The 52-hour marathon charity event will also feature Steve Morse, Dweezil Zappa, Lee Ritenour and others.
(Image credit: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Steve Vai has announced the first round of guests that will perform at his "Big Mama Jama Jam-a-Thon," an open, improvisational music and art event where the music won't stop for 52 hours.
The lineup for the event, which will take place at Musicians Institute’s brand new venue, LiveHouse, in Los Angeles, on September 28-30, will include Dave Navarro, Moby, Dweezil Zappa, Al Di Meola, Steve Morse, Lee Ritenour and Andy Vargas and Souleros, with more to be announced. Vai will serve as the host and musical director.
One-hundred percent of the profits raised will benefit Extraordinary Families, a leading nonprofit foster family, and adoption agency in the Los Angeles area dedicated to improving the daily lives of children and youths in foster care. Professional and novice musicians, visual artists, poets and speakers from all walks of life are welcome to join in on the event, which will be streamed live worldwide through various cable TV stations, websites and radio outlets.
Auction items, including instruments donated by Vai, Slash, Devin Townsend, Gregg Bissonette, and online lessons open to the public donated by Steve Vai, Tommy Emmanuel, Stu Hamm, Bumblefoot, plus other unique and fulfilling opportunities to donate to Extraordinary Families are now available online.
A PledgeMusic store offering upcoming CD and vinyl volumes to be culled from the Jam-a-Thon, limited edition “Jam-a-Thon Jammies”, VIP t-shirts, a dad-style baseball cap, and much more can be viewed here.
Tickets for the event are available at jamathon.org.
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Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.