In 2004, producer Mark Johnson began an ambitious project to travel the world and pluck musicians from obscurity, scouting talent in the street corners of Venezuela and New Orleans and the villages of Ghana and Zimbabwe. His goal, apparently, was to bring these artists together to create an album schmaltzy even by the standards of charity albums. It’s impossible to fault the guy’s good intentions, but on this year’s Playing for Change: Songs Around the World, Johnson has his world ambassadors sing some of the most exhausted, feel-good pop songs possible, including “Stand By Me,” “A Change is Gonna” and “One Love.” Why go to such lengths to recruit undiscovered talent from the most exotic places on the planet, only to have them recycle songs that Americans hear every other commercial break? Hopefully these musicians will get to play some of their native music tonight, but realistically the evening will be dominated by covers of U2, Tracy Chapman and the like.
Playing for Change
Tonight @ The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m.