By JOHN DALY – Jackson Browne, Karen O and Blake Mills led an all-star cast of musicians for a special night of music that raised thousands of dollars in support of music education.
Music Makes You, a benefit concert put on by the D’Addario Foundation, had many highlights, including an impromptu performance by Jackson Browne, who joined Mills and Brooklyn’s own Lucius for a special rendition of “Willin.’” Jackson also joined Mills, Lucius, Smokey Hormel, Marc Ribot and Julian Lage for “Take It Easy.”
Lucius brought down the house with “Dusty Trails” and Karen O and Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs performed beautiful acoustic versions of “Gold Lions” and “Hideaway.”
Other high points included an all-star performance by Hormel, Ribot, Lage and Mills, who performed innovative renditions of Lonnie Johnson’s “Tomorrow Night” and Duke Ellington’s “Blues In Blueprint” and wowed audiences with their skillful harmonization and synchronized guitar work.
GRAMMY winner Janis Ian performed her top hit single “At Seventeen” and also treated the audience with an exceptional performance. Kaki King performed “Tiny Pan.”
Through the D’Addario Foundation, they’ve touched the lives of thousands of kids by giving 10 percent of its net profits each year to over 200 of the best grassroots programs in the world.