TONY BENNETT PAINTS THE 2010 NEW ORLEANS JAZZ &
HERITAGE FESTIVAL POSTER IMAGE FOR THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL

Bennett's Portrait of Louis Prima Honors The Centennial Anniversary of Prima's Birth

Bennett Limited-Edition Silk-Screen Poster Available at JazzFest from April 23-May 2
Pre-Orders Accepted On-Line Beginning February 3rd

™ & © 2010 N.O.J. & H. F. Inc.
Original Painting © 2010 Benedetto Arts, LLC.
Legendary performer and 15-time Grammy Winner Tony Bennett graced the stage at the New Orleans Jazz Festival in 2009 to the delight of fans that attended that exhilarating performance. . This year, the singer, who paints under his family name Benedetto, will participate as the official visual artist of the Festival by painting the image to be displayed on the Festival's annual poster. Bennett's portrait of his friend and colleague, the late Louis Prima will be reproduced as the 2010 New Orleans Jazz Festival poster in honor of the centennial anniversary of Prima's birth, a New Orleans native, which is celebrated in December of this year.

Bennett, who is an accomplished visual artist with three of his original paintings included in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution, commented, "Louis Prima was an absolute original and I was thrilled to be asked by the Jazz Festival to paint his portrait for this year's poster art — he was an exceptional performer and a dear friend and he embodied the buoyant spirit of New Orleans."

Quint Davis, producer and director of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest said, "Tony's musical performance at the 2009 Jazz Fest was a highlight for everyone who attended last year and to be able to present his portrait of Louis Prima on this year's Festival poster is a tremendous follow up that unifies all that's great about the Festival."

Bennett's silk-screened poster is the first edition in a new generation of poster series for the Jazz Festival, "Performance Art: The Musical Artist As Visual Artist." which will showcase the visual artistry of musical performers. Bennett's poster, titled "The Chief of New Orleans: A Portrait of Louis Prima" will be available in four numbered editions: 12,500 unsigned posters on archival vellum paper, 23" x 35" ($69); 2,000 artist-signed prints on museum-standard 100% cotton rag paper, 24" x 37" ($295); 500 artist-signed remarques bearing a hand drawing by the artist and the estate-stamped signature of Louis Prima, 25"x 39" ($795); and, 300 C-marques (over-painted canvases) 26" x 40" ($995). The Bennett editions will be available for pre-orders on the website www.art4now.com and on site at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival which begins April 23 and runs through May 2. Further information is available by calling toll-free 1-888-art-4-now (278-4669) or 504-733-3332.


TONY BENNETT'S PAINTING OF DUKE ELLINGTON HAS BEEN ACCEPTED
INTO SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Acquisition of Bennett's Ellington Portrait Is the Third Painting
of Bennett's To Be Part Of A Smithsonian Collection

Tony Bennett has donated one of his original paintings to the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery's which has been accepted to their collection. Bennett's watercolor painting of Duke Ellington titled "God Is Love" marks his third painting that has been included in Smithsonian collections. In 2006, Bennett's oil painting of Central Park was accepted into the Smithsonian American Art Museum's permanent collection and in 2002, his portrait of Ella Fitzgerald was acquired by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. The 15-time Grammy Award winning singer has an established reputation as an accomplished visual artist who been painting all his life.

Both natives of Queens, N.Y., Bennett and Ellington had a longtime friendship and Bennett performed with Ellington on several occasions and recorded a tribute CD to him, BENNETT SINGS ELLINGTON: HOT AND COOL, released in 1999. Bennett's painting of Ellington, "God Is Love." depicts Ellington with a bouquet of pink roses in the background. Bennett chose this motif to commemorate Duke's habit of sending the singer a dozen pink roses when he wrote a new song. The painting will be presented in a special ceremony in April 2009 at the National Portrait Gallery, which will mark the 110th anniversary of the composer's birth.


Bloomingdale's Sings "Oh What Fun" This Holiday Season
Tony Bennett Headlines the Celebration with Holiday CD Exclusive

On November 20, Grammy award winning artist Tony Bennett will unveil Bloomingdale's holiday windows on Lexington Avenue. He will perform a selection of holiday classics, as featured on his new album, TONY BENNETT: A SWINGIN' CHRISTMAS Featuring the Count Basie Big Band. The performance choir from the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, the NYC public arts high school that Tony founded with his wife Susan, will perform some holiday favorites prior to Tony Bennett taking the stage.

