Mingus Awareness Project Concert
a benefit concert for the Les Turner ALS Foundation
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 (8 p.m.)
3855 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60613
On June 15, a group of musicians will gather at Martyrs’ to celebrate the life and music of Charles Mingus, and to benefit the Les Turner ALS Foundation. Mingus, an American musical hero who died of ALS, is one of the greatest figures in jazz history. His bass playing, compositions and philosophy have transcended his genre and left indelible marks on music history. Admission: $20 / $15 for students
MAPtet will perform music by Charles Mingus, Eric Dolphy, and other composers --
Jon Hey -- piano
Steve Berry -- trombone
Paul Hartsaw -- tenor saxophone
Dan Godston -- trumpet
Fred Jackson -- alto saxophone
Jon Godston -- soprano saxophone
Tom Berg -- baritone saxophone
Alex Wing -- upright bass
Brian Jones -- drums
This Mingus Awareness Project concert is presented by the Borderbend Arts Collective, in partnership with the Les Turner ALS Foundation. This will be the ninth Mingus Awareness Project concert since its inception in 2007. Mingus Awareness Project concerts have happened in Chicago (at the Velvet Lounge, Jazz Showcase, Hideout, and HotHouse) and Richmond, Virginia (at the Camel and Rhythm Hall).
Attendees will have opportunities to participate in a
raffle during the event. Donations can be made to the Les Turner ALS Foundation
via the Mingus Awareness Project link:
http://MingusAwarenessProject.kintera.org/2011. Your donations are greatly
appreciated.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive, degenerative disease affecting motor neurons. Motor neurons carrying impulses from the brain to the muscles cease function and eventually die, causing muscle weakness, difficulty speaking and swallowing, and ultimately total paralysis. The disease is not bound by race, culture or socioeconomic status and, at any given time, approximately 35,000 people in the U.S. are living with ALS. Onset of symptoms typically occurs between the ages of 35 and 65, but ALS can strike at any age. While treatments and interventions can help alleviate some symptoms, enhance quality of life and prolong survival – there is no cure.
For more than three decades, the Les Turner ALS Foundation has been Chicagoland’s leader in patient services, research and education for ALS and other motor neuron diseases. Les Turner, after being diagnosed with ALS in 1976, was frustrated by the lack of information and research on ALS. Shortly before his death in 1977, Les, his family and friends established the Les Turner ALS Foundation so that ALS patients and their families could have the resources, support and hope for a cure that Les did not have. The Foundation is partnered with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine where it supports a large multi-disciplinary clinical program and two cutting-edge scientific research laboratories. The Foundation’s full spectrum of patient services includes professional in-home consultation services, support group meetings, medical equipment loan programs, respite care grants and educational programs.