20
Carlton Street, Suite 1032, Toronto, ON
M5B 2H5
(416)
677-5883
langfieldent@rogers.com
www.langfieldentertainment.com
July 17, 2008
Just
a brief newsletter this week as I'm still recovering from my hip surgery -
bigger deal than I thought but still doing fine in my recovery.
OK, enough with that stuff ... there is TONS of music news this week - in fact
tons of global news everywhere!
Scroll down and find out what interests you - take your time and take a walk into
your weekly entertainment news!
::TOP STORIES::
Caribana Presents Island Rhythms
Source: www.thestar.com - Huixia Sun, Staff Reporter
(July 16, 2008) In the midst of dazzling
Caribbean costumes and passionate steel drum beats, the Scotiabank
Caribana festival kicked off at Nathan Phillips
Square yesterday.
"We are jumping higher than ever," said Joe Halstead, chair of the
festival management committee.
"It is the biggest, the best and most fun Caribbean festival in North
America," said Mayor David Miller. "It reflects who we are and allows
us to show what a diverse city can be."
Until Aug. 3, the 41st edition of Caribana will spice up the summer with
performances by nearly 40 bands with 5,000 musicians offering calypso, steel
pan, salsa, soca, reggae and other island rhythms.
Caribana expects a million-plus spectators, including hundreds of thousands of
U.S. visitors.
This year's Caribana has some new twists, notably the Caribana Gala dinner at
the Liberty Grand on July 25, a $150-a-ticket fundraiser honouring the
festival's pioneers.
As always, though, the showcase event will be the grand parade Aug. 2 along
Lake Shore Blvd W. Thousands of masqueraders in 15 mas bands will make the
journey.
Hundreds of thousands of onlookers will line the parade route to see the
plumage and elaborate King and Queen costumes. The parade starts at 10 a.m. at
Exhibition Place and runs along Lake Shore Blvd. to Sunnyside, ending at about
6 p.m.
A Caribana art exhibit – Roots to Rhythm – will be held July 25 to Aug. 4 at
the Royal Ontario Museum, featuring the work of 24 artists of African-Canadian
heritage.
This Saturday, the Junior Carnival will parade to Yorkgate Mall in the
Jane-Finch neighbourhood.
The juniors' king and queen will be selected July 31 during the King and Queen
show at Lamport Stadium.
The day after the parade, the festival will close with a day of music and
events on Olympic Island.
Both the city and province are kicking in about $430,000 this year, with
Ontario's tourism ministry pumping in $300,000 for international advertising
campaigns.
Miller said Caribana in 2007 generated over $300 million in local economic
activity.
Boy Band Promoter Lou Pearlman Ordered To Repay $300M
Source: www.thestar.com - Travis Reed, The Associated Press
(July 16, 2008) ORLANDO, FLA.–Lou Pearlman and federal authorities have finally agreed
on how much the former boy band promoter swindled from banks and investors in a
decades-long scam: a staggering $300 million (dollar figures U.S.).
That's how much creator of the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync will have to repay, at a minimum, for
restitution on the fraud conviction for which he's serving a 25-year prison
sentence.
U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharpe on Wednesday asked prosecutors and
defence attorneys to amend court documents with the agreed amount.
It will be difficult for Pearlman to repay all the money while he is behind
bars. Pearlman made millions in the record industry in the 1990s, but
investigators have found that money and more seemingly gone with the collapse
of his Ponzi scheme.
He's been allowed to manage – at arm's length – the few remaining music acts he
still has. He could also offer wages from whatever job he gets in federal
prison, ranging from 12 cents an hour to $1.15 an hour for top-scale factory
work.
Attorneys from both sides, the FBI and FDIC determined Pearlman took $195
million from more than 1,000 people in an alleged savings program promising 6
per cent to 10 per cent returns, and $126.7 million in bogus loans from federally
insured banks. Another $70 million was invested by people who thought they were
buying shares in companies owned by Pearlman that mostly had no assets. About
$95 million was returned to investors over the years, documents show.
But Pearlman's restitution could go up. Sharpe delayed judgment on prosecutors'
request to tack on $124 million in interest payments to victims, saying he
wanted to see Pearlman return some of the principal first.
"If they had not provided their money to Mr. Pearlman, they would have
received interest or some return on their investment," Assistant U.S.
Attorney Roger Handberg argued in court.
Pearlman's attorney, former public defender Fletcher Peacock, said adding
interest would only dissuade Pearlman from repaying any of his debt. Peacock
also said it was unfair because the money was never invested.
"This is not a case of where Mr. Pearlman accrued an amount of interest
and objected to giving that back to people," Peacock said. "This
interest was fictional."
In May, Sharpe said he would shave a month off Pearlman's sentence for each $1
million he returned. So far, Handberg said, no additional money has been
recovered.
A federally appointed trustee has found few assets to compensate victims, some
of whom lost their life savings.
The judge has ordered that individual investors be repaid first, then banks. He
wanted them punished for poorly judging Pearlman worthy of multimillion dollar
loans, many secured with the same collateral.
While reserving judgment on interest, Sharpe said it was unfair to charge
Pearlman the high rates he promised investors because it would reward their
poor decisions.
"Since the time of the sentencing all you've gotten from the defendant is
the smirk on his face," Sharpe told prosecutors. "So let's try to get
some money first."
Sharpe remanded Pearlman to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which will transfer
him to an undetermined facility. Pearlman had been at the Orange County jail, a
few miles from his opulent former offices.
Perdita Pulls Plug On Beijing Comeback ...
Source: www.thestar.com
- Raju Mudhar, Entertainment
Reporter
(July 13, 2008) Perdita Felicien has pulled the plug
on her attempted comeback for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The 28-year-old Pickering hurdler, who hasn’t been able to compete since
injuring her foot during training last February, is expected to make the
announcement official tomorrow during a conference call.
Felicien attended the recent Canadian track and field trials in Windsor and was
named to the Canadian Olympic team for Beijing conditional on being able to run
the B standard of 13.11 seconds.
