Help for Haiti - Benefit Concert in Peekskill

Online, January 25, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Yorktown residents Art and Nadeje Halperin are organizing a concert to benefit relief efforts in Haiti at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill on Sunday January 31, 2010 at 8 pm.

Art Halperin, an award-winning songwriter, singer, composer, producer and artist, has had a long connection with Haiti and the Caribbean for over 25 years. His wife, Nadeje, was born and raised in Port-au-Prince and came to the United States in 1978.

Due to their very personal connection to Haiti and that they still have many family members and friends there, the Halperins are utilizing their talents and resources to raise much-needed funds to help the devastated people of Haiti. All donations, which are tax-deductible, will go to the "Stand for Haiti" initiative of Partners in Health, a registered nonprofit organization that has since 1983 provided relief to Haiti through medicine and trained medical staff.

"We couldn't sit by while so many people are suffering," said Nadeje. "The heartbreaking scenes unfolding in front of us are made worse with the knowledge that their pain will continue for years to come."

The benefit concert will feature Halperin's band 'Work Of Art'. Playing their own uniquely styled music, they have successfully toured throughout the United States, Europe, South America, and the Caribbean, both headlining and opening for many acts such as Santana, Jerry Garcia, The Police, Eric Clapton and others.

Other performers scheduled to appear include Urban Folk and Jazz artist K.J. Denhert, Broadway stars Craig Schulman and Tamra Hayden, as well as interactive live painting by Artist Zaza Noah. Zaza Noah, who was born in Africa and currently lives on the Caribbean island of St. Barth, will be painting live to 'Work of Art's' music and her artwork will be auctioned off at the end of the show. Her works have been in exhibitions throughout Europe, the Caribbean and the United States. The evening will be hosted by 100.7 WHUD radio personality Andy Bale.

Partners in Health (PIH - www.pih.org), is a 501(c)(3) organization and is affiliated with Harvard Medical School, the Harvard School of Public Health, and the Brigham and Women's Hospital. Leveraging the resources of these world-renowned institutions, PIH brings modern medical science to areas of the world where it is needed most. Founded by Dr. Paul Farmer, Dr. Jim Yong Kim (current President of Dartmouth College) and others, PIH today has the strongest health presence in Haiti, where in 2009 it treated 2.6 million patients there with clinic visits, vaccinations, mobile health care and hospital services.

The concert is being produced in partnership with Work of Art, Sword in the Stone Records Inc., the Paramount Center for the Arts, 100.7 WHUD, Pamal Broadcasting and LF Communications, Inc., with generous support from Foley Graphics.

Tickets will be available at the door (cash and checks only) with a suggested minimum donation of $10; more gratefully accepted. No advance tickets will be available. Tickets purchased by check are tax deductible and should be made out to "Partners in Health" with "Stand for Haiti" marked on the memo line. The Paramount Center for the Arts is located at 1008 Brown Street in Peekskill, New York. For information, please visit www.paramountcenter.org or www.WOAHaitiBenefit.com.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

WORK of ART
Built around the award-winning song writing, singing, and inspired guitar playing of Art Halperin, New York's, 'WORK of ART' is an ever-changing band playing uniquely styled pop, reggae, good-feeling-music. Away from home, they've successfully toured throughout the US., Europe, South America, and the Caribbean, sharing the stage and opening up for acts such as Eric Clapton, Santana, Jerry Garcia, Third World, Jimmy Cliff, and The Police.
Art's abilities have taken him in many different directions. As a composer, songs he has written for other artists who have appeared on Billboard's R&B, Pop, and even Classical charts. Art has also written and recorded on many national and international albums, TV, and Radio commercials. Along with his band, he has been featured on screen in the John Sayles movie "Baby it's You."
The legendary producer and talent scout John Hammond Sr., (the man who discovered Dylan, Springsteen and Aretha Franklin among many others) signed Art as the first artist on Hammond/CBS Records. After Hammond passed away, rock history books have noted Art to be "John Hammond's last discovery". www.workofartmusic.com
KJ Denhert is a unique artist, singer, guitarist and songwriter who calls her music Urban Folk and Jazz. Her voice is powerful, her lyrics full of intelligent insight, and her musicianship is impeccable. Her eclectic yet unified performances reach out to many different types of audiences without compromising her music and beliefs. She is heard at her best on her most recent recording, Lucky 7 and is known to be especially good live. She performs the unusual feat of being both highly individual and quite accessible. www.kjdenhert.com

Craig Schulman is the only performer in the world to have performed three of the most extraordinary musical theatre characters ever written. He has appeared in the title roles of Jekyll & Hyde, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, and nearly 2,000 performances of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, on Broadway and around the world. He was chosen to represent the U.S. at the Les Miserables Tenth Anniversary Concert at Royal Albert Hall in October, 1995, which can often be seen on the PBS broadcast of the event. He has played Che in Evita; Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden at N.C.T. www.craigschulman.com

Tamra Hayden is a professional actress and singer/songwriter who has performed on Broadway in Les Miserables and Cabaret; and Off-Broadway in Jacques Brel. Hayden has also toured throughout the US in Broadway Tours of Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and Fiddler on the Roof. A versatile singer, Tamra has performed Broadway Pops with The Nashville Symphony, Palm Beach Pops, and Charlotte Symphony to name a few. www.tamrahayden.com

Zaza Noah was born in Africa and currently lives on the Caribbean island of St. Barth. Her works have been in exhibitions all over Europe, the Caribbean and the United States She will be painting live to 'Work of Art's' music and will auction off her painting at the end of this show. www.zazanoah.com