Contact: Marianne Jaycox
646.678.7490 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Musicians Mobilize to Beat Economic Challenges Facing a NYC Master-Craftsman Concert for Hayko Fine Rugs and Tapestries to Benefit Unlikely and Beloved Showcase Venue for Roomful of Sky's Top Talent NEW YORK, New York - June (date sent), 2009
- On Saturday, June 13, 7-10PM, some of the city's top musicians from
the Roomful of Sky Records family will gather at the Meta Center at 214
West 29th Street on the 16th floor to support
their unlikely and beloved Upper East Side performance venue, Hayko
Fine Rugs and Tapestries. Nine acts will play a full night of "living
room style" music to raise awareness and funds to support their friend
Hayko Oltaci, one of the world's leading authorities on oriental rugs,
and ensure the continued prosperity of his business - a carpet
restoration, repair and retail shop. Ticket sale proceeds ($15 in
advance/$20 at the door - $5 less with student I.D.) and a referral
incentive (5% commission for anyone referring a sale) will help Hayko
address possible challenging times ahead, as his friends help him
prepare to rise above the city's economic downturn and avoid the
financial plight plaguing increasing numbers of small business-owners. When
Phil and the Roomful of Sky family considered the city's economic
situation and the possible effects on Hayko's operations, they decided
to organize to ensure that Hayko's craftsmanship and his arts patronage
would continue to thrive despite potential imminent challenges, and the
idea for the "Save Hayko's" benefit concert was born. Performers
will include accomplished folk/pop singer-songwriter of San Francisco
fame, Noe Venable; alternative soul musician Bobby Kane, the
male/female duo Kitch, Rich Casella of "guitar wizard" notoriety,
bluesy multi-instrumentalist Jason Vitelli; Jessica Lee, edgy vocalist
with 5-piece pop band; 5-piece southern blues band Katie Letts, Korean
pop star JJ Bang, and Roomful of Sky president and Springsteenesque
singer-songwriter Phil Robinson.
In keeping with the ambiance of Hayko's shop, Jodi Serota, president of
the Meta Center and the Roomful of Sky team have decided to decorate
the Meta Center as a Turkish style salon, replete with candles, antique
draperies and oriental rugs, as a backdrop for the event performances.
All attendees will be automatically entered into a raffle to win an
authentic antique Turkish carpet valued at $1,000. Hayko
Fine Rugs and Tapestries, unbeknownst to many urbanites, is transformed
in the evenings into one of the city's most unique performance spaces
for intimate creative collaboration. Hayko, a Turkish-born Armenian
old-world artisan with a special gift for carpet restoration and
repair, opened up his space to Roomful of Sky Records president Phil
Robinson and his colleagues, for intimate shows and gatherings, after
they met at one of Phil's salon-like Culture Circle events three years
ago. Hayko, who had evidenced both talent and passion for art and
music himself as a youth, recognized an opportunity to support the arts
by inviting Phil and his creative community to gather at his store in
the evenings, rather than in the rented spaces they were accustomed to
using. Delighted to provide a unique venue for the city's burgeoning
creative talent to socialize and perform with and for one another,
Hayko explains, "the experience of people making music among the
oriental rugs and lamps gives a beautiful feeling. I love music; it
gives me courage and energy, and I use it to pray." "I am thankful to
have such people in my life," Hayko states. "When I came to New York,
I did not know the language and had no family here. Then I met Phil
and his friends. I knew I wanted to help them, and I knew maybe someday
they would help me too. That time is now, and I am grateful. Says
Phil, "Playing at Hayko's allows established and new talent to come
together in a supportive and uniquely intimate environment. We want to
show Hayko how much his friendship means to us." To RSVP and for more information visit: haykos@roomfulofsky.com or call 917-583-0523. Hayko Fine Rugs and Tapestries
is owned and operated by Hayko Oltaci,. With more than 30 years
experience gained in the leading ateliers of Istanbul, Strasbourg,
Paris and New York, Hayko is an international expert in fine oriental
rugs and tapestries in the world. His workshop and sales showroom at
857 Lexington Avenue in New York City contains some of the finest
examples of the ancient art of weaving, in all price ranges from museum
quality pieces to one-of-a-kind rugs for as little as a few hundred
dollars. Hayko also offers rug-weaving classes. For more information, visit www.hayko.com/index.html. Roomful of Sky
is an umbrella organization for two thriving companies which combine
art and commerce by taking a grass-roots and do-it-yourself approach to
business: Roomful of Sky Records, an indie music label and Roomful of
Sky Events, a New York-based entity facilitating community
collaboration. For more information, visit www.roomfulofsky.com. ###
