20
Carlton Street, Suite 1032, Toronto, ON
M5B 2H5
(416)
677-5883
langfieldent@rogers.com
www.langfieldentertainment.com
July 24, 2008
Where oh where did summer go? If
someone finds out, PLEASE let me know!
For all those that are continuously seeking advice about
the music business, check out important information below under SCOOP on The New Indie - you don't want to miss it!.
Slow but sure recovery for me ... thanks for all your kind wishes and notes.
Scroll down and find out what interests you - take your time and take a walk
into your weekly entertainment news!
::TOP STORIES::
Sir Paul McCartney Conquers Quebec
Source: www.thestar.com
- Andy Blatchford, The Canadian Press
(July 21, 2008) QUEBEC CITY–Paul McCartney exploded onto an old battleground last night, churning out a song list
laden with Beatles tunes to a pumped-up crowd on the historic Plains of
Abraham.
"Bon soir les Québecois, bon soir toute le gang," the ex-Beatle
shouted to his Quebec City faithful after he opened the show by belting out the
Wings song "Jet."
The crowd erupted and the band turned it up a notch by ripping into Beatles'
1965 classic "Drive My Car," "Only Mama Knows," and
"All My Loving."
"I only speak a little bit of French," he said in French before
switching languages. "So, I will be speaking in English."
Organizers expected some 200,000 people at the free outdoor concert on the
Plains of Abraham. It was McCartney's first appearance in Canada since 2005.
"C'est ma premiére visite a Québec, and it's a great place,"
McCartney said, again using both languages and stirring a roar from fans.
Montreal band The Stills and up-and-coming Quebec City singer Pascale Picard
opened the concert for the legendary rock star.
Tens of thousands of music fans streamed onto the Plains of Abraham and spilled
into the surrounding streets yesterday in hopes of securing a good vantage
point to watch the music icon.
Seven jumbo screens were set up on the historic battlefield and along downtown
streets, which have been closed to traffic.
Hoping to guarantee themselves a spot in front of a screen, thousands of people
camped early yesterday in the middle of the Grande-Allée, one of the provincial
capital's main boulevards.
The much-anticipated show by the British knight is part of Quebec City's 400th
birthday bash.
But there are some who would have preferred McCartney stay home.
Several Quebec sovereignists have questioned McCartney's participation in
Quebec City's 400th anniversary celebrations because of his British roots.
They claim his presence evokes painful memories of Britain's conquest of New
France in 1760.
But in an interview with Radio-Canada last week, McCartney brushed off the
complaints.
"I think it's time to smoke the pipes of peace and to just, you know, put
away your hatchet because I think it's a show of friendship," McCartney
said.
Mookie Locks Up The Cool Category
Source: www.thestar.com
- Andrea Gordon
(July 21, 2008) Mookie Morris, the easy-going
baby in a brood of four, has always been called "the coolest Morris,"
says his sister Deirdre.
Three weeks ago, Canadian Idol judge Zack Werner called the 18-year-old
singer "the coolest guy in the history of the show."
Quite a leap for a kid who started teaching himself to sing and play guitar
four years ago, when a broken ankle put his elite AAA hockey season on hold.
Quite an inspiration for zillions of kids banging drums and plucking bass
strings in basements all over the GTA.
Morris is one of the remaining nine Idol finalists, including fellow
Torontonian Sebastian Pigott, who compete tonight to become one of the top
eight.
"Yeah, it's kind of a lot to take in," Morris chuckled over the phone
last week between rehearsals.
Nicknamed for former Blue Jay Mookie Wilson's game-winning hit the evening he
was born, the teenager (whose real name is Peter) honed his performing skills
in garage bands and battle-of the-bands gigs around Toronto. "I must have
been in about 10, I can't even remember them all."
After his ankle injury, he gradually eased out of hockey but diverted that same
intensity to his music.
His first band was Gong Show, back in Grade 8. They got their start at a
concert fundraiser set up by his brother in university. Deirdre Morris, 23,
remembers Mookie rocking the house with his version of "Twist and
Shout." The college kids went crazy. A woman's undergarment was flung on
the stage.
Four years later, when he performed that classic at an Idol audition,
judge Jake Gold said: "I really do believe you are a star."
At Northern Secondary School, he was lead singer for Blind Sight, which
attracted a loyal following to all-ages events at teen haunts like The
Kathedral and Reilly's. He finished his last school credits at City Academy in
January and has been devoted to writing music, playing and "just trying to
grow up" since then.
He's registered for Concordia University in the fall, but says he'd rather end
up following his musical dreams.
