Concert for Hurricane Relief

The Washington Center Announces a Benefit Concert to be held at:

Where: The Washington Center
When: Thursday, September 22, 2005
Time: 7:30 pm

The Washington Center will host a benefit concert to aid the evacuees and victims of Hurricane Katrina. The evening will consist of music on the Main Stage, with 9 local musical artists:

Dennis Hastings Quartet: The number one male Jazz vocalist in the northwest music scene today.

LaVon Hardison: A stunningly gifted vocalist blending the Jazz and Blues and Gospel traditions.

The Chris Ward Band: No stranger to charitable works, Chris Ward is a Warner Brothers Country and Western Star from our local community. Called "the Voice" by his peers, Chris is the future of Country music.

Bevy: A very popular 7 piece woman's Latin Jazz ensemble. The music of Cuba and much more.

Bump Kitchen: One of the hottest funk bands to come out of the northwest.

Red Brown & The Tune Stranglers: A very exciting and classic Country Swing and Old Time Music group. Receiving a lot of press recently.

The New Life Baptist Church Choir: A stunning gospel choir exemplary of the richness of our community.

BeBop Revisited: In the jazz tradition of the 40's and 50's Master Saxophonist Bert Wilson, veteran of the Harry James band Jack Perciful and Northwest legend Chuck Stentz join in this classic ensemble.

Obrador: For nearly 30 years this internationally acclaimed group has fused Afro-Caribbean, Rhythm and Blues, and Jazz traditions. Considered a northwest treasure.

The evening's Master of Ceremonies will be Les Purce , the president of The Evergreen State College

All Tickets are $25. Larger donations gladly accepted.

There are a limited number of tickets available for $50 that will include a ticket to the show and a pre-show reception with delightful southern-style hors d'oeuvres in the Black Box Theater provided by Plenty, Ramblin' Jacks, Waterstreet Café, and Budd Bay Café.

A no-host bar will be available with proceeds going to the relief effort.

There will be a raffle held for a chance to win a basket full of gift certificates from 20 local restaurants "A Taste of the South Sound."

There will be collection boxes in the lobby for new personal hygiene products, non-perishable canned food and other items to help with the influx of evacuees that will begin to arrive in Thurston County in the next few weeks.

All money collected will be distributed to The Baton Rouge Food Bank, Music Makers' New Orleans Musician's Fund and a portion will be reserved for local needs.

Special thanks to Michael Olson of Obrador, Jim and Nicole Butigan of Plenty, Anna Schlecht, The Washington Center Staff and others.

"The Washington Center is proud to be part of this incredible outpouring of community spirit and support for our neighbors in the south. We know they'd do the same for us." Anne Koglin

"I sat at home and listened to the inability of our government to respond in a meaningful manner. I knew that the only way to help was from the ground up. I knew also that I live in a compassionate community with a record of helping those in need. So as a musician I threw my tools in the ring and waited for others to follow. The response was inspiring. Once again the Olympia community has risen to the occasion." (Michael Olson percussionist with Obrador.)