Playing For Change

A Change IS Coming

Mark Johnson — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 12:32:49 -0400

The Playing For Change Band's 2012 "Back to Our Roots" Tour hits the road this summer throughout Europe and Brazil. Grandpa Elliott has his passport ready and harmonicas in his pockets. One thing I know for sure is that wherever Grandpa Elliott goes, the roots follow. I've known Grandpa for many years and he is the King of Conviction. Whenever and wherever he performs he gives it everything he has, and brings so much soul and emotion to every note and every word. The PFC Band feeds off of his spirit, and together with the audience we create a better world, a place where we are going to make it as a human race. Sometimes the music is all we need to be set free. Grandpa may be a blind man, but he sees the light.

For example, check out this live video of "A Change Is Gonna Come" from Folsom, CA. When I watch and listen to this performance I have no doubt that a change is coming and that with music we will all persevere.

There is so much diversity and talent in this band, and together on the stage they create music that breaks down walls and builds bridges. Don't miss a chance to see Grandpa and the band live this summer and celebrate the "Back to Our Roots" Tour with your PFC Family!!

One Love,

Mark Johnson

Visiting Ntonga Music School In Gugulethu South Africa

Francois Viguie — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 21:04:30 -0400

Everything started with a photograph. In August 2006, the PFC crew touched down in Cape Town, South Africa, while recording the first chapter of the "Songs Around the World". PFC co-founder, Mark Johnson, had something in mind: he wanted to meet with a musician called Pokie Klaas. For years he had a photo on his wall, showing musicians in the township of Gugulethu playing together. The photo mentioned Pokie Klaas's name and we decided to find out if those musicians were still there. During our first day in Cape Town, we met some street musicians and asked them, "Do you know Pokie Klaas?" One of them answered, "Yes of course, Pokie is my friend." 24 hours later, we were heading to the township of Gugulethu, 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Cape Town, to meet with Pokie.

The afternoon spent in Pokie's backyard recording him and his friends was one of the most incredible days in our lives, where we could see how music has the power to bring joy into the most desperate situations. After a few minutes of music in the backyard, everything had changed: people were now dancing and smiling, demonstrating the healing power of music. (Click here to watch a video we recorded that day.) Two years later, the first music school of the Playing For Change Foundation was built in this same backyard and today, the school is playing a significant role in bringing positive change to this area that the rest of the world seems to have forgotten.

I really have no words to describe my feelings six years after this unforgettable day; to see some of the kids playing music with such passion at the school and wanting to become professional musicians, to see our teachers and Pokie himself making a difference for their community through this music school.One of the most special days at the school during the last days of my recent visit was the workshop we organized on Congolese music, featuring Jason Tamba and Mermans Mosengo from the Playing For Change Band. The idea was to introduce Congolese music to the students of Gugs' (this is how you say Gugulethu if you want to be cool!) and teach them some basics of this beautiful and powerful music. After five minutes, the "fire" was already in the house and Mermans and Jason were directing the students to play a Congolese tune on different instruments: drumset, bass, guitar, saxophones and even got our kids to sing in Lingala.After this moment of joy and jamming, Mermans and Jason sat on a chair and started to tell their story; how they left the Congo for South Africa more than ten years ago because of the war, and started to play a couple of acoustic songs to the captivated young audience.

The Ntonga Music School needs your support to grow and demonstrate that music can be the tool of a positive social change for underprivileged communities.

François

Playing for Change Foundation website

Join Ntonga Music school on Facebook

More photos of Ntonga Music School on Flickr

PFC Live in Napa, CA

Jeremy Goulder — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 22:08:58 -0500

PFC Band tonight at the Napa Valley Opera House. A long way from Grandpa's corner of Toulouse and Royal in New Orleans. Bringing the soul and the fire everywhere we go!!

A week in Tamale, Ghana

Francois Viguie — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 07:53:11 -0400

September 11th, Accra airport, Ghana: My flight from Bamako, Mali, just landed in Accra. I'm supposed to meet with Abdul Rahman, director of the school, who is coming to pick me up. I've never met him before but he'll be wearing a Playing For Change t-shirt so I can recognize him. After a brief glimpse at the people waiting in the arrival area of the airport, I see Abdul Rahman. He is smiling and says, "Welcome to Ghana," during our very first hug. We have to jump on a propeller airplane to reach Tamale, where the school is located. The flight is going to be quick and safe.