But it was becoming more and more apparent because of the time she had missed –
she was on crutches for four weeks at one point – that even if she made the
team, it would next to impossible for her to be competitive at the Beijing
Games.
It’s a big blow to the Canadian Olympic team as Felicien was a silver medalist
at last year’s world championships in a heartening comeback from the disastrous
fall she suffered at the first hurdle at the 2004 Athens Games after entering
as a favourite.
Felicien has said that regardless of how things turned out for Beijing that
she’d continue through the 2012 London Olympics and that people shouldn’t feel
sorry for her.
“Everybody looks at everything through the mirror of Athens,” said Felicien. “I
don’t look at it that way. I don’t win medals that way, by looking in the past.
I’m looking forward. I’m working my butt off to be there (in Beijing).
“But if for someone reason I’m not, you’re going to get people that say ‘That’s
too bad. Poor Perdita. Poor Perdita.’ No, it’s not poor Perdita, because I
absolutely feel blessed to do what I do and to do it for a living. And I still do
feel like my best race is ahead of me. I haven’t run the race of my life that’s
going to seal off my career. And that’s why I wake up every morning, that’s
what keeps me going.”
Miss Venezuela Named Miss Universe
Source: www.thestar.com - Ben Stocking, The Associated Press
(July 14, 2008) NHA TRANG, Vietnam – Miss
Venezuela was crowned Miss Universe 2008 on Monday in a contest marked by the spectacle of Miss USA falling down
during the evening gown competition for the second year in a row.
The new Miss Universe, Dayana Mendoza, was once kidnapped in her homeland and
says the experience taught her to remain poised under pressure.
Tension got under the skin of Miss USA, Crystle Stewart of Texas, who tripped
on the train of her bejewelled evening gown as she made her entrance.
During the 2007 Miss Universe contest in Mexico City, Miss USA Rachel Smith
also tumbled during the evening gown competition and became an unintended star
on YouTube, where the video was shown over and over again.
At a news conference after this year's event, a beaming Mendoza said she wasn't
yet sure where her upcoming year of whirlwind appearances would take her. But
after a quick stop in New York, she wants to see her family again, enjoy some
of her mom's home cooking and give everyone hugs.
"When I go back to Venezuela I will jump on my family and they will jump
on me," said Mendoza.
In the meantime, Mendoza said, she is simply looking forward to taking off her
high-heeled shoes and massaging her feet.
She declined to discuss her kidnapping, which occurred a year and a half ago,
but took advantage of the occasion to call for global peace.
"I want to raise my voice and tell the world that violence is not the
answer," she said.
Mendoza, 22, is a 5-foot, 10-inch (178-centimeter), green-eyed beauty who
enjoys learning languages and photography. She appeared at the news conference
in the flowing yellow dress and dangling turquoise earrings that she wore
during the evening gown competition in which Stewart took her spill.
Stewart, 26, is a motivational speaker and former track and field star who is
working on a book called "Waiting to Win." The Houston native plans
to open a character-development school for young children and has worked with
students with autism in the Texas schools.
During a weekend interview with the Associated Press, Stewart said she felt
very confident going into the show and couldn't imagine experiencing the same
calamity as her predecessor.
"All I can offer to the world and to America is to do my best,"
Stewart said. "Nerves don't play a part in this.''
The final five contestants included four from Latin America: Miss Mexico, Miss
Dominican Republic, Miss Colombia and Miss Venezuela. Rounding out the final
five was Miss Russia.
Miss Colombia finished second behind Mendoza.
Miss Thailand won the prize for best national costume and Miss El Salvador was
chosen by her peers as Miss Congeniality.
The NBC show was hosted by talk show star Jerry Springer and Spice Girl Melanie
Brown and broadcast live to hundreds of millions of viewers in 170 countries.
The tuxedoed Springer made a grand entrance on a motorbike – the vehicle of
choice in Vietnam, where the streets are teeming with millions of the speeding
two-wheelers.
Eighty contestants gathered in the seaside city of Nha Trang, Vietnam, vying to
succeed previous Miss Universe Riyo Mori of Japan.
Sporting yellow, green and orange bikinis, the 15 semi-finalists strutted
across the stage during the swimsuit competition to the sounds of Lady Gaga,
who belted out the pulsating "Just Dance" in a platinum blond wig.
Miss Vietnam, Lam Thuy Nguyen, was greeted with a roar from the Vietnamese
audience.
The final 10 then competed in the evening gown event.
They performed in front of a panel of judges that included international
fashion experts and Donald Trump Jr., whose father, the real estate magnate and
TV star, co-owns the pageant with NBC.
This year's contestants spanned a wide range of experiences and aspirations.
Miss Albania was a professional basketball player. Miss Argentina says she has
paranormal experiences. Miss Antigua & Barbuda is fascinated by snakes.
Miss Angola was in a plane crash while trying to escape a conflict during her
country's civil war.
::TRAVEL NEWS::
Paradise
Found – St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Source: Melanie Reffes
Strung
like a necklace in the southeastern Caribbean – thirty minutes as the gull
flies from Barbados- St Vincent and the Grenadines is a strand of thirty-two
islands stretching across the cobalt sea. With short distances between them,
they have long been a top draw for sailors and yachties; however, savvy
travelers are now catching on to the unspoiled splendour that is St. Vincent
and the Grenadines.
St. Vincent
The heart of the archipelago is St. Vincent with lush mountains, flowered
hillsides, black sandy shorelines created from volcanic ash and underwater life
that rate amongst the best in the world with healthy reefs and a riotous array
of marine species. With a movie-perfect landscape, it’s no wonder Hollywood
filmed the swashbuckler trilogy Pirates of the Caribbean on the west coast.
The cobblestone capital of Kingstown is easy to navigate on foot although there
are plenty of taxis available. With
cannons still pointed inland, Fort Charlotte is a must-see while centuries-old
churches beckon history buffs. The Methodist Church was built by freed slaves
and the nearby St. George’s Cathedral
salutes the Georgian period with a galleried
interior dating to 1880. Close to
the ferry pier, the Market is a cornucopia of tropical treasures busiest on
Friday and Saturday when fish, fruit and crafts are sold from bustling stalls
that spill onto the sidewalk. Nearby,
Heritage Square comes alive when the sun sets with musicians providing a
soundtrack of get-up-and-dance rhythms.
