“Uniting people through the art form of Jazz” – Rick DellaRatta and Jazz for Peace™

Jazz for Peace™ rose from the ashes of the horrifying tragedy of 9/11 starting with a poem written by acclaimed Jazz Pianist, Vocalist, Composer and Founder Rick DellaRatta that was written witnessing those very events on a rooftop less than a quarter of a mile away from Ground Zero on that fateful morning.

Six Unprecedented Achievements in Jazz

UNITED NATIONS CONCERT – For the first time in Music history, a single musical event plays a prominent role in World history. In 2002 Rick DellaRatta and Jazz for Peace performed at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City leading a band consisting of Middle Eastern (both Arab and Israeli), European, Asian, and American jazz musicians in concert for an international audience. This exceptional contribution to the advancement of Jazz has now also become a memorable part of World History as detailed below.
UNITING WORLD LEADERS – This event and Benefit Concert Series has united more world leaders and prestigious supporters than any other previous musical event including Woodstock and Live Aid combined making this another exceptional contribution to the advancement of Jazz.
UNPRECEDENTED FUNDING FOR OVER 850 OUTSTANDING CAUSES worldwide through a Benefit Concert Series that is now considered The Most Significant Cultural Event of Our Time! While “Uniting people through the art form of Jazz”, another first in both Jazz and Music History making this an exceptional contribution for the advancement of Jazz.
HELPING CHILDREN – His dedication to helping children (“our future”) via his Education Series & Instrument Donation Program is truly an exceptional contribution through the advancement of Jazz as detailed in the links below while at the same time using this platform to promoting musicians rights via his partnership with the Local 802 and other musicians unions.
UNPRECEDENTED MUSICAL PERFORMANCE – Achieving each of these goals because the most unprecedented quality of all: THE MUSIC! (Click on videos for the Music!) This Unique Combination of Vocals in both English and Portuguese along with Virtuoso Piano Playing and Outstanding Compositions featuring both Latin and Brazilian rhythms makes Rick DellaRatta ”one of the most unique and exciting live performances in music today!” Through his worldwide performances which have included taking Jazz both figuratively and literally where it has never been before, Rick is widely considered one of only a handful of Jazz Artists who can make a successful musical presentation to a large audience without having to abandon the true art form of Jazz.
SUCCESSFULLY BRINGING THE ART FORM OF JAZZ TO PEOPLE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
In addition to his Jazz for Peace CD which features this unique artist at Birdland and Troy Music Hall with the worlds finest Jazz Musicians (Eddie Gomez, Lenny White, and Paquito D’Rivera) along with The London Symphony Orchestra.

Having performed with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie to Paquito D’ Rivera, Rick DellaRatta is now considered by many to be one of the finest Singer/Pianists performing today and one of only a handful of Jazz Artists who can make a successful musical presentation to a large audience without having to abandon the true art form of Jazz. His unique and original piano playing and composing has been compared in print to Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Keith Jarrett, Joe Zawinul, Horace Silver, Oscar Peterson and Thelonius Monk while his signature vocal sound and style has been likened to Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, Joao Gilberto, Ivan Lins, Michael Franks and Antonio Carlos Jobim.

His current “Rick DellaRatta and Jazz for Peace World Tour” has included historic performances in the US, Europe, Africa and Brazil and his landmark Jazz for Peace concert at the United Nations in New York in 2002 uniting Israeli, Palestinian and American musicians in concert is now considered one of the most significant cultural events of our time! This U.N. Concert has led to a benefit concert series that has gone on to raise funds, publicity and awareness for over 700 non-profit organizations, garnered support and praise from distinguished Americans such as President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senator John McCain, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, activist Noam Chomsky, actor Ed Begley Jr., New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and many more; and attended and enjoyed by ambassadors, celebrities, humanitarians, and music lovers worldwide! Jazz pianist, vocalist and composer Rick DellaRatta was included by The Foundation Center in their list of the top musician philanthropists of our time along with Bono (U2), Elton John, Peter Gabriel and Sting.

Brigitte Mars / Herbalist, Author, and Raw Food Chef

Brigitte Mars is an herbalist from Boulder, Colorado, with over 35 years’ experience in natural medicine. She lived for two and a half years on solely wild edible plants while living in a teepee in the Ozarks in the early seventies. She is the author of Addiction Free Naturally, Sex, Love and Health, The HempNut Cookbook, Rawsome!, and Healing Herbal Teas.

Brigitte teaches at Naropa University, Esalen Institute, https://kripalu.org/, and many other locations. She has a nutritional and herbal private practice, works as a practitoner for Pharmaca and has a local weekly radio show called Naturally. She is the mother of Sunflower Sparkle Mars, with whom she leads Herb Camp for Kids, as well as Sunflower’s sister, Rainbeau Harmony Mars. Rainbeau is an actress, model and yogini, living in Santa Monica.

Brigitte has been happily married for thirty years to human design analyst, Tom Pfeiffer with whom she teaches raw food workshops.

For more fun and enlightening stories from Brigitte’s past, read Hippie Chick Seeks Revelation and 30 Years Ago Today.