His mom, Julie Wang Morris, is still in shock. "These were kids who played
in the garage!" she hollers over the phone. His dad plays piano and
harmonica, she likes to sing and figures musical genes also came from her
parents, who lived in a fishing village in Taiwan. Mookie, who she describes as
"remarkably secure in himself," is her only musical child.
She was one of those moms with a minivan who ferried guitars and amplifiers and
wannabe rock stars all over the city on Friday and Saturday nights. She was
also one of those parents who wasn't too keen on the venues packed with
pumped-up adolescents, questionable supervision, and lots of noise and
body-slamming.
"I always worried," she says. "But it was their only choice if
they wanted to play."
Guitarist Sean Fischer, 19, says Mookie is "a regular dude," kind of
shy. "And then once he starts to sing, he completely transforms."
Over six-feet tall, dark-haired, brown-eyed and clad in punky blazers and Ts,
his look inspired Idol judge Sass Jordan to once describe him as
"Louis Armstrong meets Elvis Costello."
"He has phenomenal presence and soul – you can hear it in his voice,"
adds his bandmate, drummer Daniel Singer, 19. But audiences love him mostly
because "he's true to himself."
That showed up in some of his unusual song choices for Canadian Idol.
Deirdre warned him against "Valerie" by British band The Zutons. Too
obscure, she said.
He did it anyway. The judges loved it – it was what prompted Werner's
"coolest guy" compliment. And judge Farley Flex praised his
understanding of "who you are, why you're here and what you want to
do."
"Now I just keep quiet," Dierdre says.
Last week was "a bit of a low point" though, as Mookie describes it.
The response to his rendition of David Bowie's little-known "The Man Who
Sold the World" didn't overwhelm. He and Pigott were both in the bottom
three. The judges noted Toronto isn't voting.
His mom and sister took matters into their own hands. They produced 300
"Vote Mookie" lawn signs, hung a giant banner over a Yonge St.
overpass in their neighbourhood. They've organized another "Mookie Night
in Canada" tonight at a pub to watch and vote.
Mookie meantime, is revelling in it all, but in his typical laid-back style.
Sure, he wants to win. But his ultimate goal: "just to be happy in life .
. . I want to just be able to do music as a job, you know, go on tour, travel
the world and record."
Family Issues Reporter
Roeper Leaving Popular Movie Show
Source: www.thestar.com
- The
Associated Press
(July
21, 2008) CHICAGO – Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper says he is
leaving the nationally syndicated show "At the Movies With Ebert & Roeper"
after eight seasons.
Roeper said in a statement Sunday that he had failed to agree on a contract
extension with Disney-ABC Domestic Television so his last appearance on the
show will air the weekend of Aug. 16-17.
"Several months ago, Disney offered to extend my contract, which expires
at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season," Roeper said. "I opted to
wait. Much transpired after that behind the scenes, but an agreement was never
reached, and we are all moving on.''
A message seeking comment was left for a spokeswoman for Disney-ABC Domestic
Television early Monday.
Roeper said he intends to "proceed elsewhere ... as the co-host of a movie
review show that honours the standards established by Gene Siskel and Roger
Ebert more than 30 years ago.''
"I will be free to share the details on that program in the near
future," he said.
He also said he wishes Disney "the best of luck with their new show,
whatever form it may take.''
Roeper joined Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert on the show in 2000, after
Ebert's original co-host, Chicago Tribune film critic Gene Siskel, died of a
brain tumour in 1999.
Siskel and Ebert had begun reviewing movies on television together in 1975 on
Chicago public broadcasting's WTTW, which eventually took their program
national. The pair jumped to commercial television through the Tribune Co.'s TV
syndication wing in 1982, switching to Disney in 1986.
Roeper was chosen from among a large group of contenders to be the permanent
replacement for Siskel after his death.
Ebert has been sidelined the last two years because of health issues that have
robbed him of his voice.
"Over the last two seasons, as Roger has bravely coped with his medical
issues, I've continued the show with a number of guest co-hosts," Roeper
said. "It's never been the same without Roger, but I'm proud of the work
we've done and I'm grateful to all the co-hosts who stepped in – and to the
viewers that stayed loyal to the show.''
Critics Square Off On Emmy Nominations
Source: www.thestar.com - Lynn Elber, The Associated
Press
(July 18, 2008) The TV world was abuzz yesterday with news that Mad
Men and Damages were the first basic cable programs in history to
get Best Series Emmy nominations. Star
TV columnist Rob Salem and Canadian Press columnist Bill Brioux, in L.A.
covering the fall preview tour, give their take on this year's contenders:
ROB SALEM: So I guess we should start with the Canadian nominees.
BILL BRIOUX: A twofer for The Tudors – CBC must be pleased. And
Sandra Oh getting her fourth consecutive nod for Best Supporting Actress for Grey's
Anatomy. I'm thinking this could finally be her year.
