The Healing Powers Of Music

Artistry: A night of music to benefit kids & the arts. The concert will take place at 8 p.m. on November 4, 2004 at The Conga Room, 5364 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036

LOS ANGELES, CA (PRWEB) October 29, 2004 -- Do you remember your first musical experience? Maybe a better question is... how does music move you? In most communities, students are left uninspired, deprived of that musical experience all of us enjoyed as a kid. Across the nation, only 32% of elementary schools offer any arts education to their students. This means our children are losing their chance for a complete education even though numerous studies have shown the positive impact that the arts have in early childhood development. Still, school and community music programs are being discontinued or severely diminished due to budget cuts.

In July of this year, Craig Gorkiewicz, owner of 149 Music & Marketing, had a nightmare that the music stopped. The next morning, he awoke with a dream of putting together a series of benefit concerts featuring top independent artists from across the country to raise money for arts education. The series, named Artistry, begins November 4, 2004 and will benefit Art Share Los Angeles; their philosophy is one of tolerance, non-violence, and enrichment through art and Fender Kids Rock Free Program, a non-profit organization that since 1998 has been providing free lessons in piano, guitar and drums to children ranging in ages from 7 to 17.

Over the next year, each nights proceeds from Artistry will benefit a different charity/program aimed at educating through the arts. The first Artistry event will take place at the Conga Room in Los Angeles, Thursday, November 4, 2004 at 8:00 pm. The evening will feature KCRWs 'Next Up artist Quincy (quincysongs.com), legendary Los Angeles artist Chris Pierce (chrispierce.com), Joe Purdy (joepurdy.com) whose song Wash Away" was featured on ABCs Lost" and Yardley (yardleyband.com) a band of talented musicians whose songwriting has been compared to Daniel Lanois.

Advance tickets can be ordered through www.jambasetickets.com for $15. Tickets will also be available at the door for $15. The Conga Room is located at 5364 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036.

For further information and to set up interviews with the artists, please contact Craig Gorkiewicz 310-403-7115. For more information about the charities visit www.artsharela.org and http://www.fendermuseum.com/kidsrockfreeedupro.html

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About Arts Share LA:
Founded by Chip Hunter through a passionate commitment to transforming lives through art. His dream was to create a place that would educate, promote tolerance, reduce hatred and violence, and enrich lives, through art. These dreams have come to life as Art Share has expanded to become a service provider to over 9,000 people annually while developing a wide array of successful community programs to meet the needs of the diverse Los Angeles communities.

About Kids Rock Free®:
The Fender Museum of the Arts Foundation a grass roots program, that has already helped thousands of children, has been providing free lessons in piano, guitar and drums to children ranging in ages from 7 to 17 since 1998. Unfortunately, thousands more are on the waiting list. Currently, over four hundred children per week take advantage of these free and low-cost Kids Rock Free® educational opportunities, which now include bass, vocal performance and combo band classes. The Foundation envisions expanding these offerings, over the next few years, to include additional multi-cultural musical instrument, dance and theater instruction. Kids Rock Free® is not just about teaching young lives, its about enriching them. Fenders Kids Rock Free Program can only happen with continued and expanded support!

About Quincy:
Reminiscent of a young Linda Ronstadt fallen from her own "Joshua Tree", Quincy feels both intimate and new. She counts among her influences Billy Holiday, Lyle Lovett, and Thom Yorke, in addition to all of the inspiration she gets from the on-going stream of musicians she sees perform live. From the southern songbird herself, Dolly Parton describes Quincy as having "...all the goods, a beautiful voice, such sweet emotion and tenderness... beautiful CD...very talented." Currently her songs "Make It Go Away", Im Crying", and Shades Of Grey" have made their way into "Morning Becomes Eclectic" playlist at 89.9 KCRW, as well she is featured in Dawson's Creek Season 3 DVD. For more information, visit www.quincysongs.com

About Chirs Pierce:
The New Times calls this young multi-instrumentalist a straight ahead, no-nonsense musician", and Music Connection writes, Chris Pierce actually knows how to sing, and injects soul and meaning into every word of every song! His intensely emotional vision, attention gripping material and captivating stage presence make for a sure entertaining experience!" For more information, visit his website at www.chrispierce.com.

About Joe Purdy:
Have you ever been hooked on the narrative of a conversation that you weren't supposed to hear? That is just one of the things you might feel when listening to the music of singer/songwriter Joe Purdy and his band. As he reflects on a memory of an angry moment, or a stolen kiss, his voice becomes startlingly intimate -- you can practically feel his breath on your ear. Joe's new song "Wash Away" was featured on October 6th's episode of "LOST" on ABC. The song is now available on his new release, "julie blue". For more information, visit www.joepurdy.com.

About Yardley:
Based in Los Angeles, Yardley was founded by Lee Beth Kilgore to explore a different approach to music from a female songwriter. Influenced by the current wave of British melancholic rock/pop, Yardley is currently an evolving group of musicians with Kilgore as the constant. For more information, visit www.yardleyband.com