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Feb 22nd 2012
Ann Arbor, MI USA
IMN - International Music Network
- 3 Cohens
- Acoustic Africa
- Altan
- Altan Symphony
- Anat Cohen
- Angélique Kidjo
- Angelique Kidjo Symphony
- Baaba Maal
- Becca Stevens
- Brad Mehldau
- Caetano Veloso
- Cherish The Ladies
- Cherish The Ladies Symphony
- Cherish The Ladies: Celtic Christmas
- Chris Potter
- Dave Douglas
- Dave Holland
- Depedro
- Dianne Reeves
- Dianne Reeves Symphony
- Dianne Reeves: Christmas Time is Here
- Dobet Gnahoré
- Esperanza Spalding
- Gangbé Brass Band
- Gilberto Gil
- Habib Koite
- Habib Koite and Eric Bibb
- Habib Koite and Eric Bibb
- Idan Raichel
- India.Arie
- Irish Homecoming
- James Farm
- Jason Moran
- Jenny Scheinman
- Joe Lovano
- Joe Lovano Symphony
- John Scofield
- Joshua Redman
- Joshua Redman/Brad Mehldau Duo
- Kaki King
- Kathy Mattea
- Kathy Mattea Symphony
- Kathy Mattea: Songs and the Season
- Kind Of Blue
- Kurt Elling
- Kurt Elling Symphony
- Ladysmith Black Mambazo
- Lizz Wright
- Lizz Wright Symphony
- Maceo Parker
- Marisa Monte
- McCoy Tyner
- Ojos De Brujo
- Omara Portuondo
- On Sacred Ground
- On Sacred Ground: Stravinsky's Rite of Spring
- Open Door
- Oscar Castro-Neves
- Oscar Castro-Neves Symphony
- Overtone Quartet
- Playing For Change
- Raul Midón
- Richard Bona
- Roberto Fonseca
- Rokia Traoré
- Saxophone Summit
- Sing the Truth!
- Sound Prints
- Sound Prints
- Spanish Harlem Orchestra
- Spanish Harlem Orchestra: Salsa Navidad
- Still Black, Still Proud
- Street Drum Corps
- Sweet Honey In The Rock
- Sweet Honey In The Rock Holiday Program
- Sweet Honey In The Rock Symphony
- Terri Lyne Carrington
What began as a PBS documentary with the lofty goal of fostering hope and inspiration through music has now become a worldwide phenomenon. Inspired by the passion and energy of street musician Roger Ridley’s rendition of “Stand by Me,” Grammy award winning producer Mark Johnson set out across the globe on one of the most incredible journeys in modern music: Playing For Change.
Johnson traveled the world, recording and filming street musicians of different faiths, backgrounds, and ethnicities, then blended their contributions into one unified and moving performance. Many of these artists would never actually meet, but their talents and passion were brought together in song. Johnson explains the process as “layering musicians on top of each other. They could all hear whatever had come before them, and then they could find a way to make their track something that was more of a universal song.” The final product aired as a documentary on PBS called Playing For Change: Peace Through Music and went completely viral on YouTube, with PFC’s “Stand By Me” video reaching well over 20 million views.
A collection of musicians from the documentary came together for a live performance at the 2009 SXSW festival as the Playing For Change Band. The group’s fervent delivery of blues, gospel, reggae and Afropop led to an amazing run of sold out shows, moving audiences worldwide and earning them a remarkable debut on Billboard’s Top 10 with Playing For Change – Songs Around The World. PFC continues in their mission to inspire, connect, and bring peace through music with the release of Playing For Change Live – a special two-disc CD/DVD that documents their critically acclaimed 2009 world tour.