Without all-inclusives and swim-up bars, St. Vincent is all about Mother Nature
at her finest. The best black sand beaches are on the west coast at Wallilabou
(where Pirates was filmed), Cumberland Bay and Richmond Beach. Brighton Salt Pond is a favourite for locals
who come to take a dip and knock back a few at the beach bars.
Founded in 1765 and the oldest in the western hemisphere, Botanical Gardens is a green wonderland with
stately teak, mahogany and breadfruit trees that were brought from Tahiti by
Captain Bligh after his Mutiny on the Bounty failed. With gentle currents and a
unruffled surface, diving is best on the west and south coasts where impressive
walls give way to a luminous kaleidoscope seen no where else on the
planet.–www.divestvincent.com - A
drive up the Leeward highway is a dreamy mélange of waterfalls, sleepy fishing
hamlets and greener than green rainforests chocked full of wildlife and rare
bird species. La Soufriere Volcano
at more than 1200 meters high is still active and recommended for the hikers in
the crowd.
Accommodations are quaint and include the Cobblestone Inn overlooking the
harbour - www.thecobblestoneinn.com/ - and Beachcombers
Hotel - www.beachcombers.com –with a seaside eatery
specializing in a delectable Vincy salt cod. Perched on a hill with glorious
views of the bay, Grenadine House - www.grenadinehouse.com/- gets rave reviews
from foodies who swoon over Vancouver-born Chef Winston Ferguson’s honey
truffle pasta. “I infuse local ingredients with foreign techniques
and creativity, “he says buzzing around his pristine kitchen.
At the water’s edge, Mariner Hotel’s - www.marinershotel.com- and
its gourmet French Verandah Restaurant
bustles till the last person leaves. A two-minute ferry away, Young Island - www.youngisland.com-
is a chic retreat with sparkling beaches, hummingbirds flitting about
the nutmeg trees , guava seed foot scrubs at the Spa Kalina and swishy cottages
including # 6 where Johnny Depp stayed while filming the
Pirates movies. Scrumptious fruity bread
is the star attraction and according to Chef Christopher John, his loaves leave
a lasting impression. “When our guests get home, they tell me they miss my warm slices of
cinnamon toast.” Note to bread fans: A
take-home loaf is US$4.50.
The
Grenadines
Measuring
18 square kilometres, Bequia
is the largest atoll in the chain. Ferries pull into Port Elizabeth with its
funky bars, restaurants and the Market the Canadian government helped to build
in 1991. Gingerbread houses shaded by almond trees and draped in bougainvillea
are scattered about while golden sandy beaches disappear into coves. Steeped in
maritime history, model boat builders like Corsini Pollard are delighted to
offer tours of their studios. “It takes me three weeks to fashion a boat from
the wood of a gum tree, “he says showing off one his finest creations. Accommodations include Firefly - www.fireflybequia.com
- , a plantation house set in coconut and banana groves and Frangipani Hotel - www.frangipanibequia.com,
overlooking the yachts in Admiralty Bay. Not yet a year old, Bequia Beach Hotel - www.bequiabeach.com- is adding swanky suites
to open in December.
As famous for its celebrity beachcombers as it is for its sultry sunsets, Mustique is coveted for its lack of
crowds and traffic lights. Mick Jagger owns a villa, so does Tommy Hilfiger and
Canadian rocker Bryan Adams. Herons and sandpipers strut in the sun and frigate
birds glide overhead while the rest of us wile the day away in a swaying
hammock or on one of the nine white coral beaches. Cotton House –www.cottonhouseresort.com – impresses with a pillow menu, sorbet on the beach and vistas of the sea from the
Spa. Sitting on stilts over Brittania
Bay, Basil’s Bar - www.basilsmustique.com - is
lorded over by Basil Charles and his partner, Dianne Wilson who moved from
Ottawa in 2002. “Wednesday night is our “jump-up” and if Mick is in the mood,
you may hear the concert of a lifetime,” she smiles.
A fifteen minute flight from St. Vincent , Canouan is home to the uber-luxe Trump International Golf Club –
www.trumpgolf.com - and Raffles
Resort - www.raffles.com - with the
Amrita Spa - www.amritaspa.com –that tempts with a lemon and ginger salt glow
and a sea crystal body polish. No
airport and a tiny unnamed village, Mayreau
sits on a perfectly half-moon
shaped beach. Chocked full of Marley memorabilia, Robert Righteous’ & de Youths Seafood Restaurant is
legendary for fish so fresh they’re still mad.
Union Island is the departure point
for scuba excursions; Palm Island suits
seclusion- seekers, Petit St. Vincent is a nature sanctuary and the five islets protected by a
rainbow-coloured reef are the Tobago Cays.
From traversing nature trails to fine dining under the stars, there is
something for every vacationer in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
www.svgtourism.com1-800-729-1726
Mark your Calendar:
December 16 to Christmas Nine Mornings -
Music and partying from dawn to dusk.
January -Mustique Blues Festival –
Live music till the sun sets at Basil’s Bar.
Algebra: R&B Artist's Debut Album Brings A New
Curriculum To The Music Scene
Source: nathalie@thinktankmktg.com,
www.thinktankmktg.com
(July 11, 2008) Ironically there
are no textbooks or classroom instructions that could help one balance the
equations of Kedar Massenburg's newest protégé, ALGEBRA.
The Atlanta native insists that one can only discover her sonically. As an
R&B solo artist with such a simple solution, when mainstream success seems
to be more about the right hair, nails and make -up, ALGEBRA'S debut album
PURPOSE is the perfect curriculum for breathing life back in to a genre
overwrought by factory made clones.
No stranger to performing, ALGEBRA has been lending her melodic voice to
projects by Monica and Bilal for years. However, singing for other
artists was about as out of character for her as having someone write songs for
her.
