20 Carlton Street, Suite 1032, Toronto, ON M5B 2H5 (416) 677-5883
langfieldent@rogers.com
www.langfieldentertainment.com

LE NEWSLETTER

March 29, 2007

Who needs a vacation?  Well, despite what many of you think that jetting to these Caribbean destinations is no work, I must vehemently disagree!  As a result, I am going away to Bermuda on Friday until Monday - just four days of gloriousness and celebrating NOT working.  I am truly blessed!

Finally the transition to Rogers from Telus is complete ... only took a couple of weeks but with the help of some bigwigs over at Rogers, my new phone is in tact and all systems are go! 


::HOT EVENTS::

Sophisticate “The Private Party” - Saturday, April 14, 2007

Created on the premise that bigger is not always better and that intimacy and the personal touch are key, each SOPHISTICATE “private party” caters to150 personally invited guests who enjoy a musical vibe that covers a broad spectrum of R&B, neo-soul, and old school ranging from Chaka Khan and Quincy Jones to Beyonce and Ne-Yo.  Our DJs are famous for playing the unexpected at any given moment….as long as it keeps the crowd moving.

The definition of a SOPHISTICATE

• One who is formidably self-assured and knows how to look cool when the temperature is pushing ninety outside
• One who is refined, stylish, self-assured and mature
• One who has a vintage record collection ranging from Miles Davis and Billie Holliday to Chaka Khan, Prince, the Bee Gees and Aerosmith

Entrance is by private invitation and VIP guest list only.  Contact info@consepshun.com  to get on the $10 VIP guest list. This event will be limited to 150 guests only.

SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2007
Andy C and Consepshun Enterprises present
SOPHISTICATE the private party – Anniversary Edition
Tangerine Bar & Lounge
647 King Street West (King & Bathurst)
Style Code: chic, stylish, sophisticated
Hosted by: Andy C with special guest host Robert Jean of French Fellows
Musical Vibe: DJ Darrel Alize with MC Toney Williams
www.consepshun.com

::TOP STORIES::

Russell Peters' Homecoming Tour Sells Out Across Canada!

Source: Sadharana Communications

(March 24, 2007) Within minutes, tickets for Russell Peters' Homecoming Tour sold out across Canada.  New performances have been added to his tour including a third show in Vancouver on June 23rd at the Orpheum Theatre and a second show in Toronto is in the works. Tickets for the added show in Vancouver go on sale Monday, March 26 at 10:00 a.m. PST. Tickets for the Homecoming Tour sold at a rapid rate; over 1,500 presale tickets for American Express' Front Of The Line sold within the first 15 minutes.  The Air Canada Centre sold out of the 13,000 plus seats and there are only single seats left in Edmonton and Vancouver, plus a few seats left in Calgary. "We never expected the tickets to go so quickly. We added a third show in Vancouver and are working on adding a second show in Toronto to accommodate the overwhelming demand," states manager (and older brother) Clayton Peters.  "This is the first time that any comic has sold-out the ACC and the fact that it's a Canadian comic makes this even more of an achievement," adds Peters.

Russell Peters' response to the frantic demand for tickets; "[It's] pretty exciting and kind of humbling that the fans came out like that.  I mean, it's just me!  I'm that same kid from Brampton that I always was."  Having just completed a successful and frenzied tour of the "Motherland" (India), Peters performed in Dubai for the USO and the troops - including two days aboard the USS Eisenhower in the middle of the Indian Ocean .  "The response from the troops was great.  They really appreciated us visiting and doing shows for them." The Homecoming Tour consists of all-new material that Peters has been working on since the release of his eight-time platinum DVD/CD, Outsourced, in August 2006.

The tour starts at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton on June 14, and continues at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary on June 15 and June 16; the ACC in Toronto on June 18; and finally the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver on June 20, June 21 and now June 23.  Tickets for the additional Vancouver show go on sale Monday March 26th at 10:00 a.m. PST. Details for a second Toronto show are pending.  Peters performs in Montreal at Place des Arts in July during the Just for Laughs Festival. Tickets go on sale early April.

For more information, visit www.russellpeters.com.

Musiq Soulchild Debuts Atop Album Chart

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(March 22, 2007) *A potent spill of R&B and hip hop has taken place in the top tier of Billboard 200’s album chart, triggered by the No. 1 debut of Musiq Soulchild’s new album “Luvanmusiq.” The Atlantic set, fuelled by the top 5 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs single “Buddy,” sold 149,000 copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan.       Fellow R&B star Lloyd enters the Billboard 200 at No. 2 with his sophomore set, "Street Love" (The Inc.), which sold 144,000. Its lead single "You" has already topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The self-titled album of rapper Rich Boy bows at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart with 112,000 units.

The artist's breakthrough single, "Throw Some D's," currently sits at No. 27 on the Hot 100.  Following Daughtry's self-titled RCA debut at No. 4 is Akon's "Konvicted"  (SRC/Universal), which falls 4-5 with 71,000 (-6%). Other urban acts debuting in the top 10 include British R&B sensation Amy Winehouse with "Back to Black" (Universal) at No. 7, and 8Ball & MJG's "Ridin' High" (Bad Boy South) at No. 8.

The Rebirth Of Cool

Excerpt from www.globeandmail.com - J.D. Considine

(Mar. 24, 2007) When long-time jazz club the Montreal Bistro shut its doors last July, a year after fellow jazz joint the Top o' the Senator went dark, a lot of fans felt the closings marked a downturn for jazz in Toronto. Nick Di Donato, on the other hand, felt it was the perfect time to get into the jazz business. That's why he and Patrick Taylor have opened a new and ambitious club, Live@Courthouse, which launched Thursday in the old sandstone-and-brick Greek revival courthouse building on Adelaide Street East near Church. "Many people said that looked like a terrible sign -- if venues close down, it means there's no market," says Mr. Di Donato of the two closings. "My feeling was, it's not a terrible sign, it's a window of opportunity." As president and CEO of the Liberty Entertainment Group, whose venues include the Phoenix Concert Theatre, the C Lounge nightclub and the Rosewater Supper Club, he felt he had a good sense of what would make a club in Toronto viable. "I had been thinking about doing something in the jazz format for a while," he says. "I really believe that it's all about the music, and if you don't have somebody who really understands the music, it's destined for failure." So he decided to call Mr. Taylor, who has directed the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival since co-founding it with Jim Galloway 21 years ago.

As it turned out, Mr. Taylor took a similar view of the city's jazz scene. "I don't think people understood why the Top o' the Senator closed, and why the Montreal Bistro closed," he says. "I know why. They were both doing good business, but the Senator restaurant downstairs wasn't doing as well after Phantom of the Opera closed, and the little club could not sustain the club and the restaurant. "As for the Montreal Bistro, they'd been there since 1982 and had nothing but year after year of rent escalations, to the point that the owners felt they were just working for the landlord. They were still doing business, but their rent was unaffordable." With Live@Courthouse, neither of those issues comes into play. For one thing, it's strictly a jazz club; there's a bar and a small kitchen, but the emphasis will be on music, not food. As for the rent, Mr. Taylor says Mr. Di Donato "made this realistic and affordable. He's my partner -- we're 50/50 on it -- but he owns the building. We're paying rent, but fair market value, and he's not going to, year after year, keep increasing the rent." Although Mr. Taylor likes to say that Live@Courthouse is merely continuing in the tradition of the Top o' the Senator and Montreal Bistro, the new club has a decidedly different feel than its predecessors. Instead of looking like a restaurant or bar, its cavernous ceiling, muted lighting and working fireplaces create an ambience that's somewhere between a concert hall and a private club.

Naturally, the raised bandstand is the club's focus, and the two clearly went all out to make it as musician friendly as possible. "It was built so I can accommodate everything up to a big band," says Mr. Taylor. The club's piano is a seven-and-a-half-foot Yamaha concert grand, and it fits comfortably on the stage, leaving more than enough room for drums, bass and horns. "The stage is oversized for the capacity, but that was fine because we had to fit the piano, and we knew that was going to draw the artists," adds Mr. Di Donato. "We want to provide them with the best equipment possible, and the best sound, so they'll want to come back." Although the club has so far announced only a limited number of bookings, plans are to offer live music five nights a week, Tuesdays through Saturdays, drawing from local, Canadian and international touring acts. (Next week, for instance, will see Bill King's Real Divas on Tuesday, Adi Braun on Wednesday and Roberta Gambarini, Thursday through Saturday.)  "Most of the artists here will have a two-night run," says Mr. Taylor. "Jazz is such a huge umbrella. We have to be cautious what style of jazz we bring in here. If the vocalists are what's popular here, maybe we'll see more vocalists here than we saw in the Bistro. . ." In particular, Mr. Taylor hopes to get a younger audience than that at the older clubs. "Our festival audience is who I'm after," he says. "Eighty-three per cent of our audience is from the GTA, and our average age is 38. If I looked around the Montreal Bistro, it was really 55 and up. I sure want that gang back, but I'm also going after a younger group." As for the relative health of the Toronto jazz scene, he's generally optimistic. "The Opal's doing well, the Rex has never been better, I'm hearing more and more about the Dominion on Queen," he says. "We still have the jazz scene in this city."

