20
Carlton Street, Suite 1032, Toronto, ON
M5B 2H5
(416)
677-5883
langfieldent@rogers.com
www.langfieldentertainment.com
October 4, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving! Remember to thank
those that have impacted your life! And please remember those that
may not have as much as we have in this beautiful country!
This week brings you a couple of hot events - Sarah Melody's
Pre-Release Party and Kayte Burgess' Farewell Party as she moves to
Atlanta! Check the details for both below!
And don't forget to check out Chaka Khan's latest
offering - Funk This! (details below)
::SONY/BMG SCOOP::
Chaka Khan To Release First New Studio Project In 10 Years
Source: Sony/BMG Music Canada
Celebrating over three decades of milestones, Chaka Khan will release her
first new studio album in over 10 years. Khan’s music and celebrity have
influenced generations of fans and contemporary recording artists setting
standards across every music genre: Pop, Rhythm & Blues, Rock, Disco, Soul,
Jazz, Hip Hop and even Classical. Chaka Khan is a musical Icon.
FUNK THIS produced by the Grammy Award winners Jimmy Jam & Terry
Lewis embodies the funky soul of her musical roots with Rufus and her signature
passionately-honest vocal styles that make Chaka Khan timeless. “The
album may remind people of my early Rufus albums because I’m in a similar ‘soul
space.’ I’ve been on a little journey in the last few years, finding
Yvette again.” (Referring to her birth name) “I went through a period of being
insecure. I’m walking a different path now. I’ve changed.
This album is different from any other album I’ve recorded because it reflects
what I’m about, who I am now. The album is called, ‘Funk This!’ because
it’s funky!” The thoughtful work ranges from original copyrights,
collaborations with superstar artists, to adding her signature stamp on
important contemporary classics.
The collection includes fresh renditions of Prince’s “Sign ‘O’ the Times”; a
duet
with Michael McDonald on “You Belong To Me,” a song he co-wrote with Carly
Simon, Joni Mitchell’s “Ladies Man,” Jimi Hendrix’s “Castle Made Of Sand,” the
soul classic “Foolish Fool” and Rufus medley of “Pack’d My Bags,” and
“You Got The Love.” FUNK THIS original’s include “Disrespectful,”
the tour-de-force duet with powerhouse Mary J. Blige, a poignant poetic ballad,
“Angel,” the acoustic “One For All Time” penned by Chaka and Terry Lewis, the
deeply beautiful and soulful “Will You Love Me?” and self affirming “Superlife”
among others. Eight-time Grammy Award winner singer, songwriter and
community advocate – Chaka Khan has been active in lending her support to the
community for many years. The Chaka Khan Foundation, founded in
1999, raised over $1.4 million through its funding raising efforts last year
alone. The Foundation assists women and children at risk and
benefits Autism research, awareness and therapy. For more
information, please go to www.chakakhanfoundation.org.
Track List:
1) Back In The Day
2) Foolish Fool
3) One For All Time
4) Angel
5) Will You Love Me?
6) Castles Made Of Sand
7) Disrespectful (Featuring Mary J. Blige)
8) Sign ‘O’ The Times
9) Pack’d My Bags/You Got The Love (Featuring Tony Maiden)
10) Ladies Man
11) You Belong To Me (Featuring Michael McDonald)
12) Hail To The Wrong
13) Superlife
www.chakakhan.com
www.burgundyrecords.com
www.sonybmg.ca
::HOT EVENTS::
Sarah Melody Pre-Release Party - October 16, 2007
Source: Angel Tours & Entertainment
This is one Melody you won't forget! On Tuesday, October 16th,
17-year-old
Sarah Melody, a rising pop star on the
Canadian music scene, is poised to share her talent with the world at The Mod Club. Featuring a performance
by Sarah Melody, backed by a live band and hosted by the hilarious Trixx from FLOW 93.5 and MuchMusic's
Video on Trial. Opening performance is PJ
Wilson (915 The BEAT talent search winner).
Melody’s debut album, Side Two, is a diverse collection of ballads, smooth
R&B joints and up-tempo pop hits. Side Two features tracks produced
by award-winning producers Luke McMaster (Canadian Idol winners Ryan Malcolm
& Kalan Porter), Perry Alexander (Keshia Chanté, Shawn Desman, George) and
Marcus Kane (Snow, Gary Beals, X-Quisite).
Sarah Melody - Side Two is available online October 16, 2007 at www.sarahmelody.com
and includes Sarah's smash single "Stand Back"
(featuring Snow) and radio hits "Hooked" and "I Wanna".
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2007
SARAH MELODY PRE-RELEASE PARTY
Mod Club
722 College Street West
Doors open at 7 pm
This event is FREE!
19+
Kayte Burgess Official Send Off, Release and Appreciation Party
- Sunday, October 21
Have you heard the Kayte Burgess track ‘Call You Out’ on FLOW
93.5? Yes? Well, the track is from her sophomore album called Checked
Baggage. And Kayte wants to have a party to celebrate its release on
October 16, 2007 – available everywhere! Come and celebrate with us at
the official online and retail release party on October
21, 2007 at Harlem! And guess what else!?
This is also Kayte’s birthday AND an official send off as she makes the big move
to Atlanta to capitalize on opportunities
that have materialized! The night will consist of a showcase of the new
material with DJ Carl Allen spinning all night. And in thanks, Kayte will
be giving 5 copies of her album away!
Checked Baggage saw Kayte criss-cross the continent from
Toronto to Los Angeles to New York City to record nearly 50 tracks
for this independent full-length release. Tracks feature
collaborations with Ali Shaheed Muhammad (Tribe Called Quest), Joel
Joseph and Adrian Eccleston (Nelly Furtado), 2Rude and Graph
Nobel among others.
In Toronto , Kayte has backed up Lionel Ritchie (on Canadian
Idol) and Al Green and opened for Divine Brown in addition
to performing at dozens of profile concerts as a solo artist and as part of
ensemble units over the last eight years.
Come to Harlem on Sunday - a special night in more ways than one!
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2007
KAYTE BURGESS APPRECIATION PARTY
Harlem Restaurant
67 Richmond St. E. (Church and Richmond)
416-368-1920
10:00 pm
FREE
www.kayteburgess.com
::TOP STORIES::
Haydain Neale Update
Source: www.jacksoul.com
A Spokesperson for the family is happy to report that Haydain
Neale has made some significant improvement over the past month and is
showing positive signs of recovery. The family wishes to thank the nurses and
doctors along with all of the hospital staff for their kindness and dedication.
They also wish to thank the amazing outpouring of generous support from the
music industry and fans. The emails and cards have provided tremendous strength
and are being read to Haydain daily.
There have been some inaccuracies reported in the media over the past few weeks
regarding Haydain’s condition and the family asks that anyone wishing to
inquire or report on his status please refer to the statements released via the
spokesperson for the family, Daniel Mekinda, and posted on the Jacksoul website
(www.jacksoul.com).
Please continue to send words of encouragement to Haydain at getwellhaydain@gmail.com
or through the mail at 17 Stephanie St., Toronto, ON, M5T 1B1.
Drabinsky Looks To Elevate Reality TV
Source: Playback Magazine - By Norma Reveler
(September 17, 2007) Theatre impresario Garth
Drabinsky is
aiming to add a little sophistication to reality TV. Triple Sensation, a series he's
producing and appearing in, is aimed at finding Canadians who are talented in
three areas: singing, dancing and acting. The host is Andrew Craig, host of CBC Radio Two's In
Performance concert series.
But Triple Sensation is not "an exercise in karaoke" and won't debase
contestants like other talent-finding shows do, but rather will celebrate them,
says Drabinsky, in an interview with Playback. He likens it to a cross between
Bravo!'s Inside the Actor's Studio and the audition scenes in the movie Billy
Elliot.
"It's a gritty, honest show. We're not trying to manipulate the
audience," he says, adding that he wouldn't go so far as to call it
highbrow.
The first of three two-hour episodes is scheduled to air on the CBC
beginning Sunday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. and continuing the following two Sundays.
Although the series is only scheduled for three nights and will be positioned
as a special event, Drabinsky hopes strong ratings will lead to a renewal.
In a subsequent conversation with Playback, when asked whether he was pleased
with the pubcaster's promotion of his show so far, the producer paused and then
said, "[Promotion] is always a challenge for the CBC," but then added
he was optimistic about his show's chances.
