2013 Daniel Pearl Music Day Show

My husband/manager Dino will be hosting Harmony For Humanity – a 2013 Daniel Pearl Music Day  show at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge. I will let him tell the history behind the show.

“For those who don’t know him, Daniel Pearl was a journalist from the Wall Street Journal who was kidnapped and killed in Pakistan in 2002. The week that he was kidnapped, a good friend who worked at the Wall Street Journal was staying with us, and as you can imagine, he was very upset. We were getting updates almost in real time and sadly followed the whole sequence of events as they unfolded. My daughter had just been born, and I found out that his wife was pregnant, so the tragedy felt very personal to me. It became more personal when I found out that like me, Daniel Pearl was born on October 10.

He loved music, and after a couple of years his family created this initiative to celebrate him and remember him. They ask that in October musicians just dedicate one show to the idea that music unites people. This initiative has gone on for several years, and musicians from all genres and walk of life have participated (from R.E.M. to classical music students). Quoting from the official site:

Daniel Pearl World Music Days is an international network of concerts that use the power of music to reaffirm our commitment to tolerance and humanity. Since 2002, Daniel Pearl World Music Days has grown to include the participation of more than 10,000 performances in 129 countries. World Music Days is an awareness-raising program, not a fundraiser. There is no financial obligation to participate and all musicians are welcome.

I really liked the idea, so every year, I would go to the blues jam at Johnny D’s on the weekend before my birthday and dedicate my set to him. I always thought it would be fun one year to do a show where I invite my favorite Boston musicians to celebrate it. Last year, thanks to Billy Beard and the Lizard Lounge, I was able to bring my idea to life, and it was so much fun that we decided to do it again this year.

The two core beliefs behind Daniel Pearl Music Days are really important to me. First, the importance of a free press, and the idea that journalists should be protected. Second, the fact that music is a powerful force that can bring together people from very different backgrounds. The collaborative format of the show reflects this idea of music as a way to create a community. We have a house band, and different singers rotate through.  The set list is made up mostly by covers, from very different artists.”

SO, this is who will play:

House Band: Tony Savarino and the Savtones

we may have a few additional surprise singers.

This year, to change it up, we will also have a very special guest set by MIA DYSON