RS: And how about that Howie Mandel? Best Host, Reality Competition.
Brand new category. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy, but where the hell is
Cat Deeley from So You Think You Can Dance? It's not even up for Best
Reality Competition, yet they nominated that cheese-fest, Dancing With the
Stars. Mind you, So You Think did at least get three for
choreography.
BB: I'm wondering what'll happen if Howie wins. The guy's a germaphobe.
How do you congratulate someone if they won't shake your hand?
RS: And I see William Shatner's up again for Supporting Actor on Boston
Legal. Enough is enough. James Spader's up again too. It's beyond redundant
– and the way Spader's aging, I'm not entirely convinced they aren't the same
person.
BB: Shatner can't win. Ted Danson has to take the category.
For one thing, he's got a much better rug. He's just such an icy good villain
on Damages.
RS: That's up for seven. And how do you beat Glenn Close for Best
Actress?
BB: It is a strong field ... speaking of which, isn't nominee Sally
Field about due to say something really embarrassing again while standing at an
awards-show podium?
RS: It's such a weird year. Look at all the summer cable shows that are
up for multiple awards: Mad Men, Dexter, In Treatment, Breaking
Bad ... and only one of those is an HBO show. They used to own this thing.
BB: Now it's FX, AMC, Showtime...
RS: HBO still has 85 nominations in total, but half of those are for John
Adams.
BB: Twenty-three. But we still haven't heard from the southern states.
RS: With the collateral damage from the writers' strike, it's a wonder
that any network stuff got nominated.
BB: In the prestige category, Outstanding Drama, it's an even split
among Damages, Dexter and Mad Men and Boston Legal,
Lost and House.
RS: Same for Outstanding Comedy ... almost. Only five nominees, two from
cable – Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm – up against the
networks' The Office, 30 Rock and Two and a Half Men.
BB: But if there were a sixth nominee, it would be Pushing Daisies.
It was on the air for four minutes and picked up 12 other nominations. How
could one of those not have been Outstanding Comedy?
RS: And 30 Rock did even better: 17 nominations, a single-show
record, second only to John Adams. Alec Baldwin's a shoo-in, and so is
Tina Fey for Best Comedy Actress ...
BB: I think you need a hyphen to win that one: Julia Louis-Dreyfus,
Mary-Louise Parker.... Changing the subject: where the hell is Blair Underwood?
I mean, here's a guy who was really great on three separate series – In
Treatment, Old Christine and Dirty Sexy Money – and do you
see his name anywhere on this list? What do you have to do to get an award in
this town?
RS: Apparently, all you need is a guest spot on 30 Rock: Rip
Torn, Steve Buscemi, Tim Conway, Carrie Fisher, Elaine Stritch ...
BB: What about Shelley Berman on Curb Your Enthusiasm?
RS: Yeah, but then it starts to sound like a Friar's Club roast. We did
forget Will Arnett though, yet another nominated Canadian, also for guesting on
30 Rock. You know, if he wins, and his wife Amy Poehler wins for Saturday
Night Live, their mantle could collapse.
BB: They'd be bi-Poehler.
RS: Bill ...
BB: Sorry. Here's something. Matt Groening was here earlier in the week,
suggesting that the animation category be split into adult and children's
programming.
I mean, this year you've got The Simpsons, King of the Hill and Robot
Chicken, which is really out there, squaring off against SpongeBob
SquarePants ...
RS: And you know this how?
BB: I have kids. My son would kill me if I didn't work in Robot
Chicken.
RS: There's some interesting movement in late night ... I see Stephen
Colbert has four nominations to Jon Stewart's three.
BB: It seems to me that Kimmel and Ferguson are the ones to watch in
late-night talk, yet neither made it into the Outstanding Variety category.
Even in total nominations, Letterman leads with five, Conan and Kimmel with
four each ...
RS: And Leno's got zip ... unless you want to count Jay Leno's Garage
for Outstanding Special Class Short Format Non-Fiction Program. How
humiliating would it be to lose that?
BB: If you want to talk dubious single nominations, how does a truly
great show like The Wire – not to mention Big Love, The Closer
and Friday Night Lights – deserve the same crummy, one-off, also-ran
acknowledgement as According to Jim, Kid Nation, Pirate
Masters and Barry Manilow: Songs from the Seventies?
RS: Hey now. Don't be dissing my man Manilow. That guy's a genius.
::SCOOP::
CIRAA Presents The New Indie Educational Audio Series
Source: CIRAA
(July 21, 2008) Download Your FREE Copy
at www.thenewindie.com.
