NEW YORK, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Chaka Khan, Will Downing and Paquito D'Rivera lead the musicians who will raise funds for an ailing ex-club owner who helped their careers over the years.
The Jan.22 event is billed as a tribute to Mike and Pat Mikell, whose Upper West Side jazz club, Mikell's, flourished from 1969 to 1991 as a showcase for music greats and emerging artists and was a gathering spot for the likes of Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Cat Stevens, James Baldwin, Stevie Wonder, Yoko Ono, Amiri Baraka and Ashford and Simpson.
Mike Miksell was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) seven years ago. There is no cure for this progressive disease of the nervous system. The last seven years have been a medical expense nightmare for the family in trying to make ends meet. And only recently did news of Mike's illness publicly emerge.
Other participating musicians at the Symphony Space event include Freddie Jackson, Michel Camilo, the Luther Vandross All-Star Band, Ray Chew and Doc Powell.
