International superstar DJ's and industry chiefs from the world of music step forward to support one of the most innovative music-led aid projects ever launched

The first fair trade record label, Worldwide Aid Recordings is the brainchild of music producer Steve Brown and business strategist Melissa Sterry. The project involves travelling to remote communities to record local musical talent including choirs, orchestras and bands and then bringing the recordings back to the UK where they are remixed by top DJ's and producers. The tracks are then sold globally, with all profits given back to the developing world community involved with the project.

Worldwide Aid Recordings (W.A.R) is to launch its operation in India. Working with the organisation Take Heart India, the W.A.R team will travel to Anandwan, the world's largest leprosarium and centre for those with disabilities. Founded by India's most prolific social worker, Baba Amte, who Ghandi dubbed 'Conqueror of Fear' and credited as being one of India's greatest Humanitarian, Anandwan provides training and education to every individual that walks through its doors. The centre gives back self-respect to even the most needy of people and enables them to build a sense of dignity, self worth and independence. Anandwan does not give handouts to those in need; Anandwan provides much needed work and living skills. The centre is a hub of activity; its residents engage in all manner of professions, including carpentry, farming, weaving and a myriad of tradtional Indian crafts. Anandwan also has its own 50-piece orchestra, dubbed the voice of Anandwan. Famous throughout India, the orchestra has played to many high profile international dignitaries. W.A.R will send a recording team out to Anandwan to record a number of tracks performed by the orchestra. An award-winning film director, his crew and two leading documentary photographers will travel with the W.A.R team to create a 1 hour documentary and photo-stories for global release across all major media channels.

W.A.R have approached a number of high profile DJ's to work on the project and have confirmed that DJ Pete Tong is amongst those onbaord. A well-known television and radio presenter has also been approached to travel to India with them to work on the project and act as narrator and presenter on the television docu-diary.

Worldwide Aid Recordings will be released to the International club circuit and the tracks will be distributed for sale across downloads, CD's and Vinyl. The releases will take the sounds and rythems of world music and mix them to produce dance tracks engaging a variety of contemporary musical influences. Having launched the project in India, Worldwide Aid Recordings will travel to other remote developing world destinations to build relationships with communities across Africa, South America, Asia Pacific and Australasia.

Unlike many aid projects, Worldwide Aid Recordings will provide a lasting legacy; sound & recording equipment will be given to the communities involved with the project, enabling them to continue to send recordings back to the UK to be remixed. Over time Worldwide Aid Recordings hope to build up a network of ethnic artists around the world and act as a melting pot for global talent.

Steve Brown, co-founder and director of Worldwide Aid Recordings

"Probably the best job I've ever had. We're a small setup and we out-source to amazing talent worldwide allowing us to enhance music by people not normally able to compete in the world market, which raises awareness of their plight and allows them to earn money to run their community or rebuild their infrastructure, rather than rely entirely on charity. The project also brings great music to our global village".

Melissa Sterry, co-founder and director of Worldwide Aid Recordings

'The project stems from our respect for musical talent. We are going to bring together exceptional talent from all over the world, regardless of race, creed or colour. By applying inspired and directional commercial strategy we hope to enable those who have literally nothing but talent to build themselves a sustainable living. This isn't charity; we are simply engaging developing world communities with the same level of respect and compassion that we show those from the developed world; this project brings those from remote poverty stricken areas to the global market place - it acknowledges talent as an international currency'


Count Lucian Tarnowski, Director of Take Heart India

'Take Heart declares W.A.R (Worldwide Aid Recordings) on the global music industry. With an army of student youth, Take Heart fights passionately and aggressively for peace and justice in the world. Our morale stems from the knowledge that we can help to enable other less fortunate communities to sustain themselves. Musical talent is a universal global phenomenon; W.A.R recruits those in the developing world to become soldiers in the war to Make poverty History'.


Babe Atme, Founder of Anandwan and world famous international humanitarian

'Work builds, charity destroys. Give them a chance not charity'.


Rachel Birchwood, IMD, Agent to Pete Tong, Jeff Mills, Danny Howells, Smokin' Jo, Paul Woolford, Max Graham, Danny Rampling, Sandy Rivera, MYNC Project, Demi and Steve Mac.

'I am delighted to support Worldwide Aid Recordings; the project is groundbreaking and inspired. Creatively W.A.R provides DJ's with a unique opportunity to get to the very source of a musical style; to travel to the heart of the culture from which the music is born. The fusion of old and new, tradtional and contemorary is a proven formula in today's music market. The appeal of this project is that it strips the components of dance music right down and enables DJ's the opportunity to remix an extensive fresh body of samples, whilst supporting a very worthy cause'.


For more information on Worldwide Aid Recordings contact:

Melissa Sterry
Societás
Tel: +44 (0) 870 910 4904
Email: press@societas.ltd.uk
Website: www.societas.ltd.uk

This release was published on openPR.