30 November 2006

The one about the Cape Town World AIDS Day Concert 2006






Tomorrow is World AIDS day. The Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management will host a gala evening with ''Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.'' as their theme. Let me be the first to admit that I am extremely skeptical about celebrating AIDS achievements. However, according to Music Industry Online, the aim of the event is to reinforce the goals of the UNAIDS-driven World AIDS Campaign to energise and support an effective and sustained response to HIV/AIDS; and to appeal to governments and policy makers to ensure they meet the targets they agreed to in the fight against the pandemic under the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment.
Contrary to statements in the press, tomorrow night will not be the launch of Jimmy Earl Perry's CD "Power of the Dream". Before starting the rehearsal this morning, Prof Perry informed us that the CD was launched at a club in town last week.

The band is awesome - with more "ex-Americans" than you can wave a baton at. The lead guitarist was imported from Los Angeles. The arrangements are superb. The next rehearsal is tomorrow morning at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The bad news is that we have to find and pay for our own parking... OUCH!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Jan,
Thank you for posting this blog. I only just came across it today. You are so correct about the aspect of making a celebration event about HIV/AIDS. However, you clearly understood the intent by the Africa Centre to do such a concert to raise awareness and remind major role players to put action to their promises. Thank you for being a part of it. I have a few projects I would like to speak to you about. Please contact me at jep@sun.ac.za. WIll you be playing with us again this year at the opera house????? Jimmie Earl Perry