A big hand for our new artists this quarter!
Anna Tonna - Art Abramson - Cyrus Baty - Dalevon Miller - Gordon Chambers - Lauren Ianuzzi - Tomas
Huge thanks to everyone who played!
African Drum & Dance - amberRose Marie - Andy Mac - Art Abramson - David Pearl - Dan Ferrari - Deni Bonet - Bryan Dunn - Coco Syrah - Elli Fordyce - Erika Banks - Ganessa James - Giorgio - Grace Garland - Gordon Chambers - Imperial Court - Jaami Ali - Jami Jackson - Jeff Liebowitz - Jill Melanie Wirth - Larry May - Leeia Music - LIVEwire - Katy Pfaffl - Maria Davis - Mario Spinnetti - Markeisha Ensley - Martin Bard - Metropolitones - Michael Ashanti - Mike Butler - Nhojj - Nisha Asnani - Noam Weinstein - Olivia Detante - Paul Wayne - Paradox - Seth Rudetsky - Sonia Montez - Stanley Jordan - Sunshine Lemonade - Voices In Unity
Now let's hear it for our amazing volunteers!
Amenan Kouadio - Chrissy Park - Faith Barclay - Hannah Upp - Jamie Chan - Janelle Hailey - Janete Scobie - Jatinder Pawar - Ian Tendick - Jen Grossman - Kate Roche - Katie Janowski - Kebera Leach - Kevin George - Laura Wierbicki - Lindsey Kyler - Nisha Asnani - Sara Yoffe - Shawn Fagan - Sherie Pope - Simone Southwell
Featured Artist- Deni Bonet
It's not every classically-trained musician who can play the violin like a lead guitar and write witty, catchy pop songs. But if you haven't met singer/songwriter/electric violinist, Deni Bonet yet, you're in for a lot of other surprises too. Bonet simply had too much energy - and too many great original tunes - to be confined in an orchestra, as anyone who's seen one of her passionate, powerful live performances will attest. So she traded her black recital dress for a pair of go-go boots and an electric blue violin, plugged in and volume turned up!
Deni Bonet has been performing with Hearts & Voices for a number of years now. When I spoke to her recently about her most memorable experience at a Hearts & Voices show she quickly recounted a rockin' show at Rivington House, when a resident came up to her afterwards and said,"Thank you! For one hour I forgot I had AIDS". She is still by moved by this clear acknowledgement of the difference her performing made for another. Deni also said, "I love it when people get out of their wheelchair to dance at my shows." These are just a few of the many miraculous moments that keep her coming back to perform with Hearts & Voices.
Deni is currently performing both with and without her band at Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Room and other venues in and around NYC. She is also excited to have her new single, "It's You and Me for Christmas," playing on American Airlines flights throughout the month of December. For more information visit her website www.denibonet.com.
javascript:openAWindow('h
If you never been to the Hearts & Voices website, now is the time to check it out. If you saw it even a few days ago you really do owe it to yourself to check it out again. The website features a video that allows the viewer to see a little of what it's like to participate at a Hearts & Voices show. The rest of the website gives more detail about HIV, LIFEbeat, our artists, performers and more.
Once you've checked out the site, please pass it along to all of your family and friends. It is a wonderful way share what we're up to in a way that works. Describing a concert rarely does it justice, but allowing someone to see for themselves is much closer to the real thing.
Featured Volunteer- Jen Grossman
"Outside LIFEbeat, I work full time for a non-profit organization called ORBIS International. It's a wonderful organization dedicated to saving sight worldwide; we send volunteer doctors around the world to help provide eye-care for those in areas where they cannot otherwise get it.
LIFEbeat is part of me. I started volunteering 2.5 years ago and since the day after my training I've been at Rivington House volunteering with Hearts and Voices nearly every Tuesday since. I found LIFEbeat while searching for volunteer organizations in NY shortly after I settled here; I've always volunteered and love being able to give some of my time and love to people, places, and things who really need it. I was sold after reading the posting that spoke of music and helping people...combining my two favorite things.
Although I do volunteer for Local Tour Outreach and always enjoy it, Hearts & Voices is where my passion lies. Being able to meet, connect with and ultimately befriend people living with HIV/AIDS is the best thing I can think of. The people I've met and friends I've made through LIFEbeat will be a part of me forever. It's especially important to me to visit with people who don't always have other visitors or who aren't feeling well or happy...those are the people who need it the most and the ones who benefit the most as well. I always hope I can share a smile and bring as much joy to them as possible...and that, combined with the benefits of music that Hearts & Voices brings is unbeatable."