Interpretations: Celebrating The Music Of Earth Wind & Fire

Source: Sol2Sol Public Relations, Karen Lee , Maria Alamillo, SolSistahs@aol.com / JS Media, Juanita Stephens, Jsmediarel@aol.com

(March 27, 2007) Los Angeles - In celebration of Stax's 50th anniversary in 2007, Concord Records will release the first new album on the revitalized Stax imprint with the all-star project Interpretations: Celebrating the Music of Earth Wind & Fire.  This 10-song album (in-stores today, March 27) fits snugly into the legacy of Stax with first-rate artists including singer/songwriter Angie Stone (a 20+ years veteran of soul and hip hop who is also the New Stax label's first signee), self-contained sextet Mint Condition (among the last of the bands in contemporary Black music), Meshell Ndegeocello (a mercurial all-around singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist), Lalah Hathaway (the golden-voiced daughter of esteemed soul man Donny Hathaway) and the legendary Chaka Khan.  The project is rounded out by neo soul stalwarts Ledisi, Musiq, The Randy Watson Experience Featuring Bilal and Dwele who represent the evolution of soul music at its most illustrious and positive. "When we (Kalimba) took the concept to Concord," White shares, "they were very receptive and I felt confident that they would get behind the project and market it effectively.  I am honoured that this project was chosen as the one to re-launch a legendary record label for Black music."

The album's first single is an interpretation of "September" by platinum Contemporary Gospel artist Kirk Franklin, a man among the chosen few to successfully return more spiritual music to the secular airwaves.  Dedicated to the people of New Orleans, Mississippi and Alabama, Franklin's rendition of "September" reinforces faith and fortitude using the seasons as a metaphor for the sunshine and rain of life.   It will impact at radio on January 22, 2007. "We believe that the artists participating on 'Interpretations' represent the integrity of the Stax legacy," stated Collin Stanback, Vice President of A&R for Stax Records.  "We're looking forward to continuing that legacy with our upcoming releases including our first signing, singer/songwriter/producer Angie Stone." The relevance of a project shining the light on Earth Wind & Fire as the springboard for bringing Stax back to life lies at the feet of the band's leader/founder, Maurice White. The Memphis native went to grade school with a young Booker T. Jones who was already recording for Stax as a teenager. Inspired by his friend's achievement, White traveled to Chicago to study music. After stints as a session drummer for Chess Records and member of jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis' world-renowned trio, White started the band Earth Wind & Fire that became an international music phenomenon with its timeless fusion of uplifting lyrics wedded to music woven from the tapestry of the complete African American diaspora.

Amazing Race To Delay Junos

Excerpt from www.thestar.com - Canadian Press

(March 28, 2007) TORONTO–Canada's premier music awards show will be pre-taped for much of the country when it airs this weekend, a controversial turn for the much-hyped Junos that has raised the ire of industry critics who question CTV's commitment to homegrown talent. In most parts of the country, viewers will see a delayed version of the annual awards gala, to be hosted by pop superstar Nelly Furtado in Saskatoon. The unusual situation is all because of a two-hour episode of the hugely popular reality show The Amazing Race. CTV wants to simulcast CBS's broadcast of The Amazing Race, which airs at different times across the country. As a result, the Junos will air at 10 p.m. in Ontario and Quebec and as late as 11 p.m. in the Maritimes on the main network.

"It definitely sucks that the most important event in Canadian music and an important Canadian cultural event has to take a backseat to a cheesy reality television show," said Aaron Brophy, managing editor at Chart Magazine.  "CTV has put a lot of effort into the Junos in the past and tried to create a culture around it, and a gesture like this makes it look like they're sacrificing Canadian culture and their own hard work." CTV says bumping the Junos to accommodate The Amazing Race was the best way to ensure that the show would draw a substantial audience. Spokesperson Mike Cosentino notes that both programs share similar demographics and insists that the U.S. reality show – which draws more than two million Canadians weekly – provides an excellent lead-in for the homegrown music show. Two years ago it was Desperate Housewives that caused scheduling headaches for CTV. It ended up bumping the Junos show by a half hour in all time zones. This year's Junos will feature performances by Three Days Grace, Alexisonfire, k-os and the Tragically Hip.

::MUSIC NEWS::

Queen Of Soul Returns

Excerpt from www.thestar.com - Greg Quill, Entertainment Columnist

(March 28, 2007) Most of us can only fantasize about whom we'd like to see portraying us in the movies. Aretha Franklin has it all figured out. "I need three people playing me," the Queen of Soul said in a recent phone interview from the dressing room in her luxury bus as it barrelled down the Interstate towards New York. Attendants hovered while she dressed for a big birthday weekend in the Big Apple – she turned 65 on Sunday – but Franklin was unfazed by the constant distractions. "I need one at age 10, one at age 25 and another at 40 or older. I'm thinking (Dreamgirls Oscar winner) Jennifer Hudson for the middle role and my favourite, Queen Latifah, for the older part. We just have to find the right child with the right voice for the younger Aretha." Franklin, who performs at Massey Hall Friday night with a 23-piece orchestra and chorus, is a little ahead of herself. The stage musical version of her 1999 autobiography Aretha: From These Roots, co-written with David Ritz, hasn't even gone into audition mode yet, though it's scheduled to open in Detroit, Franklin's hometown, on her birthday next year.

The movie project, which has apparently already been optioned, is way down the road. "With the stage project I have complete creative control," she explained. "I'm very hands-on about this show and everything that concerns my work." She's making this frantic dash to New York because she's hoping to check out directing, performing and production talent in some current Broadway musicals. Hairspray and Jersey Boys are high on her list. "It's exciting, selecting the key artists. I have several people in mind, but I'd rather not give anything away before the auditions in early May." Franklin refuses to fly and travels in a custom-built, 14-berth mobile monster, "with cream leather furniture and burgundy curtains, a big lounge area with a large, flat-screen TV, bookshelves, two bathrooms, but no queen-size bed for me." The Memphis-born gospel, soul and R&B star whose domain has remained unchallenged since the mid-1960s – she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 1987, and sang at both Jimmy Carter's and Bill Clinton's presidential inauguration ceremonies – has also been busy with a new studio recording, A Woman Falling Out Of Love, her first album since So Damn Happy in 2003. "It should have been out by now," said Franklin. "Everything's finished: the music, the artwork, the credits. But at the last minute we decided to go back into the studio for a couple of extra overdubs. It should be out sometime next month."

That's if her non-stop concert schedule allows. On a roll again after a decade-long retreat following the deaths in the late 1980s of her sister, brother and manager, the twice-married mother of four sons seems to be popping up everywhere. She performed a touching tribute to Atlantic Records founder and mentor, the late Ahmet Ertegun, at the recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies and she'll open WrestleMania 23 in Detroit Sunday night with "America The Beautiful." Franklin also spends a lot of time checking out new pop/soul and rap artists. "Gospel music has never been in better shape," she enthused. "And thank the Lord hip-hop is alive and well. Chris Brown is my favourite – he's so creative, such a wonderful dancer." As for Friday night's show in Toronto, Franklin's promising "a bit of everything: the old hits, some songs from the new album, an aria or two, a couple of surprises.”I love Toronto. It's been a couple of years since I was there, and it's one of my favourite places, a city of parks, great shopping and great restaurants. "That's what I remember best – the food. I hope Mövenpick is still there."

Nelly Praises Timbaland, Britney

Source: By Jane Stevenson - Sun Media

(March 24, 2007) VICTORIA, B.C. - Nelly Furtado isn't surprised that Timbaland, the producer of her third and most successful album, Loose, has offered to work with the much-beleaguered Britney Spears on her post-rehab album.  Should there be one.  "Not at all -- that's so him," Furtado, 29, told Sun Media, a few hours before launching her the Canadian leg of her Get Loose tour this week.  "He turned me on to Kelly Clarkson's CD. He invited Celine Dion on his latest album. I think that's why we get along. 'Cause I'm the same way, where I'll work with whoever if I think they're good, and it doesn't matter what popular opinion says.  "It's kind of like if you think someone has talent or is interesting, you're going to work with them. And he's a bit of a rebel and he always likes to be one step ahead of the game, and he is obsessed with freshness and originality. So no -- no surprise that he wanted to work with Britney."  Should Timbaland land the producing gig with Spears and ask Furtado to sing a duet on the record, would she consider it?