Tamale looks like a very spread out city, with thousands of little houses covered with sheet-metal roofs. Ghana has the most dynamic economy in Africa, and Tamale has grown very fast over the few last years. The Bizung Music School opens every afternoon between Monday and Friday. Most of the kids are between 8 and 15 years old and attend classes in traditional music, dance, chant and keyboard. I can't wait to meet everybody at the school! The goal of this trip is to maintain a close relationship between the Playing For Change Foundation and the people on the ground, but also to document the progress that has been made at the school since its opening last year.

If the students appear a little shy in front of the camera on the very first days, little by little they seem to forget that I'm filming and start to play the game. I also want to screen some videos for the kids; I'm editing a video on the road for them so they can see themselves on a big screen, but I also have a video message from the kids at the music school in Kirina to the kids in Tamale that I filmed while I was in Mali. The students from Mali are introducing their school to the kids in Tamale and ask them some questions through the video: "What language do you speak?” “What kind of music or instruments do you play ?”

Here is a link to this video message. There are only 850km (around 528 miles) between Kirina and Tamale; that's why we hope that one day we'll be able to create a cultural and musical exchange between the two schools. Kirina and Tamale have a lot in common and a lot to share, too.

This week in Tamale was absolutely beautiful. It has been very emotional to see the passion of our teachers at work and how talented and eager the students are to learn at the school. As words are not enough to share this experience and demonstrate the positive change currently happening in Tamale through this music school, here is a short video that will introduce you to the Bizung School of Music and Dance. You'll see and hear the school’s teachers and students playing and singing during the classes and also giving witness to the impact of this music school on their lives.

Playing For Change Day

Jeremy Goulder — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:19:21 -0400

If you haven't heard about Playing For Change Day, you need to check this link. The first annual Playing For Change Day is taking place September 17th, and is going to be celebrated by thousands of people all over the world. Musicians are taking to the streets and stages in their communities to raise funds and awareness for Playing For Change Foundation, a non-profit organization that is bringing music education programs to children around the world.

There are many ways you can participate in Playing For Change Day! Musicians, you can create an event in your community, or transform an existing gig you have on September 17th into a PFC Day event. If you are not a musician, you can still host a Playing For Change Day event-- many yoga studios are holding "Yoga For Change" events at their studios; a couple whose wedding is on PFC Day is donating to the cause in lieu of buying party favors for their guests; one young woman is even hula hooping for change! How creative can you get? Log in to playingforchangeday.org and show us!

If hosting an event is not in the cards for you this year, you can still support Playing For Change Day by spreading the word and by attending other folks' events. There are currently more than 75 events to choose from in dozens of countries. Get out there and have fun! Enjoy the music and the community energy of the world coming together to support music education.

Play a Song. Change the World.

-Jeremy

A Sad Day in Kirina

Francois Viguie — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:08:54 -0400

A Sad Day in Kirina: Youssoufou passed away.

A couple of months ago we started a new program at the Kirina Music School: traditional history.

Our teacher was Youssoufou Kamissoko, a 90-year-old wise man who was a descendant of the founders of Kirina. He knew perfectly the long history of Kirina and the history of Mali in general. Every week he traveled to the music school to tell the history of Kirina, and of the Malian Empire to all the village. I say "all the village" because it was not only students from the music school that attended Youssoufou's classes. Teachers from the public school attended; villagers-- men and women eager to learn more about their deep roots attended. We filmed some of these classes in order to document his knowledge and some of the stories he told.

This morning Youssoufou passed away, and with him, a whole heritage has gone. As they say in Mali: "when an old man dies, a whole library disappears..." In a country where the life expectancy is 54 years, to live 90 years is a real accomplishment. I remember interviewing Youssoufou about the creation of the music school. From the beginning of the project, he had always been one of the most enthusiastic people in the village. He told me that he knew that the music school was going to have an international impact, and that in the near future students from other countries where going to come to Kirina to study music at the school.

We are doing our best to honor his words and his commitment for the transmission of African cultural knowledge at the school. Youssoufou, thank you from the bottom of our hearts: we'll never forget you and you've been a true inspiration for the whole village, and for all the people involved in that project.

François

Click here to watch "Dreams of Kirina," a beautiful episode we filmed with with Baaba Maal in Kirina, Mali.