Feb 24th 2012
Indianapolis, IN USA
Back To Our Roots
Clowes Memorial Hall
Playing For Charge
Feb 25th 2012
Chicago, IL USA
Back To Our Roots
Old Town School of Folk Music
Playing For Change
Feb 27th 2012
Columbus, OH USA
Back To Our Roots
Lincoln Theater
Playing For Change
Feb 28th 2012
Sellersville, PA USA
Back To Our Roots
Sellersville Theater
Playing For Change
Feb 29th 2012
Pittsburgh, PA USA
Back To Our Roots
Byham Theater
Playing For Change
Mar 1st 2012
New York, NY USA
Back To Our Roots
The Concert Hall
Playing For Change
Mar 2nd 2012
Boston, MA USA
Back To Our Roots
Berklee Performance Center
Playing For Change
Mar 3rd 2012
Salisbury, MA USA
Back To Our Roots
Blue Ocean Music Hall
Playing For Change
Mar 7th 2012
Annapolis, MD USA
Back To Our Roots
Ramshead Onstage
Playing For Change
Mar 10th 2012
Napa, CA USA
Back To Our Roots
Napa Valley Opera House
Playing For Change
Mar 13th 2012
Arcata, CA USA
Back To Our Roots
John Van Duzer Theatre
Playing For Change
Mar 14th 2012
Chico, CA USA
Back To Our Roots
Laxson Auditorium
Playing For Change
Mar 15th 2012
Ashland, OR USA
Back To Our Roots
Historic Ashland Armory
Playing For Change
Mar 15th 2012
Ashland, OR USA
Back To Our Roots
Historic Ashland Armory
Playing For Change
Mar 16th 2012
Olympia, WA USA
Back To Our Roots
Washington Center for the Performing Arts
Playing For Change
Mar 17th 2012
Port Angeles, WA USA
Back To Our Roots
Little Theater
Playing For Change
Hi-Res Images
For additional high resolution photos please contact your region’s tour coordinator
Artist Riders:
2012 Rider: Download (pdf)
Publicity/Marketing:
Artist One Sheet: Download (pdf)
Press Kit (2011): Download (pdf)
Old Soul (Clarence Milton Bekker)
Old Soul set for release on February 28, 2012 from Playing For Change/Concord Music Group Producer Mark Johnson’s Playing for Change: Songs from Around the World, released in 2009, established a forum for street musicians from around the globe, the...
Posted Feb 28th, 2012
Pop Filter Hot Pick: Playing for Change
From Pop City Media Pop Filter Hot Pick: Playing for Change promotes world peace through music By: Jennifer Barron Still kicking yourself 43 years later for missing that legendary concert on a sprawling White Lake, New York farm? Born way...
Posted Feb 22nd, 2012
Playing for Change Band Comes to Iowa
From The Des Moines Register Playing for Change Band Comes to Iowa By: Michael Morain The project started simply enough. A filmmaker aimed his video camera at a blues singer’s rendition of “Stand By Me” on a sidewalk in Santa...
Posted Feb 19th, 2012
Playing For Change Seeks to Promote Peace Through Music
From The Eastern Iowa Gazette Playing for Change: Global project seeks to promote peace through music By: Diana Nollen A band with a worldwide reach embodies its name on several levels. Playing for Change began as documentary filmmaker Mark Johnson’s...
Posted Feb 16th, 2012
Playing For Change at the LAC
From Mississauga.com Playing For Change at the LAC By: Julia Le The Playing for Change band is coming to the Living Arts Centre on Feb. 16 to spread its message that music has the power to break down boundaries and...
Posted Feb 3rd, 2012
Playing For Change Spread Love Around the World
From Spinner Playing for Change Spread Love Around the World, One Heart and Song at a Time By: Mark Johnson Mark Johnson is the co-creator of Playing for Change, the organization best known for creating the viral video of street...
Posted Jan 26th, 2012
Playing For Change Continues to Inspire
From American Songwriter With A New Tour, Playing For Change Continues To Inspire By: Jessica Adkins Music producer Mark Johnson was walking the streets of Santa Monica, California when he heard a voice that changed his life. Johnson had recorded...
Posted Jan 25th, 2012
Playing For Changes Builds a Microcosm of Peace
From Minnesota Public Radio Building a microcosm of peace through music By: Marianne Combs Mark Johnson is bent on changing the world through music. The award winning music producer and film director is the creator of the “Playing for Change”...
Posted Jan 21st, 2012
INTERVIEW: Mark Johnson from Playing For Change
From Freshspot David Meerman Scott interviewed Mark Johnson at NAMM 2012. Playing for Change brings together musicians from around the world and creates videos of the resulting songs. The organization also runs a non-profit organization called the Playing For Change...
