The Knoxville Jazz for Justice Organization will be holding its first interest meeting of the semester Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in Room 227 at the University Center.

The meeting aims to recruit anyone, not just students, who are interested in Jazz for Justice to get involved and participate in the planning of the annual benefit concert. The concert will be held Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. at The Catalyst in the Old City.

Dustyn Winder, core member of the Jazz for Justice Project, explained that Jazz for Justice is an initiative that was founded in 2006 by Religious Studies professor Rosalind Hackett, who specializes in African religions.

"The project is mainly an attempt to use music and art as a form of post-conflict reconstruction in northern Uganda," Winder said. The goal is to raise both awareness and funds for our cause. Dustyn Winder, core team member

Winder said Hackett has traveled all over the continent of Africa and witnessed the situation first hand in war-torn Uganda in 2004. Upon her return, she decided to start this organization.

A group of people representing Jazz for Justice will be going to Uganda this year for the fifth time to meet with local leaders and peace-builders, and "trying to promote the power of the music and arts in the post-war reconstructive process," Winder said.

"Most of the work put into this concert will be done by students who volunteer," Winder noted. "Depending on what you are interested in doing, we can find tasks for you involving a wide variety of things including promotions, t-shirt making, media and communications, as well as actually working at the concert in October."

The artist line-up for this year's benefit concert is not entirely finalized yet, Winder said, but you can look forward to seeing artists such as the Jeff Sipe Trio, Rosemary with Guy Farmer, the Bridge African Choir and Dance Ensemble, UT Jazz Students, break dancers and more.