Todd Mack celebrates the music and message of journalist Daniel Pearl

When Daniel Pearl was killed by militants in Karachi in 2002, his musician friends were as shocked as the rest of the world. Now the Atlanta nonprofit Music in Common is spreading his message internationally.

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For journalist Daniel Pearl, his violin was almost as essential as his notepad. 

In troubled hot spots around the world, he would whip out his instrument and instigate impromptu jam sessions with strangers, who quickly became friends — and sources. Music proved a universal language that transcended cultural boundaries and helped him land scoops.

During the ’90s, The Wall Street Journal stationed Pearl in Atlanta, where the classically trained virtuoso, known for his warm smile, became a popular figure in the live music scene, playing with several bands including the Cosmic Gypsies. 

“I always looked forward to seeing Danny come through the door,” says Sylvia Cross, who owned the Atomic Café, where the band had a standing gig. “Danny was just magical, mesmerizing in the way he played, the effect he had on people. You could look around at the crowd and suddenly see so much hope in the eyes of people from different backgrounds. He had a special knack for connectivity, for inspiring people to reach out to each other. People who came to his shows as strangers left as friends. Then he’d grin just like a Cheshire cat.” 

Later on, after 9/11, Pearl covered the War on Terror. In 2002, he was kidnapped by Islamist militants while he was on the way to what he expected would be an interview with a Pakistani religious cleric in Karachi. His captors released a video in which he is recorded under duress condemning American foreign policy and stating matter-of-factly that he and his family are Jewish. He bravely evinced no fear. Then, in a move that shocked the world, they slit his throat and decapitated him on camera.

Atlanta’s music community was devastated. His bandmate Todd Mack recalls getting the phone call. “It was a cold, dark, bitter day when I found out about Danny. There had been previous reports of his death that had turned out to be false, but this time, it was conclusive. It was gut-wrenching.”

How would Pearl want to be remembered? “I decided he would want us to tap into the power of music to prevent hate,” says Mack, who in 2005 founded Music In Common, or MIC, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that travels the world on a mission of fostering tuneful unity. 

MIC has just kicked off a month-long, nationwide tour to commemorate the 20th Annual FODfest — “Friends of Danny Festival” — the organization’s flagship concert event. More than 100 musicians will perform at one or more of the 12-city stops, from coast to coast, happening from October 5 through October 28. The extravaganza comes to Lilburn on October 19 at Music on Main Street. 

Michael Gill will lead an “all-star FODband.” The Georgia lineup also features the Mosier Brothers; Luke Simmons & the Love Struck; SONiA of Disappear Fear; and several other acts. Moreover, in the open spirit of FODfest jam sessions, organizers invite other musicians interested in performing to fill out a form on the MIC website and promise to accommodate as many requests as possible. Tickets are free. 

“I’m doing this because of Danny’s heart,” says banjo maestro Jeff Mosier, noting that Pearl had sat in with his group, Blueground Undergrass. “This is a meaningful way to honor his legacy, with music, which is a beautiful healing force in the universe. Full-service group therapy — that’s what Music In Common offers.”

Audience responses to the concerts vary. “In some cases, where the format is more like a minifestival, the music tends to be conducive to dancing,” Mack says. “In others, it is more of a listening-room vibe. The Atlanta show will feature a good dose of both.”

The Music in Common team quizzes the crowd afterward. “The stat we lean into most to demonstrate the impact of our work is culled from exit surveys,” Mack says. “Ninety percent of MIC participants report new learning about different faiths and cultures and resolve to reject stereotyping.” 

Explaining how his concert series works, Mack says, “We start by doing broad outreach in each city the tour hits via email blasts, social media posts and press releases instructing any musicians interested in performing at FODfest to complete a brief form on our website where we can learn more about what they do musically.”
 

In each setting, the organization strives for a diverse lineup that reflects the character of the community.  “Sometimes that takes a little more curating than others,” Mack says. “For example, a market like Atlanta has an abundance of musical and demographic diversity. In other markets, such as the Berkshires in New England, the music scene is much smaller and the demographics of the region are much more homogenous and predominantly White. We go out of our way to meet folks where they are to ensure we are being as absolutely inclusive as possible.”

MIC programs have reached more than 10,000 people in more than 400 communities worldwide, bringing together Christians, Jews and Muslims; liberals and conservatives; Israelis and Palestinians; and Black and White Americans.

“I believe all of this would make Danny smile,” Cross says.

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Candice Dyer’s work has appeared in magazines such as Atlanta, Garden & Gun, Men’s Journal and Country Living. She is the author of Street Singers, Soul Shakers, Rebels with a Cause: Music from Macon.