Playing for Change
Encyclopedia
Playing for Change is a multimedia
music project created by the American producer and sound engineer Mark Johnson with his Timeless Media Group, that seeks to bring together musicians from around the world. Playing For Change also created a separate non-profit organization
called the Playing For Change Foundation which builds music schools for children around the world.
, South Africa
, India
, Nepal
, the Middle East
and Ireland
. Using mobile recording equipment, the duo recorded local musicians performing the same song, interpreted into their own style. Among the artists participating, or openly involved in the project, include Vusi Mahlasela
, Louis Mhlanga
, Clarence Bekker, Tal Ben Ari (Tula), Bono
, Keb' Mo'
, David Broza
, Manu Chao
and Grandpa Elliott
.
The project's first single "Stand by Me
", began with a Santa Monica
street performer named Roger Ridley (now deceased). The duo traveled the world, recording more and more musicians. All of these versions were considered for mixing a pastiche final version.
.
3 music schools and a total of 7 music programs have been created since 2008:
label.
The CD has 10 songs. The DVD has seven tracks, including video versions of five of the songs that appeared on the CD, plus a video film, "The Playing for Change Foundation". The DVD also contains a three-minute trailer of the documentary film "Peace Through Music".
In October 2009 an 83 minute documentary film was released on DVD: "Peace Through Music", directed by Mark Johnson and Jonathan Walls. The directors and their crew travelled the world recording and filming musicians in places such as: USA, Barcelona, Ireland, Middle-East, India, Nepal, South Africa. The film includes the clips from the CD/DVD, interviews and musical performances.
The Playing For Change website also sells the tracks in MP3
format via download, although this is limited to US customers only. The album was also released on iTunes
in April 2009.
Multimedia
Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. The term is used in contrast to media which use only rudimentary computer display such as text-only, or...
music project created by the American producer and sound engineer Mark Johnson with his Timeless Media Group, that seeks to bring together musicians from around the world. Playing For Change also created a separate non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
called the Playing For Change Foundation which builds music schools for children around the world.
Origin
The project started in 2004 with the organization's self described goal to "inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music". The creators of the project, Mark Johnson and Enzo Buono, traveled around the world to places such as New Orleans, BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Using mobile recording equipment, the duo recorded local musicians performing the same song, interpreted into their own style. Among the artists participating, or openly involved in the project, include Vusi Mahlasela
Vusi Mahlasela
Vusi Sidney Mahlasela Ka Zwane is a Sotho South African singer-songwriter.His music is generally described as "African folk". His work was an inspiration to many in the anti-apartheid movement. His themes include the struggle for freedom, and forgiveness and reconciliation with enemies...
, Louis Mhlanga
Louis Mhlanga
Louis Mhlanga is a South African based Zimbabwean award-winning guitarist and producer. Mhlanga taught himself playing the guitar at a tender age and is considered one of the best Southern African guitarists....
, Clarence Bekker, Tal Ben Ari (Tula), Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
, Keb' Mo'
Keb' Mo'
Keb' Mo is an American blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter, currently living in Nashville, Tennessee, United States.-Early life:From early on he had an appreciation for the blues and gospel music...
, David Broza
David Broza
David Broza is a multi-platinum Israeli singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Personal life:The son of an Israeli–British businessman and a folk singer, Broza was born in Haifa, Israel. He was raised and educated in England and Spain, where he was schooled at Runnymede College, in Madrid...
, Manu Chao
Manu Chao
Manu Chao , is a French singer of Spanish roots . He sings in French, Spanish, English, Italian, Galician, Arabic and Portuguese and occasionally in other languages...
and Grandpa Elliott
Grandpa Elliott
Grandpa Elliott Small, born Elliot Small in 1945, also known as Uncle Remus, is a street-musician in New Orleans, Louisiana. He plays the harmonica, sings, and is a street icon in New Orleans. He has been featured on Playing for Change in several episodes. His debut song with Playing for Change was...
.
The project's first single "Stand by Me
Stand by Me (song)
"Stand by Me" is the title of a song originally performed by Ben E. King and written by King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller, based on the spiritual "Lord Stand by Me,", plus two lines rooted in Psalms 46:2-3...
", began with a Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
street performer named Roger Ridley (now deceased). The duo traveled the world, recording more and more musicians. All of these versions were considered for mixing a pastiche final version.
Success
The project's "Stand by Me" video has been popular online, with over 37 million hits on YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
The Playing For Change Foundation
The Playing for Change Foundation is a non-profit organization 501(c)3, dedicated to creating and supporting music schools, principally in developing countries.3 music schools and a total of 7 music programs have been created since 2008:
- Ntonga Music School, Gugulethu, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
- Bizung music and dance school, Tamale, GhanaGhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
- Ecole de musique de Kirina, Kirina, MaliMaliMali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
- Tintale Village Teaching Center Tinatle, NepalNepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
- Mitrata Nepal village Music Program, Kathmandu NepalNepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
- The Hari Kul Music School, Kathmandu NepalNepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
- Intore Culture and Music Center, KigaliKigaliKigali, population 965,398 , is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is situated near the geographic centre of the nation, and has been the economic, cultural, and transport hub of Rwanda since it became capital at independence in 1962. The main residence and offices of the President of...
, RwandaRwandaRwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
CD/DVD sets
A CD/DVD compilation Playing For Change: Songs Around The World was released in 2009 on the Concord Music GroupConcord Music Group
Concord Music Group is a record company owned by Village Roadshow formed in 2004 by the merger of Concord Records and Fantasy Records. In 2005, the company acquired the classics and jazz label Telarc International. On December 18, 2006, Concord announced the re-launch of the soul label Stax;...
label.
The CD has 10 songs. The DVD has seven tracks, including video versions of five of the songs that appeared on the CD, plus a video film, "The Playing for Change Foundation". The DVD also contains a three-minute trailer of the documentary film "Peace Through Music".
In October 2009 an 83 minute documentary film was released on DVD: "Peace Through Music", directed by Mark Johnson and Jonathan Walls. The directors and their crew travelled the world recording and filming musicians in places such as: USA, Barcelona, Ireland, Middle-East, India, Nepal, South Africa. The film includes the clips from the CD/DVD, interviews and musical performances.
The Playing For Change website also sells the tracks in MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
format via download, although this is limited to US customers only. The album was also released on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
in April 2009.
Performers
EWLINE
|
EWLINE
|
EWLINE
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
EWLINE
|
EWLINE
|
EWLINE
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
EWLINE
|
EWLINE
|
EWLINE
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
EWLINE
|
EWLINE
|
EWLINE |