"Oh, yeah, I would," said Furtado, herself the mother of a 31/2-year-old daughter.  Furtado says she empathizes with Spears for what she has been going through.  "First of all, when she became a mother, I really felt for her in those situations where she was being caught doing, like, illegal things in her car with child seats and stuff," Furtado says. "I felt bad for her because you could tell that she was under such pressure from the paparazzi that she was behaving in rash ways. So that's what made me feel for her.  "And I can sympathize 'cause I'm a mother too, and I know those first couple of years are difficult. You know, you're becoming a new person. She's a young mother.  "I can't imagine what it would be like to mature in the spotlight from the age of 13 to 20. Those are precious years and it would be really hard to grow up in the spotlight. Breakdown is inevitable in that situation."  One theory has been that Spears, who shaved her head before entering rehab, is suffering from post-partum depression and just hasn't been diagnosed.  "Oh, yeah, totally possible," said Furtado, who appeared with Timbaland on The View this week to sing Give It To Me off his new album Shock Value.  "Human beings can only deal with so much when you're only one person. You know, you need an escape -- and then a lot of people choose to escape into the mind."

Twin Sisters Become Unlikely Singing Stars In Islamic Republic

Excerpt from www.thestar.com - John Goddard, Staff Reporter

(March 24, 2007) KHARTOUM, SUDAN–With their dimpled cheeks and pop-culture accessories, twins Eman and Amany are shaking the music scene here while retaining approval from Islamic authorities. El Toumat, they call themselves, translated on YouTube as the Sudanese Twins. Their most popular video on the Web site shows them in identical diaphanous scarves and on each of their left hands, a pink fingerless glove. In bright, soprano voices they sing the '60s hit "Tawwal," about someone asking news of a beloved who left long ago and never returned. Their first big hit one year ago carries the more reverent sounding title "Al Ek Allah (Swear to God)."

"We want to be heard," the 23-year-old twins said almost in unison in an interview this week, "because we want Sudanese women to be heard." The identical sisters sit side-by-side at a home in North Khartoum, a quiet neighbourhood near the confluence of the White Nile and Blue Nile rivers. With them is their sister Hala, 27, visiting from her current home in Dallas, Tex. The home belongs to Al Suni Al Dawi, a 66-year-old oud player, former singing star and No. 1 Sudanese Twins supporter. All four take turns telling of the twins' rise to stardom and their prospects for an international breakthrough. "I come from Nuri," says Al Dawi, starting at the beginning. As a young man, he says, he moved from his native northern village to Port Sudan, on the Red Sea, to study mathematics and electrical engineering.  When he discovered he was also good at writing catchy melodies, he moved to Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, and from 1962 to 1963 wrote 65 songs for the country's top singers, including Ibrahim Awad and Salah El Badia.

"One day, a singer named Ibrahim Abu Daya came to me and asked if I could write him a song," Al Dawi recalls.  "We found that our voices were matching so we decided to sing together." Harmony is unknown in Sudanese music. The two men sang in unison and, although not related, called themselves the Capital Twins. "At first it was not easy," Al Dawi says. "People were used to listening to one voice. Nobody did two.  "Then people began to accept it and many singers began repeating our songs." Eman and Amany are the youngest of five daughters born in Khartoum to Mohammed Khairy, one of Sudan's most famous stage and film actors. In 1999, while still in high school, they and their sister Hala began singing as a trio at college festivals and on television shows. When Hala left for university, the twins also quit for a year, then decided to try as a duo. "That's when they started to become famous," says Hala with mock regret. "They are more popular because they are twins." After a show one night in 2001, a reviewer wrote of a similarity between the Khairy sisters and the Capital Twins, and suggested they get together. Although Daya has since died, the men at the time were still performing.

The girls' father knew Al Dawi and made an introduction. The sisters began to reprise Capital Twins material and Al Dawi began to write new songs for them. Their first album came out one year ago, their second at the end of 2006. Neither is available internationally but video clips uploaded by fans to YouTube are attracting a wider following. In the video for "Tawwal," Al Dawi sits opposite the twins at a Blue Nile Television studio and joins them on the chorus. He wrote the music to the song.  Poet Ali Shibaka, who wrote the words, sits next to Al Dawi in a white jalabya and turban. Next to the twins in dark glasses sits the sole instrumentalist, the blind Sudanese oud player Awad Ahmoody. The woman seated toward the back is the TV host. At one point the camera hovers on a poster of the Capital Twins. "At first we were not unique," says Eman of their early appearances. "We looked traditional. We were not a shock. We thought, `What should we do?'" The pink glove soon followed, igniting a fashion trend on Khartoum campuses. "Each time we try something new," says Amany.  "Sometimes we wear contacts, sometimes not. Sometimes we dress identically, sometimes not. Sometimes we wear hats, sometimes a scarf, and we wear a scarf in different ways, never the same."

Last New Year's Eve they performed their first foreign concert in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. It proved such a hit they were immediately booked to play in neighbouring Abu Dhabi and Bahrain.  "They hope to make a U.S. tour," says Hala. "In the U.S. Sudanese community, everybody likes them." Visas might be a problem. The United States maintains a trade embargo against Sudan and Sudanese President Omar Bashir faces continued international outrage over the government-sponsored slaughter in Darfur state, events the U.N. calls "the world's worst humanitarian crisis." At home in Khartoum, far from the war, the twins continue to behave themselves.  Pop culture in the Islamic Republic of Sudan has its limits. In the 1990s, the government tried and failed to suppress music and dancing altogether. People kept doing both.  Now the atmosphere is more relaxed, with men and women attending mixed musical events and often dancing together. But when performing at weddings and graduation parties, the Sudanese Twins are careful to follow the government rule of no singing past 11 p.m.

Joss Stone On A Roll

Source:  By David Schmeichel - Sun Media

(Mar. 24, 2007) By this point, Joss Stone should need no introduction at all, having already brought the R&B world to its knees at the tender age of 15.  But with the release this week of her third album -- Introducing Joss Stone -- the now-19-year-old soul sensation would be only too happy to make your acquaintance all over again.  "I was proud of the other two albums, but this is the first one where I'm proud of every single part," says the Grammy-winning U.K. native, who co-wrote all but one of the tracks on the disc.  "I want everyone to know that I'm trying to bring back real music. What people don't realize about the music they're listening to now is that none of those instruments are real. And half the time, none of the voices are real, either. They've sucked all of the soul out of music, and it's so sad. But we can fix it. We can put it back in, and that's what I'm trying to do."  A teenage English lass might seem an unlikely authority on "real" rock or soul music, but consider for a moment the trajectory of Stone's career. She first decided to become a singer after seeing a TV commercial for an Aretha Franklin compilation, then appeared on a BBC talent show at 14 with a cover of Donna Summer's On the Radio.  At her first record label audition in New York, she lent her larger-than-life pipes to a Gladys Knight tune, and she caught the attention of industry types in North America by recasting The White Stripes' Fell In Love With A Girl as a funky, sultry slow jam.

And since bursting on to the scene, she has found herself sharing stages with a number of her idols, among them Knight, Sly Stone, Stevie Wonder and Melissa Etheridge, with whom she famously paid homage to Janis Joplin during a rousing duet on Piece Of My Heart. So it's surprising to hear that Stone -- known for exuding confidence beyond her years while performing -- still wrestles with a pretty crippling case of stage fright.  "When I know I have to do it (perform), I do it, but when the music stops and it's just me up there, it's scary," says the singer, whose trademark blond tresses are now brown with pink streaks. "And singing with those greats is even worse, because I feel like I'm being compared to them. But when I'm singing with someone of that stature, I'm learning. This is like school for me."  Stone got a chance to put some of her lessons to use while writing the tracks for the new album (on which both Common and Lauryn Hill appear) in the Caribbean last year. A number of the songs have to do with love gone bad, and Stone has already admitted they were written during what she calls a "f--k off" stage in her life.

"I realized the reason I was falling in love with these people was because of the music that was coming through them," says Stone, who was once linked to songwriter Beau Dozier. "I'm blinded by my love for music. I'm completely a slave to it, and for me, nobody can beat music."  While her love life might have its ups and downs, Stone has so far managed to avoid the tabloid glare that has dogged her contemporaries, save for a bizarre appearance at last month's Brit Awards, where she delivered a somewhat disjointed monologue in a faux American accent.  "I just don't have the time for that -- I work every day," says Stone, her lilting British accent once again intact. "But for those girls to go out and party all the time, I say go for it. If I had the time, I'd be right there with them!"