Mark Johnson Interviewed on CNN

Jeremy Goulder — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 22:58:52 -0400

Check out PFC Founder Mark Johnson's interview with CNN International's "Connect the World"

One Love from Davos

Mark Johnson — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 07:58:52 -0500

Well my time at Davos and the World Economic Forum has come to an end. I leave with a strong feeling of optimism. I understand that there is plenty of room for skepticism in the economics of the world, but somehow I feel that music and the arts left a strong impact on leaders of all kinds across the globe.

As I was walking out of the Congress Center on my last day a CEO of a major company stopped me and said after hearing about Playing For Change and watching our One Love video he has decided to implement a new job at his company titled, Chief Music Officer. The role will be to instill inspiration in the work place!

I believe that the power of music is being felt in places we never imagined. This project started Ten Years ago in a subway station with two monks singing and playing guitar. To this day I cannot tell you where they where from or what language they where singing in. I am starting to believe that this is meant to be, as they serve as a symbol that regardless of who we are or where we come from we are all united with music. Let's continue to build a global family with love and inspiration at our core so we honor the message of Roger Ridley, Grandpa Elliott and those monks in the subway station.

Changing the world for the better, and creating peace through music must always start from the inside out. I want to ask all of you to reach out to your friends and families and ask them to join our movement so we can expand our mission to everyone. Music is the greatest tool for healing broken countries, cultures and hearts!!!!

A Holiday Smooch from PFC

Jeremy Goulder — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:58:52 -0500

It has been another amazing year for Playing For Change. This fall the PFC Band completed its largest tour ever. On the road we rekindled old friendships, and rejoiced in new ones. Along the way we learned about an amazing project called "The Smooch! Project" that was started by Bonnie Fournier, a Minneapolis-based photographer.

Smooch! is a documentary record that demonstrates that all humans, regardless of social, economic, or political barriers, share a joyful willingness to welcome love and affection into their lives. To learn more about this beautiful project, click here.

As soon as we learned about Smooch!'s mission, we were excited to get involved. Bonnie offered to do a "Smooch! shoot" with the band while we were in town for a show, and we readily accepted-- that's where the above pic of PFC Band drummer Peter Bunetta being smooched by our roadie/photographer Lindsay Fishman came from! Click here to see more photos from the PFC Band's Smooch! photo shoot this fall!

Since its humble beginnings in 2004, The Smooch! Project has archived thousands of images, working toward their goal of 10,000 smooches. If you would like to "pucker up" and be a part of this historic, heartwarming effort email Bonnie: photogirl@thesmoochproject.com

From all of us at Playing For Change, we wish you a very happy holiday season surrounded by friends and family, love and light.

Peace and Love from Boston,

-Jeremy

Connect with PFCF's Students in Gugulethu, SA

Jeremy Goulder — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:38:33 -0500

We are excited to announce that for the first time ever, Playing For Change Family members around the globe will have the opportunity to connect and interact with one of the Playing For Change Foundation's schools!

Wednesday, November 17th 2010 from 10:00AM - 11:00AM EST you may participate in this global event at www.playingforchange.org/live.

The Playing For Change Foundation is working to connect and expand its music education programs for the communities it serves using videoconferencing technologies (VSee) and social media outlets (Facebook and Twitter). This will be the first live connection between the Ntonga Music School in Gugulethu, South Africa, the Playing For Change Band in Boston, and the Playing For Change community, joining in online.

Spread the word, and join us at www.playingforchange.org/live for this amazing event, that with your support will be the first of many more to come!

Sound Check at the Beacon

Jeremy Goulder — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 17:15:41 -0500

The band has just finished their sound check at New York's Beacon Theatre, and there is excitement in the air! The PFC Band is part of an unbelievable lineup of musicians for tonight's show-- Jackson Browne, Keb' Mo', Taj Majal, Patti Smith, Vusi Mahlasela, and many (many) more!

Everyone has come together to celebrate the music, life and vision of John Lennon, and the money raised from tonight's concert is being donated to the Playing For Change Foundation, an organization building music and art schools in communities around the world.

As I type I can hear Jackson Browne tuning up downstairs. It's going to be a night to remember, and we look forward to sharing the sights, sounds, and stories with the Playing For Change Community-- stay tuned.

Love and Respect from New York!

Recording with the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars

Mark Johnson — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:10:52 -0400

Hello Everyone, here is my latest update from the road with the PFC crew.

