Playing for Change

Songs around the world

Maybe you've seen the "Stand By Me" video on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM)-it's been viewed more than 37 million times. It has quite a story behind it! Grammy-winning producer/engineer/filmmaker Mark Johnson founded Playing For Change on the simple idea that the world can be connected through music. Starting in Santa Monica, California, Mark captured a performance of "Stand By Me" by legendary street blues singer Roger Ridley, then he took the show on the road. In New Orleans, he put headphones on Grandpa Elliott, who harmonized with Ridley's soulful rendition of the song. And he didn't stop there. Using innovative mobile technology and traveling the world, they filmed and recorded more than 100 musicians, largely outdoors, in parks, plazas and promenades, in doorways, on cobblestone streets and amid hilly pueblos. Each captured performance created a new mix in which essentially the artists are all performing together, even though they're hundreds or thousands of miles apart. The Playing for Change has continued and evolved through worldwide concert tours musicians from around the globe, many of whom have appeared in the project's more than 50 videos. The PFC Band has performed on NBC's The Tonight Show twice, and the two-disc CD/DVD set "Playing for Change: Songs Around the World" has reached the top ten on Billboard magazine's pop chart. The project's deep emotional resonance, combined with the muscle of the Internet and sheer word-of-mouth, has struck a profoundly enduring chord worldwide. Playing for Change is a musical story of hope, joy, and redemption.

Playing For Change brings its "Back to Our Roots" tour to The Ark this time around! The tour's goal is not only to bring musicians together of all backgrounds, but to inspire, educate, and empower them through the creation of music and art schools in developing communities.

The 2012 Playing For Change Band lineup will feature renowned and wildly diverse musicians from around the world, making stops in major cities across the USA and Canada including Chicago, New York, Boston, Toronto, and Pittsburgh. The lineup includes:

Grandpa Elliott (vocals/harmonica)-USA
Clarence Milton Bekker (vocals)-The Netherlands
Mermans Mosengo (vocals/guitar/percussion)-Congo
Reggie McBride (bass)-USA
Jason Tamba (vocals/guitar)-Congo
Peter Bunetta (drums)-USA
Titi Tsira (vocals)-South Africa
Tom Canning (keyboards)-USA