20
Carlton Street, Suite 1032, Toronto, ON
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677-5883
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LE NEWSLETTER
April 3, 2008
Welcome to April! I
have uploaded my site with a new program so some older pages may not look
exactly as they should. Nothing I can do about it for now but the content
is all there. Hopefully this will resolve all the web issues I
experienced earlier.
Now, there is more than the average amount of news this
week. Take your time and scroll down to your weekly entertainment
news!
::TOP STORIES::
Adele A Soulful Balladeer
Excerpt from www.globeandmail.com
- Brad Wheeler
Adele Adkins
At
the Rivoli ƒo in Toronto on Wednesday
(March 27, 2008) Fame is fleet, and so is Adele
Adkins, the brandy-throated British phenom
who finished off her brief maiden North American tour with an efficient 10-tune
performance at the Rivoli.
Adkins, a likeable performer who trades by her first name, rendered her cockney
coffeehouse soul wonderfully and was a chatterer between songs. But her patter
was anxiously quick, and her strong vocal work, even with a
"stripped-back" band that included only a keyboardist-pianist and an
acoustic guitarist, stayed fairly faithful to the versions on her debut album.
That lauded record is 19,
which, by no coincidence at all, is Adele's age. Adele's skittishness may be
the handiwork of the hyping British music press, a machine that shouts her up
as the "Sound of 2008" and the new Amy Winehouse — even though that
year and that troubled singer are far from over.
The Toronto show was billed as being sold-out, but I've seen the room
tighter. After the upbeat pop-soul of Right as Rain,
which is about fake cheer, Adele commented that her shows usually had seated
audiences. There were a few tables up front, which served as a buffer between
an appreciative crowd and a young star singer who herself sat on a high chair a
few feet back from the stage front. Casually dressed in black and with her
auburn hair in a friendly bun, Adele presented herself first as a lovelorn
balladeer — a duskier Minnie Riperton who strummed and lithely described the
boy of her sighing wishes on Daydreamer. "There's no
way I could describe him/ What I've said is just what I'm hoping for,"
Adele crooned in her nuanced way, stretching the last word as "fo-oh-oh."
Before the loping Crazy
for You, the nascent star declared that the unplugged setting would
suit a concentrated set, "all about my voice and my songs." Adele
sings dynamically — up and down, adding rasps and syllables for colour, not for
show.
Lyrics, sharp and self-penned, are of the wistful and melancholic brand. A
keyboardist arrived for Chasing
Pavement, a grand sweeper that got by fine without the album's
strings. A pair of covers (the Sam Cooke blues That's It, I Quit, I'm
Movin' On and Bob Dylan's Make You Feel My Love,
done as a romantic slow dance) impressed. It's a fast track that young British
pop singers run on and Adele spoke recently of wishing to settle down in a few
years, raise a family and write hit songs for others. She told her Rivoli fans
that she would be back in June, though, after her birthday. Adele is 19 now. Do
we hear 20?
Furtado's Light
Shines Through
Excerpt from www.thestar.com
- Noor Javed, Staff Reporter
(March 30, 2008) Nelly Furtado brought light to the darkness of Nathan Phillips Square last night, as
she headlined a free Earth Hour concert that attracted more than 10,000 music fans.
As the appointed Earth Hour drew near, it was hard to tell if the crowd was
more excited about seeing the city lights darken or anticipating the pop
singer's performance, as the thousands cheered each time her name was
mentioned. It was still dusk when Furtado, clad in all black, took the stage
after 8 p.m, starting the concert off by singing "Turn Off the
Lights," the theme song for the evening, accompanied by a sole guitarist.
"Happy Earth Hour, Toronto," she yelled at the screaming crowd.
By the time she got to the last verse of the song, urging the crowd to sing
along, the square was dark – except for the stage, which was lit by four
spotlights and battery-powered, flameless candles.
Furtado left soon after she appeared, but not before promising the crowd she'd
be back for more.
It was a cold night, but the next act, the Philosopher Kings promised warmth
with four songs, including "Hurts to Love You."
FeFe Dobson, dressed in a '70s Jimmy Hendrix-ish fur coat could hardly see her
audience could hear he fans cheering as she sang three songs, including the
recent hit "Everything."
"I can't see you, but I am sure you're out there," she said, a
display of cellphones the only thing visible from the stage.
"I respect you are all here – it's cold," she said. "But I'm
sure you are all warmed up now."
But it was clear that the crowd wanted all Furtado, all the time.
When she returned to the stage, the crowd cheered louder than ever, with one
women throwing a stuffed animal onto the stage.
"It's from my husband," she yelled.
Furtado laughed as she picked it up. "Crazy Canadians in the cold,"
she said.
She entertained the crowd with "Say It Right," but it was her last
offering, "I'm Like a Bird" – from her first album, Whoa, Nelly!
– that elicited the greatest response and had her assembled fans singing most
of the lyrics.
Furtado, too, seemed taken by the entire event as she looked out to the
darkened skyline.
"Thanks to the city of Toronto," she said. "This is cool."
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com
(April 1, 2008) *Family and friends of singer Sean Levert are left to cope with his sudden death Sunday night while serving a jail sentence in Ohio.
The 39-year-old son of O'Jays lead singer Eddie Levert died at Cleveland's Lutheran Hospital late Sunday, less than an hour after he was rushed there from Cuyahoga County jail. He had just begun serving a 22-month sentence for failure to pay child support.
Warden Kevin McDonough said he had been sick, acting strangely and hallucinating before he collapsed in his cell. A cause of death has yet to be determined, and toxicology reports could take four to six weeks, coroner Frank Miller told the AP.
“There are no words that can express what we are feeling today. There is no song that can capture the loss that we have in our hearts," read a statement released Monday by the Levert family. "But we are humbly overwhelmed by the generous outpouring of love, condolences and support from the many friends, fans and admirers of our son Sean. At this very difficult time, we thank you for your prayers and hope you will understand our need for privacy.”
In 2006, Sean's older brother Gerald Levert died suddenly at age 40 of an accidental mix of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Sean, like Gerald, reportedly suffered from high blood pressure, according to the AP.