"Even when someone else wrote a song specifically for me, I felt like I
was still being a background singer for myself".
As the music scene in Atlanta became the hot bed of popular music, ALGEBRA
taught herself to play guitar and performed regularly at open mics.
This pivotal point in her career afforded her the time to develop her writing
and performance skills even further without the harness of a prescribed format.
"Soon you learn not to care what others think, you learn to perform for
you. I would come back week after week and I learned to perform for balance and
for freedom. I was becoming alive". This organic approach permeates
her music. ALGEBRA can easily be pop, rock, rap funk or crunk, yet she can
breathe ballads effortlessly.
Collaborating with award-winning songwriter and producer Brian Michael Cox on
"What Happened" quickly proved to be a true showcase of her
brilliance. This soulful ballad is delivered so honestly and with such
vulnerability that it sounds like it could be her autobiography. A song filled
with PURPOSE.
ALGEBRA'S definitive voice and identity is one of full disclosure. "I
don't want to be boxed," she asserts. The litmus test of what she would
create lies in being relatable and in offering complete truth in every word she
sings. On the song "At This Time" she pours her heart out,
placing herself on display to someone whom she has waited a long time to unite
with citing descriptive and colourful lyrics, "My arms brag to each other
bout how you feel/From conversations I know what they feel is real". The
current single "Run & Hide" produced by the creator of the
polka-dot error in hip hop himself, Kwame' is a testament to all fellas that
Miss
ALGEBRA will not settle for just any 'ol guy with lame game. Better come
correct or don't come at all. As the first artist to be released on
the revamped Kedar Entertainment Group, ALGEBRA enters the contemporary soul
music landscape following legacies created by artists like D'Angelo, Erykah
Badu and India.Arie all of whom developed under the watchful eye of Massenburg.
However her sound is unique. ALGEBRA at first is unassuming, but it takes mere
moments for you to recognize that she is not just a tempest in a teapot but
more like the catalyst of a paradigm shift.
When asked the question, what does PURPOSE mean to her and this project that
she has waited so long to share with the world; ALGEBRA replies "The
defining moment of purpose is when you realize all that you have is worth less
than nothing and still, life is worth living." With there being only two
universal languages in this world - Math and Music; fate would have it,
southern songbird ALGEBRA represents both!
Check out her single, "Run & Hide": http://streaming.thinktankmktg.com/audio/algebra-run_and_hide.wma
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/algebrablessett
Dry Concert Leaves Fans On Edge In Otherwise Fine Festival
Relaunch
Source: www.thestar.com - Ben Rayner, Pop Music Critic
(July 14, 2008) Going to a big concert these
days is like getting on a plane; you put up with a lot of unpleasantness as a
matter of course, and you're pleasantly surprised when the experience isn't
totally insulting.
The relaunch of venerable Toronto modern-rock institution Edgefest at Downsview Park on Saturday was painless
in so many regards – including its musical line-up, topped this year by Linkin
Park, the reunited Stone Temple Pilots, Sam Roberts and the Bravery.
Nevertheless, if you invite 20,000 people to spend the day at an $80-a-head
rock 'n' roll party, you'd better not deny them beer, which is exactly what the
otherwise flawless Edgefest set-up did.
Entry was smooth and hassle-free. Security was unobtrusive. The concession
stands were plentiful and varied. And the property itself, which conveniently
encircled the main stage in a massive, C-shaped natural incline, was perfect
for this kind of event. Even the deep, sticky patches of mud that had developed
in high-traffic areas by the end of an intermittently rainy day were mostly
avoidable.
Still, the highest-traffic area was the line-up for the lone beer garden, a
fenced-in gulag to the north side of the festival grounds, which drew a queue
that, at one point, snaked almost all the way across the back of the site to
the entrance. Most of us simply accepted that this was to be a "dry"
event the moment we laid eyes on the line, but evidently others were more
optimistic.
"I waited four hours in line for two beers," one aghast patron told
me on the bus ride back to Downsview station. Dozens of other would-be drinkers
charged the two rows of fencing and leaped into the licensed area before
security and cops could nab them. These amusing shenanigans didn't let up
until, in typical Toronto fashion, they cut off the beer sales altogether
around 8 p.m.
Something about Edgefest had obviously riled Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott
Weiland, too, who sashayed onstage in a black-leather suit in reasonably good
vocal form to the first strains of "Big Empty" but soon sounded like
he was deliberately sabotaging tunes like "Big Bang Baby," "Sour
Girl" and "Tripping on a Hole in a Paper Heart" with sneeringly
awful, off-key performances.
There were enough complaints from the stage about "psychedelic
conditions" and the fact that it was "midday" (it was after 8),
not to mention a sarcastic invitation to Linkin Park's Chester
"Benson" (it's actually Bennington) to join STP for a tune, that one
could deduce there might have been some bruised egos involved in Stone Temple
Pilots' second-from-the-top Edgefest billing. Whatever the case, STP's fawning
crowd didn't deserve to be treated with open contempt and to a
half-assed set after standing in the rain in silence for a good chunk of the
evening.
Linkin Park has its believers though and the Sam Roberts Band was its usual,
amiable self while churning out slightly hippie-fied guitar-rock jams in the
late afternoon. Stone Temple Pilots' washout was thus a blip on the program,
while the mostly punk-rock line-up on the second stage – which gave some
welcome space to indie acts such as Toronto's the Coast and Modernboys
Moderngirls and Montreal's Creature – wound out in fittingly furious fashion
with the Flatliners.
There was more audible griping about the beer situation than the weather or
Weiland at Edgefest 2008, so with a few tweaks this institution might have
found its new dream home at Downsview. Please, though, do some tweaking.
Musicians Unite For Midsummer Magic In Elora
Source: www.thestar.com
- John Terauds, Classical Music
Critic
(July 14, 2008)
ELORA–Nestled comfortably in the pastoral dales north of Guelph, the Elora Festival is a reliable cradle for fine midsummer
musicmaking.