Everyday is a blessing with Playing For Change; we travel the world and meet different people offering us all greater insight into humanity and the power of music. Today was another great day of filming and recording with the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars during their North American tour. We met the band in Chicago and spent a beautiful day together.

We are close to finishing our new Songs Around the World album (currently untitled) and I really want to share the experiences with all of you as this is your global family!! Today I learned, "One day you are suffering in this world and the next day you are healing other people's pain through music." I first heard about this band when I saw a movie about their lives titled "Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars." This group of musicians represent one of the great human triumphs of our time. They struggled through death, famine and genocide and yet moved forward with love in their hearts and melodies in their minds. They are not only searching for a better world, but are also creating one!!!

Thanks to the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, this is our ever growing PFC family and together we will connect the world through music.

One Love, Mark

Recording at Shiba Rikyu

Jeremy Goulder — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 22:58:52 -0400

We just got back from a fantastic day of recording in Shiba Rikyu, a lush oasis in the middle of Tokyo's urban sprawl. As we wended our way along the pristine paths of this beautifully maintained garden, we sometimes forgot that we were in fact still in downtown Tokyo. However the surrounding sky scrapers peeking down through the trees (and the elevated train that dodged between them) reminded us of where in fact we were.

The musician we worked with began the session with an upbeat traditional song. Then he demonstrated his versatiliity by improvising along the pentatonic scale in the keys of our new Songs Around the World. He added a unique sound to each track we recorded, and by the end of the day we were all very pleased with how the session had gone.

We are nearing the end of our stay here in Japan. We will not be recording tomorrow, instead we will be participating in a couple of amazing cultural experiences. Our crew has been invited to Togoshi Shrine to celebrate their Matsuri, an annual harvest festival. Before heading to Togoshi, we will be going to an exhibition that we feel will be very profound. It is called "Dialogue in the Dark," and offers small groups of people the opportunity to spend an afternoon in complete darkness. Visitors are led through a building by a staff of guides that are all blind. The crew are all very excited about this amazing opportunity. I know I often take my sight for granted, and I hope to gain a deeper understanding of how I can relate to the world more consciously without the use of my eyes.

Love From Japan!

Mark Johnson — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:41:47 -0400

Hello and Konichiwa to everyone! Today was our second major shooting day in Japan and I feel compelled to thank all of the Japanese people for treating the Playing For Change crew with so much love and respect. The greatest lessons on our journey are usually what we can learn from other cultures. Today I realized that we are constantly surrounded by such positivity everywhere we go. PFC has been to approximately 30 countries and each trip we gain deeper insight into the power of music to open doors and climb over walls. Each recording and every song around the world are collective statements that we are going to make it as a human race as long as we remember the importance of respect. I know very little Japanese but I can easily understand the smiles and laughter surrounding us.

I can’t wait to share all the music and love we are experiencing with all of you because this is your global family and we are a movement of people everywhere who see the future is what we make it. We will continue to travel and personalize this project with every country we can until the world embraces love and inspiration from the inside out. One song and one smile at a time. Thanks to Japan and thanks to everyone who supports us on our journey, we LOVE you all. Arigato!

Thank You,

Mark

P.S. I need to mention my immense joy for the birth of my little nephew,
Will Johnson – son of Greg and Erin Johnson, I love you more than the blood that runs through my veins!! One Love.

Tokyo Rain

Jeremy Goulder — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:21:16 -0400

We awoke this morning to the gentle sound of rain splashing against our window. At first we were optimistic that it would blow over, but a look at the weather forecast told us that the day had something else in store. As the morning wore on the rain grew stronger, and by 10 o'clock we decided that we would have to cancel the musician we had lined up to record. It was disappointing to everyone, but we made the best of it.

Our guide met us at our hotel and we spent the day out and about in Tokyo, getting a sense of the city (and also taking advantage of the opportunity to film everywhere we could). We took the subway to Shibuya and then to mid-city, but the rain's intensity kept increasing! We discussed it over lunch and determined that given the weather, the best use of our time would be to head back to the hotel and work on some of the material that we had already recorded.

The weather tomorrow calls for clouds and a chance of rain. We are crossing our fingers that that chance remains low, and are planning to be on location by 10AM. I'm packing an umbrella, just in case though...

Peace and Love from Tokyo!

