First African Foundation

Benefit Jazz  Concert: Deep Roots-Tall Trees

Friday August 8, 2014 7pm

Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center

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Here is how you can support our efforts: 1)      Buy a concert ticket ($10-$30) 2)      Become a concert sponsor 3)      Buy an ad in our program book 4)      Join our Friends of FAF and provide tickets for youth to attend the concert Concert ticket information: All tickets available at www.lexingtonlyric.com or (859) 280-2218 Admission prices and seating: all seats assigned  $30, $20, $10 plus fees concert poster

Featuring: KEVIN HARRIS  read more                                                                     First African Jazz Concert info  First African Jazz Concert info  First African Jazz Concert info                     MICHAEL CRUSE Group                                                            read more CHARLETTE'S WEB  read more

This concert is a benefit fundraiser for the First African Foundation’s capital campaign to purchase the historic First African Church located at Short and Deweese Streets in Lexington. After purchase and renovations the plan is to develop a center will feature a concert hall, rehearsal rooms, art galleries, community service space, café, gift shop and administrative offices.    Video about First African Foundation

Deep Roots-Tall Trees Performers: The concert performers feature jazz pianist, Kevin Harris, jazz trumpet player, Michael Cruse and singers, Charlette's Web. All of these fabulous musicians developed their musical talents while growing up in Lexington. Kevin and Michael represent the fruit from current branches of the “tall trees” that grew from the “deep roots” of Lexington’s legacy of producing very talented jazz artists and accomplished musicians in every genre of music. Lexington has a long and respected musical tradition(deep roots) that has developed creative talents (tall trees) in classical, jazz, bluegrass, R&B,  gospel, hip hop and other musical forms. Our concerts will honor and recognize these performers. Read more about Kevin Harris;  Michael Cruse and Charlette's Web

 
William E. Thomas Music Awards

This concert will also serve as the inaugural presentation of the William E. Thomas Music Awards given to individuals from Lexington who have distinguished themselves in the various musical traditions. This year’s recipients will be the late jazz saxophonist, Clarence “Duke” Madison and opera singer, William B. Ray.

Article about William B. Ray

 The awardees will receive a piece of commissioned art by Lexington’s wood sculptor, Lavon Williams and recognition in the First African Foundation’s Music Hall of Fame.  

About William E. Thomas

William E. Thomas was born 1950 in Lexington, KY and after earning a bachelor’s degree in music at Oberlin College and a MFA at Penn State University, he was named the chair of the music department at  Phillips Academy in Andover, MA. Following his retirement from Andover, Thomas threw himself into an effort to save his childhood church in Kentucky, a significant black history landmark building constructed and paid for by enslaved persons in the 1850s. His vision for the project, which was outlined in an article about Thomas in the fall 2012 issue of Andover Magazine, included converting the old building into a multi-purpose cultural center that would contain a concert hall and museum devoted to spotlighting the work of black artists. William served as FAF board president until his untimely death in April 2013.

Concert ticket information:

All tickets available at www.lexingtonlyric.com or (859) 280-2218

Admission prices and seating: all seats assigned  $30, $20, $10 plus fees

Friends of First African Foundation-is the youth outreach program devised by the First African Foundation concert committee that will allow underserved youth in our community an opportunity to experience professional jazz and music concerts. Our goal for this 2014 concert with Kevin Harris and Michael Cruse is to provide 50 tickets to underserved youth and their chaperones. Please consider becoming a Friends of FAF by making a donation that will be used to purchase tickets for our youth to attend the concert. You can make your Friends donation at: http://firstafricanfoundation.org/donate/ or call (859) 270-3699. Ticket sponsors will receive recognition in the concert program book.

Deep Roots-Tall Trees Jazz Concert will benefit the First African Foundation and serve the First Annual William E. Thomas Music Awards

About the First African Foundation: We seek to purchase the historic First African Church located at Short and Deweese Streets in Lexington, Kentucky. We plan to renovate and develop a facility dedicated to presenting the lives of African Americans in the Bluegrass. The center will feature a concert hall (the old sanctuary), rehearsal rooms, and galleries for exhibition, photographic library, community service space, café, gift shop and administrative offices. 
http://firstafricanfoundation.org/

·           Andover article about William Thomas

·         William Thomas,  Founding President, 2010-2013

·           Video about First African Foundation

·         Article about William B. Ray

·         article about Clarence "Duke" Madison, www.nkaa.uky.edu/record.php?note_id=2591

·         Andover: An Afternoon of Music to Benefit First African Foundation