Produced by the Canadian Independent Recording Artists' Association (CIRAA),
The New Indie is an in-depth audio
series featuring interviews with music industry experts discussing the new
realities facing today’s independent recording artists. It is a current,
national education program universally available at all times, for FREE, to all
recording artists and music industry professionals.
Topics covered in Volume 1 include Record Deals, Management and Publishing.
More than 50 music industry insiders participated in the series, providing
advice, insight from lessons learned and an honest take on the current state of
the industry.
“Since we launched The New Indie at
last month's North By Northeast music conference and festival, the series has
already been downloaded thousands of times from www.thenewindie.com,” says CIRAA’s
Executive Director, Aisha Wickham Thomas. “It’s clear that today’s independent
recording artists are hungry for new educational tools to help them navigate
this rapidly changing music industry paradigm.”
CIRAA interviewed some of the music industry’s top leaders and visionaries for
Volume 1 of this landmark educational series. The roster of guests is:
● TERRY MCBRIDE, Nettwerk
● BOB LEFSETZ, The Lefsetz Letter
● RON SEXSMITH, Artist
● MICHAEL MCCARTY & BARBARA SEDUN, EMI Music Publishing
● RANDY LENNOX, Universal Music
● CHRIS TAYLOR, Entertainment Lawyer
● SHERI JONES, Jones & Co
● GRANT DEXTER, Maple Music
● GARY FURNISS & DAVID QUILICO, Sony Music Publishing
● HAYDAIN NEALE, Artist
● JONATHAN SIMKIN, 604 Records
● LOUIS THOMAS, Sonic Entertainment
● DEREK SIVERS, CD Baby
● ROBERT OTT, Ole Music Publishing
● WINTERSLEEP, Artist
● DENISE DONLON, Media expert
● DAN BROOME, True North Records
● IVAN BERRY, iB Entertainment
● BRIAN HETHERMAN, Cerberus Management
● TIM POTICIC, Sonic Unyon
● EMBER SWIFT, Artist
● JODIE FERNEYHOUGH, Universal Music
Publishing
● STEPHAN MOCCIO, Artist
● CHRISTI THOMPSON, Thompson Management
● CHASE PARSONS, Chris Smith Management
● JOEL KROEKER, Artist
● ANNE-MARIE SMITH, Lonestar Music
● ROB SZABO, Artist
● VELMA BARKWELL, Sony BMG
● MIKE DENNEY, Fusion 3
● JAMES PORTER, Ram Jam Management
● VIVIAN BARCLAY, Warner Chappell
● REDEYE, Artist
● BOB BAKER, Author
● JORY GROBERMAN, New Music West
● FRANZ SCHULLER, Indica Records
● GREG STEPHENS, Entertainment Lawyer
● BERNIE FIEDLER, Manager
● WAYE MASON, Halifax Pop Explosion
Visit www.thenewindie.com to get your FREE
copy today!
About CIRAA:
Founded in 2005, CIRAA is a national not-for-profit association exclusively
representing Canadian independent recording artists. With over 4,000 members across Canada, our
mandate is focused on advocacy, education and member services.
For more information and to sign up for your FREE membership, visit www.ciraa.ca.
::TRAVEL NEWS::
Hot Hot Hot: A
Taste Tour Of The Caribbean
Source: Melanie Reffes
“Oil down brings back memories of my mother who trained me to delight in its
unique taste,” smiles 50-year-old Edwin Frank remembering the national dish of his native Grenada. " Not only does it provide the energy
that tropical life requires,” he continues with an air of British formality, “ but I
have a huge suspicion that my weekly consumption of this nutritious
concoction is responsible for concealing my aging cycle making me stronger,
younger and more optimistic about all my future challenges”
The therapeutic benefits of oil down may be hard to prove although local legend is rarely
disputed. Also rarely disputed is that
Caribbean cuisine starts at home. Recipes are passed down from one generation to the next and treasured like valuable
family heirlooms.
Whether it’s Grenada’s oil down stew of breadfruit, spinach,
coconut milk and salted meat, conch fritters from the Bahamas, Jamaican
mouth-burning jerk or grouper fresh from the Sea, Caribbean cuisine is a delicious mélange of cultural influences.
Considering more than 7,000 islands make up the Caribbean, it’s no
wonder its culinary history is peppered with inspiration from around the
world. Okra, pigeon peas, plantains,
callaloo and breadfruit came with the West African slave trade. Columbus
introduced sugarcane and European colonists like the Dutch, the Swedes, Danish,
British and French came later with their own unique culinary trademarks like
coconut, eggplant, onions, garlic, rice and coffee. Labourers from India and China and merchants
from Syria and Lebanon eventually arrived adding more exotica to an already
long list of culinary influences.