Our First Day of Recording in Japan

Jeremy Goulder — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:34:03 -0400

We just got back to our hotel after an amazing day of filming. We started the day in Happoen Garden, a lush oasis amidst the urban sprawl of downtown Tokyo. We could not have asked for a more picturesque location to record in than here, amidst the buzz of cicadas, the whisper of the wind through the trees, and the occasional splash of coy from the pond. We almost forgot that we were still in Tokyo-- but nearby skyscrapers occasionally poked their heads through gaps in foliage, reminding us where we were... It was incredibly hot work, but the staff of Happoen Garden were kind and accommodating, even going so far as to supply us with towels soaked in ice water to help combat the sweltering heat.

In the middle of the afternoon we changed locations, trading the natural beauty of Happoen Garden for a view of Tokyo Bay, with the city's majestic skyline rising behind it. We arrived at dusk and filmed into the night, trading natural light for the city's warm tungsten glow. As the sky continued to darken, the bay slowly filled with brightly lit boats enjoying a Summer evening's cruise. At long last we completed our recording for the day, and returned to our hotel to rest up and prepare for what is yet to come.

It is fantastic being able to add Japanese musicians to our new Songs Around the World, and we can't wait to get back to work again tomorrow! And speaking of tomorrow, please stay tuned as we will be launching a new episode in the next 24 hours!

Peace and Love from Tokyo!

Connections Made

Jeremy Goulder — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:13:40 -0400

Over the course of the past four years the Playing For Change crew has had the privilege of meeting amazing people all over the world. During our travels we have explained PFC's principles, values, and mission to many people in many languages.

Today we had the opportunity to speak with several groups of people who share PFC's goal of connecting the world through music. Our morning began with an interview at InterFM with an amaing radio host, Peter Barakan. On his show Mark explained how Playing For Change began, what we are all about, and where we are going. Following the interview, we returned to our hotel where we spoke with a group of journalists from Sotokoto, a socially conscious magazine based in Tokyo. Later in the evening our hosts here in Japan officially welcomed us with a beautiful reception dinner. We screened some of our new Songs Around the World (that we will be adding Japanese musicians to this week!) and again shared PFC's principles and values, hopes and dreams. All these conversations were made possible by the assistance of amazingly talented translators.

Life is a creative teacher. Over the course of the day something resonated for me in a way that it had not previously-- at least not consciously. Hearing Mark's words translated into Japanese-- his pausing between thoughts to allow for the translator to speak; the light of comprehension sparking to life in his listeners' eyes; the conversation resuming; the pattern repeating again and again-- after so many years of participating in this global movement, I was overwhelmed by its power in a way that I had not been since the first time I watched Stand By Me. The experience occurred to me as a poignant reminder of humanity's desire for connection. And that just as translators make it possible for us to communicate here in Japan, so too can music help unite us all if we choose to listen.

Tomorrow is our first day of recording, and the whole crew is very excited to get under way. I look forward to continuing to share our experiences with the Playing For Change Family all around the world, and enourage you to spread the love and stay engaged.

Oyasumi nasai from Tokyo!

A Day of Location Scouting

Jeremy Goulder — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:48:00 -0400

Today was our first full day in Japan, and what a great day it was. We are being hosted by a wonderful group of people here in Tokyo that we have been in communication with for many months, and together we have been working very hard to ensure the success of this trip. Today it was fantastic for everyone finally to meet eachother in person. Over the course of many long distance conversations we have been discusing where would be best to film, not to mention all of the production logistics necessary to execute the shoots. This morning we met up with our Japan-based team, hopped in a bus and had the opportunity to scout half a dozen of the locations that we have been discussing together.

It was a long hot day, but it could not have gone better. We visited beautiful gardens and ancient shrines-- an amazing juxtaposition against the glass and steel backdrop of modern Tokyo. This city is a beautiful blend of the old and the new, and I know that this unique vibration will resonate powerfully in the music that we find. Everyone's hard work these past weeks is beginning to pay off, and the whole crew feels great knowing that we have assembled a collection of beautiful locations for our musicians to perform in.

We have another day of prepration ahead of us tomorrow, and then are scheduled to begin filming on Tuesday. Please stay tuned for more updates, photos, and videos yet to come...

Peace and Love from Tokyo!

Welcome to Japan!

