WesFest 6

An all-star band will perform at WesFest 6, a concert to benefit the Wes Wehmiller Scholarship at Berklee. The event continues the tradition of paying tribute to Berklee alumnus Wes Wehmiller.

This year's headliner, PSP, is an extraordinarily gifted trio of musicians—drummer Simon Phillips, keyboardist and alumnus Philippe Saisse '78, and bassist Pino Palladino—who have collectively performed with the crème de la crème of contemporary pop music over the past several decades, including the Rolling Stones, the Who, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Toto, David Bowie, John Mayer, Chaka Khan, and Paul Simon. They first joined forces onstage for a series of dates at Billboard Live in Japan, the results of which are featured on their 2009 debut album. While they all have continuing careers as first-call session players and recording/touring artists, the internationally rooted ensemble is intent on making PSP stick, "We realized after our live gigs together, that what we're doing musically feels pretty special," said Palladino, "so we're committed and excited about seeing how far we can take it."

The scholarship fund honors Wes Wehmiller (1971–2005), a Berklee graduate ('92) and highly accomplished bassist, athlete, and photographer who died of thyroid cancer in January 2005. Established by his family and friends, the Wes Wehmiller Endowed Scholarship is awarded annually to a continuing student at Berklee who best exemplifies the excellence and grace Wehmiller showed as a bassist and as a human being. The WesFest concert series has raised more than $70,000 for the fund to date, and this sixth annual concert is the centerpiece of an annual fundraising drive for the scholarship.

WesFest 6 advance tickets are available through February 25 for $35 per pair of tickets or $20 a ticket. Tickets are $30 each at the door. Ticket orders and donations will be accepted via check or credit card. Complete ordering instructions and procedures can be found online at bit.ly/wesfest6.