On Thursday, June 16th from 7-9:30pm Union Bank Volunteers not only answered the phones for our LIVE June pledge drive with Jesse Cook and the Rumba Foundation and Straight No Chaser, they also brought in a $5,000 challenge grant that was met by the end of the night. Below are highlights from the night’s festivities.
Jesse Cook and the Rumba Foundation:
Guitar sensation Jesse Cook teams up with some of World Music’s elite artists to create a potent new music hybrid. From recording sessions in Colombia with Latin Grammy winners Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto to a concert at the Montreal Jazz Festival before 70,000 people, Director Brian Adler explores Cook’s latest chart- topping project, The Rumba Foundation. Featuring Colombia’s Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, Cuba’s Chendy Leon, Sr. and Chendy Leon, Jr., Mexican-Canadian Amanda Martinez, Brazil’s Maninho Costa, Samba Squad and many more. For Jesse, a lifetime of immersion in rumba flamenco music makes The Rumba Foundation an especially personal outing. Born in Paris, Jesse was inspired to pick up a guitar at age three by gypsy guitar legend Manitas de Plata, and his passion only grew from there. Summers spent with his father in the gypsy barrio in Arles ingrained a love of rumba flamenco in the young guitarist, while impromptu jam sessions with the likes of neighbor Nicholas Reyes, lead singer of the Gypsy Kings, honed his skills.
Pledge for thank you gifts, including tickets to see Jesse Cook live August 25, 2011 at the Cerritos Center in Cerritos, CA.
Straight No Chaser:
Get ready for an intimate evening with the a cappella phenomenon Straight No Chaser. Randy Stine thought he was just posting a clip for the other alumni of his college a cappella group to enjoy – a quirky version of “The 12 Days of Christmas.” But eight million YouTube views later, Straight No Chaser was an undeniable sensation. The perfect mix of 10 incredible vocalists in harmony mixed with the perfect amount of humor provide for both a captivating and entertaining evening for all. The music is a mix of classic hits from the 1950’s and 1960’s, the Motown era, as well as contemporary pop hits with the classic SNC twist.
Pledge for thank you gifts, including tickets to see Straight No Chaser live December 10, 2011 at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles and December 11, at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara, CA.
PBS SoCal is grateful to have the Union Bank’s generous support of a $5,000 challenge grant for our June pledge drive. Special thanks to our volunteers from Union Bank who answered your calls and also to everyone that called in support to help us reach out pledge challenge!
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