Victor Wooten: solo bass concert to take place April 18

(Milton, MA) Victor Wooten: solo bass concert; as a benefit to help support South African township organizations, by way of the Milton Jazz Fund. Tuesday, April 18, 7:00 p.m. All concert proceeds to benefit these organizations. Suggested tax-deductible donation range: $15-$100. Tickets available at the door. Visit Milton Jazz Fund @ give.milton.edu/campaigns/36231/donations/new for donations in advance. Milton Academy, Kellner Performing Arts Center, 170 Centre St, Milton, MA 02186. For further information: milton.edu/arts/arts-calendar, [email protected], 617-872-7485.

Five-time Grammy award-winner Victor Wooten, also a visiting scholar at Berklee, and Bob Sinicrope, founder and conductor of the long-standing Jazz Program at Milton Academy, are good friends. They have much in common. Both as professional bass players and as dedicated music educators. They discovered each other during the annual Jazz Education Network Conferences. And ever since, they have oftentimes crossed over onto each other’s campuses, sharing their wealth of musical experiences and multi-cultural explorations, within and even beyond the jazz discipline.

Both Wooten and Sinicrope also have explored and have developed a deep appreciation for the work of Abdullah Ibrahim, a South African pianist/composer/activist, and that appreciation has served as a catalyst for Milton Academy’s advanced jazz students to now make an annual journey to South Africa. To share their own work – but more importantly, to learn from others, and to bring that back. As a result, these students have become invested in supporting several township community organizations, who have always been such gracious hosts to Milton Academy students. At the same time, these organizations sure could use the financial support to continue their own respective missions.

The following South African organizations in particular will receive the proceeds from this benefit concert: the Amy Foundation, Music Academy of Gauteng, Bridges for Music, and Kgothatso Laka Music Academy.

And why? Because, in essence: South Africa is far – and yet so near.

Further background on Victor Wooten and Bob Sinicrope can be found at victorwooten.com/bio and bobsinicrope.weebly.com/bio.html respectively.