2007 MacArthur Fellow to Raise Funds for AATF

Corey Harris and the 5 x 5 Band, with guest poet Kwame Dawes, will make September 13th, 2008, a very memorable evening at the Paramount Theater on the Mall in Charlottesville, VA. This event is made possible by generous sponsors including, to date, Paramount Theater's Community Performance Access Fund, The Office of Diversity & Equity at UVA, Sonjia Smith, Silverchair, and Martha Jefferson Hospital.

Corey Harris is a musicologist, song writer, blues man, reggae performer.

He has a unique style of weaving the music of different cultures and a myriad of musical genres together -- like jazz, reggae, gospel, African and Caribbean folk music -- to create a sound all his own. He's been featured in Downbeat Magazine, the Kodiak Daily Mirror in Alaska and in C-Ville Weekly, to name a few. He appeared in the film "Feel Like Going Home" from Martin Scorsese's series on blues music. He's played at festivals and venues throughout the U.S. and abroad and recently released a CD entitled "Zion's Crossroads", a compelling blend of reggae, blues and jazz.

As a result of his musical initiatives, Corey was one of twenty-four recipients in 2007, of the MacArthur Fellows Program Awards, often referred to as "the genius award". The MacArthur Award is one of the most prestigious in America, given to "talented individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction." The award is seen by its benefactors, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur, as an investment in the person's originality, insight and potential.

Kwame Dawes is a special guest for this event. He will be performing his poetry which is profoundly influenced by the rhythms and textures of Jamaica where he grew up and lived as a young adult. In a recent interview, he cited his "spiritual, intellectual, and emotional engagement with reggae music." His book Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius remains the most authoritative study of the lyrics of Bob Marley. Kwame is the recent recipient of the Verner Award, given by the governor of South Carolina for exceptional service to the state.

Come to the Paramount and see and hear Corey Harris, the 5 x 5 Band and Kwame Dawes in support of the African American Teaching Fellows Program. Individuals who purchase $49.95 tickets are invited to attend a pre-show "meet and greet" with Corey, Kwame, board members and Fellows of AATF.

Tickets are priced at $49.95 (with pre-concert reception), $29.95 and $19.95 and are available through the Paramount Theater website, or at the box office (434-979-1333).