"Moody & Friends" Benefit Concert for Jazz Scholarships - March 31

[Lois Gilbert]

James Moody Headlines
"Moody & Friends" Benefit Concert for Jazz Scholarships
at Purchase College
March 31, 2008


Legendary jazz saxophonist James Moody headlines the annual "Moody & Friends" Benefit Concert for jazz scholarships at Purchase College on March 31, 2008, at 7:30 PM at B.B. King's Blues Club & Grill, 237 West 42nd Street, New York City. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased by calling (914) 251-6200 or visiting www.artscenter.org. The concert supports the James Moody Scholarship Fund at Purchase College.


Joining Moody on stage this year will be Howard Alden, guitar; Bill Charlap, piano; Todd Coolman, bass; Paquito D'Rivera, clarinet; Jon Faddis, trumpet and music director; Roberta Gambarini, vocals; Roy Hargrove, trumpet; Antonio Hart, alto saxophone; Jon Hendricks, vocals; Dennis Mackrel, drums; Russell Malone, guitar; Jeremy Monteiro, piano; Jimmy Owens, trumpet; and Renee Rosnes, piano.



For more information, visit www.jamesmoodyscholarship.com.


The James Moody Scholarship Fund represents a long-standing desire by James and Linda Moody to create opportunities for the next generation of jazz masters by providing financial assistance for students who demonstrate outstanding ability, good character and for whom the scholarship would make a difference. A major goal is to help those who might not otherwise be able to pursue a higher education.



The first Moody Scholars at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College were announced at the 2007 benefit concert: trumpeter Max Darche and saxophonist Andrew Gould, who will also be joining Moody on stage at the concert.

The James Moody Scholarship Fund began in 2005 with a "Saxophone Spectacular" concert held that year at the Purchase College Performing Arts Center, which also celebrated Moody's 80th birthday. The concert has continued each year at various venues. This will be the second year in a row that the jazz event will be held at B.B. King's.


As of 2007, the James Moody Scholarship Fund reached its minimum $100,000 endowment. The goal is to continue to grow the endowment to enable the granting of full scholarships to Moody Scholars and to support continued opportunities for the next generation of jazz masters.