Rise Up Singing! An Evening of Folk, Jazz, Pop & Rock

Rise Up Singing! takes place at the Guilford Community Center, 32 Church Street, on Saturday, April 21 at 7:00 pm. This evening of folk, jazz, pop and rock promises to be an uplifting event for the whole community. Rise Up Singing! is a benefit concert for Unidad Latina en Acción (ULA), an immigrant rights organization working in New Haven since 2004. Under the dynamic direction of John Lugo, ULA works tirelessly to address injustices in the lives of immigrants. Tickets available online at benefitconcertforula.eventbrite.com or at the door, $20. Children 12 and under are free. The concert is sponsored by CT Shoreline Indivisible, and other local groups, businesses and individuals. For more information about ULA go to ulanewhaven.org.

Performing will be: Cyd Slotoroff - singer/songwriter, Cahoots - Patty Chamberlain, Nancy Wilson, George Bassett and David Chamberlain - an a cappella jazz/pop/rock quartet, Isabella Mendes and Jeff Fuller - a Brazilian jazz duo, Lars and Julie Selberg - a classic rock/pop duo, Alison Farrell - singer/songwriter, and Fernandito Ferrer - singer/songwriter/looper.

A bit of history on how this concert came to be: Last October Julia Turshen, chef-activist and author, was featured on Pantsuit Nation’s weekly podcast. Turshen described her passion for cooking and how she now uses it to feed large groups of people who need sustenance to do their work. It was just after listening to the podcast that the idea for Rise Up Singing! was born. Guilford resident Patty Chamberlain had been trying to figure out ways to be engaged in the community and Turshen’s message of using one’s strengths inspired Patty. She is a singer and thought, “Music! I can share music! Maybe I can find people to help put together a benefit concert.”

She called Gini King who heads up the Immigrant and Refugee group of CT Shoreline Indivisible and was enthusiastic about the idea of a benefit concert. Patty and Gini decided to focus their efforts on creating a full evening of music and homemade desserts to raise funds for ULA. A committee was formed. Angels began to appear. The concert became a reality.

Musicians, bakers, organizers and ULA members are looking forward to the community sharing an evening of nourishing souls, connecting hearts and energizing spirits through music. Rise Up Singing!