Music Aid Northwest Jams the Upstage

PORT TOWNSEND—"Imagine" world renowned rock stars and classical artists jamming on stage with local youth musicians. That is exactly what happened recently at the Upstage in Port Townsend, when Alan White, legendary drummer for Yes, and the lead drummer on John Lennon's "Imagine" album, joined with others to promote a statewide specialty license plate project, Music Matters, sponsored by Music Aid Northwest.

Pictured, White, on drums, leads a team of musicians in an "Imagine" sing-a-long, including, from back center, Mike Porter, Bremerton; Chimacum High School junior Andrew Katsikapes on piano; "Joltin" Joel Johnson, keyboardist for Northwest's pop/rock band, Shelley and the Curves ; Shelley Tomberg, lead singer of Shelley and the Curves; vocalist Arielle Hallinan, 15, Port Hadlock; award winning tenor vocalist, Tony LaStella; and Jefferson Transit General Manager Dave Turissini on bass. (Submitted Photo by Danille Turissini, Music Aid Northwest)

Other entertainment included music by the American Scholars, a punk pop/rock youth band from Sequim, and Dave Airborne, aka 2002 Chimacum grad, David H. Turissini, 23, spinning a mix of progressive house music, accompanied by Reek Havok, known for his pioneering work in electronic percussion and studio electronics.

Dave Turissini, one of the primary organizers of the event, along with his wife, Danille, both from Port Ludlow, serve on the advisory board for Music Aid Northwest. According to Turissini, the Music Matters effort was conceived of as a perpetually self-funding way of financially supporting music education, the proceeds would go to fund music education in Washington state schools.