Sept. 11 Concert Will Benefit Katrina Relief

The College of the Arts at Kennesaw State University has announced this afternoon that the Starlight Summer Series Concert scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 11 will be used to raise funds to assist the American Red Cross in its disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina.

"All ticket receipts and any additional donations will be given directly to the Red Cross," said Joseph Meeks, dean of the College of the Arts. "We already expected a very high attendance at this event, but now we hope even more people will come and support this effort as a community."

The concert features jazz superstar John Pizzarelli, who has released more than three dozen CDs in just two decades. As a guitarist and vocalist, Pizzarelli is renowned for performing the great standards of the American jazz songbook, including favorites originally recorded by Frank Sinatra and Nat "King" Cole. More recently, he reinvented Beatles songs with a smokier, jazzier flavor. His 2005 release, "Knowing You," features material by pop and Broadway composers. For his Kennesaw State performance, Pizzarelli will be joined by his brother, bassist Martin Pizzarelli, drummer Tony Tedesco and pianist Tony Monte.

"When we originally scheduled this concert for Sept. 11, we knew that it would be the highlight of our outdoor summer series, but now it will much more than a grand finale for the summer season," Meeks said. "We hope that it will be the beginning of many efforts by our college and the entire university community to help the survivors of this terrible disaster."

Tickets for the concert are $5 and may be purchased at the gates. Additional cash donations will be accepted. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs and picnics. For reservations or more information, call 770-423-6650.