Bennett, a gifted visual artist, created an original watercolor of the famed Lexington Avenue Bloomingdale's marquee whose image will be reproduced on the store's holiday shopping bag and a special electronic gift card. Each Tony Bennett-designed gift card will feature a code that gives recipients access to download an exclusive "Jingle Bells" track - which he recorded just for Bloomingdale's - via iTunes. Bloomingdale's will also carry a special version of his album's CD in stores and online, featuring the special "Jingle Bells" track.


TONY BENNETT TO HAVE EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS
AT ECKERT FINE ART FROM MARCH 19-APRIL 2 2008

Benedetto Arts is pleased to announce that Tony Bennett will have a one man show of his artwork at Eckert Fine Art in Bonita Springs, FL from March 19- April 2 and will be attending the opening of an exhibition at the Gallery on Tuesday, March 25th from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. The exhibition will include 40 original Benedettos, including watercolors, oils and sketches as well as the artist's limited edition fine art prints. Eckert Fine Art will also have copies of Tony's most recent book of his paintings, "TONY BENNETT IN THE STUDIO: A LIFE OF ART AND MUSIC" available for purchase. Additionally, Tony Bennett is appearing in concert in the area on March 24th, with a performance at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts in Naples, Fl.

The exhibition opening gala will benefit Exploring the Arts, (ETA) a registered New York 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded by Tony Bennett and Susan Bennett, which supports and funds arts education in the public schools. ETA's and Tony Bennett's foremost accomplishment to date has been the founding of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts (FSSA) in Bennett's hometown of Astoria, Queens. A public arts high school, FSSA is currently in a temporary site. Exploring the Arts, Inc, is currently raising funds to create what will become one of the finest public arts high school facilities in the United States. To support ETA's efforts, there will be a $75.00 per person tax-deductible donation to attend the private artist reception. Eckert Fine Art will also donate a percentage of the evening's sales to Exploring the Arts, Inc. For more information, please visit www.exploringthearts.org.

Eckert Fine Arts is located at The Promenade at Bonita Bay, 26811 South Bay Drive, Suite #132, Bonita Springs, FL 34134. For more information, please call 239-949-1125 or visit www.eckertfineart.com.

SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM ACQUIRES TONY BENNETT'S OIL PAINTING OF CENTRAL PARK

Bennett's Painting Becomes Part of the Museum's Permanent Collection

Singer Tony Bennett, who is also a dedicated visual artist, will have his original oil painting, entitled "CENTRAL PARK" become part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC. This announcement is made days before Bennett receives another accolade from a prestigious DC institution, when he becomes a Kennedy Center Honoree on Sunday, Dec 4. "It feels like Christmas has come a few weeks early for me -- to have my painting become part of this magnificent museum's collection at the same time I am being honored by the Kennedy Center. It truly is overwhelming and I am thrilled to be acknowledged by both institutions," commented Tony Bennett., who will celebrate his 80th birthday next August.

Bennett's passion for art began as a child, drawing chalk pictures on the sidewalks of his hometown in Astoria, Queens. He paints every day, regardless of the demands of his career as a legendary performer, and has exhibited his works in galleries and museums around the world. He recently lectured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The painting acquired by the museum, "CENTRAL PARK," was painted in oil and depicts the view of the park from Bennett's home in Manhattan. "CENTRAL PARK" is a 36 x 60" canvas and it was completed in 1998.

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TONY'S ARTWORK RAISES FUNDS FOR CHARITIES

Tony Bennett, renowned for lending his musical talents for humanitarian and charitable efforts over the decades, recently contributed his paintings to two essential fundraising efforts. His painting of the American Flag was auctioned off by none other than former President Bill Clinton during the recent Global Initiative Conference held in New York City. Acting as the auctioneer, President Clinton confirmed the final bid at $150,000 all of which went to the Bush-Clinton Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund. A watercolor still life painting of Tony's was also auctioned off in Los Angeles at United Nations "Adopt-A-Minefield" benefit gala hosted by Sir Paul McCartney and Heather McCartney. With Jay Leno as the auctioneer, Tony's painting sold at auction for $65,000 with the full sale amount going to the UN's efforts to reduce deadly landmines around the globe.