The siblings had formed R&B trio LeVert during the 1980s with childhood friend Marc Gordon. Their hits included and "Baby I'm Ready," "(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind" and "Casanova."
As previously reported, Cleveland's 19ActionNews.com reported that Levert was sentenced last Monday for owing $85,427.68 in back support for his three children - ages 11, 15 and 17.
Funeral arrangements have not been determined at this time, the family said in its statement Monday.
Another Levert Family Tragedy
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com
(March 31, 2008) *The singing Levert family of Cleveland has lost another son and
brother. Sean Levert has died. Levert, 39, the son of R&B legend Eddie
Levert and brother of Gerald Levert, who passed away in 2006, collapsed at the Cuyahoga County Jail late last night and was
immediately rushed to the hospital. The
warden of the jail told TMZ.com that he died at the hospital, not the jail,
which disputes other reports. A nursing
supervisor at Lutheran Hospital confirmed to Cleveland's Fox 8 News that
Levert, a Cleveland native, died of natural causes just before midnight. A
hospital spokesperson said that Sean Levert's body was immediately taken to the
coroner. Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office spokesman Powell Caesar confirms that
Sean Levert's body had been received. Levert had reportedly been in the
Cuyahoga County Jail serving time for failing to
pay roughly $80,000 in child support.
Sean, along with Gerald and Marc Gordon was a member of the 80s group
Levert. They hit it big with "Casanova." At some point Sean was apparently working on
new music as a solo artist. You can hear a couple of cuts at his official
MySpace page: www.myspace.com/leverts. Sean
Levert had also appeared in movies, including 1991's "New Jack City."
Buzz
Mounts Around Ledger's Joker
Excerpt from www.thestar.com - David Germain, The Associated Press
(March 27, 2008) LOS
ANGELES–Heath Ledger's frenzied reinvention
of the Joker had fans and colleagues buzzing. His dreadful clown face was seen
online by millions, and stood as the goosebump-raising image upon which nearly
all early marketing of The Dark Knight hinged.
All this, while Ledger was still alive.
Now the Batman archfiend stands as Ledger's next-to-last performance. And,
while it's not the first, The Dark Knight has already emerged as
arguably the biggest movie featuring a posthumous role in Hollywood history.
Major stars including James Dean, Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Spencer Tracy
and Will Rogers had high-profile films released after they died. The deaths of
others – notably Bruce Lee and his son Brandon – created an eerie allure that
heightened interest in their final films.
Yet none had the magnitude of a comic-book franchise with an illustrious
70-year history, and movies in those eras did not arrive with the fanfare of
today. Certainly none had the advance word of a delirious, demented turn by an
actor completely reimagining of one of Hollywood's greatest villains.
"It was punk, it was A Clockwork Orange, it was druggie. It was
this kind of fantastic, anarchic look to him. This character who had absolutely
no rules whatsoever," said Christian Bale, who returns as rich guy Bruce
Wayne and his crime-fighting alter-ego Batman. "That's not like any Joker
I've ever seen before, what I saw Heath do."
As the sequel to 2005 blockbuster Batman Begins, The Dark Knight
already was one of this year's most-anticipated films. Opening July 18, the
film's must-see status has only risen since Ledger died of an accidental
prescription drug overdose Jan. 22.
"More people will come to see it because of his death," said Bill
Ramey, founder of the fan website Batman-on-Film.com. "No doubt some
people may be apprehensive about seeing it because there may be a little
ghoulish factor about it. But I'm betting that more people now kind of look at
it as a tribute to him, and the biggest tribute you could give someone is to go
see it and enjoy his performance."
When Dean died in a car wreck in 1955, studio executives lamented "there
goes the movie," figuring audiences would be scared away from his final
two films, said Wes Gehring, who teaches film at Ball State University. To the
contrary: Rebel Without a Cause and Giant were huge hits.
In today's anything-goes celebrity climate, it's doubtful anyone in Hollywood
ever felt Ledger's death might hurt the box-office prospects for The Dark
Knight, Gehring said.
"It's a tacky thing to say, but what would have been a negative in the
past now could be a positive thing," Gehring said. "I think we've
done a flip-flop on pop culture. Now it might actually be a selling point for a
movie where you say, `So and so's dead. Let's go see his movie.' What might
have been a hindrance in 1935 now won't be a problem."
In the days after Ledger's death, fans debated how it might affect the film.
Would distributor Warner Bros. make changes or even delay its release? Would
the advertising shift away from its early focus on Ledger's demonic Joker and
his mocking taunt, "Why so serious?" Would the Joker's ghastly
persona disturb fans? Would viewers be able to set thoughts of his death aside
as they watch his performance?
"Of course, you find more poignancy in moments, and I'm very, very aware
he's not here with us," said Bale in an interview shortly after the film's
opening segment – in which Ledger's Joker orchestrates a bank heist – was
screened in mid-March at ShoWest, a convention for theatre owners. It was the
first time Bale had seen the sequence, and Ledger's death weighed on his mind.
"I can't deny that kind of threw me watching that just now," Bale
said. "You can't help but have that different feeling when I'm viewing it,
especially since he's somebody I was in touch with until just recently and
believed would be a future friend."
Director Christopher Nolan, who revived the franchise with Batman Begins,
said he expects the performance will speak for itself, that morbid thoughts of
Ledger's death will not affect the way audiences view The Dark Knight.
"Having seen the movie myself in such heightened and tragic circumstances,
no, I don't think that's going to be the case," Nolan said. "What I
found in watching the movie myself is that you're not looking at the actor,
you're not looking at the friend, you're not looking at the colleague. You're
looking at the Joker. ... He inhabits this character, and it's an extraordinary
icon, so it's easy to enjoy it on that level, just as a great piece of
acting."
Ledger – known for serious films including Brokeback Mountain, which
earned him a best-actor Academy Award nomination – was a surprise choice for
the Joker, most famously played previously with Jack Nicholson's giddy
performance in 1989's Batman.
