Lawyers join musicians in “Jazz for Justice” concerts to raise scholarship and service project funds

George Mason University’s School of Music, Fairfax Law Foundation and Prince William County Bar Foundation, Inc. team up to present two Jazz 4 Justice© concerts in Northern Virginia this fall. This spectacular music event supports vital community and legal services in Fairfax and Prince William Counties and music scholarships for students at George Mason University.

This year’s Jazz 4 Justice© concerts will feature a program titled “100 Years of Jazz,” with the Mason Jazz Ensemble led by Jim Carroll, director of Jazz Studies at George Mason University, who said the concert “will take us on a historical trip to the Big Easy, Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Harlem and Minton’s Playhouse in New York City, arriving in Fairfax and Manassas.” The program features music by such legends as James P. Johnson, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Benny Goodman, Cab Calloway, Benny Moten and others. Jazz vocalists Darden Purcell and Tracey Wright will perform along with senior vocal performance major Gina Mirenda. Following the performances will be a jam session in the main lobby of the Center for the Arts and in the Didlake Grand Foyer of the Hylton Center.

The Mason Jazz Ensemble will first bring the concert to George Mason University’s Center for the Arts in Fairfax on Friday, Nov. 9, 2012 at 8 p.m., with George A. Weiner Esq. as special guest conductor. Weiner has taught in the Fairfax County Public Schools since 1987, when he left the law firm he shared with his brothers, Edward and Ken Weiner. Weiner has received numerous educators’ awards, both locally and nationally, and was recently invited to lecture on his teaching techniques to educators in South Korea.

“Jazz 4 Justice is a unique partnership between the music and legal communities in Fairfax,” said Edward L. Weiner Esq. of Weiner, Spivey & Miller, PLC in Fairfax, who established Jazz 4 Justice in 2000.

The Mason Jazz Ensemble will then bring Jazz 4 Justice to the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Prince William for the first time on Friday, Nov. 30, 2012 at 8 p.m. Ida Campbell, host of the popular radio show, “Don’t Forget the Blues” on WPFW 89.3 FM and an accomplished vocalist and musician, will special guest conduct the performance at the Hylton Center.

“The Prince William County Bar Foundation is thrilled to partner with the Mason Jazz Ensemble to offer Prince William County’s inaugural Jazz 4 Justice program,” said Catherine S. Croft of Farrell & Croft, PC in Manassas. “Proceeds from the evening will fund the Foundation’s various law-related education and service projects which benefit our Prince William County community, and will help provide scholarships to students in George Mason University’s School of Music. We are thrilled to showcase these gifted local artists and support the Foundation’s critical educational and charitable programs all in one very festive evening.”

The Fairfax Law Foundation, the charitable arm of the Fairfax Bar Association, was created in 1982 as a 501 (c)(3) organization to conduct educational and charitable activities in support of the Fairfax community. The organization provides educational programs for area youth about the adverse legal and medical effects of drug and alcohol abuse; arranges courthouse tours with education about the judicial system for middle school students in Fairfax County; operates the Pro Bono Program, which provides legal services for Fairfax County residents who cannot afford legal services; and holds programs to counsel at-risk youth and victims of domestic violence.

The Prince William County Bar Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) organization that was established to fund law-related education and service projects in the 31st Judicial Circuit. The Foundation provides funding and administration for the Beat the Odds scholarships and awards that are given annually in the community to young people who have managed to overcome obstacles to put their lives on a positive path. The Foundation raises funds through generous contributions from the Prince William County legal community and other non-profit, government, corporate and private donors.

To purchase tickets, call 888-945-2468 or visit cfa.gmu.edu or HyltonCenter.org, or visit the box offices of either venue. George Mason University’s Center for the Arts is located at 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, Va.

The Hylton Performing Arts Center is located at 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Va. and the box office is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free parking is available onsite.

To learn more about the Mason Jazz Ensemble and George Mason University’s School of Music, go to music.gmu.edu or call (703) 993-1380.