and to benefit its displaced musicians as a result of the hurricane. The Sunday afternoon concert will bring together more than a dozen musicians who will donate their time and talents to Habitat for Humanity and Tipitina’s Foundation. The Foundation, an existing non-profit organization committed to supporting the cultural preservation and reconstruction of New Orleans, is working to raise funds through donations and nationwide benefit concerts for New Orleans musicians. Warwick and Orange County residents will have a rare opportunity to be up close and personal with outstanding musicians like Thiago de Mello, a Grammy-nominated Brazilian composer/organic percussionist who will be part of The Richard Kimball Ensemble for the concert. Thiago de Mello and his AMAZON band have toured with Grammy winner Sharon Isbin where they appeared in New York’s Carnegie Hall among other legendary venues. Kimball’s ensemble also includes saxophonist Bob Rosen; Warwick High School graduate and New England Conservatory of Music graduate, Jim Mullen on sax; electric violinist, Thomas Aalfs; trumpet player and Warwick High School music teacher, Chris Persad; internationally known educator and bassist/recording artist, Cameron Brown; and University of Arizona Music School graduate, drummer/recording artist, Michael Hickey. Kimball will be playing for the first time, “Fugue for the Survivors,” composed especially for this event. The ensemble will play a program including Brazilian jazz tone poems, painting pictures of the traditional Brazilian culture, as well as jazz standards. Local jazz aficionado and producer of The Sugar Loaf Music Series, Russ Layne, will introduce the concert and provide a commentary on the history and style of music being performed over the afternoon by the 15 musicians. The String Trio of New York, minus performer John Lindberg, will perform a program of jazz standards in their own inimitable way. Celebrated artist James Emery, known as one of the world’s great guitarists, will be joined by Rob Thomas, whose stunning technique has made him one of the most impressive jazz violinists/bassists in the business. Warwick’s one-of-a-kind bassist, Mark Egan and recognized guitarist and composer/recording artist, Jeff Ciampa seized the concert opportunity to quickly pull together “CEWL” Music. Ciampa, Egan and pianist Jon Werking and drummer Carl Latham will perform a program of contemporary instrumental jazz. The concert will close with Kimball’s ensemble playing John Coltrane’s famous “Impressions” from the late ‘60s. Tickets to “In Concert for the Survivors,” Sunday, Oct. 16, at 4 p.m., are $25 and are available at The Ink Well, The Book Store, and Newhard’s in the Village of Warwick, as well as at the door as long as tickets last. Seating is limited to 300. Organizers request that checks be made out to the Merchants Guild which will allocate the funds toward the two charities. “In Concert for the Survivors” culminates Warwick’s “Save the Spirit of Mardi Gras” fund raising effort for Hurricane Katrina survivors sponsored by the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Merchants Guild and Warwick IBA. Merchants have been provided with Mardi Gras masks and beads to draw attention to the effort and encourage donations for the hurricane survivors. All funds from the “Save the Spirit of Mardi Gras” campaign go to the American Red Cross. Warwick merchants co-chairing the event are Carol Bartnowski, owner of The Ink Well, and Sue Loughren, owner of The Toy Chest. Jane Gyulavary, owner of Celebrations Extraordinaire, and Barbara Laurence, president of the Merchants Guild, have volunteered as Event Coordinators for the month-long events. Staging for the event has been donated by The Warwick Arts Festival, with the piano donated by adamspiano.com. For information, contact Gyulavary at 845-988-0580.