Nolan, Ledger and their collaborators came up with a wildly different Joker,
whose ominous clown makeup seems to have been finger-painted onto his face, an
outer portrait of the black and twisted soul within.
Ledger's performance floored two-time Oscar winner Michael Caine, who reprises
his role as Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred. Caine's first glimpse of the
character came when Ledger emerged onto the set from an elevator; in an
interview last September, four months before Ledger's death, Caine said he was
so startled that he forgot his lines.
"He came out of the bloody lift like a whirlwind," Caine recalled.
"They said, `It's your line, Michael.' I said, `What is it?'
Extraordinary. It will be one of the characters of next year, the Joker as
played by him."
Warner Bros. executives, who declined to comment for this article, have moved
ahead with The Dark Knight and its marketing as planned. To do anything
differently would have disrespected Ledger's memory, the filmmakers said.
"The greatest testament to Heath's portrayal is to do everything that we
were planning on doing with Heath's portrayal," said producer Charles
Roven. "His family knew him to feel exactly the same way. They knew how
excited he was, knew how much fun he had doing it. When you see the film, it's
undeniable how much fun he had playing the character."
While the Batman brand-name virtually assures blockbuster status for The
Dark Knight, other posthumous films have had a mixed history.
Rogers scored a posthumous hit with Steamboat Round the Bend, as did
Tracy with Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.
Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon and Brandon Lee's The Crow found
broader audiences beyond action crowds because of their deaths. Singer
Aaliyah's Queen of the Damned overcame bad reviews to become a modest
commercial success.
Received coolly by critics, John Candy's Canadian Bacon and Wagons
East were box-office duds, as was Natalie Wood's Brainstorm.
The final films of Lombard (To Be or Not to Be) and husband Gable (The
Misfits) earned critical acclaim and have held up over the decades but
initially were disregarded by audiences.
Unlike Oliver Reed, whose death during the filming of Gladiator prompted
the filmmakers to digitally graft his head onto another man's body to complete
a scene, Ledger had finished his work on The Dark Knight.
Ledger died with his final film, Terry Gilliam's fantasy The Imaginarium of
Doctor Parnassus, only half finished. Gilliam salvaged the production by
casting Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell for the fantasy portions, each
playing Ledger's character on trips through a magic mirror into a parallel
realm.
The snippets of Ledger's Dark Knight performance released in trailers
have captivated not only the average fan, but also his close colleagues from
past films.
"You can tell Jack Nicholson was having fun doing that, but you can see
Heath probably put his soul into it," said Brokeback Mountain
director Ang Lee. "That's why it's scary. You see the trailer, just a few
shots of him, you have to see the movie. . . . I'm anxious to see it. I'm
afraid to see it. I don't know how I'll respond to it, but you have to see it."
Excerpt from www.thestar.com - James Bisson, The Canadian Press
(March 30, 2008) VERNON, B.C.–Chalk up another rally for Canada's comeback curlers.
Jennifer Jones and her Winnipeg foursome stormed back from a late deficit, stealing one point in the 10th end and another in the 11th to beat Japan 9-8 in yesterday's semi-final at the women's world curling championship.
Jones will play for the gold medal today against China's Wang Bingyu (CBC, 1:30 p.m. EDT). Wang has the benefit of having already beaten the shaky Canadian team twice during the tournament.
Despite their 0-2 record against the upstart Chinese, Jones's foursome will go into the game with considerable momentum after staging their most dramatic comeback of the week. Canada has trailed in nine games in the tournament, but has come back to win six of them.
Jones would have preferred an easier win against the plucky Japanese, but said yesterday's victory was still satisfying.
"It was a great win and I'm very excited," Jones said. "We're determined and we never give up. I think it shows a lot of character. I'm very proud of us."
Japan had to turn around and play Switzerland's Mirjam Ott in last night's bronze-medal game.
Japanese skip Moe Meguro said her team was soundly outplayed by Canada in the latter stages of the game. "We had a very good game," she said. "(Late in the game) the Canadian team played very well and we couldn't finish."
Trailing 8-5 through eight ends, Jones executed a perfect runback for a deuce in the ninth and gave Japan a problem by drawing her first shot of the 10th on the button, frozen to a Chinese rock.
Meguro's takeout attempt moved the Canadian stone to the edge of the four-foot and Jones followed with a draw to the eight-foot. Meguro could have played a draw for the win, but elected to try a double and managed to remove only one Canadian stone, tying the game.
Jones kept up the pressure in the 11th, leaving Meguro with a difficult draw to the four-foot for the victory. The soft-spoken lefty didn't play enough ice and her shot curled into a guard, igniting a roar from the crowd of 2,439 at the Greater Vernon Multiplex.
Jones said she felt for Meguro.
"There were so many great shots," she said. "We didn't win on a miss; I thought we won on some great shots. It's unfortunate that she missed her last one, because that's not the way that game went."
St. Lucia: Helen of the West Indies
By Melanie Reffes
One of the Windward Islands, St. Lucia
is snuggled halfway down the eastern Caribbean archipelago between Martinique
and St. Vincent. The Atlantic Ocean rims the eastern shore and the Caribbean
Sea on the other side has the finest beaches.
Dubbed “ Helen of the West Indies “, St. Lucia is known for its
five-star resorts, rum and culinary traditions and natural beauty including one
of the world’s few drive-in volcanoes and sulphur springs, a tropical
rainforest, natural waterfalls and the dramatic Piton mountains which soar
2,000 feet above the sea and have become the signature image of the island.
St. Lucia also boasts the highest Number of Noble prize winners per capita in
the world - two out of 163,000 . The
Island is the birthplace of two Laureates, the late Sir W. Arthur Lewis won the
Prize for Economics in 1979 and poet Derek Walcott was awarded the1992 Nobel
for Literature.
Near the charming town of Soufrière lies the famous drive-in volcano which is a
rocky lunar landscape of bubbling mud and craters seething with sulphur. You
literally drive your car into a millions-of-years-old crater and walk between
the sulphur springs and pools of hissing steam. Turtle Watching is another
favourite activity of nature lovers with an abundance of these majestic
reptiles due to the protection provided by environmental activists and the
Ministry of Agriculture.