The 29th season received a rousing start over the weekend, beginning on Friday
night with a performance of George Frideric Handel's grand 1748 oratorio Solomon,
followed on Saturday by Black Umfolosi and capped last evening by New Zealand
soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, who made a fresh stop on her farewell recital tour.
The diva's visit placed an international stamp of approval on the rural
festival's unorthodox large-concert venue: A cavernous Wellington County
roadworks barn (complete with broken asphalt floor) situated across the street
from the Grand River racetrack and slots.
Te Kanawa's sold-out recital borrowed from the same program that Torontonians
heard at Roy Thomson Hall last fall. But it's not every year that we get to
hear Solomon, especially with soloists the calibre of soprano Karina
Gauvin and young tenor Lawrence Williford.
Like the nearly month-long festival, which closes on Aug. 3, Friday's Solomon
produced a mixed bag of styles, ranging from the fleet textures we might hear
from a period-performance ensemble, to heavy Victorian-style melodrama.
There were many times on Friday that conductor (and Elora Festival artistic
director) Noël Edison seemed to be channelling the ghost of Thomas Beecham,
deeply mining the rich harmonies at a deliberate – if not downright poky –
pace.
The Baroque-sized orchestra, playing modern instruments, was notably rough at
times and baritone James Westman made a mess of the single solo he had to sing
during the two-hour piece.
The Elora Festival singers and the soloists – which also included countertenor
Robin Blaze and mezzo Jennifer Enns Modolo – erased those blots with gorgeously
nuanced and shaped singing.
And, when the whole was going well, the experience rivalled any of the world's
great summer festivals.
Gauvin, in gorgeous voice and full artistic bloom, gave everything as she sang
with a particularly touching immediacy, which culminated in a riveting plea to
Solomon to spare the life of her infant son.
The choir and orchestra had their finest moment in one of Handel's prettiest
choruses, which protects the newlywed Solomon and the Queen with the
injunction, "May no rash intruder disturb their soft hours."
It was so magical that even the rough-hewn venue felt bathed in a golden glow.
This week's best bets: Jazz crooner Laila Biali on Thursday night or tenor
Colin Ainsworth singing Schubert's Die Schöne Müllerin on Saturday
afternoon. For full festival information, visit www.elorafestival.com.
Will Feist's Famous Number Be
A Monster Hit With Children?
Source: www.globeandmail.com - Siri Agrell
(July 16, 2008) One, two, three, four, get ready to hear that song some
more.
Canadian singer Leslie
Feist will appear on the Aug. 11 season premiere of Sesame
Street, performing a modified version of her ubiquitous hit song 1234,
and joining a long list of notable artists who have lent their lyrics to the
popular children's show.
A video of the Juno Award-winning singer appeared on YouTube over the weekend,
showing her strolling down Sesame Street extolling her love of counting to
four.
In the original video for the song, Ms. Feist is joined by an array of
colourfully dressed dancers. In this performance, she is accompanied by a posse
of Muppets, including four monsters (walking cross the floor), penguins (that
were by the door), and chickens (just back from the shore).
The lyrics of the poppy, wistful song have been changed from their tribute to
“old teenage hopes … alive at your door” into an ode to counting.
“Oh you're counting, counting with me,” Ms. Feist sings, “to one less than five
and one more than three.”
The song will appear in the first episode of the beloved show's 39th season,
which will focus on mathematics and literacy. She will also perform an original
song accompanied by the Muppet Elmo.
A representative for Ms. Feist said she was unavailable yesterday, as she is on
route to a performance in Utah. But at the Juno Awards this spring, she raved
about getting the opportunity to sing alongside some furry friends.
“It was the Muppets and it was the best day of my life,” the singer said.
The song has already brought the 32-year-old no end of attention and adoration.
Last year, Apple featured the video in a commercial for the iPod Nano,
rocketing the tune to the heights of hipster popularity.
Now, parents who are probably a little burned out on the indie darling will
have to listen to little Madison and Declan humming along to her infectious
melodies.
“We use celebs so that parents will remain engaged and we know that children
learn best when watching with an adult,” said Sesame Street's Carol Lynn
Parente.
Ms. Feist is just the latest celebrity performer to rework an educational
message into a song for Sesame Street.
Last year, British crooner James Blunt performed an altered version of his
ballad Beautiful, singing about his love for the triangle.
Norah Jones sang a song called Don't Know ‘Y' about being stood up by
the absentee letter, and Johnny Cash performed Don't Take Your Ones to Town
with Big Bird, a kid-friendly play on his song Don't Take Your Guns to Town.
Even celebrated classical musicians have been drawn to the show.
Andrea Bocelli sang Elmo to sleep with a modified version of his hit pop-opera
song Time to Say Goodbye.
Yo Yo Ma has also made an appearance, performing “the Beethoven quartet for two
honkers, dinger and cello,” along with several Muppets who squeezed their own
noses to produce his accompaniment. The song, Mr. Ma explained, was written by
the famous Muppet Murray Beethoven.
This season of Sesame Street seems determined to step up its pop culture
cred.
A character named Max the Magician, played by Will Arnett of Arrested
Development, will perform amazing feats of math.
Soccer stud David Beckham will drop by, presumably in more than his underwear,
as will Project Runway's Heidi Klum and Jack Black of Kung Fu Panda.
The show will also feature parodies of grown-up television programs including 30
Rocks and Are You Smarter Than an Egg Layer.
Krauss, Plant Address Two Musical Nations
Source: www.thestar.com - Greg Quill, Entertainment Columnist
(July 15, 2008) Two musical nations with
little common ground – the diehard country-bluegrass crew to whom American
singer and fiddler Alison Krauss is a golden-haired goddess, and veteran classic rockers and hard blues
dudes who idolize Robert Plant – came together last night at the sold-out Molson Amphitheatre for a
mutually rewarding crossover ritual that seemed to take many by surprise.
"Who's Alison Krauss?" one young man sporting his prize Led Zeppelin
T-shirt asked a perfect stranger as he headed for his seat. In another aisle, a
couple in cowboy hats, jeans and Cuban heel boots were pondering aloud whether
Krauss had sold out by teaming up with Plant for the year's unlikeliest hit
album, the platinum-selling rockabilly-bluegrass-jump-gospel hybrid Raising
Sand, and subsequent tour, which has broken all box office expectations and
has been extended from its original July 31 finale through October.
