Local musicians to rock for tsunami relief

A group of local performers will rock the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre Thursday night in the name of helping those who had their lives destroyed by the recent tsunami in southeast Asia. The concert begins at 7 p.m., and for a $10 entry fee, concert-goers can see local musicians Jenn Cristy, Paris and Sophia Travis, along with the band Salaam, perform a wide range of musical styles.\nThe concert is being coordinated by the Indiana Public Interest Research Group and all of the profit will go to the American Red Cross to help the victims of the tsunami, according to a press release.\n"It means a lot because it's an art-related benefit to the tsunami," said Sophia Travis, a singer, piano and keyboard player who is scheduled to perform. "It's really bittersweet because we will be celebrating life while remembering the death and tragedy of the disaster."\nTravis said she thought the benefit was important to keep the disaster in the forefront of peoples' minds. "The media attention that happened when the waves hit was so powerful that people just rushed to help," Travis said. "But as time goes on, it's human nature to just put it in the back of your mind and go on with your day-to-day life. Hopefully this concert will raise the awareness again and start another big push of people helping out."\nTravis describes her music as "light and pretty" pop music and added that others have called it "both naïve and sophisticated, a sort of paradox." While she usually plays keyboards, occasionally with a band, Travis will be playing the grand piano and singing at the concert.\nJenn Cristy, another musician scheduled to perform at Thursday, said volunteering to play at the concert was her best option to help the victims of the tsunami.\n"The thought that I was taking time out of my schedule to volunteer for this never crossed my mind," Cristy said. "Over 200,000 people died; this is something I can do for them, and there is nothing better than that."\nShe said she will be playing piano and singing rock music with her band at the concert. \nOther performers include Salaam, whose Web site describes their music as a "cultural mosaic from countries of the Middle East and Northern Africa."\nParis, another of the musicians scheduled to play, was described as a "one-man show who plays acoustic guitar and sings" by Brandon Williams, an INPIRG member who was pivotal in organizing the concert. Paris plays a variety of styles and types of music, ranging from "bluesy to folksy," Williams said.\nWilliams was surprised at how quickly and enthusiastically bands and musicians responded to his request to play at the concert.\n"I made up a list with about five different musicians I wanted for the concert," Williams said, "and sure enough, four of the first five musicians I called said yes."\nHe added that he hopes legions of students and community members show up to support the cause of tsunami relief and enjoy the music.\n"We just hope as many people as possible come out so we can get a bunch of money together to these people out," Williams said.\n-- Contact City & State Editor Mike Wilson at mhwilson@indiana.edu.