HARRISBURG, PA (September 2015) -- On Friday, September 23rd, Grammy® Award winning saxophonist Kirk Whalum will bring his smooth and spirited musical stylings to the South Central PA Sickle Cell Council’s fundraiser “The Gospel According to Jazz.”
The event, which takes place at 7PM at Christian Life Assembly in Camp Hill, PA, takes its name from Whalum’s popular The Gospel According to Jazz album series, where the Memphis, Tennessee native puts his own twist on both traditional and contemporary gospel tunes. One of the forefathers of the emerging ‘gospel jazz’ genre, Whalum, who’s also an ordained minister, uses his music to inspire listeners to believe and achieve.
Throughout a career that’s spanned more than two decades, Whalum’s musical ministry has wowed fans, fellow musicians and critics alike. Before setting out on a solo career, Whalum was a session player for some of the world’s most revered musicians, including Quincy Jones, Barbra Streisand, and Whitney Houston, for whom he performed the sax solo on her mega-hit “I Will Always Love You.” Since then, he’s sold hundreds of thousands of albums; performed on stages throughout the world; and received an array of accolades, including three Dove Award nominations, two Stellar Awards and 11 Grammy® nominations. This year, he won a Grammy® Award for Best Gospel Song for “It’s What I Do,” his duet with singer Lalah Hathaway.
Ben Tankard, a self-taught multi-instrumentalist who’s often touted as the godfather of gospel jazz, will join Whalum at the event. Tankard is the best-selling gospel jazz musician of all time.
Tankard, who began making music after an injury prevented him from entering the NBA, is also pastor of Destiny Center Church and president of Tribute Records and Films. He’s earned several Stellar, Dove and Grammy awards and nominations, and his instrumental recordings, including Song of Solomon, Piano Prophet, and his latest album Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, are enjoyed by millions across the globe.
“The Gospel According to Jazz” gives the South Central PA Sickle Cell Council (SCPSCC) a unique opportunity to harness Whalum and Tankard’s star power to raise money to support the organization’s work to raise awareness about sickle-cell disease.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder where red blood cells become crescent, or ‘sickle’, shaped. The odd shape makes it difficult for the malformed cells to move through blood vessels. Sickle cell disease often leads to long-term medical conditions such as anemia, organ damage, pain episodes, and stroke and makes some patients more vulnerable to certain bacterial infections. According to the Center for Disease Control, 1 in 500 African-Americans are born with sickle-cell disease, and as many as 1 in 12 African-Americans carry the sickle-cell trait.
SCPSCC was founded in 1994 by eight local physicians concerned about the lack of knowledge, resources and skills available to meet the multi-faceted needs of sickle-cell disease patients. They formed the council to educate the public about the disease, assist patients and practitioners with managing the disease through intervention, counseling and support groups, and advocate for increased funding and research.
Tickets are $49 per person; to reserve your seat, call 800.595.4TIX FREE (4849) or visit the SCPSCC’s website at www.scpascc.org. For more information about the SCPSCC, visit their website or call 717.234.3358.