There's no doubt that teaming up was a phenomenally clever cross-marketing
ploy. For that credit goes to legendary American roots music producer,
guitarist and songwriter T-Bone Burnett (O, Brother, Where Art Thou?, Down
From The Mountain), who came up with the idea and the material for the
album. For the tour, he put together a killer band that includes Nashville's
hottest and hippest musicians, Buddy Miller on guitar and pedal steel, Stuart
Duncan on fiddle, mandolin, banjo and guitar: onstage it seems perfectly
natural, unique and well crafted synthesis of the obsessions of all three
principals.
Make no mistake. Plant and Krauss drew the fans and gave both nations enough to
keep them happy (Plant contributed a loopy, bluesy versions of Zep's
"Black Dog" and "Battle Of Evermore" and his own solo hit
"In The Mood"; Krauss served up righteous readings of "Down To
The River To Pray," "Matty Groves" and Gene Clark's murder waltz
"Through The Morning, Through The Night"). But the real stars of last
night's show were Burnett – dressed in a high collar, vest and mourning coat,
he commanded the proceedings with the aplomb and firm hand of a vintage master
showman – and the band.
The fusion of Celtic/Appalachian folk, Mississippi and Texas blues, pure
country gospel, Creole rhythms and primordial rock 'n' roll is the product of
Burnett's lively imagination, the manifestation of his encyclopaedic knowledge
of and familiarity with American music idioms. In Plant's fascination with the
blues and other American folk forms and Krauss's almost religious musical
purism, Burnett found his catalysts. And while it's not so hard to make magic
in the studio, with the likes of guitar wizard Marc Ribot and folk
instrumentalist Mike Seeger, it takes a special talent to make it work live.
With Miller, Duncan, drummer Jay Bellerose and bassist Dennis Crouch, Burnett
has an ensemble that matches his musical wisdom and intuitiveness, a band
capable of playing this odd brand of acoustic-electric folk-rock with symphonic
grace and punk muscle. As finely melded and elegantly harmonized as Plant's and
Krauss's voices were on their various joint efforts – most notably "Gone
Gone Gone" near the show's end and the opener, "Rich Woman" –
the stage last night belonged to Burnett and his amazing band.
Mint Condition Gets An 'E-Life'
Source: www.eurweb.com
(July 16, 2008) *It’s a rarity in contemporary urban music, where a
band of musicians – musicians that play instruments – create five successful
studio albums, more than a dozen hit singles, world tours and collabos with
some of the biggest names in music. It is a lone example that falls under one
condition – Mint Condition.
The band, at its commercial pinnacle in the early ‘90s, catapulted to fame with
their hit “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes).”
With lead singer Stokley Williams' treble powerhouse vocals and the funk,
R&B, pop hybrid sound the band was the ultimate of a generation and has
since become the model of modern R&B.
With their new disc, “E-Life”, Williams, Jeffrey Allen, Ricky Kinchen, Homer
O’Dell, and Lawrence Waddell, move into the techno-age with a very solid
old-school blend.
The five-man band is currently doing select dates in promotion of the new disc,
but EUR’s Lee Bailey caught up with bass man Kinchen and keyboardist Waddell
about the new project and its inspiration.
“It’s everyday situational stuff,” Waddell began in explaining the disc’s title.
“but in the context of today’s e-world; the world of text messaging, cell
phones, MySpace. Nowadays you meet people on MySpace so the relationship may
have started on MySpace. It’s that type of world now.”
Band mate Kinchen admitted that he was rather caught up in that e-world,
spending much of his time on MySpace, in fact.
“At one point, I wasn’t getting any work done in the studio,” he admitted. “It
was kind of affecting my kids and that’s kind of the intro of 'Baby Boy Baby
Girl.' It was taking away from me doing other things and I had to kind of get
my life together, it’s summertime, I need to focus on my kids a little bit more
and making sure I’m taking them to the park and everything, instead of
e-mailing all day.”
That epiphany sparked the lead single which features Anthony Hamilton.
“I always wanted to work with him,” Kinchen said. “He was the one who came
through and was feeling the project and kind of helped us out. He has kids and
he could relate to the whole thing.”
Another track on the disc, “I Wish I Could Love You,” also deals with
techno-world issues.
“The song was influenced by a girl that one of the guys was seeing,” Kinchen
continued. “She would just be on the phone all the time, talking and text
messaging. So, some of the songs relate to the whole text messaging and sex
messaging thing. People today can’t really communicate; they can’t really say
what they want to say (verbally), but they can say it in a text message.”
However, in addition to some lyrical content on the disc, the band explained
that the way the project was produced also ties into the disc title.
“Some of the record we’d record together and then I’d be out of town and my
part wasn’t cutting it so I had to do it over. So I would have to plug in my
laptop, plug the base into to it, e-mail it to Stoke and he’d drop it into the
song and he’d go mix it,” Kinchen described. “So we did a lot of file sharing
with this record and that had a lot to do with the title, too.”
Waddell added that although he’s not as addicted to the web as some of his band
mates, he relates to the “E-Life” theory.
“I do some classes online, but since I do that, I don’t even really want to be
on it that much, so the social aspect hasn’t happened for me that much,” he
said. “But I relate to it. It is our world. It pretty much permeates every
activity almost. You have a cell – you’re gonna text; you’re gonna check
directions; for me it’s school, so for all of us it’s still related. We are in
an e-world.”
Waddell described a not-so-e-time, when the band was discovered in 1989 and
first signed with legendary producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
“They had this multimillion dollar facility and we thought it was the most
unbelievable stuff in the world,” he said. “Now you can get the same stuff,
digitally, on computer. That’s even how we recorded it. This thing is there and
we can’t get away from it. Even our recording process was e-recording in a
way.”
Whatever way it got done, “E-Life” was done well. The disc doesn’t disappoint
with the Mint Condition brand of funky R&B that only real musicians could
provide.