Jeremy Goulder — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 07:37:04 -0400

After an eleven-hour flight from Los Angeles, the PFC crew has arrived in Tokyo and we couldn't be more excited! Narita airport is pretty far outside the city-- it will take our bus about an hour and a half to reach Tokyo-- but we are in no hurry. The sun has finally set (having departed LA during the day and flown west for so long, we've had nearly 24 hours of straight daylight!) and we're all enjoying the view as the hilly country side passes by. It's hot and humid, but the evening air streaming in through the bus's open windows feels wonderful, and is a welcome change from the recirculated air of our flight.

As we continue to drive the landscape is slowly becoming more urban. The road is getting wider and we are finding ourselves surrounded by more and more cars. Highways merge and cloverleaf off. An elevated train joins the chase. We drive across a beautiful suspension bridge, and suddenly we are in the midst of a massive urban sprawl. What began as a vanguard of brightly lit outlying buildings has now swallowed us, and we are surrounded by cityscape.

Our bus is now slowly wending its way through densely flowing traffic toward our hotel. I am looking forward to a good night's sleep and an early start tomorrow. We are all excited to get to work on a week of amazing music here in Japan. And we can't wait to share the experience with you, so stay tuned!

Peace and Love from Tokyo!

Next Stop: Japan!

Jeremy Goulder — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:17:49 -0400

I am excited to announce that the Playing For Change crew will be leaving for Japan this weekend! We have been hard at work this past year creating new Songs Around the World, and we are very excited to have the opportunity to add Japanese musicains to these tracks. Japan has a unique and beautiful culture, and we know that we are all in for a real treat. And we are looking forward to sharing this experience with the Playing For Change Family!

Make sure to keep checking the website, facebook, twitter, and flickr, as we'll be posting updates daily! We have already lined up some amazing musicians for our time in Japan, but we are always on the lookout for more. If you know of any musicains living in Tokyo that you would like to introduce us to, mail us at info@playingforchange.com, and tell us all about them! Playing For Change is a musical movement built by the world, and we always love to hear from you.

Peace and Love from Los Angeles!

PFC Band Fall Tour Ticket Info

Jeremy Goulder — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 20:03:49 -0400

Hello Everyone! I have a quick announcement to share. Tickets for the band's Fall Tour will go on-sale to the general public on Friday, September 10th. Members of the PFC Community will have access to a special pre-sale beginning Friday, August 20th. If you are not already a member of the PFC Community, you can join by clicking here. I hope to see you on the road!

PFC Band's Fall Tour + A Chance To Meet the Band!

Jeremy Goulder — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:00:00 -0400

I am thrilled to announce that the Playing For Change Band is back by popular demand, and is getting ready to kick off a Fall Tour visiting 30+ cities in the U.S. and Canada! And, over the course of their tour the band will be making special stops in communities all along the way to meet with "Changemakers."

We want to hear from you! If you live in one of the cities the band is performing in, and you or someone you know is making a positive contribution in your community, please send your story to housecall@playingforchange.com. We may feature your story on our website and what is more, the Playing For Change Band may pay you a visit this Fall at your home, school, hospital, community center-- or wherever you may be!

To be clear, this is not a contest-- we are not looking for the "best" or most amazing stories. We just want to share some of the good things people are doing to make the world a better place. And if you are interested in helping spread the message of Playing For Change, please email us at peacesoldier@playingforchange.com for information-- we want your help!

PFC Founder Mark Johnson is currently on location in Jamaica working on new Songs Around The World. He just sent this video explaining the upcoming Tour and this exciting opportunity to meet the band-- check it out:

The PFC Band is coming to a community near you! ($1 of every concert ticket purchased goes to benefit the Playing For Change Foundation, building music and art schools in communities around the world.) Below is the current line-up for the PFC Band's Fall Tour; we hope to see you at a show!

Date	Location	Venue
October 13	Calgary, AB, Canada	MacEwan Hall
October 16	Atlanta, GA	Center Stage
October 17	Asheville, NC	Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF)
October 19	Birmingham, AL	WorkPlay Theater (Soundstage)
October 20	New Orleans, LA	House of Blues
October 22	Dallas, TX	House of Blues
October 23	Austin, TX	Antone's
October 24	Houston, TX	House of Blues
October 27	Los Angeles, CA	Wilshire Ebell
October 29	Petaluma, CA	Mystic Theatre
October 30	San Francisco, CA	Yoshi's
November 01	Medford, OR	Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater
November 02	Portland, OR	Aladdin Theater
November 03	Seattle, WA	Moore Theater
November 05	Boulder, CO	Boulder Theater
November 06	Aspen, CO	Belly Up
November 08	Minneapolis, MN	Cedar Cultural Center
November 09	Madison, WI	Capitol Theater
November 10	Chicago, IL	TBD
November 13	New York, NY	The Concert Hall - Ethical Society
November 14	Northampton, MA	Calvin Theater
November 15	Philadelphia, PA	World Cafe Live
November 17	Boston, MA	Symphony Hall
November 18	Lebanon, NH	Lebanon Opera House
November 20	New Haven, CT	Stage One
November 21	Annapolis, MD	Ramshead on Stage
November 22	Washington, DC	The Birchmere

