Carmel's Rick Allen and Lauren Monroe are on tour to aid first responders.

When the project launched by Lauren Monroe and Rick Allen is compressed into a sentence, it seems rather simple, as if mental health issues suffered by those who put themselves on the line for others can be readily resolved.

As Monroe points out, “Most of us know that music heals.”

Of course, the fix is not an easy one. So the Carmel couple have been hosting events and hitting the road for years, raising funds to aid first responders and veterans who have experienced trauma through their nonprofit Raven Drum Foundation.

Fortunately, Monroe and Allen have friends they can draw upon. At a recent benefit in New York for the Friends of Firefighters, they were joined by the likes of Paul Shaffer, Peter Criss of Kiss, Bad Company’s Simon Kirke and others.

On May 4 they make a shorter journey to the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz, billed as an Evening of Insight, Music & Healing, with funds going toward Northern California first responder trauma recovery. They will be joined by the band Mokili Wa, as well as musicians Tammi Brown, Dylan Rose, Seve Uccello and Javier Torres.

The insight will be provided by Monroe, a musician and advocate of alternative medicines, and Bruce Lipton, author of The Biology of Belief.

“First responders are not getting the attention—there’s no break,” Monroe says, highlighting the importance of providing information and resources about mental health. “Everything we do has an educational component.”

The programs are unique, a slate of music, personal stories, mindfulness, art and information. For Allen, they are a departure from the Def Leppard drummer’s usual role of “Thunder God.”

“I’m there for a different reason,” he says. “It’s more introspective, if you know what I mean.”

Allen lost his left arm in a 1984 auto accident. He understands well both trauma and recovery. Resilience is a big part of Raven Drum Circle’s message.

The lineup of each program changes due to the availability of artists (Allen must take a break when touring with Def Leppard). But each show becomes a unique experience.

“The planning part of it can be difficult, but the actual events are rewarding,” Allen explains. “We go away feeling very connected to people.”

Monroe and Allen founded Raven Drum Circle in 2001. Their schedule has not slacked off.

“We’re excited about the upcoming events,” Monroe says. “We want to have everyone join us.”