The 100-year-old market in the capital Castries is chocked full of vendors
ready to bargain. Rice and peas at the outdoor café will set you back $4.00 and
worth every bite. Other shopping venues include the duty-free J.Q. Mall in
Rodney Bay and Caribelle batik studio near Castries. Gros Islet is an authentic
slice of West Indian life. With a population that is predominantly Catholic,
the St. Joseph the Worker Church in this sleepy fishing hamlet welcomes
tourists to Sunday Mass. Bring your
cameras as the ladies dressed in their finest are happy to pose. Nearby, the
ship that is featured in the recent Pirates of the Caribbean movie sits in
Rodney Bay and is another popular photo opportunity.
The north coast is known for high-end properties and night life but the south
coast is closer to the natural attractions. Tours to the healing Sulphur
Springs, the Moule-A-Chique cliffs and the Pitons are the most popular. Wind
and kite surfing is best on the southeast coast
while day trips take history buffs to the sleepy fishing village of
Labourie with its Church built of stone and cinderblock for hurricane protection, the crafts town of Choiseul and Soufriere
that looks much the same today as it did 250 years ago.
Where to Stay:
If you’re familiar with the Almond brand in Barbados, the properties in St.
Lucia will feel pleasantly familiar. Following the opening of Morgan Bay, the
most recent addition to the chain gang is a few minutes away on the northwest
coast. On the property formerly known as Cap St Lucia, Almond Smugglers Cove is
the largest on the Island and spread on a sixty acre estate overlooking St.
Lucian Bay. Five villages with one-storey villas painted in tropical rainbow
hues are named after regions like Anse La Raye, Canaries, Dennery, Soufriere
and Babonneau.
Although the property is
all-inclusive there is no buffet overload with more a la carte dining..
The Saturday Caribbean Beach party is worthwhile for the homemade desserts like
a scrumptious almond banana mousse. The
tastiest pasta and pizza this side of Rome at Trattoria and the Creole menu at
Café Enid’s tempts with a creamy callaloo and crab soup and a divinely decadent
almond crusted wedge of brie.
When the sun sets, the action moves
indoors to Tommy’s Rum Shoppe and sizzles till the wee hours with karaoke and a
TiPunch that blends St. Lucian honey and rum with a splash of lime. Ask for it, it’s not on the menu. “Anything with rum is an aphrodisiac,” says
bartender Chester Francoise with a shy twinkle. For the lovebirds in the crowd, weddings are
complimentary with a stay of a week or more.. Honeymoon packages include
in-room flowers and a couples massage. Romance offers are available until
December 20, 2007.
The first thing you'll appreciate about the all-inclusive Coconut Bay Resort
and Spa on the southeast coast is that it takes less than fifteen minutes to
get there from the Hewanorra International Airport. Formerly Club Med St Lucia,
the property stood empty for two years following the events of 9/11 and
re-opened two years ago. Rooms were refurbished and enlarged although the
bathrooms are still shower-only (a throwback to the Club Med days), extensive
landscaping preserved the endless rows of soaring coconut palms that stand
guard over the Atlantic Ocean and a newly constructed Water Park is the largest
in St. Lucia.
If you go:
Tourism Information: 1 (888) 4-STLUCIA www.stlucia.org
www.almondresorts.com.
www.coconutbayresortandspa.com
Rain Forest Sky Rides: www.rfat.com
Barefoot Holidays www.barefootholidays.com/
C & M Tours
www.cmtouring.com/
Solar Tours
www.solartoursandtravel.com/
::MUSIC NEWS::
New Curtis Mayfield And
The Impressions Film Out May 6
Source: Karen E. Lee (KL364@aol.com); Juanita
Stephens (jsmediarel@aol.com)
(April 1, 2008) "You hear in Curtis
Mayfield and the Impressions the spiritual power of a Dr. Martin
Luther King" - Ambassador Andrew Young
(Los Angeles, CA ) -- To celebrate the
50th anniversary of The Impressions, Reelin' In The Years Productions and
Universal Music Group International are proud to announce the May 6, 2008
release of the documentary Movin' On Up: The Music And Message Of Curtis
Mayfield & The Impressions on DVD.
The two-hour film tells the incredible story of one of the greatest artists and
most important R&B groups of all time. Also included in the documentary are
22 complete vintage television performances from The Impressions and Curtis
Mayfield's solo career filmed between 1965 and 1973.
In addition to telling the history of Curtis Mayfield as an artist and The
Impressions as a group, the film explores how The Impressions' music was a
virtual soundtrack for the civil rights era in the '60s.
In an interview filmed exclusively for the documentary, civil rights leader
Ambassador Andrew Young (who worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)
speaks about the effect classic Impressions songs such as "People Get
Ready," "Choice of Colors" and "We're A Winner" had on
the movement, and how often their songs were sung for inspiration in churches
and during marches (some led by Dr. King.)
The film also shows how Curtis Mayfield's solo work helped define the early
'70s. Chuck D, leader of the rap group Public Enemy, provides context about
Curtis's music as a soundtrack to the grim realities of urban life culminating
with his 1972 masterpiece Superfly.
In addition, Carlos Santana, speaks about Curtis Mayfield's unique genius as a
songwriter, artist and teacher and also comments on the spiritual nature of his
music.
Also featured in the film are Impressions Fred Cash and Sam Gooden, who discuss
the history of the group, beginning with their origins in the late '50s and
share incredible stories about many of their classic songs as well as give
insight into Curtis as a songwriter.
In addition, producer/arranger Johnny Pate speaks about the recording process
of their classic songs and reminisces about the Impressions in the studio.
Altheida Mayfield, Curtis's widow, provides tender insight into the personal
side of Curtis, including his inspirations and aspirations as well as stories
about Curtis as a husband and family man. Curtis Mayfield himself speaks
through several archival interviews filmed throughout his career.