Of course, some critics believe that our national broadcaster shouldn't even go
near reality shows. Triple Sensation is only the latest in a series from the
Ceeb that also includes the successful Dragon's Den, the forthcoming No
Opportunity Wasted and The Second City's Next Comedy Legend.
CBC spokesperson Jeff Keay notes doing reality TV is not new for the network.
"CBC has always been involved in producing reality TV. Back in the 1950s,
it was Front Page Challenge. What Triple Sensation is trying to do is
consistent with our mandate, and relevant to Canadians," he says.
Arthur Lewis, executive director of interest group Our Public Airwaves,
doesn't disagree, noting that in its concept and approach, Triple Sensation
seems appropriate.
"The BBC has been doing reality TV successfully for years. Why not the
CBC?" he says.
Triple Sensation is directed by CBC veteran Shelagh O'Brien (Stars on Ice, the
Just for Laughs galas), coproduced by Sari Friedland (Slings & Arrows),
coproduced and written by Alex Ganetakos (Made in Canada) and co-executive
produced by Sandy Pearl with creator Drabinsky. Drabinsky wants the show to be
a wake-up call for government.
"From this show, I hope politicians will have a better reason to speak to
arts funders. It's important for the cultural health of the country. Performing
arts receive the least amount of tax incentives when compared to television and
film, which receive huge provincial and federal support," he says.
Auditions, open to 16-26-year-olds, were held across Canada, with 12 performers
being chosen to attend master classes run by the best in the business,
including Broadway stars Chita Rivera and Joel Grey. Actress Diane D'Aquila
oversees the master class instructors.
There will be no public voting. The top candidates, chosen from those that
attend the master classes, will perform before a panel. Actress Cynthia Dale,
choreographer Sergio Trujillo, composer Marvin Hamlisch, director Adrian Noble
and Drabinsky, in the producer role, will decide the winner.
Drabinsky explains that, as in most theatrical auditions, the panel members
will not trade thoughts on the performances in front of the contestants, but
will adjudicate behind closed doors. The top performer will earn a $150,000
scholarship to attend a top-notch theatrical training institution of their
choice, such as The Julliard School or the National Theatre School of Canada.
Drabinsky sees the prize fitting in with the premise of the show - that making
it in theatre is not about immediate stardom, but the start of a long road to
excellence.
His work on Triple Sensation comes as he awaits trial next May, accused, along
with four other executives, of defrauding $500 million from his defunct theatre
company Livent. He has continued to work since his legal trouble began in 1999.
He is best known in film and TV circles for launching Cineplex theatres in
1979. His credits as a producer include the award-winning features The Silent
Partner (1978) and The Changeling (1980) and, more recently, The Gospel of John
(2003).
http://www.myspace.com/triplesensation
Russell Peters Scores Script Deal With FOX
Source: Sadharana Communications
(September 29, 2007) Toronto - Comedian Russell
Peters is back in
development at FOX with a
new deal to develop a sitcom based on his family and where his life was or
would be, had he not made it as one of the world ' s biggest comedians.
"It ' s really a snapshot of where my family maybe was ten years
ago. I ' m still living at home, my dad is retired, mom is working
part-time and my brother is living at home too," mentions Peters.
"We ' re in the middle of meeting with writers right now," adds
Peters. "We need to find the right partners to really make this the
best possible project that it can be".
After seeing his two sold-out shows at Just For Laughs in Montreal , Fox execs
Bob Huber and co, including new prexy, Kevin Reilly met with Peters upon
returning to LA for a general meeting which turned into a pitch
meeting.
Peters and his Manager brother, Clayton Peters, pitched Fox about their sitcom
idea that they've had for a while. "Basically this is the most
honest type of project that we could hope for Russell," Clayton says,
"it ' s a project based on growing up with our own family, which was a
working-class South Asian household". The project is said to reflect
the very multi-cultural environment that the Peters boys grew up in.
Russell recently became the first comic to sell-out the Air Canada Centre in
Toronto , performing for over 30,000 people over two nights. Peters is
also set to join the handful of comedians who have performed at Madison Square
Garden , where he is scheduled to perform his new two-hour set on February
2nd, 2008. He'll also be appearing at the new Nokia Theater in Los
Angeles on February 16th, 2008.
Peters is currently on tour performing in England on October 5th and
6th with two sold out shows at London ' s Apollo Theatre, continuing
on to South Africa with scheduled shows in Cape Town , Johannesburg and Durban
. For more information on show locations and dates, visit www.russellpeters.com.
Shows
Of 'Homophobic' Artists Cancelled
Excerpt
from www.thestar.com - Staff Reporter
(September 29, 2007) Kool Haus has pulled the
plug last minute on the
concerts of two controversial reggae and dancehall artists.
Entertainers Elephant Man and Sizzla were scheduled to perform
Sept. 28 and Oct. 5 respectively, but both men have been under fire from human
rights organizations who say their lyrics are homophobic.
Akim Larcher, founder of Stop Murder Music Canada - a coalition made up of 20
organizations that promote human rights - says that the federal government has
remained silent.
“They shouldn’t have been allowed to get visas to perform in the country,"
says Larcher. “It’s not about censorship or artistic freedom. That stops when
hate propaganda is involved... No one should have that platform to speak.”
The Toronto Star also reported on Wednesday that police would be
monitoring the concerts if both artists would perform hate speech. Stop Murder
Music has also called in the CRTC - an organization that regulates and polices
radio and television airwaves - to ban these tracks.
“The record companies have supported these artists and they have a
responsibility not to release those tracks anymore and to remove their CDs from
shelves. They need to be aware to make sufficient steps that their songs does
cause harm in society,” he says. “We’re calling for a Canada-wide boycott of
those artists to take the necessary steps to renounce violence against gays and
lesbians.”
But activist and author Orville Lloyd Douglas says a lot of these organizations
are targeting Black entertainers. “There are a lot of double standards here.
They don’t go after Eminem or Marilyn Manson.”
Larcher says the focus of his organization is to bring awareness and support
against homophobia in Jamaica. According to Amnesty International, attacks and
threats on gays and lesbians in Jamaica are on the rise. In 2004, gay activist
Brian Williamson, who founded J-Flag, was brutally stabbed and murdered in
Kingston, Jamaica. It is illegal for males to be gay in the country.
“There are artists who are profiteering the songs about death and violence
against gays and lesbians,” says Larcher. “It isn’t a black and white issue.
It’s a human rights issue.”
Ticket sales were poor for Elephant Man’s performance with only one-third of
the seats sold. Kool Haus could not be reached for comments.
-With files from Nicholas Keung
Get Ready For: Christina K.
Source: www.Clutchmag.com - By
Summer Hamilton-Smith
(Monday Oct 1, 2007) With her current self-produced single, “I Got a
Boyfriend” gaining rotation on Top 40 radio stations throughout the
country, Christina K is bringing fun back into Hip
Hop, along with an equally charming sense of style. This beauty not only has
skills behind the mike, she also works her magic producing catchy beats.
Likened to a female Kanye West, by her artistic and production abilities, Christina
K.’s unique sound is both reminiscent and a breath of fresh air in
today’s rap game.
Clutch: Christina, your sound is so unique. How would you describe your
music?
The funny thing is that, I never knew I was so unique until everyone told me.
It comes effortlessly. My music is both pop and hip-hop at the same time. I
don’t try to create a “type” of song; I speak from my heart and am in the
moment whenever I write. There is even a message in “I Got a Boyfriend” most
people take it as a whimsical song, but in our culture where so many young
people are promiscuous without a second thought. I remember when we used to be
excited to have a boyfriend, or someone who cared about us . . . as opposed to
just no strings attached sex.
Clutch: Who are some of your musical influences?
Salt and Peppa was my original influence when I was a child. When I first heard
“Salt with a Deadly Peppa” I played it over and over again, until I fell
asleep. Timbaland inspired me as a producer, when I heard his production I was
so intrigued by the sounds that he used that I had to learn how he did it.
Lastly, Kanye West, his personality, and honest sound with his music have
always reminded me of myself. After working with G.O.O.D. Music and helping
plan some of his birthday, VMA, and GRAMMY events . . . I knew that my dreams
were possible.
Clutch: Life is a constant inspiration to artists: love, birth, loss,
heartbreak. How has your life inspired your music?
I have been writing songs since I was five years old. Music has always been a
way for me to express myself and deal with my various experiences. In the
beginning, the music that I made was filled with lots of pain, because I had a
lot inside that I needed to let out. More recently I have been having lots of
fun in my life and it is reflected in my music. I’m all about balance, when I
do speak about my past or less than perfect things, I do it to inspire and let
listeners know that I come from “the hood” and have been through struggle, but
by staying positive and determined, I was able to change my life.
