The jam session, which is to take place on Sunday, March 27th at the Loch & Quay restaurant and bar in Stockholm, is set to feature some 22 musicians, an MC, and two acts for in-between sessions, says organiser Josh Thorne.

“Right now, it’s looking pretty big. We’ve got some great names on the roster and we’ve got some promises of more coming through and we’re getting sponsors for it in terms of instruments and in terms of refreshments for the musicians. Everything’s falling into place at the moment,” Thorne says of the event which was first conceived of only last Thursday.

Thorne, who is CEO & Executive Producer of Against All Odds – a Stockholm-based film production company – says his “other life is as a musician,” and came up with the idea with a musician friend after learning of the unfolding crisis in Japan.

“It just felt like a call,” Thorne says, later remarking, “I don’t do this normally. But I just feel so strongly about the whole thing that I just needed to do something about it.”

After deciding to organize the event last Thursday, Thorne immediately began contacting friends in the music and entertainment industries to elicit their help and participation.

According to Thorne, their responses have been overwhelmingly positive.

“They’re jumping at it. It’s so good. So good,” he says, adding that the list of participating musicians is set to grow further this week in the days leading up to the event.

“There’s a list of, in Sweden at least, really good names on the roster,” Thorne says.

“The level of musicianship is nice and high, so that basically means we can play any kind of standard cover. But, I think we may keep it to a kind of ‘soully,’ kind of ‘funky,’ kind of ‘bluesy,’ feel to the whole evening. It certainly won’t be a whole evening of pop music, that’s for sure. And it won’t be electronic. No way. It’s pure live, as it should be.”

According to Thorne, the musicians to participate in the session include drummers, vocalists, guitarists, bassists, a trumpeter, and a saxophone player.

“The fun of it all, I think, is that the stage is open for anyone to step up and play,” he says.

In addition, Thorne expects a diverse audience to attend.

“It’s just going to be, for the audience’s sake, a real big mixed bag of everything form 6-year-olds up to 70-year-olds– if not older. Actually, I know one person who’s 76 and she’s definitely coming!”

“It’s looking like it’s going to be a really nice, concrete event for the cause.”

“Jam For Japan” will take place on Sunday, March 27th at the Loch & Quay restaurant and bar on Skeppsbron in Stockholm. Tickets can be purchased at the door and cost 50 kronor. All proceeds will go to the Red Cross of Sweden. In addition, the event will be broadcast live on the video streaming site USTREAM.

By Anita Badejo