Jammin’ for Journeymen at The Grey Eagle

Live local music is nearly always a good time. But helping a good cause in the process, that’s what we call a twofer.

This weekend, The Grey Eagle hosts Jammin’ for Journeymen, a fundraiser featuring the music of Silas Durocher and Friends, Josh Phillips Trio and Vertigo Jazz Project. All proceeds from the event benefit Journeymen of Asheville, a nonprofit whose goal is to “provide boys with mentoring and modeling so that they learn integrity, accountability, compassion and respect.”

Journeymen focuses on boys ages 12-17, offering a host of programs that includes peer groups, mentoring, community activities and weekend getaways. The organization takes a comprehensive approach, addressing values clarification, communications skills, healthy relationships, violence and bullying, stereotyping and discrimination, sexuality, practical skills and social justice.

But let’s not forget the music. Aside from the obvious perks of assisting a community-building organization, Jammin’ for Journeymen promises to be an eclectic evening of funk-fueled rock ‘n’ roll, reggae-tinged folk and progressive jazz.

Here’s a little more about the artists, in their own words:

From his website, “Silas Durocher is a composer, guitarist, songwriter, and singer who ‘understands that there are many mansions in the house of music and naturally partakes of all of them.’ Bridging many styles, Silas focuses primarily on combining classical music with funk and rock ‘n’ roll to create ‘music for the head, the heart, and the hips.’ With this central idea, Silas’ music appears in many forms, including works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, rock bands, and solo performances.”

“With a message that is positive, sincere and honest, Josh Phillips Folk Festival has been gaining a veritable army of fans that range from the youngest musical listeners to seasoned long time traditional music fans,” reads the singer’s website. “With the release of their first studio album, Wicker, Phillips has truly provided a strong testament to his ability to effortlessly capture generations worth of musical evolution and traverse years of cultural dilution, bringing the listener back to the very source of roots, folk, soul, R&B, rock and reggae.”

According to the band’s bio,“Vertigo Jazz Project is known for their compositions and performances. They have taken on the task of bridging the gap between multiple genres of music such as jazz, funk, Latin, rock, jam, avant-garde, classical, world and even country and bluegrass while always maintaining a recognizable element of jazz. V.J.P. takes their varied experience and creates original compositions of their easily recognizable form of music; paying homage to the aforementioned styles.”

Tickets are available at Orbit DVD, Harvest Records or at the door. 6 p.m. $12/$15.