Posted Jan 19th, 2012
Playing For Change Redefines Global Music
From MN Public Radio Playing for Change redefines ‘global music’ By: Marianne Combs Music is often described as “the universal language.” Playing for Change is using that language to create positive social change in communities around the world. The brainchild...
Posted Jan 11th, 2012
Playing For Change's Clarence Releases Album
From Alt Sounds VOCALIST CLARENCE MILTON BEKKER CELEBRATES THE SOUND OF VINTAGE AMERICAN SOUL Producer Mark Johnson’s Playing for Change: Songs from Around the World, released in 2009, established a forum for street musicians from around the globe, the invisible...
Posted Jan 9th, 2012
Playing For Change Tackles US in Feb/Mar
From Pollstar ‘Playing For Change’ Tackles U.S. In February, March By: Jay Smith Made up of musicians from around the world, The “Playing For Change” band launches its winter tour next month in Minnesota. Dedicated to empowering musicians via the...
Posted Jan 9th, 2012
Playing for Change Hits The Road
From PhillyBurbs.com Playing for Change to bring new tour to Sellersville By: Naila Francis They’re back and this time promising their most diverse lineup yet. Playing for Change, the all-star collective of world musicians who launched a movement with their...
Posted Jan 5th, 2012
DO NOT MISS: Playing For Change to appear on Brazillian...
from Globo.com Leonardo faz parceria com Playing For Change no Altas Horas O programa Altas Horas do sábado, dia 03 de dezembro, promove um encontro inesquecível. O apresentador Serginho Groisman organiza uma parceria musical entre Leonardo e o grupo Playing...
Posted Dec 2nd, 2011
REVIEW: Mano Brown recebe músicos do Playing For Change no...
from Folha.com By Andre Caramante Mano Brown recebe músicos do Playing For Change no Capão Redondo Os músicos do coletivo Playing For Change, grupo que reúne artistas de rua de várias etnias e de várias partes do mundo, se encontraram...
Posted Nov 27th, 2011
VIDEO: Playing For Change no Jornal do Almoco (Porto Alegre,...
Playing For Change no Jornal do Almoço, RBSTV Do not miss this wonderful performance of Playing For Change’s “Stand By Me” on November 22 on Jornal do Almoco, Porto Alegre, Brazil! Watch it here
Posted Nov 23rd, 2011
VIDEO: Playing For Change at the SWU Festival
Dedicated to increasing awareness about sustainability, the Starts With You Music & Arts Festival in Brazil gathers a diverse collection of artists from rock to hip hop to world music. Watch the Playing For Change Band’s performance at the SWU...
Posted Nov 16th, 2011
Playing For Change Partners With The UN
From 7 Billion Actions By the end of 2011 the world will have reached 7 billion people. The United Nations Population Fund (unfpa.org) is leading an innovative global campaign to bring awareness to the opportunities and challenges that this milestone...
Posted Oct 24th, 2011
Playing For Change on the Sunday Night Show
Playing For Change on the Sunday Night Show Watch it here
Posted Oct 21st, 2011
Playing For Change Day Sept 17th
As someone who makes or listens to music, you know the incredible power it has to connect and inspire. You’re invited to join our 1st annual Playing For Change Day on September 17, 2011 – a global day of action...
Posted Sep 14th, 2011
Playing For Change Debuts "Higher Ground" Video
From Mashable Playing For Change Debuts “Higher Ground” Cover on Mashable By: Zoe Fox Playing For Change, a collective dedicated to bringing music and arts education to underprivileged children around the world, is debuting its cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher...
Posted Sep 8th, 2011
PREVIEW: Playing For Change in Park City, UT
From The Park Record Musicians Playing to Change the World By: Scott Iwasaki* Playing for Change is more than a band. It’s a multi-media concept that promotes peace and unity, said Mark Johnson, co-founder of the Playing for Change film...
Posted Aug 8th, 2011
Playing For Change: Using Music to Empower and Educate
From Rome Reports “Playing for Change”: Using music to empower and educate communities Music is the universal language, so it makes sense that one foundation is using different rhythms to empower entire communities. The name is “Playing for Change.” Its...