Close proximity also played a part in this edible kaleidoscope of flavours with potatoes and passion fruit donated from South America and
avocado, papaya and cocoa arriving from Mexico.
Guavas, pineapple, black-eyed peas and lima beans grew wild and still
remain staples in many recipes.
Multicultural cooking styles with regional Island differences are the Caribbean culinary trademark. In the Dutch havens of Aruba and Curacao, for example, an Indonesian-style ristafeel is as common a sight as a palm tree
and a pristine beach, the Spanish asopao stew, a meat or seafood and rice dish similar to paella, is popular in
Puerto Rico and French flavours reign supreme in Martinique with their version of the
creole boudin or blood sausage.
Kai Bechinger is a Chef extraordinaire who brought his worldly experiences to
the Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios after learning to cook in his native Germany and
then honing his skills in Antigua and Bermuda. “ Island food doesn’t have to be
spicy but it does have to be well-seasoned,” he says showing off his rum-spiked
guacamole, “ Thyme, garlic, ginger, scotch bonnet peppers, black peppers,
scallions and onions are a must in every Jamaican kitchen”.
Seasonings are also a must in Bajan kitchens and according to Robertina
Yearwood; the Chef at the Almond Resorts’ Enid’s Restaurant, bland food just
doesn’t exist in Barbados. “We use our Bajan seasoning on everything before
cooking, “she declares with bountiful enthusiasm. “Seasoning is the Caribbean viagra, it hits
the spot and puts you in the mood.”
Seasoning is also what pumps up soups and there are as many soups as there are ingredients and there are as many
ingredients as there are Islands.
Variations on the classic callaloo soup are the most popular. With
spinach-like callaloo greens, this hearty ‘stick to the ribs’ soup might
also include okra, hot chilies, limes and for a more exotic taste, pork or
crab. An edible liquid is called ‘tea’
in the Caribbean and a fish broth aptly called
Caribbean Fish Tea is a tasty tropical combination of snapper or grouper, vegetables, peppers,
bay leaves, thyme sprigs, breadfruit and small green bananas.
There’s a delectable whimsy about Island food with never too many colours or
too many ingredients in one dish. Debbie St. Paul, the Chef of Grenada’s Bel
Air Plantation believes this is what makes Island food distinct. “I like to mix
flavours “ she explains buzzing around the kitchen of the Waters Edge
restaurant, “adding fruit like the tart spiny-skinned sour sop to poultry adds a most surprising taste “.
With an endless growing season, everyone has a garden in their front or
backyard. Mangoes, coconuts, bananas and limes are picked fresh each day and
pepperbushes supply stews, soups and salads with that fiery edge. Papayas are
baked like squash, mangoes turn up in mousses and pies and pineapples add a
touch of sweet to a chicken or fish dish. Plantains are one of the most
versatile staples of the Caribbean diet and are eaten in every stage of
ripeness. They come deep-fried as chips,
boiled as a side dish for meat or fried and mashed with pork cracklings and
garlic in the Puerto Rican specialty called mofongo.
Shopping in the tropics means more than the air-conditioned aisles of a
supermarket although you can find plenty of those. Outdoor markets are the real deal and the
place not only to shop but also to catch up on community gossip. The market in Willemstad, Curacao floats and takes up the entire length of the street just steps from the
waters edge. The market
in St. George’s, Grenada is typical of the English-speaking Caribbean with the
liveliest action on Saturday. The rows and rows of nutmeg stalls are particularly worth a slow stroll.
The market in the Antiguan
capitol of St. John not only sells food but also clothes and house wares and
the Coronation Market in Kingston, Jamaica has a reggae soundtrack piped in via
large boom boxes. Savvy travelers always
find their way to the Market. Pungent aromas signal you’re in the right place!
See it, smell it, touch it and taste it. Street food and corner nibbles is an
authentic slice of Island life. Friday
night means the Oisten Fish Fry in Barbados, sidewalk chefs in St. Lucia
barbecue some of the best seafood in the Caribbean from oil drums transformed
into fire pits and vendors in Trinidad dish up East Indian street treats
like lamb stuffed rotis, fried dumplings or phulouris and a snack called a
pommes ce theure which are crisp green plums soaked in a coriander-tasting
brine. Look for vendors attracting a crowd to ensure freshness and if you’re on
an Island long enough, return to the same vendor a second time for a bigger and
better portion.
Caribbean cuisine is all about humble home cooking. “Grandparents love to talk
about their grandchildren, “smiles Chef Bechinger, “Especially then they get to
say I was the one who taught them to cook." Savouring the tastes and flavours of the
tropics, is indeed, the next best thing to being there.
