Here's a late heads up for WCF readers who might be interested in catching some great music AND helping out one of Ogden's most legendary living musicians tonight in one fell swoop. If you've ever ventured into the Ogden Club Scene (or Snow Basin gigs) over the years, you're certainly a fan of Roby Kap and his fantastic, talented and versatile World Class Kap Brothers Band. Here's tonight's lowdown, gleaned from this morning's Standard-Examiner's Go! Section. We hope you will all show up at the KoKoMo Club tonight to hear some great musicians perform and... and to lend your ever-generous helping hands:OGDEN — The Kokomo Club, the Historic 25th Street bar where Ogden bluesman Roby Kap has hosted a long-running Thursday night jam session, is putting on a benefit concert today — for Kap.If you can't make it tonight's concert, please (with sugar on it), we hope you'll navigate over to Roby's above-linked website anyway, and make a generous donation via Roby's PayPal donation button.
Kap was injured in a fall two weeks ago, which left him in a rehabilitation facility recovering from serious leg and shoulder injuries.
Music is set to begin at 7 p.m. today at the venue, 216 Historic 25th St. The club is for those 21 and over.
“Roby Kap would cut off his right arm for anyone else, if they were in trouble,” said Cindy Simone, organizer of the event and owner of Kokomo’s. “He is always the first in line to do this sort of thing. I know there will probably be other benefits, but I want to get the ball rolling.”
The night will feature a raffle, including a custom pool cue, a guitar and other goods and services. Performers include many members, past and present, of Kap’s band. Also, many of the musicians he helped get their start, such as harmonica/guitar player and KRCL 90.9 FM drive-time host Brad Wheeler, will take the stage.
The cost to get in is $2, but organizers hope people will give at the door, and buy raffle tickets as well.
“Roby is in a wheelchair right now, and in a lot of pain,” Simone said. “He is not able to work at this time. I hope his friends can help, like he has helped them in the past.”
For further details, or to donate goods or funds, call the club at (801) 621-9991. To otherwise contribute, go to www.robykap.com.
When God was busy making "great people," it was Roby who broke the mold.
Update 3/20/10 11:25 a.m.: I just got off the phone with my old friend, Cindy Simone, proprietor of Ogden's classic KoKoMo Klub. Upon my inquiry, Cindy reports to me that last night's benefit concert was a smash hit. "Fantastic" was the first word that came out of her mouth when I asked for a description of how the event worked out. Cindy describes a packed house full of Roby's fans and friends, squads of Northern Utah's finest musicians, double parked cars outside the Kokomo with passengers leaping out to drop off checks in 3-digit denominations, teary-eyed folks hoping for Roby's fast and full recovery, etc.... just the kind of response we'd hoped for when we provided yesterday's heads-up. "An outpouring of love, money and donations" is how she further described it.
On behalf of Cindy and everyone who put together last night's Roby Kap Benefit Concert we'd like to extend our hearty thanks to those who've rallied to provide Roby a much-deserved helping hand . Roby's put on more benefit concerts for other folks over the years than Cindy could count. It's great that the warm-hearted folks of Northern Utah had the opportunity to offer Roby a little something in return, with his own top-notch benefit concert event.
And in this connection we'll now invite any WCF readers who made it over to the KoKoMo last night to chime in with their own comments, observations and anecdotes.
