Singing and dancing to the music of the 1920s, and early 1930s

Great entertainment for Weddings, Birthdays, Engagement Parties, Theme Nights, Casinos, Corporate and Private Events.

The vintage music scene is a very special entertainment niche that has been sweeping the nation and the world. More and more people are falling in love with the music of the first 30 years of the 20th century, and have embraced the songs in a big way! Now YOU can have this theme at your next event. Imagine you and your clients and guests entering the era of flappers and jazz babies, set to the music of the prohibition era. You can dance the night away to the sounds of the '20s, courtesy of vintage vocalist Richard Halpern and his musicians.

Richard Halpern carries the audience back to genteel times with his stellar show of pop tunes from the era of Tin Pan Alley. Imparting the essence of a wild and witty generation, the charming Jazz Singer takes you on a journey beginning in the 1910s, moves right on through the 1920s and finishes up somewhere in the early 1930s. With influences such as Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Fanny Brice, and Sophie Tucker, Halpern’s show isn’t confined by nostalgia, rather it etches a new journey to the future.

Members of Halpern’s varied audience have included such luminaries as Margaret O’Brien, Joan Collins, Joanna Carson, Ted Mann, Rhonda Fleming and Milton Berle. Halpern is also a favorite on the private party circuit, having entertained at functions thrown by Aaron Spelling, Nolan Miller, and other industry notables.

Successful on both coasts, Richard appears regularly at downtown Los Angeles' popular restaurant/nightspot, Cicada, and has entertained at such Southern California venues as the RMS Queen Mary, the Cinegrill, The Derby, the exclusive Jonathan Club, the Sweet and Hot Music Festival, and the famed Los Angeles Orpheum Theatre. New York City audiences have enjoyed Halpern at Lincoln Center and at such cabarets as Don’t Tell Mama and The Red Blazer, plus he has toured in Florida with Ann Blyth and Bill Hayes.

Book your next special event with the premier vocalist of this very special musical genre. Richard Halpern's Jazz-Age Speakeasy Show.

Suggested Shows
Richard can appear as a single with background tracks, or as a duo with an accompanist on piano, or with up to 20 musicians, fronting a large orchestra. Show lengths can vary from just a few numbers, to a full evening's entertainment.:

OPTION 1: Richard Halpern with background tracks: Richard can provide up to a 45 minute show comprised of several Al Jolson numbers and a few other popular standards of the era.

OPTION 2: Richard Halpern with piano accompanist: Richard and his musical director can provide up to a 60 minute show comprised of several standards and novelty numbers from the era, and can take requests from the audience. (The presentation can also be broken up into separate musical sets, if requested.)

OPTION 3: Richard Halpern with live orchestra: A trio, quartet, quintet or more musicians can back Richard musically, using authentic vintage-era orchestrations. This option is best for your dining and dancing events, where a dance floor can be utilized, and orchestra instrumentals can be included with Richards vocal numbers. (A professional dance team can be brought in to instruct your guests in the popular dance steps of the era, so that everyone can make the most of the musical fun!)
Musical sets can be of various lengths, depending on the individual requests of the client.

What people are saying

“Halpern carries the listener back on his coat-tails to the talent-filled coziness of the speakeasy…One of the best acts in town”
-- Los Angeles Reader (Critic’s Choice)

“Halpern vamps it up…his boyish charm a counterpoint to the risqué humor of the songs.”
-- Los Angeles Times

“If you have the opportunity to see Richard Halpern perform, don’t miss it. He’s a multifaceted showman who musically bridges every age.”
-- National Sheet Music Society

“This dynamic entertainer specializes in presenting exciting vaudeville-style showmanship as it was meant to be, totally captivating and enchanting the listener.”
-- Sweet And Hot Music Festival

“This amazing ‘Master of Tin Pan Alley’ will thrill you as he sings and dances with the snap and pizzaz… Jolie would be proud.”
-- Los Angeles Classic Jazz Festival

“Halpern… serves as a kind of Neo-Al Jolson host and sings from the songbooks of the ‘20s and ‘30s with gusto and flair…”
-- Drama-Logue

“Halpern does’t do (singing) impressions. What he does do, and do well is put across the essence of the legend(s)… A very popular act.”
-- Hollywood Comedy Club

“Ever since tapping into the rich and stimulating tune literature from America’s past, Halpern has stunned crowds with his delightful chutzpah and slight-framed yet imposing stage presence… Be sure to see this rising young star…”
-- City Voice Magazine

“This charming man… brilliantly revives the legendary magic of the sadly long-neglected songs and singers with a voice and style rare to find in today’s performers…”
-- Valley Vantage

“Halpern’s… nimble movements, his infectious exuberance, as he belts out dozens of those timeless classics, has the (audience) clapping, stomping and turning the place into one great big party…”
-- Nightlife

“Halpern… not only sings the songs, he evokes the showmanship, the verve and vitality of those unforgettable stars.”
-- Showcase Magazine

“Singer Richard Halpern offers plenty of reasons to smile during his show…”
-- Hollywood Independent.

"Just a quick note to thank you for the show you gave to us (in Toronto). You have developed in to an amazing entertainer. I enjoyed the entire performance, but the take you did on "A Plantation Act" and on "The Jazz Singer" simply blew me away. It was marvelous! You are an amazingly talented performer, and I thank you for sharing your talent with your many friends in the Jolson Society.
-- John Wehrman, Past President - International Al Jolson Society"