“I think it is a difficult road,” Waddell said of staying the course or being a
band. “I do feel like we’re in the vanguard in a lot of ways as far as trying
to stay with what we do, which is actually playing and being a self-contained
band. I don’t say ‘in the vanguard’ in a snobbish way or thinking no one else
has anything to contribute because they don’t do it that way, but I’m very
proud of the way we do it.”
“E-Life” is available now. For more on the band and tour dates, check out their
official website at www.mintconditionmusic.com.
“It is hard, difficult, but certain,” Waddell continued, “and we keep trudging
because we believe in the song. The song transcends.”
Michelle Williams Has Hit
Single
Source: Columbia Records
(July 16, 2008) *NEW
YORK - Grammy-winning pop music superstar Michelle Williams has just hit
the No 1 slot on the Billboard Hot Dance Airplay chart with "We Break The
Dawn," the first single from her forthcoming solo album, Unexpected.
Michelle's irresistible dance/pop anthem, which features the Florida-based
rapper Flo Rida, is currently scaling Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play (No 16)
and Hot Singles Sales (No 34) charts and promises to be one the most memorable
singles of summer '08.
Premiered for fans via an exclusive first listen on People.com on March 31,
"We Break The Dawn" was praised by music writer Brian Orloff as
heralding a " ... hot new look - and new sound - for former Destiny's
Child member Michelle Williams."
Michelle lensed a sizzling music video for the track in Los Angeles last April
with noted British director Phil Griffin (Amy Winehouse, Paul McCartney,
Prince).
"We Break The Dawn" is produced by Wayne Wilkins and Andrew Frampton,
who co-wrote the track with the singer/songwriter Solange Knowles. (The sister
of Beyonce Knowles, Michelle's ensemble-mate and musical colleague in Destiny's
Child, Solange has written songs for Beyonce, Destiny's Child, Kelly Rowland
and Trinitee 5:7.)
"We Break The Dawn" is giving Michelle's fans their first taste of
Unexpected, her long-awaited new full-length solo album, due out on Tuesday,
August 12 from Music World/Columbia Records.
One of the year's most avidly-anticipated new releases, the aptly-titled
Unexpected, the artist's third solo album and first since 2004's Do You Know,
is a bold new collection of contemporary pop/dance classics, the next step in
the breathtaking musical evolution of Michelle Williams.
Executive produced by Mathew Knowles for Music World Productions and Michelle
Williams, Unexpected finds Michelle collaborating with some of today's hottest
producers including Jim Jonsin (Jamie Foxx featuring Ludacris, Sean Paul,
Danity Kane, Trina featuring Kelly Rowland, Pretty Ricky, Lil Wayne featuring
Static Major, Bow Wow and Omarion); Rico Love (Usher, Omarion, Natasha
Bedingfield, Tiffany Evans featuring Bow Wow); Wayne Wilkins (Natasha
Bedingfield, Kylie Minogue, Pink, No Doubt); Andrew Frampton (Natasha
Bedingfield, Kylie Minogue); StarGate and more.
Other stand-out tracks on Unexpected include the album's second single,
"Stop This Car," produced by StarGate, the Norwegian production team
behind No 1 hits for Ne-Yo and Rihanna as well as Beyonce's
"Irreplaceable," the biggest song of the year on the Hot 100
Billboard Year End Chart 2007.
American R&B and gospel singer Michelle Williams rose to international renown
after joining Destiny's Child, the top-selling female group of all time, in
2000. As a member of Destiny's Child, Michelle received three Grammy Awards and
performed on several No 1 hit singles by the group.
With the arrival of her debut album, the gospel-infused Heart To Yours in 2002,
Michelle Williams-who'd originally entered show business as a backing vocalist
for the R&B performer Monica-became the first member of Destiny's Child to
release a solo record. Heart To Yours entered the Billboard Top Gospel Albums
chart at No 1, peaked at No 3 on the Top Contemporary Christian Albums chart
and became the year's top-selling Gospel album.
Her second solo album, Do You Know, achieved similar success to her debut,
peaking at No 2 on the Top Gospel Albums chart and No 3 on the Top Christian
Albums chart following its release in 2004.
Michelle Williams made her on-stage acting debut in 2003, replacing R&B
icon Toni Braxton in the title role of "Aida," the hit Broadway
musical with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice.
In February 2006, Michelle made her television acting debut on the UPN comedy
series, "Half & Half" and, later that year, appeared in the FOX
reality series, "Celebrity Duets" performing Destiny's Child's
"Say My Name" with Jai Rodriguez.
Beginning in April 2007, Michelle Williams joined the national touring company
- performing extended runs in Chicago and San Francisco with members of the
original Broadway cast - of the hit musical adaptation of "The Color
Purple."
It's Noel Gourdin's 'Time'
Source: www.eurweb.com -
(July 14, 2008) *Singer Noel
Gourdin (Gor-deen) may be a new name on
the scene, but his sound is quite familiar.
Gourdin’s debut disc, “After My Time” is dripping with that old-school soul
reminiscent of masters such as Marvin Gaye, Tyrone Davis, and Otis Redding.
And while Gourdin is merely in the very young stage of becoming a great name
like his influences, he hopes the disc catapults his career ahead of its time.
“You’ve heard quite a few artist that are considered to be ‘before their
time,’” Gourdin said in explaining the title of the new album. “Their expertise
and music could come out now and still be relevant and such a hit. My concept
and my records are story driven and have a message and are respectful and
tasteful. I could see myself coming out with the Motown swing and the soul
swing – with the Marvin Gayes and Sam Cookes and the old soul groups. I could
see myself coming out in that era, so hence the title ‘After My Time’.”
It seems to be Gourdin’s time no matter if it’s before or after. The lead
single, “The River” is getting massive play on urban radio, and has been
likened to the sound of his contemporaries D’Angelo and John Legend. Gourdin is
quite pleased to be held in such company, and like them, he told EUR’s Lee
Bailey, he’d like to be a part of the movement that’s bringing soul back to
soul music.
