“Mo’ Than Jazz” Sickel Cell Awareness Benefit Concert | Nov. 20th, 2010

Florida
Avenue Baptist Church (FABC), in partnership with Faces of Our Children
(FOOC), will feature a rare musical talent to raise awareness of a not
so rare disease – sickle cell anemia. Urban jazz harmonicist Frédéric
Yonnet headlines “Mo’ Than Jazz” Sickle Cell Awareness Benefit Concert
on Nov. 20 at 4 p.m.

Yonnet, who has toured most recently with
music icon Prince, and often performs dueling harmonica duets with the
legendary Stevie Wonder, knows first-hand the painful affects of the
inherited disease as his niece suffers from sickle cell anemia. “When
you have sickle cell disease in your family, you’re constantly
threatened by its painful recurring attacks.

Because we all know
someone with the disease or trait, it’s important that we support
programs that promote awareness, research and therapy, ” said Yonnet in a
press statement.

The concert benefits Faces of Our Children, a
local non-profit organization whose mission is to raise awareness and
funds to fight sickle cell in children and adults. Pre-concert
activities take place from 2:30 to 4 p.m. and include a free children’s
harmonica workshop facilitated by Yonnet, sickle cell screening and
informational exhibits. The concert also features gospel/jazz artist
Steven B, and the Florida Avenue Baptist Church Adoration Choir.

Florida
Avenue Baptist Church’s outreach ministry, which has served the greater
Washington area for nearly 100 years, hosts “Mo’ Than Jazz” live
concerts every three months.

“When you’re fighting this kind of
battle, you’ve got to get aggressive, ” said Dr. Earl D. Trent Jr.,
senior pastor of the church, in a press release. “Yonnet’s modern style
and “in your face” method to the harmonica, is the same approach we’re
using to raise awareness of the blood disorder that affects
approximately 15 percent of African-American children.”

Within
the U.S., sickle cell is most prevalent in the African-American
community and more than two million Americans carry the sickle cell
trait. Sickle cell anemia occurs in one out of every 500
African-American births, and another one in 12 carries the trait.

“A
child in sickle cell crisis suffers excruciating pain and it is
emotionally draining for the family and the caregivers. By raising
awareness we can significantly reduce the number of children who suffer,
” said Trent. “It is part of the Christian mandate to aid those who are
sick and our commitment is to be unceasing in rallying persons,
churches and other organizations to support this cause.”