::MUSIC NEWS::
Gerald
Albright 'Stax' Up
Source: www.eurweb.com
(July 18,
2008) *Saxophonist Gerald Albright is a
smooth jazz mentor that has helped create and shape the music genre for more
than two decades, but the jazz star is now, actually, a new kid on the block.
Albright’s latest disc “Sax for Stax” hit stores just last month with 11 tracks
inspired by the old and the new.
The disc features cover songs from the legendary Stax Records roster, including
versions of “Knock on Wood” and “Respect Yourself” just to name a few.
In addition to a nod to the past, the disc is also born of Albright’s mindset
of being in a new environment.
The artist traded in the lights of Los Angeles for the crisp air of Denver and
credits some of his musical motivation on the move.
“I think it was good for not only a life change, but the creativity of writing
music and just being in an environment where you’re pretty close to nature and
things are more laid back,” he told EUR’s Lee Bailey. “I think you allow your
creativity to breathe a little more. The past couple of projects, I think, have
reflected a little stronger connection to that creativity.”
That connection produced another merge of jazz and R&B that has made him
famous and this time, he’s paying tribute to a label that made names such as
Isaac Hayes and the Staples Singers.
“The initial idea came from Mark Wexel who is one of the executives at Peak
Records, where I’m signed. It just so happened that Stax Records, in ’07,
celebrated 50th anniversary of being in business and bringing such great
music,” he said.
Albright continued that Wexel approached him about doing a tribute to some of
the Stax artists if he was comfortable with doing cover tunes. That was a
no-brainer for the smooth jazz man.
“I’m a big fan of a lot of the artist on the Stax label, so we ended up with
some Isaac Hayes, the Staples Singers, the Dramatics, Eddie Floyd and just a
lot of the flagship artists that were on the label over the years and we turned
it into something fresh and part of the new millennium,” he said. “I’m very
excited about this project.”
On “Sax for Stax,” Albright plays alto, tenor, and baritone sax on all tracks,
and also puts in work on flutes, percussion programming, and bass guitar on
some selections. The disc features eight Stax classics and three original
songs, but Albright admits it was rather difficult to whittle down the Stax
options.
“It was quite a challenge,” he said. “I went through two full box sets of the
Stax catalogue; we’re talking different time periods and about 15 CDs per box
set. There was a lot of great stuff and some stuff that was conducive to my
playing the saxophone with the melody and other stuff it didn’t really fit. We
did get the choice down to 30 to 35 and then at that point, I took a break and
then came back and narrowed it down to about 15 songs.”
Along with co-producer Rex Rideout, Albright started picking and choosing which
songs would make the cut.
“We started recording in late September. We went to the studio and recorded it
live,” he described. “We wanted to get as much spontaneity. We used
synthesizers within the mix, but I wanted the base of the song to be live
musicians.”
The result? A stack of good tunes. After all, the disc isn’t just reworked
classics. Albright explained that the project was both an art and science that
brought a new take on some timeless hits. And his work on the tunes along with
the voices such as singers Philip Bailey and Ledisi lacing the tracks is an
exceptional combination.
“It’s a feel thing,” he said of recruiting featured vocalists for some of the
songs. “We listen to the song and we say, ‘The strength of this song is for it
to be an instrumental,’ or we’ll say, ‘The strength of this song is to have a
little bit of vocals in the hook, or we may have a song that’s just haunting
for a lead vocalist. In the case of ‘Respect Yourself’, we sat back and
listened to it and it was just calling for Ledesi’s voice. It just had that
void that needed to be filled.”
Albright said that bringing in Bailey was about the same process. His
arrangement of the Dramatics' smash hit song “What You See Is What You Get” was
simply calling for the Earth Wind and Fire front man.
“When we were thinking about how we were going to bring as much originality of
the song and still put our spin on it, we decided we wanted a falsetto in there
to bring it home. Of course Philip Bailey has one of the best falsettos in the
business, so I reached out to him. It was the perfect timbre of vocals for that
particular tune and we were excited about having him on there,” Albright said.
Albright said he is extremely pleased with the project and those that
collaborated including his daughter Selina, who, incidentally, is highly
endorsed by her dad. Surprise surprise.
For more on Gerald Albright, check out
his website at www.geraldalbright.com or
his MySpace page: www.myspace.com/theofficialgeraldalbright to
HEAR cuts from "Sax For Stax."
God
Answers 'Family Prayer' on new Murrills CD
Source: www.eurweb.com -
(July 18,
2008) *On the assembly line of
gospel acts, groups of kindred come and they go, many failing the QA (quality
assurance) check for longevity.
The
Murrills, a sextet
of singing siblings are the latest brood under inspection for mass
consumption.