Clutch: You’re not only an artist a songwriter, but you also work
behind the scenes producing. There are few female producers that I know of,
Missy Elliot being one. How difficult is it being a female in such a male
dominated industry?
When I sold my first track to a signed artist at a major label, my then manager
and I tried to pretend that I was the producer’s assistant and not the actual
producer. I was trying to hide my excitement, tracking the beat with the
engineers in the studio. When the artist came in, he saw me supposedly filling
in for the “real” producer. As the artist was writing, he was like “ I know you
produced the track, but it’s hot and you’re hot.” My manager didn’t want to
scare the artist or have him feel that the track was “soft” since a female made
it. I was relieved to know that music speaks louder than gender. I never tried
to sell the fact that I was a female producer; I let the music speak for
itself. Being a female producer can be cute for marketing, but I know that I
make good music, and I want to be respected for that. I actually put my hands
on the MPC, and hit the pads; I’m not just a producer in theory.
Clutch: If you had the opportunity to work with any musical artist, who
would it be?
Kanye or Alicia, that’s tough.
Clutch: Your single, “I Got a Boyfriend” is increasingly getting
airplay. When can we expect your debut album?
Lookout for my debut album to be released in 2nd or 3rd Quarter of 08, we are
currently negotiating my label home.
Clutch: From a female perspective, where do you hope to see the future
of Hip Hop in the next 5-10 years?
I hope to see a balance in hip-hop. I’d like to see more artists that are
really themselves, and touch on a variety of topics. I’d like to see artists
continuing to give back, and inspiring the youth. Hopefully artists can find
ways to express all aspects of themselves with necessarily encouraging or
promoting things that they wouldn’t want their children doing. I’d like to see
hip-hop fun again.
Clutch: Describe your fashion style?
I describe my fashion style as “Punk B-girl Chic.” I wear Chucks a lot, Members
Only jackets, with skinny jeans . . . even when I dress sexy, it always has an
edgy feel to it. Sometimes I make shirts, and add patches or words to them. I
have my own unique style, and I consider myself sort of a trendsetter.
Clutch: Who are some of your favourite designers?
The key to true style is knowing how to hook up a mix of things, it’s so much
more than a label. I wear Luxurie, T-Bags of Los Angeles, new T-Shirt lines
like Jim Jim, and Old Baby Doll . . . I also support original handmade
designers like Aja Imani, and Digital. My favourite Jewellery designer is
Corrupt Design. When I was into labels I was heavy into D&G, now I like to
mix together all sorts of things.
Clutch: You’re currently living in New York . . . what are some of your
favourite boutiques and stores that you frequent? And what item did you last
splurge on?
When I do get a chance to shop, I’m all over the place, I like Pieces in Harlem,
Montgomery in Harlem, they have the cutest dresses there, the D&G store in
Soho, and Scoop NYC. I also support the street vendors in Soho and Harlem. The
last item that I splurged on was my RSW watch.
Clutch: What beauty product can’t you do without?
I can’t do without shea butter, preferably from 125th street . . . Keeps me
soft and glowing. Secondly, would be my Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant.
Clutch: Your hair is so beautiful! What products do you use to keep it
looking healthy?
On what day? lol . . . I use Aveda Be Curly, Carol’s Daughter Hair Mayonnaise,
and Paul Mitchell Pomade. Sometimes I have to break out the Just For Me
detangler . . . lol The list goes on and on.
Clutch: For young women aspiring to be in the rap game, what advice can
you give them?
For young women who want to be in the rap game, I would advise that you are 100%
sure that this is want you want to do with your life. Being a musician isn’t
always glamorous, and it takes a lot of hard work. I would urge you to be
yourself, and not try to replicate anyone else. Honesty and integrity in the
music are important, especially for a female in these times. Get a good team
behind you, and don’t fall for everything that some of the “industry guys” will
promise you. Lastly, really hone your craft until you are confident, and have
quality music before releasing it, because the haters will be lined up and
ready.
To learn more about Christina K. please log-on to
www.myspace.com/christinakmusic
or www.myspace.com/ckoutlaw
::OPPORTUNITY::
Nelly Needs An All-Girl Drum Line
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com
(September 27, 2007) *Nelly
is holding a nationwide casting call in search
of an all-girl drum line that will perform alongside the rapper on his hit
single, "Grillz," a track from his last album, "Sweatsuit."
According to his label Universal Motown, "Nelly is looking for girls that
can play marching band snare drum, tri toms, bass drum, tuba and trumpet."
Auditions will begin nationwide on Sept. 30, starting at 11 a.m. in Atlanta,
New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis and New Orleans.
"Ladies need to know how to march and move very well to the beat
while playing their instrument," the label states. "The final
auditions will be held in Atlanta on Oct. 8, and the girls that make the final
cut will be given the opportunity to perform with Nelly on the BET Hip Hop
Awards to be held in Atlanta on Oct. 13.
Can't make the auditions in person? Just post a one minute video to
Nelly's official drum line audition site: www.myspace.com/nellysdrumlineauditions.
Look for Nelly's upcoming release "Brass Knuckles" to be in stores
later this fall.
::MUSIC NEWS::
Keyshia Cole: R&B Songstress/Writer
Top's Music Charts And Setting Records Along The Way
Source: Roni Moore, ThinkTank Marketing
(October 2, 2007) "Let It Go," featuring
Missy Elliot and Lil' Kim, the first
single from Just Like You, has seen a huge amount of success at radio seeing
more than 100 million in audience and is currently top 10, #7, on Billboard's
"Hot 100" chart and has ranked #1 on the "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop
Airplay" chart.
The video for her 2nd single, "Shoulda Let You Go," featuring Amina, Keyshia Cole's new artist on Imani Entertainment, the
label she co-owns with her manager Manny Halley through Geffen, was recently
shot in Miami.
In addition the #1 success of "Let It Go" gives Keyshia the
distinction of being the first female on Nielson BDS-based urban chart to have
3 consecutive #1 records in the history of the 14-year old chart.
Just Like You was written entirely by Keyshia Cole and includes production by
Geffen Chairman, Ron Fair, Rodney Jerkins, Bryan-Micheal Cox, Gregory Curtis
(who also produced the beautiful single "Love" from her 1st album),
Scott Storch, and The Runners. The disc features guest performances by those
mentioned above along with Anthony Hamilton, T.I., Diddy, Young Dro, and
Oakland homeboy Too Short.
Since her last album release Keyshia Cole has been busy diversifying her
career. She has a starring role in the upcoming MTV film "How She
Moves," is set to debut season two of her BET reality show called
"The Way It Is 2" which is Executive Produced by Keyshia and Manny
Halley, and she recently headlined a multi-city House of Blues tour across the
country.
Be sure to check out Keyshia's cover stories in Essence and Sister to Sister
magazines.
OFFICIAL "JUST LIKE YOU" TRACK LISTING
01. Let It Go (feat. Missy Elliott & Lil' Kim)
02. Didn't I Tell You (feat. Too $hort)
03. Fallin' Out
04. Give Me More
05. I Remember
06. Shoulda Let You Go (Introducing Amina)
07. Heaven Sent
08. Same Thing (Interlude)
09. Got To Get My Heart Back 10. Was It Worth It?
11. Just Like You
12. Losing You (feat. Anthony Hamilton)
13. Last Night (feat. Diddy)
14. Work It Out
15. Let It Go (Remix) (feat. Missy Elliott, Young Dro, & T.I.)
16. Trust (Bonus Track) (iTunes Pre-Order Only)
The
Architecture Of Emotion
Excerpt
from www.thestar.com - Classical Music Critic
(October 02, 2007) Glenn Gould's legacy continues to provoke in
the context of CBC Radio Two producer Neil Crory's ongoing live-to-air
concerts commemorating the 75th anniversary of the birth and 25th anniversary
of the death of Glenn Gould.
Last night's program had pianist André Laplante and guests marking the 50th
anniversary of Gould's visit to the Soviet Union in 1957– the first by a
Canadian artist.
It was a visit that had started quietly, with a half-empty concert hall at the
Moscow Conservatory.
But, as Gould's manager Walter Homburger recalled in a recent conversation, the
audience was so moved by his performance that, at the break, people ran to
telephones to call their friends and relatives. By the time the long
intermission was over, the hall had filled to capacity.
