Sat. Jan. 19

    While many claim that people need food, clothing and shelter to sustain them, those in the know add one more element- Music.For millions of people and even entire cultures, music is as sustaining as any other nourishment (and far less fattening). It makes perfect sense, then, to combine great food and great music.

     In this vein, singer/songwriter Ben Rudnick has joined forces with super-chef Michael Schlow to present a family friendly concert series at Tico in Boston’s Back Bay, starting Sat. Jan. 19 that will not only satisfy those who are fortunate enough to attend, but also many others. For in addition to joining forces with Schlow, Rudnick has also partnered with Catching Joy, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting volunteerism and other community-minded efforts for families and especially for children.

      Together, Rudnick and Catching Joy Founder Joy Surprenant have founded Ben Rudnick & Friends Family Works. According to Rudnick, the idea behind this joy-ful new joint venture is “to create events that provide an opportunity for families to help specific charitable organizations in the Boston area.” Among the recent beneficiaries are the pro-literacy organization Reach Out and Read, the homeless children support group Cradles to Crayons, the Massachusetts National Guard, and The Women's Locker Room Foundation , another not-for-profit whose mission is to supply homeless and newly-housed women of Massachusetts with personal hygiene products. For the Tico’s show, parents are asked to donate items and children are invited to design cards to go along with them to give the women messages of hope and love.

     “I got the idea for the whole Family Works thing by reading a book called Everything I Know About Business I Learned From the Grateful Dead,” explains the often tie-dye clad Rudnick, noting hoe the famous community-minded band often gave money to organizations in their native San Francisco and elsewhere on their legendary tours. “Having the band have a ‘help out’ component has been on my mind almost since we started.”

      While Rudnick hopes to become known for his community efforts, most people know him best for his music, including those on his latest CD, “Love is the Superpower.” It is these songs, which are also full of hope and joy, that bring parents and children and music lovers of all ages to Rudnick’s shows and that will surely flock to Tico for this special Family Works event.

      “We will play the usual rambling set of BR&F tunes and cover tunes,” Rudnick pledges. “We take requests sometimes even if we don't quite know them. It's fairly comfortable and informal.  It's fun!”

      As for how Rudnick decided to host the show (which is part of a new family music series) at Tico, he explains that Thomas Holland, a partner at TICO, reached out to him expressing interest in just such a series. As Holland was a fellow music fan (and, in particular, a fellow “Dead Head”) and as he was also a father of two young boys who was looking for quality music that did not involve purple dinosaurs or grown men in colorful bodysuits, the two knew they were on to something. And when Rudnick discovered that Holland knew Suprenant, it was a lock!

     “After we talked and decided it was a good idea to give the series a shot,” Rudnick recalls, “I mentioned…the new initiative…Family Works….Thomas thought this was a great idea as there were many young families involved in the TICO scene with a great interest in helping the local community and looking for an outlet.”

      So if you want to see what happens when a Parents’ Choice Award-winner combines forces with one of Esquire magazine’s best new restaurants (and one of Boston’s most legendary chef/owners) and a community-minded organization combine forces, come by Tico's Saturday.

     “TICO's food is awesome,” Rudnick says, “and the coffee is the best of anyplace we play. “Giving, helping and doing what you can for those who need it is a good thing,” Rudnick asserts. “There is really no excuse not to.”

- Matt Robinson

 222 Berkleley St. Boston, 617-351-0400    www.benrudnick.com www.catchingjoy.org