The King Room at the Avatar Events Building in Atlanta, GA, will be the setting for a one-time musical performance tomorrow night in honor of a recently deceased member of the Florida music community, Ted Freed. It is slated to be the first of many ‘“Shimon Presents: For-A-Cause”:http://www.inticketing.com/evinfo.php?eventid=23258’ benefits.

Ike Stubblefield, Grant Green Jr, Jeff Sipe (Aquarium Rescue Unit, Phil Lesh and Friends, Trey Anastasio), Jeff Coffin (Bela Fleck and The Flecktones) and Oteil Burbridge (Aquarium Rescue Unit, Allman Brothers Band, Oteil and the Peacemakers) will come together to form an improvisation Super Group and headline a benefit for the Leukemia & Lymphoma society. The event is the brainchild of Atlantas Shimon Presents, and will also feature an opening acoustic performance from Bishop Don and the Australian-born guitar virtuoso Geoff Achison will play between sets.

Seth Weiner, the founder and president of Shimon Presents, felt this would be an appropriate tribute to a Florida friend with this event. We at Shimon Presents want to honor the memory of a cherished member of the music community, Tampa area promoter Ted Freed, who we lost to Lymphoma last year. He loved music and to bring people together to enjoy music. He not only nurtured many local bands, but also was the catalyst to bringing national bands to the Tampa area. While Weiner has become a fixture in the Atlanta music scene in the past 3 years, he first cut his teeth as a promoter and publicist in Florida.

Shimon Presents has spent the last few weeks spreading information about the importance of supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Over 823,000 Americans are currently living with some form of blood cancer. Leukemia has caused more deaths of young adults than any other cancer, and you dont have too look to far to find someone who has lost a loved one or parent (including the author of this piece) to Lymphoma.

It is appropriate that Freed, a man with such a love for music, will be honored by an exclusive performance from some of the best improvisational rock musicians in the southeast.
‘These are some of the most creative musicians on the planet, says saxophonist Jeff Coffin, I look forward to playing with them Thursday. The musical connection between Oteil Burbridge & Jeff Sipe in unimaginable. Ike Stubblefield is a legendary Hammond B-3 player having played with…well, everyone! Grant Green Jr. is a force on guitar, but best of all The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society benefits from every dollar people spend for the show. Report by Rob Turner