Following a Los Angeles concert for injured violinist Petra Haden, Sean Lennon and Cibo Matto are slated to play a New York benefit January 21st at the Bowery Ballroom to add to the effort to defray Haden's medical costs. While the L.A. concert -- which featured a makeshift combo of the Go-Go's, Beck, Matthew Sweet and Tenacious D 's Jack Black and raised over $15,000 -- was an all-day event, the Bowery Ballroom show is expected to be a more low-key affair, with possible surprise guests.

Hit by a car while she was crossing a street in Venice, California in late August, Haden suffered multiple injuries and fractures, including a cracked pelvis, broken legs and rib and head trauma. Her ten-day hospital stay cost upwards of $100,000 -- not to mention various procedures and rehabilitation, which sent the bill up even higher. Making matters worse, Haden has no medical insurance.

The daughter of noted jazz bassist Charlie Haden, Petra's name may not be as recognizable as her work; she's made the rounds on the L.A. scene as a former member of That Dog and the Rentals and a regular session musician who's played violin and harmonized with Green Day, Bette Midler , Victoria Williams, Mike Watt and Ben Lee , among others.

"I first met Petra through Ben Lee," Lennon recalls. "I had heard her solo album Imaginaryland, and I thought, 'What is this music? It's incredible!' I begged Ben to give me her number so I could call her and say, 'I'm your biggest fan, and I wish I could meet you one day.' We've been friends ever since, and we've recorded a lot together. She's just one of those magically gifted people, especially when it comes to singing. I don't mean to bubble too much, but her record is just kind of magical. It's something that she can do that no one else on the planet can do."

Though Lennon remains mum whether Haden will come out to join him on stage, he says he does plan to play both as a solo artist and later on as a sideman in Cibo Matto. "It does and it doesn't make sense," he says. "We're all close friends and we all play each other's songs, so we're one big family. But I'm going to be doing this singer/songwriterly song and voice stuff, and then the band will break out with funk and hip-hop. It's kinda schizophrenic, but it's fun."

JENNIFER VINEYARD
(January 20, 2001)