Play Locally, Impact Globally

BY BOB HAM | September 26, 2007

Country: United States

Topics: Community Fundraising, Hurricane Katrina

Pianist and professor Darrell Grant. Photo: courtesy of www.darrellgrant.com

Using art to affect social change is an age-old concept, but one that jazz pianist Darrell Grant firmly believes in.

"Those who create art possess a consequent extraordinary power to communicate, inspire, provoke, inform and to move others to transform society and themselves," he says on his website, "and we bear the responsibility to use this power to affect positive change in our communities and the world."

The Portland-based musician has put this into practice throughout his long career and Mercy Corps has reaped the benefits. Grant was a champion of Mercy Corps' Nola2PDX program, which provided airline tickets, housing, and instruments for about 50 musicians from New Orleans, allowing them to come to Portland and continue to do what they do best - make music. The program was organized with the assistance of the Portland Jazz Festival and Azumano Travel.

"[Mercy Corps] is such a great organization," said Grant, "I mean, you're my neighbors! And if I'm able to do something that's both local and international, that is more than I could ask for."

Grant is also supporting Mercy Corps with the release of his latest album, Truth and Reconciliation. As he has done in the past, Grant picked a theme for the album and then found local non-profits who aligned with that theme. With that in mind, Grant chose Mercy Corps as one of the groups who will receive a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this CD.

His group, the Truth and Reconciliation Quartet, also held a CD release concert this past June, an event, which he used to raise more than $4,000 for Mercy Corps' work around the world.

"[That event] was spectacular," Grant said. "It was the best concert that I've ever been a part of. To present a concert of that caliber and to do something of that high of quality is my dream!"

He also noted that everyone - from his fellow musicians to the people helping set up the lighting - "felt like they were doing something significant and connecting to something much larger than themselves."