WORLD WIDE LIFE BLOG: Knoxville Jazz for Justice Concert

JAZZ GREATS JAM FOR JUSTICE

The date for the next Knoxville Jazz for Justice Concert is Friday NOVEMBER 2nd, some of the biggest names in jazz will lend their talents to benefit the children of war-torn Northern Uganda. The second annual “Knoxville Jazz for Justice” concert kicks off at 8 p.m. at the World Grotto in downtown Knoxville’s Market Square.

This year’s headliners 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--Donald Brown, Mark Boling, Rusty Holloway, with Kenny Brown, The Mitch Rutman Group, Carlos Fernandez, Wendel Werner, Jonathan Blanchard, Kelle Jolly and Will Boyd with Ghanaian percussionist Kofi Mawuko, Chad Melton and Alana Rocklin,“Just Friends” (UT jazz students), and all the way from Northern Uganda, Jeff Korondo! Tickets, $10 for students and $15 for non-students, will be sold at the door for the benefit concert. Advance tickets available at http://tickets.worldgrotto.com.

"The concert has became a rallying point for students who were aware of the situation in Northern Uganda, as well as those who wanted to learn more about it,” Prof. I.J. Hackett said.

-Some of the victims of the 21 years long war in Northern Uganda have turned to using mike to create music to express their suffering and experiences including those of the voiceless to share their ordeal. Today Northern Uganda has seen a society on the rise, for example the wanabe Rasta, in the likeliness of Uganda Bob Marley, Lucky Dube -Bosmic Otim - all in the rise in the name of peace in northern Uganda. The peace that is currently going on has also played a major role to bring about this rise in 'Superstars and popdom'. And it has also forged a new generation of “prophets” in the likeliness of Ugandan wanabe Bob Marley/Lucky Dube -Bosmic Otim-. The intrusion of northern Uganda music (is hitting radio waves in Kampala and the internet and the impact is changing the pop culture in Uganda), "the creation of Northern Uganda hip-hop, Lou-pop, or Gulu-pop class has taken music to a new twist of popdom".

More international exposure could mould some of these artists to the like of Akron!

Jeff Korondo “I have been doing Contemporary music for quite sometime in Luo and of recent one in English. My song talks about domestic violence and most of them about children's rights because I have been involved with Save the Children in Uganda (NGO) in campaigning children's abuse in northern Uganda”. Jeff Korondo” Lutino Anyim Me Lobo” is one of the hit in http://www.kumalo.com

Bosmic Otim has produced many albums about the war in Northern Uganda and the need for peace. Most recently some of his songs have touched and appealed directly to Otti and Kony, the guerrilla leaders, asking them to abandon the war and come back home so that the IDPs can return to their villages. Otii in turn invited Bosmic Otim to go and entertain the peace team and their observers!

In “Ngom Kuri” Bosmic sang that...the world changes, turns, and luck come around...and everyone has a bite..." It's their turn to bite,"... however, the world is still waiting to see this happen to Northern Uganda, "Equal Right” “Kop Ango” are few topical songs this talented young artist has produced.

Their music talk a lot, about a society suddenly observant of changes in their midst. There are also the sad songs, rather painful and burrowing into what is experienced by many victims in Northern Uganda.

Themes of 'war is slowly fading out but not totally so, more children, are still suffering, and poverty still prevail even though peace is here' and slowly being overtaken by a free spirit songs about praises, religious songs, love, courting of women are now hitting air waves and the Internet. Bosmic Otim "Too Paco", BSG Labongo “Lalam” and “Agungu Pirii”. Jeff Korondo “Lamera Balo Kenya”are few examples.