Hot Tunes for Hard Times Benefit on August 23 to Aid Landis Arboretum

ESPERANCE, NY (07/14/2009)(readMedia)-- Beyond the pursuit of principled goals and community enrichment, many non-profit entities are gasping for air in today's oxygen-depleting economy. Business as usual and Kumbaya over afternoon tea have long given way to frenetic and creative fundraising -- especially as traditional sources of financial support have ebbed in a seachange of economic upheaval. The 1966 Broadway hit Cabaret offers a tune and a reality check that is as apt today as it was in the past, Money Makes the World Go Round. *

Enter Walter Wouk and Finnegan's Wake Music (http://finneganswakemusic.org), a not-for-profit organization that promotes local bands and musicians. Alarmed by news reports of on-going and pending cutbacks at the Landis Arboretum, the Summit, NY resident and long-time independent music promoter approached the Arboretum with an idea. Quietly and behind the scenes, Wouk, long a presence in upstate New York's music scene since his successful summer concert series at Summit Lake, worked with the Arboretum to produce the upcoming Hot Tunes for Hard Times, which he believes will be the start of regularly scheduled, fundraising concerts at Landis.

Slated for Sunday, August 23, the afternoon concert will feature performances by nine regional bands and soloists - all who have donated their time and talent to benefit the Landis Arboretum. For a suggested donation of $10/person, visitors can stretch out on the lawn at Landis with its sweeping vista of the Schoharie Valley, or sit in the meetinghouse, relax, and enjoy the music at the 548-acre Arboretum.

Mr. Wouk, too, is donating his time for the love of music and the Arboretum. He considers the Landis Arboretum "a green resource that must be maintained." Mr. Wouk, who moved to Schoharie County in 1982, was quick to realize the area's wealth of local musical talent and drew upon local musicians to raise funds for Project Children (http://www.projectchildren.org/), an organization that provided summer vacations in the U.S. to children from then war-torn Northern Ireland. He has been involved in promoting local bands and musicians since that time. Recent efforts include a three-and-a- half year stint hosting underground music shows at the Lake View House in Summit, NY. After the Lake View House closed in 2007, Wouk became director of Finnegan's Wake Music and continues to support local music byseeking out venues for local bands and musicians.

Hot Tunes for Hard Times could not be better timed, says Barbara Brabetz, chief financial officer of the non-profit Landis: "This past year, global economic issues, coupled with the proposed New York State budget cuts. have created a "perfect storm" of financial challenges for our Arboretum, and potentially endangering our noteworthy Collections. "Above and beyond the obligations of the day-to-day costs of operating the Arboretum, we continue to face the looming and very real threat of massive cuts from traditional funding sources. "Through judicious use of our limited resources and stringent belt tightening over the past year, we managed to enter 2009 with a positive balance sheet. Generosity from supporters such as Walter Wouk and the artists who will perform at the Arboretum on August 23 are a new -- and welcomed -- source of funding and rekindling of member involvement and support."

Hot Tunes from Cool Bands

Mr Wouk's familiarity with the music scene and the respect he elicits from area performance artists made it easy for him to assemble a lineup of performers ready share their talents to showcase and aid the Landis Arboretum. Among the talented performers and groups who will create Hot Tunes for Hard Times are:

• The Blank - Math Rock without all the Math, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Math_rock;
• Loathsome Ritual - experimental heavy metal;
• Bearfoot Bob - acoustic folk rock;
• Mark Baptiste - acoustic and electric guitar. Sings a mix of folk and traditional American tunes; http://home.rr.com/markbaptiste
• Wild Mountain - Celtic and traditional folk;
• Organized Chaos - Home-grown folk rock; maintains the spirit of the Grateful Dead;
• Owen Nied - 11-year-old blues guitarist;
• Rodney Louis Baker - original R&B, Pop and Soul ;
• Pat Paterson - Acoustic originals from a local singer songwriter.

Rain or Shine, Hot Tunes for Hard Times starts at 2 PM on August 23 at the Arboretum Meetinghouse. Participants are encouraged to bring their own picnic basket. Soft drinks and water will be available for sale.

"We're excited about this event," says Arboretum President Anne Donnelly. "Walter envisions this play date as an attempt to enable Arboretum supporters to help out at the grassroots level, to buy-in to its future during these very difficult times for them and for us for as little as $10 - and to have fun doing it. Like all events at the Arboretum, this will have a family focus - from musical phenom Owen Nied to the presence of the bands and their own families and friends."

A mark, a yen, a buck, or a pound Is all that makes the world go around,That clinking clanking sound Can make the world go 'round.* -- -- especially when joined with the sounds of music on August 23 at Landis, the Capital Region's Arboretum.

Year-round Multi-faceted Jewel

The Landis Arboretum is a multifaceted natural jewel. It now encompasses 548 acres of trees, shrubs, old growth forest and, of course, breath-taking vistas and memorable gardens. Long a destination of choice among Capital District gardeners, environmentalists, nature lovers, hikers, bikers, and birders, the Landis Arboretum may be one of the best-kept secrets of the northern Catskills.The Arboretum is central to the New York State Wine and Spa Trails and in close proximity to historic Sharon Springs. And, it is a natural stop for those traveling to the high-volume tourist attractions between the Albany, Cooperstown, and Finger Lakes Regions.The Landis Arboretum is located 1.5 miles off scenic-designated Route 20 in historic Esperance, NY, a beautiful and easy drive from throughout the Capital Region. The grounds of Landis are open daily, year-round, from dawn until dusk. www.landisarboretum.org, info@landisarboretum.org, 518-875-6935.

Editors, Please Note: To interview Walter Wouk or any of the participating performers, contact Mr. Wouk at (518) 287-1129; walter.wouk@gmail.com

For more information about Hot Tunes for Hard Times, contact the Arboretum at 518-875-6935.

*Repurposed lyrics from Money Makes the World Go Round, from Cabaret, 1972; Original songwriters: John Kander, Fred Ebb