On The Road With It's Second CD, Bloc Party May Be Having Growing Pains

Excerpt from www.thestar.com - Ben Rayner

(March 22, 2007) AUSTIN, TEX.–There's a lot of fun and positive exposure to be had for touring musicians in Texas at this time each year, but the rock `n' roll dream of "breaking" wide at South by Southwest is, in most cases, just a dream. For the hardworking youngsters in London quartet Bloc Party, though, a whirlwind five gigs in four days at the Austin festival two years ago was just the tactic needed to turn the simmering transatlantic buzz over their debut album, Silent Alarm, into rapturous international press and the real North American record sales that so often elude Brit-pop hitmakers propelled across the pond on a tsunami of NME and Q magazine-kindled hype. "I think we maybe did too many shows, really, because we were pooped by the end of it. This time we're being a lot more considered," says frontman and guitarist Kele Okereke, who memorably opened Bloc Party's final SXSW appearance in 2005 – an electrifying 4 a.m. throwdown on the festival's closing night – with the greeting: "Hello, South by Southwest. Bloc Party is very tired." "We'd done shows in New York and L.A. prior to (the '05 show), but I think this is probably where we emerged onto the radar. It feels odd to be back. We're only doing one show this year and the record's already out, so I'm curious about how the gig's going to be attended. Will it be lots of industry people or will it be lots of fans? There'll be lots of fans there, hopefully." The soft-spoken Okereke, 25, is airing these thoughts on the sun-dappled steps outside his downtown Austin hotel, just a few hours before Bloc Party (headlining over Canadians the Dears and Apostle of Hustle) is to make a triumphant return to the 3,500-capacity outdoor amphitheatre behind Stubb's barbecue joint last Thursday.

In the end, the throngs of SXSW badge holders do, perhaps, dominate the crowd, and one can sense Okereke inwardly wincing when his question, "How many of you actually paid to get in here tonight?" meets with only scattered cheers up the hillside.  The band's typically anthemic and whipcrack-disciplined set nevertheless goes over like gangbusters with the "insider" mob, no doubt because the informed mass of musicians, media and industry folk attending the fest contains a strong contingent of Bloc Party fans. The searing show bodes well for those lucky enough to hold a ticket to this Sunday's sold-out gig at Toronto's Kool Haus. England lobs a lot of Next Big Things our way, but this crew seems up to the task of lasting rock stardom. With rock stardom comes backlash, of course. And as a frontman who delves unflinchingly into red-flag topics such as racism, recreational drug use and homosexuality on Bloc Party's just-released sophomore disc, A Weekend in the City, Okereke suffers the slings and arrows of sudden fortune much more so than bandmates Gordon Moakes, Russell Lissack and Matt Tong.

As if Brit headlines of the "Bloc Party drug horror!" variety and speculation over – to borrow a thought from U.K. newspaper The Guardian – Okereke's "confused sexuality" weren't enough, the band has also been enduring critical complaints that it either made too much of a musical left turn with A Weekend in the City's electronically enhanced take on Silent Alarm's rhythmically nimble guitar-rock or, alternatively, didn't go far enough into the weird.  "It wasn't too much of a `vision,'" says Okereke of the new album's genesis. "It was just important to me that the songs, that the album, felt cohesive, that the album had a start, a middle and an end – that thematically the whole thing tied in. Sonically, I don't think there was meant to be an overview. I just think we became a lot more confident as musicians, having made a record.  "Everyone comments on the fact that it's a lot more electronic than the last record. But it's absurd in the 21st century that such a big deal is being made about the fact that there are drum machines or synth sounds on the record. Most of the music I listen to now has programmed rhythms. You turn on any pop-radio station or any pop TV show and all the music on there has synthesizers and samples and drum machines. I don't think that's a bad thing.  The electronic influences on A Weekend in the City – loosely themed around the empty adventures and stolen moments of poignancy to be found during a weekend Bacchanal in modern, "vampiric" London – have indeed been a bit overstated, as the disc is generally just a softer, much less enervated and slightly more arena-attuned sequel to Silent Alarm.

Given his way, in fact, Okereke would happily have pushed the band even further into experimental territory. He speaks enthusiastically about his passion for the work of pop/hip-hop producer extraordinaire Timbaland, who has managed to crack the top of the charts on two sides of the Atlantic by bringing near avant-garde electronic production to the work of Missy Elliott, Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake. And he comes across as highly sincere in his claims to want to accurately and honestly reflect his own environment in song, not just lyrically but musically. "There are so many different, thriving scenes in London," he says. "Where I live in East London, you can't go to a club and not hear Madonna next to Joy Division next to Aphex Twin – there's a real playful sense of appreciation in London where you're constantly being exposed to different types of music, and I think that can't help but be reflected in our music. "It's very much a by-product of growing up in the MTV age, when you're constantly being bombarded with information. There's a lot of choice, and if you look at anyone's iPod you'll see it's not just rock or it's not just hip-hop. With all my friends, there's a range of things people listen to. I'm amazed that more bands aren't talking about Timbaland and amazed that more rock bands aren't finding inspiration in that sort of thing because it's the most interesting music being made right now." As it did throughout the year of worldwide touring that followed Silent Alarm's release, Bloc Party is now doggedly forging ahead in the development of material for its next album, even though A Weekend in the City has only been in stores since mid-February and the band looks to be on the road constantly until the end of 2007.

To some, it might be an exhausting work ethic, but Okereke sees no point in shutting off his creative valves when there's so much words and music waiting to bubble out of him. Intriguingly, it's Weekend's most un-Bloc Party-like track, the loop-bedecked "The Prayer," that he envisions as the starting point for the third album. "I don't need time off. It's how I express myself, so it's not something that fatigues me, it's something that I crave," he says. "There isn't time off for me. "The next record is going to be light years away from what we're doing now. The last song we wrote as a band was `The Prayer,' and that really, really opened up how we view writing songs as a band. So the next record, I think, is not going to sound like anything we've done yet. That's my aim, anyway."

Cece Winans: Being Fashion Forward

By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices

(Mar. 23, 2007) Gospel diva CeCe Winans is getting into the fashion business. The multiple Grammy, Stellar and Dove Award winner has recently teamed up with noted Hollywood fashion stylist Roni Burks and the New York based firm Dream Design to launch a new clothing line, entitled Ashley Rose. Winans told The BV Newswire that her 20-year-old daughter was the inspiration for the line. "I decided to do this line with my daughter, Ashley [Love], because she has a great eye for fashion and she's a born leader," she revealed. "I believe there are a lot of young women who wants to be stylish without being so revealing. This line is for them." Family business have always worked well for Winans (legally known as Priscilla Winans-Love), who is a part of gospel music royalty -- one of the many stars to come out of Detroit's Winans dynasty. The 42-year old songstress enjoyed mainstream success when her and brother, BeBe Winans, formed the duo BeBe & CeCe and released their critically acclaimed, chart-topping 1988 album, 'Heaven.'

Since then, she has become a bona fide superstar in her own right; teaming with her gal pal Whitney Houston on the 'Waiting to Exhale' soundtrack; penning the inspirational memoir 'On A Positive Note' in 2000; and even endorsing Crest toothpaste products. The seven-time Grammy Award winner also helms her own record company, Wellspring Gospel, and hosts an annual women's conference in her hometown of Nashville every summer. "I'm doing a clothing line to fulfill a need that would allow women, young and more mature, to be stylish and breathe at the same time," she quipped about the forthcoming active wear line. "I don't feel clothes have to be tight to be fashionable." The line will cater to women aged 20-45. Distribution details for Ashley Rose are being solidified at press time. "I love the creative part of pulling a line together, but it's a very time consuming endeavour," she added. "I've been working on it for several years, now. It's hard work, but very rewarding."

With her fashion forward plans underway, Winans is currently on tour -- some overseas dates with gospel music sensation Donnie McClurkin -- promoting her latest release 'Purified,' which netted two Grammy Awards last month. In between her dates, she's recording a new album that should be in stores this fall, and has designs on rekindling the musical magic with her brother for a new BeBe & CeCe album to be released thereafter. Always a media darling, Winans will be featured on ABC's hit series 'Extreme Home Makeover' on April 1.

