West Valley Arts To Launch Weekly Live-Stream Concert Series

Press release from West Valley Arts:

March 18, 2021

West Valley Arts, in collaboration with the Phoenix Chapter of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), the Musicians Relief Fund, is bringing together six bands representing a diverse range of musical styles for a six-week live-streaming concert series on Friday nights at Westside Blues & Jazz Club, 17045 N. 59th Ave. in Glendale.

Beginning Friday, March 19 and continuing each Friday through April 23, one of the six bands in Imprint: The Cultural Sounds of America will perform from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Performances, which will be live-streamed on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/event/785581), also are open to the public. Masks are required and social distancing guidelines will be in force. The performances are free, but donations will be accepted and information about AFM will be available at the venue.

The event is made possible by a grant from the American Federation of Music Performance Trust Fund. The project was created by AFM Outreach Committee Chair Gabriel Bey of Moorish Manor Publishing “based on his vision of bringing different genres of music to the community and to give musicians a safe place to play during these difficult times,” said West Valley Arts President and CEO Sandra Bassett.

“As we move slowly toward some semblance of normalcy, but keeping in mind the challenges still posed by the coronavirus pandemic, we want to be able to provide live performance opportunities that also serve as a fund-raiser for the Westside Blues & Jazz Club and musicians who have been significantly affected by the pandemic,” said Bassett, who will be among the performers. “And what better to lift our spirits than music?”

Bands scheduled to perform are:

• Pangea, with Ruben Martinez, on March 19

• The Tom Grills Band on March 26

• Geibral Elisha Movement on April 2

• The Sound Bombers on April 9

• Bluesman Mike on April 16

• Sandra Bassett on April 23

Imprint: Cultural Sounds of Americais part of West Valley Arts’ Imprint series, which launched in February in celebration of Black History Month

For more information, contact info@westvalleyarts.org.

For more information about West Valley Arts, visit www.westvalleyarts.org.

This press release was produced by West Valley Arts. The views expressed here are the author's own.