That energy from 50 years ago was palpable at the Glenn Gould Studio last
night, and it reached a peak when Laplante was joined onstage by violinists
Erika Raum, Aisslinn Nosky, violist Steven Dann and cellist David Hetherington
in a memorable rendition of Dmitri Shostakovich's Piano Quintet.
This intense, five-movement piece dates from 1940. It contains all we need to
know about why Shostakovich deserves recognition as a 20th-century composer who
remains more relevant than ever in the 21st century. The five players breathed
a particular intensity into the composer's shifting moods and shaped the
elaborate second-movement fugue into a sensual sculpture of sound and colour.
Gould loved architecture, not emotion. Listen to the late Canadian pianist
play, and you can almost hear him dissecting, analyzing, picking apart and
putting back together. You rarely hear him emote.
Yet what gives Shostakovich's music so much power today is how it manages to
convey emotional states in novel ways – something Gould didn't want to
appreciate.
Glenn Gould may have shared his birthday, Sept. 25, with Shostakovich, but he
never pretended to share the same musical sensibilities. Instead, Gould
preferred Sergei Prokofiev.
From that composer, we heard Laplante's masterful rendition of six of the 20
short Visions Fugitives, which straddle Impressionism and Modernism. We
also witnessed a thrilling rendition of the piano Sonata No. 7 from
1942.
Laplante balanced the seemingly impossible tasks of negotiating Prokofiev's
technical hurdles while never letting the hard-edged, mechanistic side of the
music ruin the piece's changing tonal colours.
The program also included an early Mozart Piano Sonata. Mozart also
wasn't one of Gould's favourite composers, but this was one piece he had
recorded.
Laplante's velvety touch was unlike Gould's as he proved that reason and
emotion can happily coexist on one keyboard, on the same stage, on one evening.
The Gould recitals end on Thursday with Marc-André Hamelin.
Bet J To Air World Premiere Of
"911" Music Video
Label Contact: Craig Bowers / info@soulthought.com
(September 28, 2007) LOS ANGELES, CA - On Monday,
October 1st,
BET J's Soul Sessions will host the world premiere the new music video "911" taken from R&B singer/songwriter Donnie's sophomore album The Daily News, in stores now on
SoulThought Entertainment.
The music video will premiere at 4 p.m. EST (with subsequent showings at 6
p.m. and 11 p.m. on Monday, October 1st, 6 a.m. on Saturday, October 6th and 7
a.m. on Sunday, October 7th).
Soul Sessions world premiere will also feature behind-the-scenes footage from
the video shoot as well as an interview with Donnie about the song's content
and the making of the video.
"I wrote '911' because America is in a state of emergency," Donnie
explains. "Just look at what's happening in Jena, Louisiana, West
Virginia, and in New Jersey. If these incidents are not a wake-up call,
then I don't know what it is? And it's not just the racism and sexism.
America's homophobia is the reason why 29-year-old Michael Sandy is dead today
and his killer's are on trial in New York. We have got to wake up and
change our ways."
"911" is an innovate music video that visually chronicles the
struggle for change throughout the twentieth century and continues today.
Directed by Joe Robert Cole, winner of the screenwriting competition at the
2006 Vibe/Urbanworld Film Festival for "The Man Who's Never Been
Kissed." Mr. Cole was also a co-writer of the recently released movie
"ATL" starring T.I. and directed by Chris Robinson.
Singer/Songwriter Donnie introduced himself to the world with his critically
acclaimed debut album, The Colored Section released on Motown/Giant Step in
2002. "911" is the second single from his June 19th sophomore
album release, The Daily News which debuted at #33 on the Billboard R&B
Chart and #29 on Billboard Heatseeker Chart.
The Daily News is the culmination of a thoroughly reappraised Donnie.
Donnie's "ripped from the headlines" approach to songwriting on The
Daily News sees him using poignant lyrics to tackle a diverse range of
society's woes - unemployment, racism, sexism, homophobia, suicide and child
molestation - being just a few of the subjects. In less capable hands these
topics could become overly dark and brooding, but on The Daily News Donnie
finds himself at his funkiest. Full of righteous indignation without being
preachy, he brings us with him, all the while allowing his truth to shine
through.
"If I were You" and "911", the first two singles released
from The Daily News, have enjoyed strong support on Urban AC Radio, VH1-Soul,
BET J, Music Choice & LOGO. The videos can also be found online, Monday
October 1st, at YouTube.com and Myspace Videos.
Donnie is currently out on tour with upcoming shows in:
Washington DC - Friday October 5th - Black Cat Theatre
New York City - Sunday October 7th - Highline Ballroom
Philadelphia - Monday October 8th - North By Northwest
Up-to-the-minute tour information on Donnie can be found at his website, http://www.donniemusic.com
ABOUT BET J
BET J, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is a
sophisticated digital network infused with innovative and original programming
featuring a unique mix of music, culture and style embracing the Black
experience. It is the premier destination for a multicultural audience
delivering music from all genres along with movies, riveting talk, concerts and
in-depth interview shows. BET J keeps viewers talking with exciting original
programs such as: MY TWO CENTS, REAL LIFE DIVAS, THE BEST SHORTS and SOUL
SESSIONS, and is currently viewed in over 26 million households and growing.
ABOUT SOULTHOUGHT ENTERTAINMENT
With self expression as a brand tenet, SoulThought's motto is,
"Music that Matters". Soulthought strives to create a more
meaningful and emotional connection between the fans of soul music and the
musicians that create it. With its multiple divisions (Internet portal, artist
management, record label, marketing & promotions, radio programming),
SoulThought is uniquely positioned to provide soul musicians with a full
compliment of services and multiple distribution avenues their careers require.
http://www.soulthought.com
Bono Receives Humanitarian Medal
Excerpt
from www.globeandmail.com - The
Associated Press
(September 28, 2007) PHILADELPHIA — Accepting
the Liberty
Medal for his humanitarian work in Africa, Bono exhorted Americans to keep working to solve the
world's problems and spoke of those who are without freedom.
“When you are trapped by poverty, you are not free. When trade laws prevent you
from selling the food you grew, you are not free,” the Irish rocker and
activist said Thursday night as he stood steps away from Independence Hall and
the Liberty Bell.
“When you are a monk in Burma this very week, barred from entering a temple
because of your gospel of peace ... well, then none of us are truly free,” he
said.
Bono and the organization he co-founded, Debt AIDS Trade Africa, received the
award from former Liberty Medal recipient President George H.W. Bush at the
National Constitution Center.
The award comes with a US$100,000 prize, which Bono said will be donated to the
organization. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former finance minister of Nigeria who sits
on the group's policy advisory board, accepted the award for the
Washington-based group.
Bono, front man for the band U2, co-founded DATA in 2002 to work with religious
groups on global disease and hunger issues.
In 2005, U2 was a headliner for the Live 8 concerts held to raise awareness
about African poverty and pressure world leaders to cancel debt for the poorest
African nations.
Calling America “my country,” Bono said he's a fan of the United States despite
its problems because of its contributions to the world.
“Your America is where Neil Armstrong takes a walk on the moon,” Bono said.
“Your America gave Europe the Marshall Plan. Your America gave the world the
Peace Corps.
“America is not just a country, it's an idea, isn't it? It's a great and
powerful idea. The idea that all men are created equal, that we are endowed by
our Creator with certain unalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness.”
Bono exhorted Americans to pledge to continue to help the world.
“America has so many great answers to offer,” he said. “We can't fix all the
world's problems, but the ones we can we must.”
The Liberty Medal was established in 1988 to honour individuals or
organizations whose actions represent the founding principles of the United
States.
Last year, former presidents Bush and Bill Clinton won the medal for putting
politics aside to help raise more than $1-billion (U.S.) for disaster relief
efforts after Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 tsunami in southeast Asia.
Previous winners have included Afghan President Hamid Karzai, former U.S.
President Jimmy Carter and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
The medal was first awarded in 1989, and six recipients have subsequently won
the Nobel Peace Prize.
Sweaty And Full Of Rage, The Boss Comes
Back
Excerpt
from www.globeandmail.com - Simon
Houpt
(September 27, 2007) ASBURY PARK, N.J. —
'Good evening, guinea pigs!"
Bruce Springsteen shouted on Tuesday night, and he sounded
as if he meant it. The Boss and his E-Street Band had come back to their
spiritual home of Asbury Park on the Jersey Shore to shake off the rust of five
years spent apart, with a pair of semi-public rehearsals before heading out on
the road. And they came in humble.
