The San Francisco Chapter of the Links—one of the city's oldest and pre-eminient organizations with over six decades of service to the community—held a wonderful benefit concert at the luminous SFJAZZ Center, where the artistry of jazz blended with healing rhythms to create an intergenerational experience that touched the heart, soul, and spirit.

The special event marked the third event collaboration between SFLINKS and SFJAZZ, with this year's stellar entertainment provided by resident artistic director Jason Moran (a MacArthur Fellow who also serves as the Kennedy Center's Artistic Advisor for Jazz) and fellow legendary musicians Randy Weston and Billy Harper. With "Health and Wellness" a trending conversation these days, the trio delivered a prescription of soul-nourishing jazz infusion that boosted the audience's wellness quotient!

In addition, a lovely awards ceremony was held during the event, honoring distinguished community leaders. Award recipients included June R. Wallace, who received the Western Area Meritorious Award; as well as Pat Coleman of the Arthur H. Coleman Community Health Foundation, and Dr. Gina Gregory Burns (Chief of Diversity, Kaiser Permanente) who each received SFLinks Connect Community Service Awards. Each honoree received beautiful pieces courtesy of new event partner Gallery of Jewels and designers Shaya Durbin, Carmen Hinckle, and Rebecca Overmann.

New partners this year also included local purveyors Anchor Distilling, who provided specialty cocktails made with Hophead Vodka and The King's Ginger Liqueur—try the recipes below at home! The generosity of all of the event supporters enabled SFLINKS to provide 100 complimentary seats to the signature event.

Event partner StoryCorps—a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to preserve the stories of their lives—was also onsite to record the influence and impact of Jazz in the lives of San Franciscans. Together with StoryCorps, SF Links will celebrate these interviews and their archiving at the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress with a special Community Listening Reception in 2014.

About SFLINKS:
For over six decades, the nonprofit service organization has committed to improving and enhancing the quality of life of the community by awarding scholarships to deserving youth. This year’s fundraiser continued the SFLINKS tradition of promoting Jazz as an American art form while furthering jazz music as a healing force and experience for wellness—a holistic way to communicate and relate with one another—and provided a unique opportunity for families, friends and community.
Check out a special commemorative video for SFLINKS@SFJAZZ here!

Photos: Vaughn Filmore, Idris Hassan, Edward Jefferson

Event partner Anchor Distilling created the following recipes especially for the event—try them at home!

Links Blush Punch
1.5 oz Hophead Vodka, .75 oz lemon juice, .5 oz Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, .5 oz grapefruit juice, and .25 simple syrup

Links Ginger Royal
1.5 oz The Kings Ginger liqueur, .5 oz lemon juice, 4 oz of sparkling wine