Jazz Musicians unite for Concert For Ukraine – Make Music Not War

Concert for Ukraine is the brainchild of Ukrainian-born jazz harpist and Jazz FM Award Nominee Alina Bzhezhinska. Resident in the UK for the last decade she has worked with numerous leading musicians, many of whom will appear in a star-studded line-up. These include Alina’s own HipHarpCollective featuring Tony Kofi and Vimala Rowe, plus numerous other including Niki King, Neil Charles, Alex Webb, Jo Harrop, Cleveland Watkiss, GéNIA, Shabaka Hutchings and many more.

Commenting on her reasons for the fund-raiser, Alina said: "My country is burning. As a native Ukrainian and a human being I can not be silent. I wish I could go and fight alongside my family who are all in the resistance, but I have to stay where I am and use my music as my weapon. My mother told me I have to be strong for all Ukrainians and play my music for them to show solidarity and give my people some comfort and love. I am very proud of my friends and family - and everywhere standing up against evil right now. Ukraine has always been a European country; it has amazing people, who only want to live in peace and harmony with the rest of the world. They were pushed to become great warriors, but they are musicians and artists, doctors and lawyers, housewives and teachers and all of them are now united against the aggressor who wants to kill democracy and freedom in their country. This concert is important for all of us as peace is so fragile at the moment and the world needs this - peace - the most."
  
Dave Wybrow, Cockpit Director also said:  "The Cockpit has a proud tradition of supporting anti-authoritarian endeavours - from our Dissident Voices series to work featured in Voila!, our European Theatre festival. It is our pleasure, and more importantly duty, as a venue devoted to ideas and disruptive panache - to do all we can to help Alina and the brave citizens of Ukraine in their struggle to resist the invader. We stand with all oppressed people against the forces of totalitarianism and its attendant mediocrities. We stand with Ukraine."  -

There will be more information on the night about the charities and accounts where people can donate directly to the musicians and their families who are suffering, as well as families of military men who are fighting fearlessly for their land and for peace.

Усі кошти будуть передані на гуманітарну підтримку в Україні

Tickets are £15 all proceeds to humanitarian support in Ukraine available here www.thecockpit.org.uk/concertforukraine