But for the 3,000 faithful, family members and celebrity friends who flocked to
each show from as far away as Japan, Switzerland and England, the two-hour
run-through was an honour rather than a trial. And it offered a rare chance to
see an unvarnished version of a performer known for his perfectionism.
"Is anyone alive out there tonight?" Springsteen shouted off the top,
to thunderous applause, before smashing into Radio Nowhere, one of eight
songs the band played from the new disc, Magic, which drops next
Tuesday. They followed with 20 more tunes, from Prove It All Night to
the finale of American Land, his Pete Seager-influenced Irish jig.
There are still some kinks to work out for the band, which stops in Ottawa on
Oct. 14 and Toronto on Oct. 15. At the rollicking conclusion to She's the
One, Springsteen yanked the harmonica from his mouth and threw up his hands
in triumph before realizing the band still had another eight bars to go. After
the opening four songs, the stage fell into near darkness as the Boss
approached some of his band mates, one at a time, to give performance notes.
They may have been thrown off by the fact that the derelict convention hall's
air conditioning was on the fritz. Springsteen was drenched less than four
songs in, his shirt soaked through as if he had been baptized. Sweat poured off
his guitar. To cool things off, organizers wedged open an arena door leading
out to the beach.
Asbury Park looks almost entirely different than it did when Springsteen got
his start playing in local clubs. Downtown streets are littered with boarded-up
storefronts, liquor stores and bail-bond businesses. The restaurants on Main
Street are now almost all Mexican.
Along the boardwalk, there's a small string of new arts-and-crafts businesses
selling fancy glassware and Asbury Park T-shirts, leaving fortune teller Madam
Marie the only original denizen left on the strip.
But even as the world around it has changed, the nine-member band has stayed
essentially the same. Springsteen surrounds himself with people he has been
playing with for more than 20 years. Guitarist Nils Lofgren still sports
laughably out-of-style mutton chops, Steve Van Zandt still takes the stage with
his head in a bandana, and the Boss hasn't much changed his show uniform of
jeans and a long-sleeved shirt open to the chest.
The years have slowed them all. Clarence Clemons looks ready for
hip-replacement operation, and Springsteen now struts slowly along the lip of
the stage. The firebrand preacher is gone.
If you were to drop a Martian into a Springsteen concert - at least, a Martian
with a sense of the waves of popular music over the past few decades - he would
be hard-pressed to identify which songs are new and which are 30 years old.
Certainly, the new Livin' in the Future, with its swooping,
carnivalesque organ, fits right in with Springsteen's mid-seventies material.
But then, the fans still reserve the loudest cheers for the oldies, which on
Tuesday night included a powerhouse Badlands, The Promised Land, Night
and Born to Run.
Underneath the anthemic power is an iridescent rage. While Born in the
U.S.A. has been growing darker in concert over the years, you can now
barely make out the words that Springsteen spits out in a clenched-jaw,
rumbling growl. His dissatisfaction with the state of his homeland is now
bone-deep, and bone-weary.
The new album, Magic, is infused with that disappointment. Political but
not partisan, Springsteen took the unusual step in the last U.S. presidential
election to endorse a candidate, only to see his hopes dashed. He is still
bitter. "We live in pretty Orwellian times," he said on Tuesday, by
way of introducing the album's title cut. "These are times when you can
make something that's a lie seem true, and something that's true seem like a
lie. Ask John Kerry. So watch out for that magic."
Leading into the new song Livin' in the Future, he exalted "things
that you love about America: cheeseburgers, hot rods, the Jersey Shore, V-Twin
engines." Then he added a litany of new American phenomena:
"rendition, illegal wiretapping, torture, voter suppression, no right to a
lawyer if you're arrested. Those are things that are not just un-American, but
anti-American, and they've been happening as we've been sleeping." His
angry young man is now an elder statesman almost febrile with fury, and he's on
a mission to spread the word.
For
Feist, iPod Makes It Easy As 1234
Excerpt
from www.thestar.com - Pop Music Critic
(September 28, 2007) After months of grazing
the international
mainstream, Canadian songbird Leslie
Feist looks poised to make a major commercial
breakthrough in the States and the U.K. through her recent association with an
ubiquitous, tiny silver gadget.
Feist's charming "1234" – the second single from her hit album, The Reminder, and a co-write with Australian
singer/songwriter Sally Seltmann (who records as New Buffalo) – has been
worming its way into skulls on both sides of the Atlantic at an alarming rate
since it was picked up for use in an iPod Nano commercial earlier this month.
In its second week on the American Billboard Hot 100 singles chart,
"1234" has shot up to No. 28 from a No. 61 debut. Its digital sales
have almost doubled, from 41,000 downloads to 73,000.
The Reminder, too, has spent the past few weeks clawing its way back
into the Top 100 on the albums chart, rising to No. 36 in the most recent
Billboard rankings.
It peaked at No. 16 stateside upon its release this past spring.
In Canada, "1234" has yet to register on the radio-airplay chart, but
in two weeks on the digital-download chart – arguably the more accurate
barometer of popular tastes, anyway – it's rocketed from No. 21 to No. 3. And
it's been hovering around the No. 1 spot in iTunes Canada's hourly rankings.
Meanwhile, The Reminder, which already spent a good chunk of the
summer haunting the Top 10, rose from No. 42 to No. 26 on the album chart for
the week ending Sept. 27.
"The single is about to go Top 20 in the U.K. for the first time. It's had
a 200 per cent (sales) increase in the United States, a 100 per cent increase
here at home," enthuses Jeffrey Remedios, co-founder of Feist's Toronto
label, Arts & Crafts.
"Radio has woken up to the wonderful magic of this song that we've been
pushing for three months ... and finally we're seeing some pronounced upward
momentum up the charts, maybe all the way to the top of the AC chart."
Feist isn't the first to benefit from exposure in one of Apple's iPod
commercials. Jet's "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?" was one of the first
songs to attain a breakthrough, while Gorillaz' "Feel Good Inc." and,
more recently, the Fratellis' "Flathead" have attained a certain
measure of cultural ubiquity.
Indeed, so great is the demand to know which song features in which iPod ad
that Macintosh maintains an online list of the tunes it has licensed on its
support page.
Geoff Mayfield, the man in charge of watching the charts for Billboard,
says it has become quite common for artists to make "substantial"
gains on the charts when their songs feature in the "right" (rather
than "dorky") commercials.
"She's absolutely got a bit of juice from that spot. It's a really clever
campaign," says Mayfield. "We've seen this pattern with previous
Apple spots. They're very smart. They always choose something that isn't quite
well known."
With, Mayfield adds, the notable exception of U2, who used a 2004 iPod ad to
preview "Vertigo," the first single from How to Dismantle an
Atomic Bomb. The result when the CD arrived? "The biggest single
SoundScan week of their career."
Feist has already lent "1234" to an eBay commercial in Australia, and
her songs "Mushaboom" and "Gatekeeper" have respectively
been heard in ads for Lacoste perfume and HSBC during the past couple of years.
Her "I Feel It All," also from The Reminder, was heard this
month in commercials for the Bell Lightbox at the Toronto International Film
Festival.
The growing impact of her iPod-related notoriety, however, is on another level
altogether.
"You can trace it directly to the iPod commercial," says
Remedios of Feist's burgeoning success with "1234." "Right after
it aired, if you went to ... one of those sites that keeps track of what people
are searching day and typed in "Nano song" or "1234 song"
or something like that, all of these combinations started to spike.
"It's totally wonderful and deserved. Its just like the right song and the
right product mix at the right time. We're really seeing a real sea change with
the penetration of this record."
One Chance: Talented Foursome Says Usher
Instantly Loved Them
Source: Ryan J. Hobbs, Ryan@thinktankmktg.com, www.thinktankmktg.com
(September 28, 2007) For Courtney, Jon, Michael and
Rob, One
Chance is the perfect name for a foursome that
has invested their heart and soul into their musical dreams and now stands on
the verge of savouring the fruits of their labour.
"This name really suits us," says Jon Gordon, 20. "One Chance
means we only have one life and this is our one dream and you've only got once
chance to do it. We feel like all we need is one chance for people to
hear us and they'll love us."
Bound by their love of music and their undeniable talent, these four Chicago
natives came together three years ago and overcame all the obstacles that
littered their road to success. After a few detours and more than a few
roadblocks, the guys found themselves face to face with the biggest R&B
superstar in the world and, much to their delight, he liked what he saw.
"Two years ago we got the opportunity to showcase for Usher," Jon
recalls. "He could tell that we were already polished. We had been working
so hard for so long and it must have shown on stage because we were chosen by
Usher over several other acts who showcased for him and his staff that
day."