Movin' On Up: The Music And Message Of Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions
includes a wealth of staggering full-length performances filmed throughout
America and Europe beginning with The Impressions singing their classic hit,
"It's All Right" and progressing through the group's career including
the only known performance of "People Get Ready" (filmed in 1965), a
stirring medley of "We're A Winner/Amen" from 1968, as well as
"Woman's Got Soul," "Choice Of Colors," and a host of
others. Performances from Curtis Mayfield's solo career include "We The
People Who Are Darker Than Blue" from his first solo album, as well as
five amazing songs performed in 1972 from the classic Superfly album including
"Freddie's Dead," "Pusherman," and "Superfly" -
all featuring Curtis's astounding band - one of the greatest (and most
underrated) in the history of soul.
Movin' On Up: The Music And Message Of Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions
also features a bonus section with five additional performances from 1972
including "We're A Winner," "Movin' On Up" and "Mighty
Mighty (Spade And Whitey)" as well as an additional version of
"Freddie's Dead" filmed live in a recording studio. Also included are
an additional 20 minutes of interviews bringing the total running time to three
hours.
Movin' On Up: The Music And Message Of Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions
also includes a 28-page booklet with an extensive essay by GRAMMY®
award-winning writer Rob Bowman, who also conducted the interviews and
co-produced this DVD. The booklet includes rare photographs and memorabilia
featuring never-before-seen images from the Mayfield family's personal
archives.
For Movin' On Up: The Music And Message Of Curtis Mayfield & The
Impressions every effort has been made to locate the best possible sound and
video; each of the performances has been re-transferred and re-mastered from
the best-quality, original masters (some resting in the television vaults for
more than 40 years). In the case of lip-sync performances, the original master
recordings have been used, replacing the original TV broadcast audio and making
for a much more enjoyable viewing and listening experience.
Reelin' In The Years Productions LLC is the world's largest music footage
library and has produced over 30 DVD releases including the four-volume The
American Folk Blues Festival 1962-1969 DVD series. Released to universal
critical acclaim, Volume One was nominated for a GRAMMY® award in the category
of "Best Long Form Music Video." 2006 saw the release of the
certified-platinum The Temptations - Get Ready, The Definitive Performances
1965-1972, the certified-gold Marvin Gaye - The Real Thing In Performance
1964-1981 and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Definitive Performances
1963-1987, the first official DVD anthologies of classic archival television
performances by Motown artists. 2007 DVD releases included Dreams To Remember:
The Legacy Of Otis Redding and The Stax/Volt Revue Live In Norway 1967. Also
released to international acclaim have been the 16 titles in the Jazz Icons DVD
series.
For further information, please visit www.reelinintheyears.com
or www.jazzicons.com.
Track Listing
It's All Right (1965)
Woman's Got Soul (1965)
I Need You (1965)
People Get Ready (1965
Meeting Over Yonder (1965)
We're A Winner/Amen (1968)
This Is My Country (1970)
Choice Of Colors (1969)
Check Out Your Mind (1970)
(Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below, We're All Going To Go (1970
Keep On Keeping On (1972)
We Got To Have Peace (1972)
We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue/Give Me Your Love (1972)
Superfly (1972)
Freddie's Dead (1972)
Pusherman (1972)
Eddie You Should Know Better (1973)
Future Shock (1973)
The Makings Of You (1970)
BONUS PERFORMANCES
We're A Winner (1972)
Mighty Mighty (Spade And Whitey) (1972)
We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue (1972)
Move On Up (1972)
Freddie's Dead (1973)
Maxi Gets Close To UB40
Excerpt from Jamaica Gleaner Online - Howard
Campbell, Gleaner Writer
(April 1, 2008)
LOVERS ROCK singer Maxi Priest will replace Ali Campbell as UB40's frontman, a British
newspaper has reported.
UB40's hometown 'paper', The Birmingham Mail,
in its March 14 edition, quoted a source close to the band as saying Priest has
recorded a version of Marley's I Shot The Sheriff with them.
"The recent recording session with Maxi Priest
turned out brilliantly and the band are really buzzing about the year
ahead," the source was quoted as saying.
There was no response to the report from Priest's
booking agent or his tour manager, Zola Burse, when The Gleaner tried to
contact both.
The 45-year-old Priest, who was born in London to
Jamaican parents, joined UB40 on tour last year. Campbell, one of two brothers
in the classic UB40 line-up, left the pop-reggae unit in January.
Legal squabbles
"Ali made a very simple decision, he chose to
pursue and put his solo career over and above continuing to work with UB40
after February 2008; it's as simple as that," read a statement from the
band.
Campbell left following legal squabbles with the group's management. Keyboardist Mickey Virtue has since left, citing similar
reasons.
The reported alliance between Maxi Priest and UB40
comes at a crossroads in their careers. They headed a British reggae invasion
of North American reggae charts in the 1980s and 1990s, but have not had a
major hit song in some time.
UB40 emerged from the Birmingham club scene during
the late 1970s when the punk movement was still hot. Although they tackled
social issues, such as racism, their sound was far more commercial to other
British reggae bands of the time, including Aswad and Steel Pulse.
Homage
Strongly influenced by reggae, the multiracial
eight-piece band built a strong following throughout Britain and Europe before
releasing several well-received albums in the United States.
Their Labour of Love albums pay homage to
Jamaican music of the 1960s and 1970s. They include covers of songs by Johnny
Osbourne, Johnny Clarke, Eric Donaldson and Lord Creator.
Priest cut his teeth in London's vibrant reggae
circuit in the early 1980s. He first got the attention of Jamaicans with a
cover of Cat Stevens' Wide World, In The Springtime and Should
I.
Both acts had chart-topping albums in the United
States. UB40's 1983 Labour of Love spawned the hit song Red Red Wine
and sold millions of units. Priest's 1990 Bonafide disc, driven by the hit song
Close To You, sold over one million units.
He also topped the US singles chart the following
year with Set The Night to Music, a collaboration with Rhythm and Blues singer Roberta
Flack, and scored a Top 20 hit with Housecall alongside Shabba Ranks.
