by Erin K. Gray
A concert tour honoring the life of the late Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl will make a stop Thursday at Davis Square's Johnny D’s Restaurant and Music Club. 
“In addition to being a journalist, wherever he traveled and lived, Danny was actively involved in the local music scene,” explained FODFest’s producer Todd Mack, a friend and former band mate of Pearl’s. “He was a firm believer in the power of music to bring people together regardless of ethnic, religious, cultural, or economic differences and FODfest, celebrates that ideal in honor of Danny’s Oct. 10 birthday.” FODfest stands for Friends of Danny festival and is organized by Mack.
"Now in its third year, FODfest is part of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days global network of concerts,” he said. “Since 2002, more than 1,500 concerts in 67 countries have been dedicated.”
Daniel Pearl
In a unique format that is part concert, part song swap, part improvisation session, many of the musicians gathered on stage are meeting for the first time, said Mack. Their connection is Daniel Pearl, the principles by which he lived, and their shared belief that music is the universal language to help spread “Harmony for Humanity.”
Participating musicians for FODfest include several of Daniel Pearl’s friends as well as others recruited via MySpace including Todd Mack, Caroline Aiken, JoAnne Spies, The Ottoman Empire, Dave Keehn, Bill Shadle Keli Mercadante of Wild West Picture Show, Wes Tucker & the Skillets, Eric Leifert of Clamp, plus a changing rotation of musicians particular to each city’s show, he said.
The concert is funded by the Daniel Pearl Foundation, which works domestically and internationally to promote cross-cultural understanding, to combat cultural and religious hatred, to encourage responsible and creative journalism, and to enrich people’s lives through music, said Mack.
“The world came to know Daniel Pearl as The Wall Street Journal reporter who was murdered by terrorists in Karachi, Pakistan. Since then, he has been remembered more for his humanity and love of life than his senseless death,” said Judea Pearl, Daniel’s father and president of the Daniel Pearl Foundation.
“FODfest’s symphony of hope, unity and a passion for our shared humanity is the essence of the World Music Days message,” he said, “We are immensely grateful to Todd and all the musicians involved for creating such a very special tribute to Danny’s spirit and the principles by which he lived.”
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