Hearts & Voices Program Highlights
These last three months have been my first three months as coordinator of this amazing Hearts & Voices program. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered at shows and in the office to make this beginning time so fun and effective. We added a new venue and increased our turnout at the venues we already have due to the excellence of both the volunteers and the performers. Here are just a few of the amazing moments that happened:
- Guitar virtuoso Stanley Jordan came back to perform for a second time. This time he mesmerized a large crowd of 60 people at Housing Works East Village. They loved the show and were eager for autographes afterward. We were able to video the event this time. You can check it out on this news page at lifebeat.org.
- Justin Nozuka gave a surprise performance at Rivington in August. He shared the evenings show with Nisha Asnani. They both did individual sets and ended the night singing Bill Wither's "Grandma's Hands" together. You can read more about the night and catch a few videos on this news page at lifebeat.org.
- amberRose Marie rocked the ACCESS picnic this Summer in the Bronx. This one time event was a celebration for the staff and patents of ACCESS. amberMarie Rose brought energy and fun to the event. Her music got people up and dancing. Her gifts of t-shirts, key chains and CD's had the kids going crazy.
- Gordan Chambers, two time Grammy Award Winning singer/songwriter, performed at Housing Works East Village in July. He sang familiar songs, many of which he wrote, like "I apologize" and "If you love me", which he had 3 women from the audience stand up and sing the chorus too. It was a show to remember.
These are just a handful of the 66 shows we had over the Summer. Each show is miraculous in its own way and I thank you all for making these shows such a success. We are spreading a lot of joy, love and healing one show at a time.
>
Share your music this holiday season and all year through!
If you thought about doing it before, now is definitely the time to actually make the move and bring the music over. Every year, we make hundreds of goodie bags to give to our audiences as a special holiday gift from Hearts & Voices. The last two years running, we've included a special 'Superstars Disc' featuring some of their very favorite Hearts & Voices artists. This year, we're doing that again, and we'll be doing one better. We're asking you, our artists, to donate your CDs.
If you're serious enough about your music to spend the time and money to make and sell a CD, these two statements may apply to you-
- You consider your music a business, and you save all your receipts so you can write them off at tax time.
- You ordered way more CDs than you know what to do with, and your boy/girlfriend keeps nagging you about the crippling lack of closet space in your apartment.
What you might not know is that if you donate CDs to LIFEbeat (or any other 501c3) you can write off the wholesale cost of the discs. So, although you might have paid $1 a disc to duplicate them, you can write them off for $8 or thereabouts. And that means that you might actually end up ahead on the deal at tax time- and even if it costs you, you'll be measuring that cost in pennies.
Many of you already bring giveaway discs to shows, which is awesome. CDs from Hearts & Voices artists are the single most appreciated gift to our audiences. We want to make sure you get your proper tax credit, to make it easier for you to donate. Tax breaks aside, when you give your music, you're doing more than making a donation. You're making a connection. You're giving people a chance to make your music a part of their lives and their healing process- to make Hearts & Voices last all week long.
If your ready to share your music beyond a 40 minute set, let's coordinate- drop me an email at ebanks@lifebeat.org.
Afterword
These past 3 months have been amazing to say the least. My love for music and service, have been expanded as I meet more and more performers, volunteers and residents at each show. The transformations that I see through each concert and the love that shows up at every show is just miraculous. On more than one occasion I've seen residents and performers come to a show tired and sluggish, and leave invigorated and with a pep in their step. Often times singing or humming a song on their way out the door.
What's there for me to say about all of this is Thank you! Thank you, for encouraging me as the coordinator this amazing program, and thank you for giving your all each and every show. Your love for the residents, for sharing your music, and making a difference is what makes this all possible. Keep sharing this with people who don't know about LIFEbeat and Hearts & Voices and keep having fun. If you've been away for a while, know that the doors are always open to you.
I like to save the best news for last. On a joyous note, I am happy to announce that Ben Godwin, the previous coordinator of Hearts & Voices, and his wife Dawn Carr gave birth two a beautiful 7lb 7oz baby daughter, Calliope Django Godwin Carr, at home in London, England, on Sunday, October 12. They are very elated that she is finally here and so are we!
Peace & Prosperity,
Erika
