BRATTLEBORO- The Vermont Jazz Center presents the “Hot Jazz for Warm Homes” winter benefit concert to assist struggling families and individuals with unmet fuel assistance needs throughout Windham County. Proceeds from the event will be donated to Southeastern Vermont Community Action and the Windham County Heatfund, both of which provide emergency fuel assistance to low-income households.

The featured artist will be the world-acclaimed acoustic Gonzalo Bergara Quartet. Argentinean Gonzalo Bergara is a guitar virtuoso who has forged his own style of progressive gypsy jazz. While heavily influenced by Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club of France, Bergara’s “blazing quartet” (JazzTimes) performs meticulous arrangements of standards from the gypsy jazz canon as well as clever, soaring, and inspiring originals.

The money raised from this event is especially critical this year, in light of funding cuts to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program at the federal level, in spite of the fact that the demand for fuel assistance has risen dramatically. Heating assistance cuts put children, the elderly, and people with disabilities and illness particularly at risk during the cold winter months.

The performance will take place on March 10, at 8 pm, at the Vermont Jazz Center, located at 72 Cotton Mill Hill. This loft-like space with high ceilings and an excellent sound system holds up to 170 attendees. The Vermont Jazz Center is a nonprofit jazz performance space and educational center, dedicated to creating and preserving jazz through the presentation of workshops, concerts, and instruction to a broad constituency of artists, students, and the general public. VJC is still seeking sponsorship for the benefit.

Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 for students with valid ID. To purchase using a credit card visit www.vtjazz.org and order using their secure server. Tickets can also be purchased at In the Moment in downtown Brattleboro, or can be reserved by calling the VJC ticket line at (802) 254-9088. A surcharge of $1 per ticket will be added to all tickets purchased with a credit card, online or by phone. This concert is handicap accessible; call to discuss arrangements. For additional information call Uman at (802) 254-9088 or email eugene@sover.net, www.sevca.org or www.gonzalobergara.com.