Posted Jul 18th, 2011
Playing for Change Une Músicos de Rua do Mundo Inteiro
From O Globo CD/DVD do projeto Playing for Change une músicos de rua do mundo inteiro em torno de clássicos pop By: Leonardo Lichote RIO – O engenheiro de som Mark Johnson andava numa estação de metrô nova-iorquina, a caminho...
Posted Jun 24th, 2011
Playing For Change is Back With Another Amazing World-Wide Cover
From CBS News Playing For Change is Back With Another Amazing World-Wide Cover By: William Goodman About two weeks ago we introduced you to the international music collective “Playing For Change” doing an amazing world-wide cover of the Rolling Stones’...
Posted Jun 14th, 2011
Playing for Change Travels the Globe: Songs Around The World...
From World Central Playing for Change Travels the Globe By Aromero The Playing for Change project has grown to formidable proportions with the addition of some of the world’s finest musicians. On its latest production, PFC2: Songs Around The World,...
Posted Jun 3rd, 2011
Playing For Change on The Today Show
Playing For Change appeared on The Today Show on Wednesday, June 1st to promote their newest CD/DVD release: Songs Around the World Part 2. Check out a clip of the show below: Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and...
Posted Jun 2nd, 2011
Songs Around The World Part 2
Continuing the visionary path created by a one-of-a-kind international music collective, Hear Music/Concord Music Group announce the release of Playing For Change – Songs Around The World Part 2 on May 31st, 2011. By filming and recording dozens of musicians...
Posted May 31st, 2011
Playing For Change at New Orleans Jazz Fest
From The New Orleans Times-Picayune New Orleans Jazz Fest homecoming for Grandpa Elliott and Playing For Change By: Dave Walker The Playing For Change phenomenon, which came to the New Orleans Jazz Fest 2011 Gentilly Stage on Sunday (May 8),...
Posted May 10th, 2011
Playing For Change: Same Chord, Different Country
From State of the Re:Union Same Chord, Different Country By: Tina Antolini Oh, the glories of Facebook. Intimate connection to people we know and those we don’t, procrastination device, and collecting ground for all sorts of digital materials that might...
Posted May 3rd, 2011
Promoting Social Change Through Music Comes Alive Again
from financialpost.com During the World Economic Forum on Latin America 2011, the Americas Business Council (ABC*), a nonprofit group that facilitates high-impact projects for change, will host the second annual A Ritmo de Cambio event, an initiative which uses music...
Posted Apr 28th, 2011
VIDEO: Playing For Change "Groove in G"
From JamBase Check out the new video from the international collective Playing For Change “Groove in G,” featuring a pulsating bed of Indian, African, Jamaican and Brazilian percussion colored by subtle accents from sitar, veena and sarod. “Groove in G”...
Posted Apr 26th, 2011
Playing For Change Poster Competition
From Creative Allies To celebrate the release of PFC 2: Songs Around The World, Playing For Change and Hear Music/Concord Music Group want you to design a poster both commemorating the new DVD/CD release and celebrating the Playing for Change...
Posted Apr 19th, 2011
PREVIEW Playing For Change at SXSW
From The Austin Chronicle It’s only fitting that a night of world music be anchored by a band from literally all over the globe. In 2005, song catcher Mark Johnson was walking down the streets of Santa Monica, Calif., when...
Posted Mar 22nd, 2011
Mark Johnson of Playing For Change on CNN
From CNN Mark Johnson is a Grammy award-winning producer and engineer, and co-founder of Playing for Change. After a decade working with some of the most renowned names in the music, film and television industries, Mark came up with the...
Posted Mar 10th, 2011
Playing For Change "Must See" at SXSW
From The Huffington Post HuffPost Arts’ Guide to SXSW – On Our Radar Each year around this time, a large selection of tech-geeks, art-geeks, and music-geeks convene in Texas for South By Southwest, an all-inclusive festival that tickles each of...
Posted Mar 10th, 2011
Playing For Change Featured Video on YouTube
Playing For Change is currently featured on YouTube’s main page! Their rendition of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” from their upcoming CD/DVD release, Songs Around The World Part 2, is the top spotlight video of the day. Watch the video below...
