john jones planet log

March 11 is the 2nd anniversary of the Tohoku Earthquake tragedy in Japan, “the fourth largest earthquake in history”.

Proceeds from Nick Wood’s song Hope, that we recorded with Julian Lennon and Tetsuya Komuro for the first anniversary in 2012, go to the Beyond Tomorrow organisation who are dedicated to helping the orphaned children of the disaster.

Click here to go to Nick’s blog, where you will find links to the videos and to sites where you can purchase the song around the world.

Sunday night, at the Newport Film Festival, we saw a new documentary about the Freedom Writers Diary, “a collection of journal entries written by 150 at-risk students from Long Beach, California, who were once considered ‘unteachable’. Encouraged by teacher, Erin Gruwall, and inspired by Anne Frank, the students discovered a new way of expression and began to care more about history, humanity, and perhaps, most importantly, their futures.”

This incredible story was helped to reality by our Music is Hope Foundation president John Tu.

JJ, composers Daniel Rojas & Andrew Raiher, executive producer John Tu, Erin Gruwall & MIHF's Richard Martinez

HOPE(HD/字幕) – Nick Wood feat. Julian Lennon, Tetsuya Komuro, and BEYOND Tomorrow Students from SynTokyo on Vimeo.

Along with John Jones, Michael Thompson and Randy Cooke.

Buy the Hope single:

iTunes Canada – iTunes Japan – iTunes USA – iTunes UK

This inspiring song is dedicated to the ongoing recovery of last year’s Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.

All proceeds from the sale of the song and video will be donated to Beyond Tomorrow -  www.beyond-tomorrow.org.

Nick Wood spoke to Guy Perryman at the British Chamber of Commerce Japan’s Road to Recovery event today in Tokyo. After a quick talk with British Ambassador Sir David Warren, Guy talked to Nick about the song Hope and how it came to be.

http://guyperryman.com/?p=3658

Look down the page for the audio interview

Nick Wood‘s Hope, featuring Julian Lennon, Tetsuya Komuro, Todd Hayen, Beyond Tomorrow Students and the Boston Boys And Girls Club, and John Jones, is now available for purchase at

iTunes Japan

iTunes USA

iTunes UK

This inspiring song is dedicated to the ongoing recovery of last year’s Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.

All proceeds from the sale of the song and video will be donated to Beyond Tomorrow -  www.beyond-tomorrow.org.

The song to benefit the Tohoku Earthquake Fund by Nick Wood and Julian Lennon that I have been working on is now finished.

Mixing across the Pacific using VG and Skype with JJ and Nick.

Nick has been traveling the world the past few weeks with stops in New York to shoot video with Julian and here in Los Angeles to work on the track with me, Randy Cooke and Michael Thompson. See here – HOPE

Go to Nick’s Blog and see more photos and links to the recordings.

If you can read Japanese, here is an article about the children’s choir from Beyond Tomorrow - Yomiura News article

In my other life…

At the 112th SCGA Annual Meeting last Tuesday, Rancho Park GC was honored with the first-ever SCGA Foundation President’s Award for its outstanding dedication and commitment supporting junior golf.
John Jones of Rancho Park accepted the award from SCGA Foundation President Ed Holmes, pictured above.

What a great session with Robert Sarzo last week.

We worked on a new song for Music is Hope’s Meninos do Morumbi album.

Here’s Robert playing his Tyler guitar.

Funk Remix 2011

The second release for Meninos do Morumbi of Sao Paulo is my remix of their song Funk.

Aside from Flavio Pimenta and the students on drums and vocals, I’ve added Steve Ferrone on drum kit with yours truly on bass and keys.

This is the second official release from Music is Hope Foundation, with all proceeds going to fund Meninos do Morumbi in Sao Paulo. Since the school was started over 10 years ago Flavio has brought over 13,000 children, many of them from the Morumbi Favela, through the program.

Please support MIHF and Meninos by purchasing the single and the re-released album through iTunes or from CDbaby.

The first CD from the Music is Hope Foundation is the re-release of the 2006 Meninos Do Morumbi self titled album.

Proceeds from the sale of the CD go to help support the Meninos Do Morumbi school in Sao Paulo.

Over the past 13 years Flavio Pimenta and his Meninos Do Morumbi have educated and fed over 13,000 children, mostly from the Paraisopolis favela in Morumbi, Sao Paulo.