Jesse Cook, shown at the Juno Awards in April, will play at Burma Cyclone Relief Benefit in Toronto. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press)

Jason Collett, solo artist and member of Broken Social Scene, is headlining a concert in Toronto Tuesday night to raise money for cyclone relief in Burma.

A lineup of Canadian talent, including duo Sunshine State, singer Eliana Cuevas, samba players Batucada Carioca and virtuoso flamenco guitarist Jesse Cook have come together for the fundraiser, part of the international efforts to get help to the people of Burma.

"I still really don't know much about Burma," Collett told CBC News. "I'm like anyone else who's got a radio or picked up a newspaper, I just got the onslaught of information that's been around the last week or so."

The concert, being hosted by CBC Radio's Garvia Bailey, will be at Lula Lounge in Toronto on Tuesday. Doors open at 7 p.m.

A few musicians are donating their time to "try and get some bodies in the club and hope to raise some money for the cause," Collett said.

Since Cyclone Nargis hit Burma, also known as Myanmar, two weeks ago, aid has trickled into the country and many people are still homeless and hungry.

"Everybody's fairly frustrated with the fact that the government has made it difficult to get aid in to people," Collett said.

The Burmese government said Tuesday the storm killed 77,238 people with nearly 56,000 confirmed missing.

The UN warns that the regime's reluctance to allow a large-scale internationally led aid effort will lead to many more casualties from disease and starvation among the 2.4 million people left homeless after the massive May 3 cyclone, although officials did welcome recent relaxations of the rules by the junta.

Many aid agencies have not been allowed access to the cyclone-ravaged areas, with the ruling junta being accused of seizing shipments of food or blocking agencies from travelling within Burma.

'Something has to happen'

But Collett said he believes Canadians should donate despite these difficulties.

"Something has to happen and it's got to happen soon," he said. "You can't sit around and philosophize about whether it's the right thing to do because all the money might not make it."

Proceeds from the Burma Cyclone Relief Concert will go to Burmese monks, who are already housing many of the homeless and need support to buy food.

Cook told CBC News he believes working with the monks is an effective way of getting help directly to the people most in need.

"They can buy supplies outside the country and get it into the monasteries where they are able to put out food to people," he said.

Cook said he was particularly moved by a Save the Children report that said as many as 30,000 Burmese children may be going hungry.

"There was a time when people were defined by the country they lived in, but you see this and think, 'We're all people,'" he said. "These are people in need and we can help."