Posted Feb 10th, 2011
Playing For Change: Global Collaborative Contest
from ARTIST direct Indaba Music Launches Global Collaborative Contest Amy Sciarretto June 13, 2011 Indaba Music – the online musical collaboration community – is offering musicians around the globe an opportunity to collaborate on the song “Groove in G” from...
Posted Feb 9th, 2011
Playing For Change: Connecting the World, One Song at a...
From ABC News Connecting the World, One Song at a Time By: Olivia Katrandjian “One love, one heart, let’s get together and feel all right.” Playing for Change, a multimedia music project, is the manifest expression Bob Marley’s famous lyrics....
Posted Dec 17th, 2010
VIDEO John Lennon's "Imagine" by Playing For Change
Check out the latest video from Playing For Change, featuring John Lennon’s “Imagine” (below). To learn more about the Playing For Change Foundation click here. Imagine from PlayingForChangeFoundation on Vimeo.
Posted Dec 10th, 2010
Playing For Change Performance Chat on NPR
From NPR Street Musicians Form Global Band, ‘Playing For Change’ They’re street musicians who’d already been playing for change in different cities across the globe. Then a Grammy-winning producer gathered and recorded each of them and crafted a layered piece...
Posted Nov 30th, 2010
REVIEW: Playing For Change at Symphony Hall
From The Boston Herald Playing to change world By: Bob Young When filmmaker and producer Mark Johnson was recording street musicians around the world for a stitched-together rendition of “Stand By Me,” it’s unlikely he imagined that the resulting video...
Posted Nov 22nd, 2010
REVIEW: Playing For Change Live
From The Washington Post Album review: Playing for Change’s ‘Live’ By: Mike Joyce Several members of Playing for Change, the international collective that turned the R&B classic “Stand by Me” into an Internet phenomenon, finally gathered for a concert tour...
Posted Nov 16th, 2010
Playing For Change: Bringing the world together, online and onstage
From The Boston Globe Bringing the world together, online and onstage By: Siddhartha Mitter Take an age-old, idealistic impulse: to save the world. Add the technological wonders of globalization. Spark the combination with a clever idea, and you get innovations...
Posted Nov 15th, 2010
PREVIEW Playing For Change in Calgary
From The Calgary Herald Sounds of Change to be heard in Calgary: Global musical act makes a difference by embracing the power of song By Stephen Hunt Sometimes — not very often, but sometimes — it takes a mall to...
Posted Oct 12th, 2010
Playing For Change: From YouTube Hit to Touring Band
From The Salt Lake Tribune Playing For Change: From YouTube Hit to Touring Band By David Burger On Saturday, the Park City Performing Arts Foundation kicks off its 2010-11 season with a group of street musicians who have played for...
Posted Oct 7th, 2010
Spinner Profiles PFC Band Member Mohammed Alidu
From Spinner Mohammed Alidu Takes the Talking (and Teaching) Drum Back Home to Ghana By Steve Hochman At his home in Boulder, Colo., Mohammed Alidu has a lot of packing to do. The practitioner of the West African talking drum...
Posted Oct 5th, 2010
Playing For Change Band to Perform at John Lennon Tribute
(From antiMusic) Playing For Change to Perform at John Lennon Tribute Concert The Playing For Change Band will perform at the 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute concert. The November 12th concert will take place at the historic Beacon Theatre in...
Posted Sep 20th, 2010
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| Higher Ground | 4:46 | Playing For Change |
| Redemption Song | 4:10 | Playing For Change |
| Stand By Me | 6:04 | Playing For Change |
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| Imagine | |
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| *One Love - LIVE | |
| Stand By Me |
REVIEWS
A fine collective of vocalists and musicians assembled by Grammy winning producer Mark Johnson to promote musical connectedness and cross-cultural understanding.
The LA Times
Street musicians as agents of change.
The Boston Globe
Filmmaker Mark Johnson had a simple idea – that the world can be connected through music.
ABC
Further proving that music is the universal language, more than 100 musicians across the planet are entwining talents to promote world peace.
USA Today
278 Main St. Gloucester, MA 01930 USA
Ph (978) 283-2883 Fax (978) 283-2330
IMN - International Music Network
