Two leading American jazz musicians - saxophonist Kenny Garrett and vocalist Lisa Henry - will perform in Mumbai and Kolkata as part of a tour being organised to heighten HIV/AIDS awareness.

The first concert will be at the Gateway of India in Mumbai on January 25, as part of the Mumbai Festival, and the second will be in Kolkata on January 27, a US Embassy release said here today.

The two artists will be joined by three student-musicians Ronald Brunner, Kristopher Funn and Carlos McKinney, from America's Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.

The jazz performers will also conduct master classes for musicians and visit NGOs fighting HIV/AIDS as part of their tour, which has been organised in India for the second year by the US State Department, Black Entertainment Television - Jazz (BET-Jazz) and MTV-India.

Proceeds from the Mumbai concert will be donated to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund towards relief and rehabilitation efforts in the earthquake-affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

Grammy nominee Garrett, described as "one of music's most dynamic and adventurous players," has performed with jazz legends such as Miles Davis and the Duke Ellington orchestra, while Henry is a former winner at the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition.

PTIx