Captain Fantastic's Better Half

Excerpt from www.globeandmail.com - Gayle Macdonald

(Mar. 24, 2007) Late last month, a gleaming limousine dropped off a designer-dressed duo – David Furnish and his hubby Elton John – in front of the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, where they were to host the singer's 15th-annual Oscar party. The couple arrived an hour before their 620 fluffed and frocked guests were due to make sure everything – the shimmering silver-and-gold decor, the ivory-handled flatware, the cattleya orchid centerpieces and the Italian-themed menu (from the chef of Venice's Cipriani Hotel) – was perfect before the doors were flung open. When one holds the distinction as the world's most famous gay couple — not to mention one of the most successful A-list event organizers – not a single detail can be overlooked. And Furnish, the 44-year-old who hails from a middle-class neighbourhood in Scarborough, Ont. – admits he's just as particular as his famously fastidious better half. Case in point: For the past two years, the celebrity couple have been furtively planning Elton John's succession of 60th-birthday bashes (he turns 60 tomorrow). More than a week ago, they threw a star-studded, 1940s-themed fancy-dress party at London's Shoreditch Town Hall, where John and Furnish dressed in military gear and entertained guests ranging from Sir Paul McCartney and his designer daughter Stella, to heartthrobs Hugh Grant and Daniel Craig. The evening was capped off with EastEnders star Barbara Windsor bursting out of a huge cake dressed as a pink fairy to sing Happy Birthday. That, however, was just a pre-party for more lavish dos this week in New York, where John and Furnish will host another chi-chi party. (Britpop showman Robbie Williams is reported to have agreed to bare all there in a striptease from the film The Full Monty, singing You Can Leave Your Hat On.) Tomorrow, the birthday boy will also perform to a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden (coincidentally his 60th performance in the storied venue).

“It's exciting and fun,” Furnish says of hosting lavish balls, birthday bashes or fundraisers to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which to date has raised $130-million (U.S.). “And it's something we enjoy doing. Great teams of people work with us, and Elton and I have a standard in the way we like things to be done.” Their Oscar party – with guests such as American Idol's Simon Cowell, Sean (Diddy) Combs, Kid Rock, Jon Bon Jovi, Kiefer Sutherland, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne and Furnish's Toronto high-school mate, actor Eric McCormack – set a single-event Foundation record of $4.3-million. And their annual White Tie & Tiara balls, held at their home in the royal town of Windsor, routinely attract 600-plus guests of the likes of Kate Moss, Sting and the recently married Elizabeth Hurley – who was given away earlier this month by Elton John. On the phone, however, from the west London office of Rocket Pictures – a film and TV production company that Furnish and John co-chair – a relaxed and forthright Furnish recently explained that hosting exquisite parties for charity is only one of a myriad ways he keeps busy. The former Ogilvy & Mather advertising executive also writes for GQ and Interview magazines, often doing stories on his famous friends, such as Jude Law. Last year, John's and his production company also produced the hit stage musical Billy Elliot. And Furnish is now in the midst of trying to get a U.S. PG-13 classification for the latest Rocket Pictures film, shot in Toronto, It's a Boy Girl Thing, to be released in North America later this year. Rocket Pictures also has an animated feature with director Kelly Asbury ( Shrek 2) in production and a feature film based on Elton's life, called Rocket Man, written by Lee Hall, who penned the original film version of Billy Elliot (2000).

Unassuming and articulate, Furnish has worked hard to establish himself as something far more than Elton John's life partner. His work ethic has earned him some powerful friends, including former U.S. president Bill Clinton (who e-mailed him congratulations on his civil marriage to John in December, 2005) and an invitation to the wedding of Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Charles (Furnish was invited on his own after John had to decline the royal invitation because of touring commitments). The impeccably groomed Furnish, with his high-wattage smile, knows celebrity secrets that would make toes curl. But he doesn't blab. And he has no patience for mean-spirited media whose raison d'être is to put celebrities' personal lives under a cruel microscope. For example, Furnish quit a few years back as contributing editor of Tatler magazine after an article appeared about his good pals, David and Victoria Beckham. “An editor asked me to approach Victoria to be on a [future] cover of Tatler in an issue benefiting the AIDS Foundation,” he explains. “When the new issue came out, there was a double-page spread about Rebecca Loos [David Beckham's alleged extramarital fling at the time], licking a chocolate éclair and talking about how great it is to have an affair with a married man. “I felt betrayed,” says Furnish, whose insightful documentary, Elton John: Tantrums & Tiaras was nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award in 1997. “He would have known about the story before asking me to approach Victoria. He put me in a very difficult position. So I quit.” (Elton John and Furnish are the godparents of the Beckhams' two eldest sons, Brooklyn and Romeo).

And he views the largely dismissive reviews in Britain of It's a Boy Girl Thing (it was released there on Boxing Day) with the same tightly contained outrage. “It's a teen romantic comedy, and those films never tend to get great reviews, but we never pretended to do anything but make a commercially driven film,” says Furnish of the British-Canada co-production that stars Woodstock, Ont.'s Kevin Zeger ( Transamerica) and Samaire Armstrong ( The O.C., Entourage) about sworn rivals who swap bodies à la Freaky Friday. “But it's a film with a big heart and a lot of integrity, and teens loved it. Yes, many of the reviews were negative. And it pisses me off when it's unjustified, deliberately mean, and when it's factually incorrect. “Elton and I had a very good year in the press because of our civil partnership. Maybe [the press] felt we were getting too big for our boots and decided to smack us down again. I felt there was another agenda there. Let's say if it had been produced by Mr. Joe Smith, it would have been looked at in a different light.” Then Furnish's sunniness comes back. “But I can't complain about that, because the profile we have allows us to get the film launched, have a premiere that people are aware of. To be honest, the audience our film is targeted at don't read the newspaper critics anyway.”

It's been almost 14 years since Furnish, then 31, met John at a dinner held at the flamboyant singer's Windsor mansion, Woodside. At the time, Furnish had earned his stripes at Ogilvy & Mather as its youngest board member.  Three months after the fateful party, Furnish moved in with John – who is 15 years his senior – and shortly quit the ad firm. In 2005, the couple married in a civil ceremony, performed by the same registrar who presided over the union of Parker Bowles and Prince Charles at Windsor Town Hall, before adjourning to Woodside for a glittering, celebrity-laden bash, where the guests naturally included Furnish's mother and father, Gladys and Jack, and his two brothers, John and Peter. It's little wonder the U.K. newspaper The Observer a few years ago voted Elton and Furnish – who also own homes in Nice, Venice and Atlanta – the “top couple to pair up with on a Saturday night.” Furnish says he loves the variety of working in film and writing for magazines. His articles, he admits easily, are sniggered at by the gossip sheets. “From a British tabloid mentality – I'm definitely not their cup of tea,” he says, laughing. “But in everybody's life there have to be things that remain private. When someone genuinely tells you something off the record, then you should take a longer-term view. My loyalty to my interviews – many of whom I have relationships with – is far more important than scoring a big scoop. And I believe I can bring an intimacy to a piece. A different perspective.” He adds that one of his favourite interviews was with Isabella Rossellini, who opened up about the psychological struggle she had being the face of a major beauty company, Lancôme. “She was overwhelmed by the reverence she received in parts of the world. Treating her like a religious figure. It really bothered her.”

Furnish can relate because he sees his partner often grappling with the relentless media attention.  “People don't ask me for my autograph,” he says, laughing. “Elton, unfortunately, has an entirely different existence. He can't go anywhere without being recognized. People ask to say hello and shake his hand. But there are times in your life when you want to have quiet moments, and not have disruption,” says the graduate of Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate in Agincourt. “And that is incredibly hard when you're famous.” In the near term, however, it doesn't sound like his and John's crazy schedule will abate one bit.  In June, Furnish is co-ordinating a big public concert for the Elton John AIDS Foundation in Ukraine, followed by an exhibition in Kiev of a portion of their private photography collection – one of the biggest in the world. Despite his worldly travels and chic circle of famous friends, Furnish says he still makes it a priority to keep in touch with his pals – and politics – back home. “When Stephen Harper was elected as the new Conservative Prime Minister and he talked about repealing gay marriage and putting it to a vote in the House of Commons – Elton and I talked about getting married in Canada to make a statement, for ideological and political reasons. “Fortunately and encouragingly, they voted to keep the legislation, which made me even prouder to be a Canadian than I already am,” says Furnish, who once struggled with his sexuality, only coming out of the closet after he'd moved to Britain. “For the time being, we consider our civil partnership enough. We both feel protected and that our relationship is properly recognized from a political, governmental and social level,” he adds. “After all, we've always been in a committed relationship anyway. And if you don't have commitment, and aren't a person of your word, then you shouldn't be in a relationship in the first place. A piece of paper wouldn't change that.”

Miles Jaye: Checkin' Out Najee After Dark

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(March 23, 2007) The Najee band was Kentrick Morris on drums, Myles Robertson on keyboards, Chuck "CJ" Johnson on guitar, Mark Kelly playing bass, Lomon on lead vocals and Dizzy Gillespie's nephew Butter on percussion.  The band was tight - I mean tight. Believe it or not, it was the first gig with Naj for some of the cats but they were hitting and they were tight. The little poem at the bottom of this piece was what I wrote leaning against the tree. When I was driving to the park that evening I remember asking myself 'I wonder if music is still enough - just music.' I wondered if the people would be satisfied with real music on a beautiful night in the park. Without picking on Simon or Paula, let's admit to our 21st Century appetite for Miami CSI, murders, autopsies, bounty hunters, interventions, mind numbing repetitious ratings ravenous TV news, and McMahon's head smashing, steel cage, tag team gladiators.   Even the Donald had to get a piece of the wrestling action, as if sparring with Rosie wasn't enough.