Usher signed One Chance to his label, US Records, and began the diligent task
of developing them as only Usher can do. The multi-platinum, Grammy- winning
artist said he saw reflections of himself in the group.
"As an artist, I know what it takes to be successful," Usher says.
"I know what
it takes to make a mark and have longevity. As a label owner, I want my artists
to possess those same qualities. One Chance does. I have no doubt that these
guys have what it takes to not only live up to the great R&B legends of the
past, but to have the same kind of respect and longevity that many of those
greats still enjoy today."
There's no question that One Chance is next in a long lineage of great R&B
male groups.
"We got a mean swagger," says 21-year-old Courtney Vantrease,
describing the group's uniqueness. "It's a Chicago swagger but it's real
and we've got things that you will remember from previous groups, like little things
you might remember from Jodeci and Boyz II Men."
Jon adds, "One thing that will set us apart from other groups is that most
of them are missing something. Some of them can dance but aren't that strong
vocally or maybe they can sing but they're not solid entertainers but with this
group we cover the whole spectrum. We're not trying to be something we're not.
We can sing. For real. Take away all the music, all the beats, you can even
take away the microphones and you will hear natural voices blending in
harmony."
Hearing them sing 'for real' is the treat listeners get when they lend an ear
to any of the songs featured on the group's debut CD.
The lead single, "Look At Her," featuring D4L's Fabo, serves up
a refreshing new style called Snap & B. "It's something new we're
trying," explains Courtney. "I think we're probably the first guy
group to do this. The snap movement is really strong right now so we just
decided to incorporate some R&B into it. It's just all about giving people
something fresh." Produced by Chocolate Star and Soundz, the song conjures
up images of a club scene and a group of men eyeing a special lady who has
captivated them with her sexy dance moves.
The guys covet a special lady yet again in the melodic midtempo joint
"Private," featuring Akon, and extol her virtues on vocally superior
"Don't Stop."
Shondrae aka Bangladesh (Ludacris, 8Ball & MJG) takes production credits on
"Emotional." Notes member Rob Brent, 19, "I think it's one of
our hottest songs
and it shows the versatility of the group." Adds Jon, "The song is
about a guy
whose girl is about to leave him and he doesn't know what to do so he runs
after her and becomes very emotional."
The group's music creates various nuances. The songs are alternately bright and
fun and dark and pensive.
"We have some really bright voices. We have a couple of dark records but
for the most part it's a young feel, youthful but not too young and not too old
either. It's right down the middle."
Adds Jon's brother Michael, 22, "Some of the songs address situations that
young people are going through in relationships and in life in general."
Just as their songs run the gamut of styles and emotions, the personalities of
the group's members and the talent they possess covers all the bases.
"Rob is the young guy with the non-stop dancing, the popping and locking
all over the stage," offers Jon. "He has the spunk and a voice that
sounds like he's got auto tune on it. He's the guy that likes to riff and run
you down the street."
"Jon's the spokesman of the group," says Courtney. "He's the gel
that keeps
everything together. He keeps our business tight, keeps us practicing and on
stage he's the improviser and the one in the group who has the most hip hop
flavour."
"Courtney is the quiet, smooth entertainer," chimes in Rob.
"He's young but grown and sexy too. Out of all of us he has that
in-between look that can go in either direction."
"And Mike is that sexy, fly dude," notes Courtney. "Mike is the
one that'll take his shirt off on stage and go wild. He's like Jekyll and
Hyde."
The mutual love and respect that the members of One Chance have for each other
have sustained them through some very trying times over the years, times that
often found them chasing down one elusive opportunity after another. "It's
been a real rough grind," recalls Courtney. "We left home, sold CDs
to rent a van to go to New York and went to different record labels to perform.
We all stayed in one hotel room or when we didn't have enough money we all
slept in the van." Undaunted, the group packed up the Gordon brothers'
not-too- dependable van and hit the road to Atlanta for Usher's showcase.
"Even after going through ups and downs we took it upon ourselves to drive
down to Atlanta where we slept on the floor in a cold studio, going daily
without eating. It's been a struggle but we've gotta say it's been a blessing
and it allows us to appreciate everything that's going to come to us even
more."
Check out Usher's brand new R&B sensations, ONE CHANCE, and their new
single "My Word" (See Below)
One Chance is also available for interviews. Please feel free to contact me if
you
are interested in interviewing Chicago 's own, ONE CHANCE.
One Chance - My Word AUDIO
Windows Media
QuickTime
One Chance
J Records
Album in stores Winter 2008
http://www.myspace.com/onechancemyword
T.I. Back In Studio, Drama CD Due In
December
Excerpt from www.billboard.com
- Hillary Crosley, N.Y.
(September 28, 2007) T.I. is three singles deep into his recent
album
"T.I. vs. T.I.P.," but he's already recording new material, according
to Jason Geter, CEO of T.I.'s Grand Hustle label.
Geter says T.I. "would like to work with" longtime collaborator,
producer DJ Toomp, this time around. Toomp produced songs on each of T.I.'s
prior albums but was noticeably absent from "T.I. vs. T.I.P."
In other Grand Hustle news, DJ Drama is eyeing a December release for his
long-anticipated album, "Gangsta Grillz" (Grand Hustle/Atlantic). The
first single is "5000 One's," featuring T.I., Diddy, Twista, Yung
Joc, Young Dro and Willie the Kid. Drama is slated to shoot the song's video in
mid-October in Atlanta.
After a January 2007 racketeering arrest, the master files for "Gangsta
Grillz" were seized by authorities, so Drama has spent most of this year
reassembling the album. "We're really focusing on capitalizing on Drama's
brand," Geter says. "He's built a solid brand with his core audience
and that's who we're targeting."
Meanwhile, Grand Hustle MCs Big Kuntry and Young Dro are also looking to drop
albums in spring 2008. Kuntry's first single is "That's Right" featuring
T.I., and will appear on his debut album, "My Turn To Eat." Young
Dro's next album will be titled "Young and the Restless," but doesn't
have a first single just yet.
Introducing Tiffany Evans
Excerpt from www.billboard.com
- Mariel Concepcion, N.Y.
(September 5, 2007) Having lived in the Big Apple for most of her
childhood, Tiffany Evans never imagined she'd catch her big break
when her family moved to gambling haven Atlantic City, N.J.
"We were having a hard time -- we were homeless -- and we thought we'd go
to Florida to live with my grandmother. But we didn't have enough money to make
it, so we went to Atlantic City and stayed," Evans explains. "I snuck
into the Tropicana and this guy handed me the mic. So I sang 'I Will Always
Love You.' To see everyone enjoy my music made clear to me I wanted to
sing."
Motivated by the response that day, her family started shopping around for
labels and trying to get Evans singing gigs. When Columbia Records took a
meeting with her, the pint-sized singer became hopeful, but nothing
materialized. "I visited them but we didn't work anything out," says
Evans. She was 10 at the time.
A few months later, she landed a spot at the famed television talent show
"Star Search" and won five times in a row. The next day Evans
received a call from none other than Columbia to cut a deal.
Things took off from there for Evans, who appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey
Show" not just once but twice. The second time Oprah invited her back
after she reappeared on "Star Search" and reclaimed her winning title
during the "Battle of the Champions." "She called me back to the
show and was asking me about where I wanted to go in life. It was crazy for
me," Evans, 15, says. "She's an awesome person."
That same year, Evans partnered with the Limited Too clothing line and released
an exclusive EP through the retail outlet. She also started to land movie roles.
"My first was a role on a show called 'The District.' Then I did 'Diary of
a Mad Black Woman.' Tyler Perry is amazing," she says of the movie
director. "He taught me a lot on how movies work and how it is to be
behind the scenes."
Now, Evans is ready to introduce her first full-length self-titled album, which
will be released in November. Her first single, the Ciara-assisted
"Promise Ring," debuted at No. 75 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart this week.
"The album talks about love, talks about life and everything else that
goes on," says Evans. "I don't want to be kiddy now, but I don't want
to be too grown either. I just want to be right in the middle and be able to
reach everyone."
The Billboard Q&A: David Banner
Excerpt from www.billboard.com
- Mariel Concepcion, N.Y.
(September 28, 2007) On Sept. 26, David
Banner joined fellow MC
Master P, music industry executives and scholars
to discuss offensive language in hip-hop music before the House Energy and
Commerce Committee. Reading from a statement, the 33-year-old Mississippi
rapper/producer tenaciously defended hip-hop from its detractors. "Drugs,
violence and the criminal element were around long before hip-hop
existed," testified the rapper, born Level Crump.