Prior to Campbell's departure, UB40 continued to tour
and made their debut Jamaican appearance in 2006 at Reggae Sunsplash. Priest has
maintained a local presence by working with leading local producers.
Same band, different singer
· Naggo Morris succeeded Leroy Sibbles in The
Heptones in the early 1970s.
· Guitarist Junior Marvin took over vocal
duties for The Wailers shortly after Bob Marley's death.
· Junior Reid replaced Michael Rose in Black
Uhuru in 1985.
· Carlton Coffie, who sang on Sweat and Bad
Boys, became Inner Circle's lead vocalist after Jacob Miller's death.
UB40/Maxi file
· UB40 took its name from a British
unemployment form.
· They have sold over 70 million units, making
them the best selling reggae band.
· Bass player Earl Falconer says Robbie
Shakespeare is his biggest influence.
· The band's trumpet player, Astro, is of
Jamaican descent.
· Singer Bittie McLean, currently making waves
with the songs Walk Away From Love and Make it With You, toured
as a roadie with UB40.
· Bonafide marked the first time Maxi
Priest worked with a largely Jamaican cast. Willie Lindo, Handel Tucker, Mikey
Bennett and Sly Dunbar each had significant input.
· UB40 and Maxi Priest are the only British
reggae acts to top the US singles chart.
Inspired by Ella
Excerpt from www.globeandmail.com - Michael
Posner
(April 2, 2008) When Fern Lindzon was
eight years old, her mother, Toronto artist Rose Lindzon, started piano
lessons. "I used to lie in my bed listening to her play," Lindzon
recalled, "and by the time I was 9, I was really champing at the bit to
learn." About a year later, her mother abandoned her adult avocation
(although she had already made it to Grade 5), and daughter Fern began. She has
never really stopped.
Now, four decades and a long musical journey later,
she's releasing her debut CD, Moments Like These, a compilation with
three jazz heavyweights - bassist George Koller, Don Thompson on vibes and
guitarist Reg Schwager.
Former Globe and Mail jazz writer Mark Miller, a critic
careful with his praise, describes Lindzon on her website as "an engaging
pianist and singer who brings an unassuming authority, an inquiring spirit and
a natural grace to contemporary jazz."
The album includes standards (On the Street Where
You Live and Where Do You Start?); tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter's
To See Through Infant Eyes, for which Lindzon wrote, with his
permission, the lyrics; the haunting ballad Re'i, written by a mixed Israeli/Muslim
band called Sheva; a klezmer take on a Thelonius Monk-like tune called You
Really Shouldn't Be, But; and Tr7, a bluesy Lindzon composition
using Schoenberg's 12-tone row.
It has been a particularly busy and satisfying year
for Lindzon. She has appeared on two other CD releases, one self-titled effort
by the klezmer group the Lithuanian Empire, and another, Sheynville Express,
by the Sisters of Sheynville, a sextet whose work is a fusion of swing, klezmer
and Yiddish. The reviews for work on those albums have been glowing.
This month, she has numerous Toronto gigs, starting
with an appearance with Koller this evening at the Rex Hotel (the first of four
dates there), followed by a klezmer brunch on April 13 at the Free Times Café
with the Yiddish Swingtet, and a Sisters of Sheynville gig at the Gladstone
Hotel on April 17. She's scheduled to perform and sign CDs at Toronto's
Manulife Centre Indigo store on the evening of April 10.
And though she says she's less active than she used
to be, Lindzon remains a formidable Scrabble player, plays regularly at the
Toronto Scrabble Club, the oldest of its kind in North America, and was once
the top-ranked female Scrabble player in Canada. "It's not so much about
vocabulary," she says of her talent for the game, as it is a perceptual
ability to see the board and its possibilities. Her April calendar also
includes two nights as a volunteer at Scrabble fundraisers, where players pay
$50 for tips from Lindzon.
Trained as a classical pianist, Lindzon studied music
history at the University of Toronto, specializing in 20th-century works. She
concedes that she never had any particular affinity for jazz until one night,
in her late teens, she and a girlfriend stumbled into a jazz club (in pursuit
of a young man) and heard a combo that included pianist Ted Moses and guitarist
Lorne Lofsky.
"I'd never heard music like that,' Lindzon
recalled during a recent interview. "And I immediately thought, this is
what I really want to be doing." Her instincts were confirmed when she
heard Ella Fitzgerald's 1973 album of duets with Joe Pass, Take Love Easy.
She started studying jazz, going to clubs and buying
jazz albums. Then, to clear her head, she took a year off and went to Israel,
spending nine months on a kibbutz in the Jezreel Valley. When she returned, she
plunged headlong back into jazz, studying both piano and voice - a dramatic
change from the classical lieder she had previously sung. She spent three years
studying with the multi-instrumental Don Thompson.
"Don was great," Lindzon says. "The
thing about Don is, he doesn't have an agenda. He knows how to work with
whatever you bring. I remember one of the first things he said was, 'From now
on you'll never play another note that doesn't mean anything.' And at the time,
I was playing a lot of piano bars and that can be very damaging, if you go on
automatic pilot."
For years, while raising two children, Lindzon played
and organized music for corporate and organizational events. It was only about
three years ago, she says, that she decided to raise her personal bar. "It
was around the time of my birthday and I just thought, 'Well, it's now or
never, in terms of really performing. I'm not going to say no to anything.'
"
A few weeks later, she was playing and singing around
town at Ben Wicks jazz club and soon after at the Montreal Bistro, the Rex and
other venues. She hasn't looked back.
The album's title alludes to the seminal musical
moments that have shaped her life, including, at the age of 9, only a few weeks
after she started piano lessons, hearing Arthur Rubinstein play Chopin at
Massey Hall. "This seemingly ancient man, whose unbounded energy and
passion scared me to death. I thought for sure he would have a heart attack and
I would have to replace him." Such moments, she says, "make sense of
our life, create euphoria, open a doorway, make us feel like we've come
home."