Love Rescue Me

Jeremy Goulder — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 22:37:48 -0400

A dear friend of mine was married last weekend in Montana. A couple days before the wedding I was surprised and pleased to learn that she and her fiance had chosen one of Playing For Change's songs to be featured at their wedding: The Omagh Community Youth Choir's version (arranged by Daryl Simpson) of Bono's original "Love Rescue Me." They asked me to sit in on a rehearsal the night before their wedding, where a band made up of the bride's closest friends and family was preparing their musical accompaniment for the ceremony. They had a copy of our "Songs Around the World" release, and after listening to the track through a couple times they asked me to talk about the significance of the song.

I explained the history of the choir-- that it was founded by Daryl Simpson shortly after a terrible bombing that took place in Omagh, Northern Ireland in 1998. He created the choir in an effort to bring peace and reconciliation to the community and to bring Catholic and Protestant young people together through music. His vision was so perfectly aligned with ours that as soon as we learned about his organization our crew began making plans to film and record the choir.

The healing and connective power of Music touches us all throughout our lives-- sometimes in ways so subtle that we barely take notice, and other times so profoundly that our life's path pivots on the spot, transposing itself into an entirely new key. The next day these thoughts played along in my subconscious as I joyously watched my friend exchange vows with her groom while music filled the air.

PFC + Baaba Maal at the Hollywood Bowl

Jeremy Goulder — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:00:00 -0400

What an unbelievable show tonight at the Hollywood Bowl! I have had the privilege of seeing the PFC Band perform at venues all over the world, but there was something truly magical about seeing them perform tonight at the bowl. When they took the stage in front of a crowd of over 10,000 fans, a wave of emotion ran through me that I was wholly unprepared for. I remembered the experience of taking Jason and Mermans on a tour of LA and looking down at the Hollywood Bowl from high up in the hills. "It won't be long before you two are performing there," I told them. They looked at me somewhat nonplussed and smiled it off. And tonight, seeing them share a stage with Baaba Maal in front of such a crowd was a special moment-- one that was made all the more memorable when Baaba Maal invited us all on stage to close out the show!

The band is headed to Europe in the next few days-- if you are anywhere near any of the cities they are playing in, I highly suggest you check out their show!

Family Reunion

Jeremy Goulder — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 23:19:42 -0400

I was in a Playing For Change Foundation board meeting when I got the message: "Jason and Mermans have landed-- they're in a hotel in Marina del Rey." The meeting had just adjourned, and I couldn't help but smile. The last time I had seen my friends was December in Madrid-- we had just concluded an unforgettable tour (almost thirty shows over the course of 6 weeks)-- and now here they were in LA! My brother and I drove straight from the meeting to their hotel; sheer joy as we hugged our hellos!

We headed back to our home in Venice and caught up. Before too long our conversation turned to the band's upcoming tour (which, or course is why Jason and Mermans were in town). My brother and I had just picked up an advance copy of the band's about-to-be-released live performance film, and we thought it would be fun to watch it together. Just as we popped in the DVD, Mark and Raan showed up-- perfect timing!

I could not have predicted the impact that pressing "PLAY" would have on me. I have been watching cuts of this film for the past six months. I knew every word that our band members were going to say, and every note that was going to be played. And yet as I watched Jason and Mermans watch themselves-- larger than life-- I was overcome.

The gravity of this project was hammered home for me. Years of traveling the world, meeting people who became my family; who opened their lives to our crew; who left their homes because they felt a connection to musicians across the planet; who created a band that connected the world... seeing the joy in their faces at the realization of a vision so powerful-- it left me speechless.

The group migrated to our backyard fire pit, and the evening was transformed into a campfire acoustic jam that beckoned the neighbors to come and join. I am so thankful to be a part of this project, and it is a true honor be able to contribute to its message being shared with the world. One Love!