The Clear Channel smooth jazz format is all but defunct and the future of terrestrial radio is in serious question - satellite radio is the new flavour. Furthermore; the music business has been bombarded beyond recognition by technology and cut and run economics so I'm left to wonder if Najee will have to have dancers and fireworks and if his soprano sax keys will have to light up in multi-color neon to arouse the crowd. Najee is a veteran musician with true talent, legitimate training, years of performance experience on several continents and an old school passion for the music. I wondered if that would be enough. In high school he studied with Billy Taylor, Jimmy Heath and Frank Foster at the Harlem Jazzmobile. He also studied at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music and was a performance and composition major at Boston's, New England Conservatory of Music. So far this reads like the brilliant resume of an exceptional artist but remember I haven't mentioned any talent show wins as of yet.  O.K. so I had to take a swipe at A.I. A unique twist to Najee's story is that his brother, guitarist Fareed Haaq, also attended the New England Conservatory of Music and when they returned to New York City they were both asked to join the Chaka Khan tour. Fareed went on to produce seven of his brother's CDs. Najee boasts two platinum and four gold CDs to his credit; phenomenal for a jazz instrumentalist. Even possessing these stellar credentials I was left wondering if the groove would be enough on this night. Well, I found a tree in a good spot near the stage and gripped my boot heals in the dirt at it's base so I could lean.  By the time I got comfy and pulled out my pad and pen the poem was swirling around in my head.  The music filled the air like a fragrant summer breeze - remember it's Florida. The only interruption to the music was the sound of the crowd cheering. My faith in that simple but inexplicable connection between the sounds and the soul was restored. Najee was rocking it, no dancers, no fireworks, no neon and it was indeed a good night.

Miles Jaye Davis, like his namesake the legendary trumpeter Miles Davis, is one of music's most gifted, distinctive and dynamic artists. Miles laid the groundwork for excellence with his three highly acclaimed and successful CDs "Miles," "Irresistible" and "Strong" on Island Records. Miles is also an accomplished author. He has written a novel called "Margerette" and frequently pens articles like the one above for various media outlets including EURweb.com. For MORE on Miles Jaye Davis visit his website: www.milesjaye.com.

I was relaxing against a tree just past dark.
I was checking out Najee in Winter Park.
The park was filled with Black folks and White.
I had a feeling it would be a good night.

It was a cool March evening in Orlando.
I was just chillin' watching Najee's band go.
I felt the breeze in the air but I knew things were heating up.
The drummer was hitting so hard he had to stop and stand up.

That's right, I thought, take yourself a bow ...
'Cause a blind man could see, it's on now.
Najee's pacing and working the crowd; he's got 'em singing.
He held a note so long I think it must still be ringing.

I saw that one long note reach the sky.
It looked like a meteor passing by.
There's something magical about music and moonlight.
I had a real good feeling it would be a real good night.

Hella Soulful Rena Scott Has New CD

Source: Tynicka Battle, ThinkTank Marketing, tynicka@thinktankmktg.com, www.thinktankmktg.com

(March 22, 2007) On the sultry title track of her new independently released breakout recording Let Me Love You, Rena Scott is right at home, singing soulfully about the first spark of romance. Yet the seductive invitation taps into something much deeper, reflecting the passion of her relationship to audiences worldwide over a fascinating musical lifetime.  Starting out at 12 in her native Detroit singing for the local Baptist congregation, Scott won her first talent contest at 13-where she performed with The Temptations--and was soon playing two or three gigs a night on the weekends at local R&B clubs, opening up for The Temps, Four Tops, The Originals and many other well known acts. She recorded her first record, "I Just Can't Forget That Boy," while still in high school.  When the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, also a native Detroiter, needed a third backup singer for a few gigs, the 18 year old got her million to one shot to sing onstage with her idol at the Pine Knob Ski Resort in Northern Michigan and, more importantly, in front of thousands at Carnegie Hall.  While Scott was busy over the years pursuing that goal, she wowed many thousands in other places-first nightclubs in Detroit and later Los Angeles, and then crowds of up to 50,000 people touring top R & B and Jazz festivals in the U.S. and Europe, such as the famous Montrose Jazz festival in Montrose Switzerland. She toured in the 80s with The Crusaders, sharing the stage with legends like George Benson and Natalie Cole. She came on board with founding Crusaders members Joe Sample, Wilton Felder and Stix Hooper after the departure of Randy Crawford, performing picture perfect renditions of their 1979 pop hit "Street Life" for audiences who sometimes didn't even speak English.

"What an incredible time that was, working with so many beloved legends and some of the best musicians in the world," she says. "It was great having people screaming for more, reaching out to connect emotionally despite the language barrier. They may not have known what the words meant, but they could feel it the music. I love it when it comes together, the music, the lights, the sound, the band, the crowd…Like my new song I wrote 'I Know It's Right,' you could just feel the magic.' Everything came together just right."  "The songs on Let Me Love You reflect my growth through experiences, and those that people I know have been through," Rena says. "All of these songs, 'A Love Thang,' 'Good To Me,' 'Plaything,' 'I'll Keep Coming Back,' tell the story of life and love, there are good times and bad times. Life is a onetime journey that should be filled with lots of love, these are the things I'm passionate about, and the things I'll continue to write and sing about."   Check out Rena's super soulful cuts at her MySpace page.   Buy Rena's CD Now at: Amazon.com

Musical Trio Sa-Ra Putting Rumours To Rest With May Release

Source: Evette Fergerson, Publicist, The Courtney Barnes Group, evette@cbgpr.com

(March 22, 2007) HOLLYWOOD, CA -- Despite rumours that Shafiq, Om'Mas and Taz of the musical trio Sa-Ra have disbanded, the group known best for their work with Kanye West (they were signed to his G.O.O.D. Music label) is putting those rumours to rest with the May release of The Hollywood Recordings, the prequel to their forthcoming major label debut, on renowned indie Babygrande Records.  With high profile guest spots including Featuring Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, Bilal, J Dilla, Capone-N-Noreaga, Pharaohe Monch, Kurupt, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Lord Nes and more, The Hollywood Recordings defies categorization and represents Sa-Ra's complete vision, which encompasses more than just music. "We take the best of all doctrines, practices and sciences, and have developed our own style," Om'Mas explains. Taz adds, "Our music contains a deeper meaning, a real purpose."  "You look at James Brown, Prince, Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane, Parliament -- all of the originals, the Gs of whatever they did -- people didn't get it at first," Shafiq says. "It wasn't until they made it cool. Then, when they made it cool, everybody was doing it. Our job is to make history, not to entertain. Our job is to change, add and contribute to what the greats have already contributed."

A product of South Central Los Angeles and the South Bronx, group founder Shafiq cut his teeth producing with Ice-T and Lord Finesse. Om'Mas was a quality mixer and engineer for a host of talent, including Ice-T, Foxy Brown, Mobb Deep and Jam Master Jay. While meeting with fellow South Central Los Angeles-based Taz in 1989, Shafiq realized that the three could make magic together, and formed Sa-Ra, meaning "offspring of the most powerful energy in the universe;" the name also means "children of the cosmos."  The group's subsequent production work with and for the likes of Dr. Dre, Kanye West, John Legend, Jurassic 5, Ice-T, Lord Finesse and others was accompanied by Sa-Ra releases: the Dark Matter And Pornography Mixtape and The Second Time Around. All of Sa-Ra's work is marked by a connection to your soul, your being. It's an intangible link to your inner self, making their output indispensable. It is something that cannot be ignored, as it cuts to the core of existence. Listen to Sa-Ra's latest single here: www.babygrande.net/sa-raexclusivemusic

Whitney Houston: Setting The Stage

By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices

(Mar. 23, 2007) Black America's favourite pop diva Whitney Houston is staging a major comeback. According to published reports, the former chart-topping singer -- of formidable hit songs such as 'I Will Always Love You,' 'It's Not Right, But It's Okay,' and 'How Will I Know' -- is taking "the tentative steps toward reclaiming her once-flourishing career." Fox News's gossip guru Roger Friedman recently reported that Houston is venturing into a recording studio with in-demand writer-producer Johnta Austin. The protégée of hip-hop super-producer and new Island Def Jam president Jermaine Dupri, Austin won a Grammy Award for co-writing Mariah Carey's gargantuan comeback hit 'We Belong Together.' Other high-powered hit-makers such as R. Kelly and Diane Warren have been associated with the project, which is expected later this year.