It wasn't the first time Banner articulated his stance on the issue. A few
weeks prior to the congressional hearing, he sat in on a panel discussion hosted
by hip-hop Web site allhiphop.com, on which he debated panellist Master P, once
known as a gangster rapper, for denouncing the use of profane lyrics. In recent
months, Banner has taken the Rev. Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and Oprah Winfrey
to task for their roles in the war against rap.
Through his own non-profit, Heal the Hood, Banner has been at the forefront of
a number of philanthropic activities-including, in 2005, the largest urban
benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina victims. He also recently created his own
Adult Swim cartoon, "That Crook'd Sipp," and is slated to release his
fourth album, "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (Universal Motown/SRC
Records), Nov. 20. In coming months, Banner is scheduled to work with Lil
Wayne, Chris Brown and Quincy Jones, among others.
"Rap music is the voice of the underbelly of America," Banner said in
the conclusion to his testimony. "How dare America not give us the
opportunity to be heard." Here, he expands on his thoughts with Billboard.
In your testimony, you said, "when you fix our community, we'll fix our
lyrics." What do you think society needs to do to change the situations in
the communities, and in turn, how will that change the lyrics in hip-hop?
What you have to understand is our music is influenced by our environment. In
Jackson, Miss., and metro areas, there's only one boys' club, no theatres, no
recreational programs. But they don't want you to be gang bangers? I have
friends who are college graduates that have to resort to other things 'cause it's
so hard to find a job. You can imagine someone who doesn't have an education.
At the Katrina hearing one congressman asked, "Haven't we done enough for
Katrina?" They live in a world we don't live in. It's hard to speak for
the majority when you don't live under these same conditions. People don't want
to party if they're broke. They don't want to sing happy songs if they're
broke.
You said rap music kept you out of trouble growing up. Can you remember a
specific instance when you turned to a rap song or lyric as opposed to turning
to the streets?
I can tell you times when I was pissed off and wanted to blow up right now. I
do things in the streets I can't do in business. I get frustrated 'cause there
are many people in the industry that don't keep their words. So, many times I
listened to Lil' Jon and got in the middle of the dance club with $200,000
worth of jewellery on. Rap music does for us the same thing gospel did for the
slaves. We communicate our anger through music.
You also mentioned that growing up, some of the violence you witnessed was
by kids that were sent down south from Chicago. Was that just one example of
violence in your neighbourhood?
That's only one example. You can only tell one story at a time. There are
hundreds and hundreds of things that add to the equation. I remember watching
dance groups in Mississippi turn into gangs. For us, gangs weren't all
negative. It was a way of life. That's all I grew up around. That's all I saw
with my friends. Not necessarily all that came with it was negative though.
But, when black men get together in a group it's always a negative thing
anyway. It wasn't a negative thing when it started. When they taking
recreational areas and parks away from us, and gangs is all we have, wheat else
are we supposed to do?
It's no different than America. The war we're in is about money. America points
the fingers at young black men when the biggest gangster is unfolded in the
war. When I say, "I don't care what you think about this war, I'm going to
continue," that's gangster. For the president of the United States to say,
"you've got 24 hours to get out my country," that's gangster. If I
come to your country and say I just discovered it though you've been here for
years, that's gangster. They brought Africans to this country and done stripped
them of their language, their culture. We lost our traditions 'cause they beat
it out of us. That's gangster.
So basically America is pinning the blame for social ills on hip-hop and
trying to sweep the bigger problems under the rug?
Of course. Why if a kid in Cambodia gets pregnant by a chihuahua it's somehow
tracked back to hip-hop? They said in Congress that stuff you see is more
powerful than what you hear. But they don't criticize Martin Scorcese and the
governor of California, who done killed more people on screen than anybody I
know. The hypocrisy amazes me.
Back in slavery I didn't see them trying to ban words. They called us n*ggers
back then and we just had to take it. Now that we taking ownership of it they
want to ban it. Because we've taken ownership. Same way now you can go straight
from high school to the pros in tennis and golf, but you can't in football and
basketball 'cause that's the black way. I've seen dog fighting all my life
growing up in Mississippi, but now that Michael Vick's doing it it's a national
phenomenon and now they trying to say hip-hop started it.
Recently, you've denounced Rev. Al Sharpton for his efforts to censor
hip-hop music. Is your stance still the same?
All he's got to do to make me go away is stop attacking the kids. Out of all
the atrocities and stuff going on in the world like the Jena 6, why is rap so
important? Come on, dude -- we're making money, and it's not against the law.
Why do you think some rappers like Chamillionaire and Master P have in their
own way sided with cleaning up music? And what are your thoughts now after you
and Master P argued over profanity in hip-hop at the AllHipHop panel?
You can't put Chamillionaire in the same boat as Master P. He made a choice to
do this on his own. I don't want to strike out at Master P. He has the right to
feel how he wants about things. But, if he feels so bad about the fact that he
denounced black people in his music, then he should give some of that money
back to the people. If you're a true leader, you have to sacrifice. I'm
sacrificing my career. This isn't helping me sell records. It's because someone
has to stand up for people. There is a problem in hip-hop, but there's also a
problem in America.
Do you think the attack on hip-hop is an underlying race issue overall?
I think that's a part of it, but we have to be careful of doing that because
then people run and say we're pulling the race card. I pull the truth card. I
pull the fact card. I try to use facts instead of using the black card. If you
notice in my speech, they didn't expect me to pull all the facts that I pulled
out at Congress. I researched, I went to the library, talked to lawyers, I
asked questions and went and found cases. That's the problem -- we are much too
emotional as black people. We must stick to the facts. We've got enough facts
behind what we're saying -- we don't have to pull the race card. That's why I
stop saying "black people" and now I say "poor people." We
have to understand that we have to be truthful with the situations that we are
in and look at it for what it is and act accordingly as grown men and women.
If a white teenager is picking up your CD because he likes your music and he
likes hip-hop and is influenced by the culture, does he get a pass on the
N-word? For the sake of clarity, where is the line drawn?
A white dude can't say n*gger to me. I always say, 'If you want to set me off
let a white boy call me a n*gger." And the reason why is this. Can't you
say stuff about your sister and your brother that can't nobody else say? You
criticize America because you're American but a foreigner can't to your face
because we have the choice to do what we want to do to ourselves. You can't do
what I do. You can't talk to God the way Jesus can. That's not an excuse. You
don't have that right. I can say what I want to about my brother, 'cause I'm
one.
We gotta stop treating the American population like they're dumb idiots. So you
mean to tell me that same person is gonna look at a Stephen King movie and go
kill kids? That's an excuse. I hate when people do that, they being influenced
by us like they're not grown. These are grown people we're talking about. If
you are going to be influenced by Rap City you have that deficit in your
personality in the first place. If I'm being influenced and I'm gonna go out
there and do something wrong, then something's wrong with me inside.
Hip-hop is considered a reflection of what people in these communities live
and see, but can the same message be delivered without saying the N-word, bitch
or hoe?
Rap is an art. I can say whatever the hell I want to. And what you have to also
understand is who are they to judge us and say what words we can and can't use?
I use the words I use cause its graphic and it hurts, It's supposed to get
people's attention. Michael Dyson that was on the panel with us yesterday [and]
he said it -- he said the words we use we use to get your attention. Where we
come from we speak that way.
And I said it in Congress too. You don't know the way that these cats
transformed this word. Aren't there bitches out there? Don't they exist? Those
types of women exist, and if they didn't it'd be different. When someone yells
in a room full of women the word "dyke," my mother isn't insulted because
she isn't one.
You talked about how some artists try to switch their music to be more
positive and cleaner, but consumers won't buy it. Can artist like Talib Kweli
and Common, who are considered conscious rappers, be compared, or is there a
difference?
You can use Talib but you can't use Common because Common came through Kanye.
And you can't use Kanye cause Kanye straddles the line. Talib, you wouldn't
want to use him as example yet because he hasn't reached the level of success
that he should. And don't think kids don't see that. That's what I hate about
America, and that's one of my qualms with hip-hop. Hip-hop lies to kids. The
truth is, why would you want a kid to be like Talib and not be like 50?
What we have to do is stop talking, and if you want better, music buy better
music. We don't put the same type of standards on actors. We don't put that
pressure that we put on Denzel [Washington] when he's acting that we put on 50
Cent as a rapper.
