A JAZZ quartet raised over £1,000 for victims of the war in Ukraine by hosting a charity concert at Vivary Park in Taunton.
Lazy River Jazz held the concert on Easter Sunday at the park between 2pm and 4pm.
The quartet’s music is focused on the Great American Songbook and includes tunes from Broadway shows, Glenn Miller, and Frank Sinatra.
There was no charge to attend the concert, but the musicians asked people to donate money to the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC)’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
The humanitarian appeal aims to support the 18 million people it expects to be affected by the conflict, including the four million plus people who have fled since Russia launched its invasion.
Lazy River Jazz were joined by special guests including vocalist Sharon Moore for the special concert, which raised a total of £1,071.
Tony Byrne, who plays the saxophone in the quartet, said: “The concert was brilliant - beyond our expectations!
“The band had been reorganised for the occasion, with a guest singer and added trumpets augmenting the regular quartet of guitar, sax, bass, and drums.
“The group quickly gelled, and the new harmonies were really exciting to play and hear.
“The good weather helped. But the other ingredient - perhaps the most important - was the audience.
“Over ten years playing in Vivary Park, the Lazy River band has never experienced such a large attendance.
“People came, people stayed, and people donated to a total magnificent figure of over £1,000.
“This has now been sent to the Disasters Emergency Fund (DEC) to help Ukraine survive the onslaught of Putin's ignorant and brutal armed forces.”
Tony has also raised money for the appeal and the Red Cross by busking in Taunton and the surrounding area.
After donating to the appeal, he realised he could raise money for the people of Ukraine with his music – and, by April 6, he had raised over £1,000.
The locations he has busked in include Comeytrowe, Taunton’s Tesco supermarket, and Rumwell Farm Shop.
By the end of March, the DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal had raised more than £260 million.
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