Hello! I am an ethnomusicologist, producer, and a musician that has fallen in love with the purity and truth portrayed in the music of the third world. Over the past few years I have been blessed with many opportunities to serve in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Guatemala & Belize through various freelance music/development projects with Food For The Hungry, SIL International, The National Kriol Council of Belize, Restore International, African Children's Choir and most recently the Remix Artist Collective. For the last 3 years though I have been developing a vision for an organization named "ensigo" which focuses on empowering African musicians to utilize one of their continent's greatest resources (music) to end all forms poverty (spiritual, economic, social & physical).
I'm currently working on a collaborative project between talented vocalists from the developing countries of: Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Belize and Guatemala, and RAC (Remix Artist Collective) producers and guest artists from the countries of: U.S.A, Portugal, The Netherlands and Canada. The album is due out in January 2010. 100% of the album royalties will be given to the contributing vocalists from the developing countries in the form of recording equipment instead of cash. We have chosen to make the royalty payments in recording equipment so as to provide a sustainable and stable way for them to generate income, stimulate their local economy (one of the requirements is that the recording equipment be purchased locally), create more jobs, and promote their local music.
Over the past 12 years I have been blessed with the opportunity of traveling the world with some of my closest friends in the name of music. Here are some select people and bands I have worked with, whether on stage, in the studio, or behind a board (and yes I am available as a contract bassist in the live and studio formats e-mail me at aaronappleton (at) gmail.com):
Brandon Heath
Brian Lee & His Orchestra
Stephanie Smith
Kawesa
Albert Bisaso Ssempeke
LeRoy Mack
Maurice Kirya
African Children's Choir
Lexington
Amnesty Letters,
The Belize City Garifuna Choir
Aria Eaton
Nate Henricks
East On Oakland
Enoke,
Jadiid
Myenga Church Mountain Movers
Waking April
The Feens
Berry
The Silent Film
Terrard Robinson
Katie Kapteyn
paris|metro
Kelly Latimore
Steph Plant
The Diversity League
The instruments I play are: Bass (electric & upright), Drums & Percussion, Vocals, Amadinda, Guitar, Akogo, and Adungu.
Love,
Aaron
To join me as a financial partner in my music projects in Africa, send your gift (made out to "First Presbyterian Church of Hillsboro") with a note indicating the gift is for "Aaron Appleton's Africa Missions" to:
First Presbyterian Church of Hillsboro
P.O. Box 306
Hillsboro, IL 62049
Or to make a secure online donation through paypal please go to:
Aaron's Paypal Donation Page
FriendsĀ I'm thinking about & praying for this week.