Thursday, February 04, 2010
Nathaniel Ayers releases CD – “Putting on Ayers”
A CD project many years in the making has come to fruition. Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, former Juilliard student, who has battled mental illness and was homeless and playing a two-string violin five years ago, has been joined by several notable musicians and composers to make this recording. A pal of his, Joe Russo, flew in from Connecticut; L.A. Philharmonic pianist Joanne Pearce Martin and violinist Robert Gupta were there. And Michael Balzary, also known as Flea of the band Red Hot Chili Peppers, was eager to join in.
What resulted is a wonderful CD of Mr. Ayers life, exhibiting his belief and faith in the healing power of music. This CD will be available in a couple of weeks and for sale on this website. All the proceeds will benefit programs for the artistically gifted mentally ill and stopping the stigma of mental illness.
I was beginning to think we’d never get around to making the CD that Nathaniel Anthony Ayers has been talking about for years. Last summer, on a trip to San Francisco, where Mr. Ayers was honored for his spirit by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, we came up with the perfect name for it: “Putting on Ayers.” (Read the whole LA Times article here)
http://www.kcet.org/socal/2010/02/the-soloist-putting-on-ayers.html