The Mullings Shine at 21st Annual Canadian Reggae Music
Awards
Source: L3 Publicity
(April 1, 2008) The Stars shone brightly for artists at the 21st
annual Canadian Reggae Music Awards, held in Toronto, Ontario Canada
on Sunday March 30th, 2008. This premiere Reggae event,
produced by Winston Hewitt Productions, was well attended by fans who
gathered to honour the best in Reggae entertainment in Canada.
Canada's songbird, Tanya Mullings, was nominated for a record 3
categories for Top Reggae Singer Female, Top Reggae Producer and Top Reggae
CD/Album, of which she swept all three categories. The most touching of
the three wins, was that of Top Reggae Producer as it was a category she shared
with her late father, Karl Mullings, who recently passed away. "Of
all the awards, Top Reggae Producer means the most. I know Daddy is up
there, but sharing this moment with us down here", said a tearful Tanya
when asked how she thinks her father is reacting right now.
Continuing with the Mullings streak of success is sister and Manager Carrie,
who won the Canadian Radio DJ Award for playing the most Canadian
Content on her radio show Rebel Vibes which airs on CHRY 105.5FM in
Toronto every Monday from 10am to 12pm. Carrie has been hosting the show
for the past 3 years, making her the first radio personality in Canada to
broadcast an all Canadian content format. So recognized is Carrie,
that she hosted a special segment for RE TV which included interviews
with the cream of Canada's crop in Reggae entertainment.
Carrie and Tanya recently founded i.M.O.K. (In Memory of Karl)
Enterprises which is an Artist Manager, Artist Booking and Business
Consultation company. One of their Star Canadian Artists, Exco Levi,
won the Top Reggae Single award for 'Oh Canada', which pays
tribute to his 'home away from home', and has quickly become a Reggae anthem
for people from the Caribbean living in Canada.
Featured International artists, who also attended the awards was Canadian
Award of Merit winner, Nadine Sutherland who put on a spectacular
show, thrilling fans, and the true rebel himself, Mr. Tony Rebel who was
the recipient of International Award of Merit, and rocked fans in with a
well selected performance showcasing his many hits over the years, and his
newest hit, "Fire"!
Source: Teresa Castellucci, Sweet T Enterprises
(April 2, 2008) After being picked up by Paramount and MTV Films at the Sundance Film Festival, the re-edit of HOW SHE MOVE was released earlier this year along with the film’s soundtrack featuring multiple award winner, Lenn Hammond.
Hammond, who is currently working in Jamaica agreed to have his single Ms. Golly be a part of the soundtrack that Vibe.com’s Shirea L. Carroll called, an “exceptionally good soundtrack”.
The soundtrack released by Lakeshore Records, is a digital release available for download exclusively on ITunes.
First, Lenn Hammond raised the standard of reggae music, particularly in Canada, when he took a new generation of lover’s rock reggae to commercial radio and television, now he’s taking it to the big screen. There’s not much that this independent reggae artist can’t or won’t do.
For instance, click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UctZ72Gpb2g and watch Hammond go toe-to-toe with veteran, toaster, Ninjaman at the British Roll Out held in Portland, Jamaica recently.
Join Lenn Hammond alongside Lutan Fiyah, Swatch International and Prophecy on May 2nd 2008 as JAH BIRTH presents “Moment of Truth” LIVE in St. Thomas, JA.
For more information contact Teresa Castellucci via sweettee@sympatico.ca and log onto www.myspcace.com/lennhammondofudmg or www.myspace.com/jahbirthnewlimited
Brett
Polegato Owns The Part
Excerpt from www.thestar.com
- John Terauds, Classical Music
Critic
(March 29, 2008)
Baritone Brett Polegato is taking Eugene
Onegin to heart.
On the cusp of his 40th birthday, 15 years into his singing career, the
Torontonian boasts international recognition, a gorgeous lyric baritone voice
and a deep commitment to both art and craft.
He proves the latter over a pre-rehearsal coffee, discussing the fine points of
language, music and dramatic motivation.
All shape his debut in one of opera's great roles for the Canadian Opera Company
on Wednesday.
The title character in Russian composer Tchaikovsky's most famous opera Eugene
Onegin is a Don Juan who has grown bored of women and parties, yet is
afraid of making a commitment. It's a trait that brings misery to the people
around him, especially to Tatyana, a young woman who has fallen under his
spell. By the time Onegin changes his mind, several years later, Tatyana has
married someone else.
Polegato read the story by Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, learned to read
Cyrillic, the Russian alphabet (while singing in Pique Dame, another
Tchaikovsky opera, last summer in Belgium), and spent November and December
learning the libretto (during a production of The Magic Flute in
Switzerland).
The baritone started learning the music from Eugene Onegin in January,
having blocked off the first two months of the year for this purpose.
This serious focus permeates everything Polegato does.
"When you are a young singer, you think you're going to be famous – to
condense it into one sentence," says Polegato. "But when you get
older, you begin to understand where success takes you and what it costs
you."
So the baritone balances cost – living out of a suitcase, away from the
significant people in his life – with the benefits of choosing roles that
interest him and that he thinks he can make interesting:
"I probably have been more selective than some singers. But it's not out
of arrogance, which some people might think it is," he explains.
"There needs to be something about the role or about a concert that
intrigues me."
This explains how Polegato can take on singing the Herald in Wagner's Lohengrin
one moment (in Lyon, France, 18 months ago), turn around and be Orestes in
Christoph Willibald Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride (Seattle Opera last
fall), and, in between, join a big orchestra in Ralph Vaughan Williams' A
Sea Symphony or the Aldeburgh Connection for an intimate recital of art
songs at Walter Hall.
Toronto audiences last saw him on an opera stage as Valentin in last season's
COC production of Faust, by Charles Gounod.
"Hugo Wolff said that he would never set a poem that has been set well by
another composer," Polegato says.
"I feel the same way: The reason I perform is that I see the song or the
role this way and I have not seen it communicated this way. And I'd love the
chance to show what I get from that piece."
To build the character of Onegin, Polegato has relied heavily on Pushkin's
narrative poem as well as Tchaikovsky's libretto, which is based on three
discrete episodes from the Pushkin original.