“I’m trying to bring that music back to let even young artists know that you
can make music coming from the soul and be received well,” he said. “You don’t
have to go out there and just do shake-booty music. You can do music that’s
tasteful and get paid for it. I’m just trying to be real and not sacrifice my
dignity.”
“The River” is certainly being received
well. The track was produced by Kay-Gee of Naughty By Nature fame, who also helped
build the repertoires of Jaheim and Next.
“We were the fastest moving single by a male artist in the last five years,”
Gourdin said of the hot track. “It’s great when you’re blessed with a record
that really transcends. Now we’re in a place that I’m really feeling good
about.”
Not only is “The River” an impressive throwback musically, but the lyrics also
evoke memories and emotions of yesteryear. Gourdin explained that the
inspiration of the song came when he and friends were sitting around sharing
childhood stories, talking about family members, and just reflecting on life
and paths they’d taken.
“We had signed a deal with Sony on November 15, 2005 and this was around
February. We were sitting in the studio saying let’s make something with a lot
of content and richness; let’s come up with something that had a real Negro
spiritual feel, but at the same time, something that’s really relevant.”
After getting a track from producer Kay-Gee, Gourdin spent five hours in the
studio and walked out with “The River.”
“I came out of the booth and said, ‘Yo, we got something special.’ Right away
it reminded me of a new-age ‘Midnight Train to Georgia.’ It just had a lot of
elements in there that no matter what their background, creed, age – all
demographics could relate to in a way. It touches a lot of people,” he said.
“It’s a good feeling record, but it has that melancholy feel.”
The song, and some other offerings of what the industry has tagged as “new
soul” may be on the verge of bringing back old soul, but Gourdin agreed that it
is still a bit difficult to get such lyricism and musicianship out to
listeners. He explained that even “The River” had a three year shelf life
before seeing the light of day. When he’d originally made the song, he was
signed to Epic Records, where executives could not quite fit him in. He was
then shifted to the Sony’s urban arm of Columbia Records where he sat for two
years.
“Nobody would take a chance because they
were just scared,” he surmised. “They were scared about what the record said
and how it would be perceived and they just wouldn’t take a chance on it.”
Fortunately famed manager and idol maker Johnny Wright (Janet Jackson, New Kids
on the Block, NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears) got
wind of the track and called the President of Epic Records at SonyBMG Music
Entertainment to ask about Gourdin. According to singer, Wright called “The
River” the best record he’d heard in his life.
“We got signed back over to Epic. Now, things are moving forward. It’s just a
blessing.”
Growing up just outside of Boston, Gourdin soaked up the music of Teddy
Pendergrass, Marvin Gaye, and Otis Redding. He spent his summers with family in
Biloxi, Mississippi where he soaked up rhythm & blues roots and culture.
Raised both “up north” and “down south”, he humbly credits the combination for
his gift.
“I don’t think that I would have been able to get so deep into this record as I
did,” he said of recognizing his southern roots. “The conviction was incredible
for me. It really was close to home. The record speaks volumes about me as a
man so it was easy for me to dig down and give my all in the booth, and it
really came across in the record.”
The fans certainly agree, with major momentum built by the chart-climbing “The
River,” the disc’s time is none too soon. Still, Gourdin is keeping his cool
even with a serious hit on his hands.
“I’m just a regular dude that just happened to be able to sing a little bit.”
“After My Time” hits stores July 22. To
hear the track and find out more about Noel Gourdin, check out www.noelgourdin.com.
Or you can hit up his MySpace page, which features a fan line phone number, at www.myspace.com/noelgourdin.
Shirley Caesar Release 40 Years Of Her Music Ministry
With New CD/DVD
Source: www.eurweb.com -
(July 10, 2008) *“It dawned on
me, you don’t know the old Shirley,” legendary Gospel singing sensation Pastor Shirley Caesar
said about why she released the Light Records CD/DVD, “After 40 Years: Still
Sweeping through the City.”
Shirley said that her recent albums consist of some contemporary sound, in fact
her 2005 release, “I Know the Truth,” even had a featured Gospel rapper Tonex.
“One Sunday morning I was singing old hymns….at the pulpit teaching…and the
audience loved it (old hymns) and the choir joined in. I was asked to do the
old songs over again,” Caesar added.
That the pastor did, on her new label Light Records. The project became a
CD/DVD set of 40 years of her music ministry. It includes such selections as
“Peace in the Midst of the Storm” and “He’s Got it All Under Control.”
Shirley Caesar started singing professionally at a very young age with the
Caravans (who were much older than her). She was so young that they had to get
her mother’s permission, group founder Albertina Walker told me.
The native North Carolinian began her solo career in 1966 and rapidly became
the First Lady of Gospel. Her achievements in the Gospel music ministry
garnered her an Honorable Doctorate from Shaw and Southeastern Universities.
She earned a Bachelors degree in business administration in 1984 and is a
minister at a North Carolina church.
“Gospel music is big business,” the pastor said. “It’s bigger than classical,
blues and country. There are so many facets of it…even Bluegrass Gospel.”
Shirley Caesar has won six Grammy Awards and seven Dove Awards for her projects
and she has also performed on Broadway.
The “After 40 Years: Still Sweeping the City,” CD/DVD includes soul stirring
performances and moving testimonies.
Caesar is finishing up a tour to promote the CD/DVD. It started in Miami in May
and ends July 12th at the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest in Ottawa, ON. Shirley will
also be performing with Yolanda Adams and Evangelist Juanita Bynum on September
19th. The performance will be at the Gospel Extravaganza in the WaMu Theater in
Madison Square Gardens, NY.
Her album credits are so long that my research online only starts in the year
1995 and from that point on Caesar has released on the average two albums a
year, in fact, in 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005 she released three albums each
year. Shirley has been signed to major labels like Sony and even “indie” labels
such as Frank Music and Liquid 8.
The entire album is a must to hear. With each selection you can transport your
mind to a time in the past where the selection played a big part in your life
and the building and revitalization of the spirit. If you are young the old
hymns will give you a little history on Gospel and the mus