Produced by Donald Lawrence, the North Carolina natives and former members of
the Tri-City singers released their first full-length CD, "Family
Prayer" with an important Public Service Announcement. Life is too short
... put your egos aside, God has come to heal the family, quivers the passionate
voice of the only sister in the group on the lead song, "There's A
Healing."
Deciphering the resistance to Godly morals and the deterioration of family,
their message is relevant to a hurting society that wrestles with maintaining
trust in God and each other.
With a theme of reconciliation, love and hope, from the writing to their
harmonious delivery, The Murrills approach every song with feverish optimism,
suggesting that "family prayer" will make a difference. The
no-nonsense lyrics of "Better" tell us go get your future, it's your
future-what's to come is better than what's been.
This family-reunion-ready CD, has a cut on it for everyone with lovely ballads
(like "Can You Stand the Rain"-yes, it's a New Edition re-make and
"Long Time Comin'" their impressive take on a Winans classic) and
jammin' upbeat grooves (like "He Is A Friend of Mine" has a house
music thump with strings and chords reminiscent of seventies
compositions).
Musically progressive ("We Declare War" has a grungy rock feel) and
retro at the same time, the styles represented boldly escape "gospel"
bounds nearly beyond recognition. Subtract it the spiritual mood of the
intro/outro and lyrical content and it would be difficult to define the
album as gospel at all, which they are perhaps attempting to broaden their
appeal. This is a safe assumption since the tracks "Words and
Rhythmn" and "Siyahamba (Janie's Song)" both sung a capella,
reflect African influence.
Born with silver-tongues, it is evident The Murrills have been singing together
all their lives. They establish the fact that background singing is strictly
optional as each one gets a chance to anoint the mic on the 14 track CD,
following in the tradition of proven family ensembles-such as The Staples
Singers, The Clark Sisters and of course the first family of gospel music, The
Winans.
The Murrills are an incredible package and like their legendary gospel
predecessors they have passed the QA test, destined to stand the test of time.
Hear cuts from "Family Prayer" via The Murrills' MySpace page.
Nas Releases Tour Dates
Source: www.eurweb.com
(July 17, 2008) *Nas has released the
schedule for his Jones Experience tour across the U.S. and Canada in support of
his newly released untitled album, which at one time was named
"N**er." Featuring special guests Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica and DJ
Green Lantern, the Jones Experience tour will mesh with his 10 previously
announced dates on the Rock The Bells hip-hop fest. Combined, the two outings
cover more than 30 cities starting Saturday (7/19) in the Chicago area and
wrapping Sept. 6 in George, WA. Details are listed below. Nas plans to preview
his show Friday (7/18) with a free concert for his MySpace friends at The Roxy
in West Hollywood, CA. His headlining run will stick to clubs and theatres. The
rapper, born Nasir Jones, called the trek "a big show in an intimate
venue." "I felt this experience was important because I wanted to
touch my fans in an intimate setting with this new album," Nas said in a
statement. "All the fans that have supported me over the years, I truly
appreciate it and this is my way of giving back."
Here are the tour dates for the "Jones Experience":
July 2008
19 - Tinley Park, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre*
20 - Toronto, Ontario - Arrow Hall*
22 - Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis
24 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
25 - New Haven, CT - Toad's Place
26 - Mansfield, MA - Comcast Center*
27 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion*
29 - Charlotte, NC - Amos' Southend
30 - Charleston, SC - Music Farm
31 - Atlanta, GA - Center Stage
August 2008
1 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
2 - Miami, FL - Bicentennial Park*
3 - Wantagh, NY - Jones Beach Amphitheatre*
8 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
9 - Devore, CA - Glen Helen Pavilion*
10 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
14 - Sparks, NV - New Oasis
15 - Chico, CA - Senator Theatre
16 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre*
22 - Park City, UT - Harry O's
23 - Englewood, CO - Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre*
24 - Austin, TX - Emo's
25 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
26 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues
28 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
29 - Detroit, MI - Chene Park
30 - Champaign, IL - Canopy Club
September 2008
3 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
4 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
5 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
6 - George, WA - The Gorge Amphitheatre*
Kevin's Q&A with Robin S
Source: www.eurweb.com - By Kevin Jackson
(July 17, 2008) *Robin S. was signed to
Atlantic Record subsidiary Big Beat Records in 1993. She is best known for the
gold selling debut single Show Me Love, as well as the dance numbers I Want to
Thank You, It Must Be Love and Luv For Luv. She also garnered R&B chart
action with the stirring ballad What I Do Best.
Her follow up album From Now On released in 1997 on Atlantic Records reflected
broader interests for Robin S., encompassing gospel and contemporary R&B
ballads and high energy dance floor grooves. The album sold about 100,000
copies in the US by the end of its chart run.