While some reports indicated that Houston has started recording in New York City, sources tell The BV Newswire that she is expected to start officially working next week in Los Angeles, where she was reportedly going to rehab for substance abuse. This season, fans of the multiple Grammy Award winning chanteuse rejoiced at the fact that she appeared on the soundtrack for Tyler Perry's latest movie 'Daddy's Little Girls.' The song 'Family First' also features the voices of her family members, including pop music legend Dionne Warwick, gospel and soul music stalwart Cissy Houston and Houston's teenage daughter Bobbi Kristina. Music industry legend Clive Davis, who is credited with discovering Houston and shaping her stellar career, will oversee the yet to be titled comeback opus. "We are reviewing material right now," he recently commented to the 'New York Post.' "She looks radiant and is clearly together. She is talking enthusiastically and is articulate."  Platinum-plated R&B crooner Ne-Yo, who composed Beyonce's chart-topping hit single 'Irreplaceable,' is also in the Whitney mix.

The Arkansas native (legally known as Shaffer Smith) recently told MTV Radio Networks of his plans to work with the diva. "She's definitely recording; I've heard a few songs that she's cutting," he said. "Vocally, Whitney's back. Real talk. She's definitely back. I've done a few songs for her that her people have told me that they like. We just gotta find the time now to get in there and get'em done." A spokesperson for J Records --Houston's label -- remained mum when prodded for details about the recording process today, but Davis (who made Alicia Keys an international phenomenon over the past seven years) seems quite confident of the effort. "We are going to make a great album," he added. "In my opinion, the best singers in the world are Aretha (Franklin) and Whitney. That's not to knock Mariah. Mariah is a friend of mine, but I think Mariah would even say those two are the best."

Young Singer Captures Adult Audience

Excerpt from www.billboard.com - Susan Visakowitz, N.Y.

(March 23, 2007) Do you remember your early teen years, before you had a driver's permit, when it was a bitter struggle to convince a parent or older sibling to drive you somewhere?  Kelly Sweet doesn't have those memories.  When the singer was barely 14, her mother rented out the house they shared in Kanab, Utah, and set out driving young Kelly all across America, looking for every performance opportunity for her daughter she could find.  The painter and her progeny focused most of their efforts on two cruel bastions of broken dreams, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. But in Kelly Sweet's case, the gamble in both places paid off.  During the two years mom and daughter spent on the road, the budding starlet nabbed a gig opening for Kenny Loggins when his tour came through Vegas and was booked to sing the national anthem on three separate occasions for Los Angeles Lakers games.  Sweet had been traveling a musical path from a much earlier age, though. She grew up in a creative home, her first seven years spent in the idyllic environs of Cape Cod, Mass. Her father was a jazz pianist and she was surrounded by music from birth. She recalls singing along to everything from Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole to Whitney Houston, much of it at her father's side.

After her parents divorced, Sweet and her mother relocated to Kanab (population 5,000), but Sweet's interest in music didn't wane. She began classical training with a vocal coach at age 11 and by age 12 she was penning her first lyrics.  "Sting was a big influence on that side," Sweet says. "I learned a lot about writing from reading his lyrics. Paul Simon's, too."  The precocious vocalist was soon comfortable singing all sorts of styles, and never shied away from performing for audiences. This, combined with the freedom provided by home schooling, made the road trip with her mom possible.  "I was very lucky," Sweet says. "My mom was so supportive. She put her own career on hold for what ended up being almost five years for me to get to where I am today" –- signed to Razor & Tie and cracking the top 20 on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart with her single "Raincoat."  Sweet's success on tour led to a meeting with Grammy-nominated producer/songwriter Mark Portmann (Josh Groban, Celine Dion). The two immediately began work on a recording, which Sweet, 18, says was an "amazing experience. All these influences had built up in me through the years, and I finally had a chance to let them out and see my vision come to life."  During the sessions, Bruce Berman of Velour Entertainment happened to be working on other things at Portmann's house when, he says, "I heard Kelly's voice. I immediately got goose bumps. She hit this one note that just took me to another place and I was completely captivated," he recalls. Berman eventually signed on as Sweet's manager.  The first major task the crew tackled was getting Sweet signed, which turned out to be a more pleasant undertaking than expected. "We had three major labels bidding for her," says Berman. But he and Sweet ultimately settled on the independent label, Razor & Tie, because, as Berman explains, "They put on paper their commitment to the long haul and to rolling out this album the way Kelly and I had envisioned."

Sweet concurs, adding that teaming with a smaller label means she has more opportunity for "creative freedom. I knew my voice would be heard."  The arrangement seems to be working for all interested parties. "Raincoat," a gentle, enchanting number about burgeoning hope, steadily climbed the AC tally for weeks. Her debut album, "We Are One," hit stores March 6.  Sweet says she hopes to fashion her career after Barbra Streisand's: "She's been around for a long time and has sung all different types of music. To me she represents a true artist."  As for her patient, road-tested mom, Sweet says, "She's thrilled. She's finally back in the house in Kanab, painting again."

T.I. Stretches Out With Eminem, Timbaland, Wyclef

Excerpt from www.billboard.com - Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

(March 22, 2007) Atlanta rapper T.I. tries a little bit of everything on his upcoming album "T.I. vs. T.I.P.," due July 3 via Grand Hustle/Atlantic. The set will feature guest turns by Eminem, Justin Timberlake, R. Kelly, Nelly, Akon and Lil' Wayne as well as production from Timbaland, Scott Storch, Mannie Fresh, Wyclef Jean and Just Blaze, among others. A single should hit radio by early April.  Billboard.com previewed 14 songs in contention to make the final album out of the more than 60 that have been recorded. Among the single contenders are the Mannie Fresh-produced "Big Things Poppin'," where T.I. proclaims, "I made it from the bottom to the top / where I oughta be," and "Show It to Me," a club track that will feature Nelly. "When you barely had flow, I had crack for the ho's," T.I. raps.  Among the more surprising cuts are the three produced by Wyclef; the artists wrote eight songs during just three days of collaboration.

"You Know What It Is" sports a dubby thump behind the sound of a gun being cocked, with T.I. boasting, "Had the album of the year, n***a / Grammy or not." "Shorty Got a Gun" has an almost Latin melody and a lot going on production wise, while "Pass the Dutchie" nicks lines from the chorus of Musical Youth's hit of the same name, with a melody not unlike Wyclef's own "Gone Till November."  R. Kelly will be featured on the jovial "Life of the Party," while Lil' Wayne utilizes his trademark Southern drawl to great effect on the sparse, Donny Hathaway-name checking "Yeah." The album is also tipped to feature the Runners-produced club track "Don't You Wanna Get High," Scott Storch's "It's OK" and "Tell 'Em I Said That," marked by a spiralling synth line and production by Danja Handz.  However, arguably the most interesting track is the Grand Hustle-trumpeting "Hip-Hop," a Just Blaze production marked by a chopped-up rock guitar riff and loud, '80s drums. It is not yet clear if the song will appear on "T.I. vs. T.I.P." The Eminem tracks will be put to tape in the coming days in Detroit, while Timbaland and Timbalake are earmarked to contribute in the next few weeks as well.

Throughout, T.I. raps in two personas: that of himself, and of his alter ego, T.I.P. "It's basically a battle within myself," the artist told Billboard in December. "There's not nobody out there doing what I do as well as I do it, so I see myself as worthy competition for myself."  The upcoming album is the follow-up to 2006's "King," which has sold 1.6 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. T.I. is also making another foray into film acting with the Nov. 2 release of "American Gangster," alongside Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. In addition, the rapper's Grand Hustle Films is developing two projects: "For Sale" and "Random Check," the latter centered around airport security.

Valentino Goes Back To The Drawing Board For New CD

Excerpt from www.billboard.com - Mariel Concepcion, N.Y.

(March 23, 2007) Having your album leak days before it is set to hit stores might be a major setback for any artist, but not for Bobby Valentino. After his intended sophomore release leaked last year, the R&B singer decided to go back to the studio and record an entirely new album. Now, with "Special Occasion," (DTP/Island Def Jam) due May 8, Valentino says the delay provided extra time for him to give fans more "hot records."  "I'm not somebody that just does a couple good songs," the 25-year-old Atlanta native tells Billboard.com. "I wanted people to know I have a lot of hot records. So, I went back in and gave them a whole new album, and for those people who wanted to hear those Internet songs, they got that too."  Like his 2005 self-titled debut, Valentino kept guest appearances to a minimum on "Occasion," collaborating with only Fabolous and Timbaland. The latter produced first single "Anonymous" and a track titled "Rear View" ("And I ain't talking about a booty," Valentino asserts), which is slated to be the next single. Other producers on the album include Tim & Bob, Dre & Vidal, Sean Garrett, Rodney Jerkins and the Insomniacs.  Along with promoting "Special Occasion," Valentino is working on branding his Bobby V jeans line, inspired by the second single from his first album, "Tell Me," in which he croons, "How did you get that in those jeans?" "I love women," says Valentino about his decision to launch the collection. "I just want to see all the beautiful women walking in the Bobby V jeans, and I want them to have a good fit no matter what size they are."