But doing this kind of preparation before meeting an opera's director must mean
there are times when everyone arrives at the first rehearsal with very
different visions.
"That happens a lot," Polegato admits.
But he says great directors he has worked with have managed to convince him of
their purpose.
When that doesn't happen, an opera role slides from interesting to just a
paycheque, like last fall's Magic Flute in Geneva.
"There was an awful lot of belching by Papageno on stage, and I never did
find a reason of making that work for me," Polegato recalls. "Before
that, there had never been a situation where a director couldn't find a way to
make me understand what was happening."
The singer says he had to shrug it off in the end, "And you just hope that
when you see that person's name again you might think twice about working with
them."
Polegato qualifies this by saying that differences of opinion "are what
great art is about."
With soprano Giselle Allen singing Tatyana and British maestro Richard
Armstrong and the COC's own Derek Bate sharing conducting duties to April 30,
let's hope great art will prevail.
Just the facts
WHAT: Eugene Onegin, by Tchaikovsky
WHERE: Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W.
WHEN: Wednesday to Apr. 30
TICKETS: $30-$275 @ 416-363-8231 or www.coc.ca
Excerpt from www.globeandmail.com - Marsha Lederman
(March 27, 2008) The CBC Radio Orchestra, the last radio orchestra in North America, is
being dismantled at the end of November. CBC
executives flew out to Vancouver, where the orchestra is based, to deliver the
news at a closed-door meeting on Thursday afternoon.Really, it's straight up a case of economics,” says CBC spokesperson Jeff Keay. “We couldn't afford to maintain the orchestra.
“Basically the orchestra was currently doing like eight concerts a year and for the money that we're spending, we can't afford to do that to get just eight concerts a year.”
The orchestra's annual budget is described by Keay as “a considerable amount of money,” but he would not give specifics beyond saying it was under $1-million.
But he maintains the CBC will save no money with this move. Instead, the funds will go towards commissioning works from other orchestras across the country.
He also insists the dismantling of the orchestra is in no way related to the move away from classical music on CBC Radio 2. “No, no, not at all,” he said. “[The commissioned works] will be orchestral music [and] will be very much a part of what we're doing as we go on.”
CBC Radio 2 recently announced it would play less classical and more pop music in the important morning and afternoon drive slots. It has cancelled popular classical music shows in other day parts as well, including Studio Sparks and Sound Advice.
The CBC Radio Orchestra is part of Vancouver's history. It was formed in 1938 and up until today, it was able to boast that it was “a legacy of the days when radio orchestras were to be found all over our continent.” Its website also describes the orchestra's mandate as being: “to make engaging musical radio programs, commission and perform works by Canadian composers, showcase Canadian performers and conductors, and discover and expose Canadian excellence.”
The orchestra has approximately 45 members, including core and occasional players.
The news was met by the music community on Thursday with shock and sorrow.
“The demise of the CBC Orchestra would be a tragedy,” said Richard Kurth, Director of the School of Music at the University of British Columbia, still having trouble believing the news. “I think it is a sad day for the CBC, which has a history of contributing in a very vital way to the musical life of the country in terms of performance of classical music and programming of classical music.”
He says the news will be devastating to the orchestra's musicians. “It's a very important part of their artistic life, not to mention their income. This is really going to hurt many, many people who as performing artists are already underpaid, grossly underpaid.”
While Kurth wasn't willing to dismiss outright the notion of commissioning musical opportunities to other orchestras across the country, he did express some scepticism at the idea. “One would want to be sure that they would deliver on that to feel confident about that. I do think that having its own orchestra and preserving the autonomy of that orchestra is a very special thing to have.”
Ian Morrison with the CBC watchdog group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting believes the decision to dismantle the orchestra resulted partially from the integration of the radio and television services, and the eradication of the position of Vice President, Radio following the retirement last year of Jane Chalmers.
“Until now, somebody – I would assume Jane Chalmers and her predecessors have somehow protected this special jewel in Vancouver … and now it too has been zapped.”
Morrison warns there will likely be more cuts at the CBC ahead, especially if the Stephen Harper Conservatives win a majority in the next election.
“It's too bad, but it's what you get when philistines run the government of Canada.”
The demise of the orchestra is also more bad news for CBC's Vancouver operation, which this year is losing key radio shows Sounds Like Canada and Disc Drive. The cancellation of both network shows (SLC on Radio One; Disc Drive on Radio 2) was announced in recent weeks.
“Obviously all big decisions in the CBC are made in Toronto and Ottawa,” says Morrison. “Much of it is becoming a Toronto Broadcasting Corporation.”
Cezar Bringing Soul To Reggae Music
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com
-
(March 27, 2008) *His father Rupert Cunningham was a
singer/producer/songwriter and also a
record label owner. So it came as no surprise that Cezar
would follow have followed in his footsteps. Cezar’s musical journey has
far from being an easy ride. ‘It has been a struggle for me. I have a
formal education in a field where I can live comfortably and I have given that
up the certainty of financial comfort for a field of uncertainty. It has really
been a difficult journey for me’, Cezar revealed in a recent interview.
Cezar who made his recording debut in 2003, has been getting some attention of
late with his single Will You Be which was recorded on the Renaissance label’s
Legal rhythm. The song is accompanied by an excellently shot, directed and
conceptualized music video, that has been getting a lot of airtime of late.
‘The video was shot in New York in November last year and it was directed by
Nadia Sampson and Tim Naylor. The feedback on the song since the video came
out, has been tremendous. Interest in the song has really picked up in
recent times’, Cezar explained.
Cezar says his mother is one of the persons who has been very supportive of his
career choice. He said she keeps him motivated and she has also been the one to
encourage him to keep focused.
A former student at Howard University in Washington, USA, Cezar studied
architecture. He debuted in 2003 with the song I’ll be dancing which he
credits Jazzy T for putting into rotation on ZIP 103 FM. Sexy Ways on the
Tunda Clap rhythm later followed. Lay You Down on the Stepz rhythm is
probably his better known song.
The talented s