And, why is it that nobody reports on anything but the negative sh*t? I had the
largest urban benefit concert in history. That was supposed to be on the front
of Time magazine, [but] didn't nobody write about that sh*t. Y'all want us to
fight against each other. There are magazines that have told me they don't want
anybody on the cover unless they cause some drama. The crazy thing is they feed
into it and then all the magazines spread out like they got nothing to do with
it. They perpetuate this bullsh*t.
Do you think it's any different when magazines choose to put someone on
their cover that's going to help them sell issues than rappers choosing to use
the type of language in their music that will help them sell records?
The difference is we could do both in music -- that doesn't mean we have to put
it out as singles. I did Talib and Dead Prez on my last album. Nobody bought
that though. They don't even remember it. That was on the same album that
"Play" was on. Michael Dyson said, "People sit around and talk
sh*t and blog and sh*t, but they don't go out and buy the same records they
talking about." Oprah Winfrey was at a birthday party, she had just done a
story on the negativity and the bitches and ho syndrome, but she was bumping 50
Cent and dancing. If you want better music, stop complaining about it and buy
it.
Why has it taken you two years to drop a follow up album?
I was tired of rap. I was tired of music. I got tired of all the fake dudes in
the game. So I had to leave and get myself right again with God and get right
with myself. I'm blessed to be a producer. I'm blessed to be a young, black,
professional man. But, I never enjoyed my money. My little brother is a
grown-ass man and the truth is I don't know him 'cause I've been running around
trying to be a rapper. So, I took time to spend with my grandmother, to spend
with my father before he died. I'm blessed to be an actor. That's one of the
reasons I've got a better album -- cause I've got stories to tell.
You've always been socially active in your community. Is this reflected in
this album at all?
It used to, but I think it doesn't anymore and it shouldn't. One of the
problems we have coming from poor situations is we let our personal life bleed
way too much into our business. The truth is I'm a rapper, so my duty first and
foremost is to make hits and to satisfy my audience. That's my day job. The
better I do that, the more I can do for my people.
This summer, you dropped off the Rock the Bells tour due to "creative
differences." Can you elaborate?
Hip-hop is supposed to be about culture and where you're from. And where I'm
from, my culture is 26-inch rims and strip clubs. We should just respect each
other's cultures and learn from it. I think what Rock The Bells did was they
put a couple of artists on their tour so they could suck in our fans and make some
money. But, they really didn't want us on the tour in the first place.
What do you think should be next move as far as the debate about hip-hop
lyrics goes?
What would make me happy is if people stop being hypocrites and clean up the
communities. The thing is, why aren't people as quick to talk about Jena 6 or
make Congress about Jena 6 or the situations in our hood or all the stuff we do
talk about? We talk about police brutality. Why won't Congress talk about that
instead of our music?
I'll tell you a story. I drink a little bit. But now that I'm training, I don't
drink 'cause I don't have time for negativity in my body. The rest of my body
is great. I'm healthy. I look in the mirror now and I love what I see. With
that I say: If you change our environment, we'll be happy to talk about
something else.
'Umbrella' Writer The-Dream Preps Solo
Debut
Excerpt from www.billboard.com
- Mariel Concepcion, N.Y.
(September 28, 2007) Atlanta-based singer/songwriter The-Dream,
who penned Rihanna's chart-topper "Umbrella, will release his debut album,
"Love Me All Summer, Hate Me All Winter," Dec. 11 via Island Def Jam.
First single "Shawty Is a Ten" recently re-entered Billboard's
R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at No. 31 and has since risen 10 spots.
The next single will be the Tricky Stewart-produced "Falsetto," a
"song you play when you're making love to your girl after you're done dancing
to 'Shawty Is A Ten' at the club," The-Dream tells Billboard.com. A video
for "Falsetto" will be shot next month and will be followed with the
release of a third single, "I Love Your Girl." Rihanna and Fabolous
make the only guest appearances on the set.
For The-Dream, the realization that he could release an artist album was tied
to a track he didn't even wind up releasing. "I called [IDJ exec] Karen
Kwak and I told her I wanted to do this artist sh*t. I figured out what my
voice needed to sound like to sell records," the 27-year-old Atlanta
native says. "I sent her the record 'Bed' and she was like, 'Crazy!'"
"Bed," of course, was eventually released as the first track off
newcomer J. Holiday's debut album, "Back of My Lac." "As
incredible as the song is, I didn't want to be boxed in the R&B lane,"
says Dream.
The track, which has spent three weeks at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs,
caused some controversy between Dream and Chris Brown, who told Vibe the track
was originally his. "The track was considered for Chris Brown -- he
thought it was his -- but it was my record and I decided to give it up to J.
Holiday," explains The-Dream. "Chris said the record won't be No. 1
unless he's on it. I bet someone $500,000 that it would go to No. 1 and I
collected my money just last week."
Now, the Dream says he has no plans of ever collaborating with Brown. "He
said the wrong thing to me," he offers. "He has a track from me now
that I was paid for already and I want to give him his money back. At the end
of the day, I'm big on principle and loyalty. Put that to bed."
There are several other notable collaborations soon to be released, however.
The-Dream wrote J. Holiday's second single, "Suffocate," which will
be serviced to radio in the coming weeks. He has also worked with Celine Dion
on the song "Skies of L.A." and Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger on
"Power's Out." And, though details were scant, he's also in
discussions with Mary J. Blige and husband Kendu Isaacs about a potential
movie.
Will Downing Against All Odds
Source: J’ai St. Laurent-Smyth, Inque Public Relations, inquepr@comcast.net,
www.peakrecords.com
(October 1, 2007) It takes substantial amounts of
courage, inner
strength, and a laser-like focus to converge and stare down unfavourable odds
to emerge victorious in achieving a much cherished goal and vision.
AFTER TONIGHT, Will Downing’s latest musical opus, is clearly a victory
in that in spite of being diagnosed with and managing the unique physical
challenges associated with the debilitating muscle disorder known as
Polymyositis, his upcoming release, AFTER TONIGHT, represents a work of
startling beauty and one which is infused with Downing’s indomitable spirit of
determination and a fierce faith.
The 10-track album, his first on the independent Peak Records label, a division
of Concord Music Group, will be released on Tuesday, October 30th.
Downing’s long-time friend and collaborator (this is their 10th project
together) Rex Rideout, who has worked with Downing for nearly 15 years, serves
as the album’s producer. Rideout also co-wrote six of the 10 tracks with
Downing and laces the project with his adept skills on keyboards. AFTER
TONIGHT was executive produced by Peak Partners Andi Howard and Mark
Wexler.
AFTER TONIGHT kicks off with “Will’s Groove,” which ably showcases Downing’s rich-as-chocolate,
smooth trademark baritone. The song was birthed during a telephone
conversation between Downing and Rideout.
“Will and I were on the phone one evening, and he asked me if I thought I could
put music to this groove he came up with, and then he proceeded to just riff
for a few minutes and what evolved, organically, was ‘Will’s Groove’,” says
Rideout. “I think ‘Will’s Groove’ kinda represents what Will’s fans have
always loved about his particular sound in the first place. His voice clearly
is his instrument.”
Each song on AFTER TONIGHT is bathed in rose-tinged glow of romance and a
velvety sensuality, with Downing’s voice deftly moving between his baritone,
tenor and even his falsetto ranges, clearly demonstrating Downing’s vocal
versatility and his well-honed musicianship. The sultry and decidedly
romantic first single, “After Tonight,” title track will be the first single
shipped to radio on August 5th with the label going for adds on September 24th
& 25th.
On “Lover’s Melody,” a track bathed in sensuality and soulfulness and which
provides the perfect aural inspiration for a romantic evening, the gifted and
iconic vibraphonist Roy Ayers, embellishes the song with his electrifying and
nimble playing while Kirk Whalum lends the “voice” of his tenor sax on both
“All I Need Is You,” (which also features Audrey Wheeler-Downing on background
vocals along with her husband) and the little known Bill Withers’ penned “You
Just Can’t Smile It Away.”
One of AFTER TONIGHT’S many standouts is “God Is So Amazing,” a simple yet
profound song of praise and gratitude that Downing sings with such a pure
intention and an emotional innocence, his voice dipping and weaving yet
remaining smooth and focused as he sings with a heartfelt sincerity:
“Imagine someone who can change everything in your life/Someone who can take
all of your wrongs and make them right …”. With “God Is So Amazing,”
Downing stakes his claim as a man of immense faith and fortitude.
Downing has used the challenge of his illness to create a project which is a
testame
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}