Valentino also recently recorded a song with French R&B singer Leslie, titled "Accorde Moi," which is featured on her "L'Amour En Vol" album. "She said I was one of her favourite artists, so [they] reached out to me," says Valentino. "I liked the song so I made it happen." But don't expect to hear the singer belt out in the language of love. "She's singing in French and I'm singing in English," Valentino clarifies.  The R&B singer hopes to hit Hollywood next, but not for a re-audition for "American Idol," from which he was booted off during season one. Though he claims his stint with AI was a "good experience," Valentino wants to head west to follow in his mentor Ludacris' footsteps, and audition for movie roles. "I just want to get my acting up; I'm ready to do it," he says. "And I know when I get focused, it's going to happen for me."  Finally, As for the rap album by his alter ego, BV, which he originally planned on launching as a bonus disc alongside "Occasion," Valentino says it will materialize sometime next year.

What's A Hit Now?

Excerpt from www.thestar.com - By Michele Henry

(March 25, 2007)  If video killed the radio star, why do we care about the "radio hit"?  Back in the day when families crowded `round the transistor to hear the latest single from Frankie Valli, the term had great significance. To the listener a "radio hit" meant popularity. But in today's multi-platform, iPod-infiltrated world, the "radio hit" tells a whole different story, according to Alan Cross.  "There can be the `download hit,' the `ringtone hit,' the hit from hearing a song on TV, in commercials. There are all these different aspects of how a song gets to the public," says Cross, the program director for local rock station 102.1 The Edge.  Anyone can use modern technology to "create their own radio," so there's less dependence on traditional means of finding out what's out there, Cross adds.  Take Arcade Fire, for instance. The much-hyped indie rock band released a new single last month, but it was not a "radio hit" in the first few weeks. Last week, with the album Neon Bible reigning at No. 1 in the national sales chart, all the hoopla in the world couldn't get the single "Keep the Car Running" beyond 256 spins on air, good for No. 19 on the Nielsen BDS national airplay chart.

Al Mair, for one, thinks it's a shame that radio isn't jumping on all of the international excitement about Arcade Fire. The publisher of Applaud magazine, says he sees radio tending to play only mainstream, familiar tracks. "We don't have the diversity of music on the radio we had 10 years ago," he says. "Now, it's boring radio." Paul Tuch, director of Canadian operations with Neilsen BDS, which tracks video and radio airplay, suggests that radio listeners tune in to hear familiar music. "Do under-35-year-olds listen to the radio to find out what's cool any more?" he asks. "The cool bands are discovered outside of radio now." So neither radio plays nor album sales mean huge mainstream success – if there is a mainstream. Arcade Fire had the No. 2 album in the U.S., selling under 50,000 albums, Cross says. Last week Neil Young's album reached No. 1 in Canada with only 10,000 albums sold.  As radio caters to ever more specific tastes, "There's an infinite variety of streaming styles, fashions and trends (and) the idea of consensus as to what is popular has taken a huge beating," Cross says.

Underground Rappers Want World Moving To Their Rhythm

Excerpt from www.thestar.com

(March 25, 2007) Right now, Rhythmicru's plan for aural global domination goes something like this: first Toronto, then Taiwan. After that, the world.  The local rap collective has been on the scene for almost seven years and after four releases, the group is hoping that 2007 is the year that this underground crew – known for its exuberant live show – breaks far and wide. By the end of this year, the band plans to release two new records and one of its members is going to release a solo album. As well, next month it tours Taiwan, where one member, Andre Flak, alias D-Ray, is currently laying the groundwork.  This group doesn't just have respect in the local rap scene, it's working to build that scene, through its Heads Connect residency at the Rivoli. (The show coming this Saturday is the last before crossing the ocean.)"There used to be a night called In Divine Style at the Hooch, which was kind of like a local night that brought a lot of people together," says Rhythmicru's Cale Sampson. "It kind of petered out, so we started Heads Connect as a kind of thing where other groups can come together in one venue, and try to bring each other's audience with them." While the guys insist Toronto's hip-hop talent is excellent, it really doesn't have the commercial appeal or support of other similar-sized cities, and particularly from the underground perspective, it definitely requires a lot of hustle.

"The struggle in the city for us has been having to create our own kind of infrastructure," says Paul Aloisi, a.k.a. TheSnowyOwl. "There's only one reason to do it in Toronto, and that's for the love. There's not much commercial success. But looking at people who had that kind of success, it's because they haven't stopped." He says Rhythmicru has used Heads Connect as a show-swap opportunity where other groups touring across Canada play in exchange for the same treatment when Rhythmicru hits their towns.  The group is releasing a Heads Connect compilation sometime this summer.  "It's got a lot of the Rhythmicru extended family on it. Like More or Les, The Wordburglar, Graph Nobel, Shad K and a lot of others," says Flak on the line from Taiwan. Flak is the main producer of the group and the other thing that he's sitting on is Supertoke Mixtape Volume 2, the follow-up to last year's excellent Volume 1. It's expected out in the fall.  "I'm really excited about this upcoming year. The thing that's different from our other recordings is that we've never done it like this. If you want to get any traction, you've got to always be releasing stuff and right now, I'm sitting on a lot of great material and I can't wait until it all comes out," says Flak. "As well, with this tour of Taiwan, we're finally going try and break beyond our borders."

Flak says in Taiwan, hip-hop is still in a nascent stage, and it's very fresh there.  The group was invited to play Spring Scream festival and Flak also plans to record with musicians there.  Sampson is likewise stoked about the future. His solo album is also almost set and features appearances and production from The Rascalz' Red 1 and DJ Kemo. "It's going to be called Finally because you don't know how many people have been asking me `when is your solo album going to come out.'" As Jay-Z said, you can't knock the hustle, and the Rhythmicru boys are hoping that their barrage of new material and their consistent work ethic can help them rise above the din.

Christina Does It By The Book

Excerpt from www.thestar.com - Ben Rayner, Pop Music Critic

(March 26, 2007) The word "professional" can be either a compliment or a diss when applied to pop music, and thus it works perfectly in the context of Christina Aguilera's career. There's no knockin' the plucky little ex-Mouseketeer's outsized vocal abilities, her unerring knack for hitting her stage marks or the drive that's kept the 26-year-old belter near the top of the charts long ago vacated by chief "rival" Britney Spears through three albums and two rather radical makeovers since 1999. There is nevertheless something quite arid and unappealing about her music, which consistently fails to project much in the way of real soul despite Aguilera's assumption of every growling, ululating R&B-vocalist cliché on a nearly line-by-line basis as she sings.  In performance at the Air Canada Centre last night, a sense of workmanlike detachment persisted during every torch song, bedroom come-on, high-concept dance number and teary paean to the strength of Aguilera's mother. "Let's have fun tonight!" she crowed at the beginning of the 90-minute set, but the way it came out – with the clenched-teeth sunniness of a hostess working her fifth Vegas floor show of the day – made one wonder if it was an exhortation to the crowd or Christina herself. Fortunately, while still a bit of a cold fish in evident onstage charisma, Aguilera's made great strides in confidence, costumes and choreography since her last tour in 2002, when she was easily upstaged by Justin Timberlake (this year she brought lip-synching semi-strippers the Pussycat Dolls to make sure it didn't happen again).

This, at least, meant that although the purportedly "daring" neo-jazz and soul material from last year's double-disc Back to Basics album and the few old-school X-Tina hits were all rendered in the same shade of casino-circuit grey by Aguilera's unsubtle howl and the disinterested, talk-show-band noodling of her large backing band, there was always something to look at. Aguilera's comely wardrobe of revealing gowns and short shorts was chief among the attractions, but she and her skilled troupe of dancers had a number of inspired set pieces to cavort in. "Dirrty" was preceded by a mini-circus of fire dancers, stilt walkers and trapeze artists. "Nasty Naughty Boy" found one brave young gent lashed to a knife-thrower's bullseye and tickled with whips by Aguilera and her female dancers.  All of these trappings easily distracted from Aguilera's tendency to over-sing every note, but not from the sterile quality of the performance – which kept most attendees sitting cross-legged in their seats. When Aguilera deigned to grab a few fans' hands every now and then, one got the vibe she couldn't wait to run backstage for another misting of Purell.

Edge Donates Axe To Katrina Relief

Excerpt from www.thestar.com - Associated Press

(March 26, 2007) LOS ANGELES – The Edge is donating his favourite instrument to an auction benefiting Music Rising