These days, Robin S. continues to tour and record. Though she is no
longer signed to a record label, she is hoping to get the right deal and
promotional muscle to take her music into the next millennium. She
recently recorded a new song with up-and-coming European artist Honest, whose
debut album is expected later this year.
This writer caught up with Robin S while she was in Jamaica recently to perform
at a Father’s Day concert at the Hilton Kingston hotel.
Kevin Jackson: This is your second visit to Jamaica. How has it been
this time in comparison to the last time that you were here?
Robin S: Well I didn’t get to see too much of it the last
time. We came in, did the show and we left. This time I love it, I actually
love it.
KJ: How has the musical journey been for you?
Robin S: It’s been wonderful in all sincerity it’s been a joyous ride. I’ve
been on this roller coaster of not performing, to performing to not performing
to performing a little bit. It’s taken me through every facet of life and it
has made me deal with every facet of life.
KJ: How did the Robin S name come about?
R: My birth name is Robin Jackson. My father was a professional boxer who went
by the name Stonewall Jackson. In the beginning when I just came out, there
were so many Jacksons. You had Michael, Janet, Millie and Keisha Jackson. So we
decided to use Robin Stone which was part of my father’s boxing name. We
dropped the Stone and kept the S.
KJ: You started out singing in the church before you got signed to the label.
How was that for you and how did it change things for you?
R: I did just about every facet of music. The only thing I hadn’t done
was sing background for artistes. When I got signed to the label, I don’t think
I was necessarily very excited. My singing wasn’t something that someone gave
me. It was a gift from God. I was more excited when I did venues of 20,000 or
30,000 people than I was when I got a record deal.
KJ: Were you surprised at the success of Show Me Love?
R: Yes I was surprised. After I heard the playback on the song, I
didn’t like it. I never expected it to do what it did. I can remember
vividly when it was released in Europe first, it debuted at number 20. Every
week it went up further on the charts. Then the song crossed over to the
states. I flipped through the radio stations and every one was playing Show Me
Love.
KJ: How did touring and recording affect your role as a mother?
R: My children were studio babies. I was pregnant while recording in the
studios. My girls sing and my son raps. My oldest daughter sang background for
me when she was 16. She is a beautiful writer. She is the only one who can
double my voice perfectly. Motherhood was a challenge, because when Show Me
Love just came out, I had just given birth to my son, but I had a wonderful support
system. My sister took care of my children. When I wasn’t performing, I would
just close off the world and spend time with my children. It had been a
lifelong dream for me since I was a kid to be a performer. When we were
younger, our parents would ask us what we wanted to become when we older. When
I told them I wanted to be a singer, they said it wasn’t lucrative, not
stable and doesn’t have longevity. Inevitably when I look back, I have and
still am fulfilling my dream. Now my kids are grown and I am helping them to
fulfill their dreams. I have four grandchildren and one on the way. It’s always
been about my children. I did a lot to give them a better life. If you can
afford to have the nicer things but never forget where you come from nor the struggles
you had to endure, it makes you appreciate life so much better.
KJ: What new are you working on right now?
R: The track that I just worked on with an artiste called Honest and he’s from
Amsterdam. The song is called Make You Feel Good was produced by Solid Soul.
The song is very slamming and they’re considering making it the first single
from his album. We had so much fun doing the track. I also re-released Show Me
Love and its been getting a lot of airplay. I also did a song called At My Best
with my nephew who is a rapper called CTK.
KJ: Did record label politics interfere with your weight or how you looked?
R: I was always told I was overweight and that I had to lose weight and
maintain a certain figure. I had to be something that I am not. I represent a
life for full figured women. I represent letting them know that it comes from
within first. I have always been full figured from as long as I can remember.
When I lost weight, I was still considered full figured. I don’t think that I
should be judged by other people by what I look like if I am presenting myself
in a fashionable yet well preserved manner. I am a singer and that’s what you
should judging me on. I give kudos to people like Martha Wash, the Weather
Girls, Jennifer Hudson or anyone who is full figured. We live, we breathe, we
have emotions and we are talented. I don’t have to sell anything but my vocals.
It’s nice to be thin, but I’m fortysomething and I am really happy in the shell
that I dwell right now. My weight fluctuates sometimes and it’s been that way
all my life. I don’t make any excuses for it. As long as my health is not in
jeopardy, I am ok with it. I probably didn’t get the things I could have gotten
with the record label because of my weight, but I am still here. God is still
blessing me and leading and opening up doors for me.
KJ: What happened why you parted ways with the record label?
R: I think it was a mutual agreement. Everyone has their season and their time
and I think my time and my season was up. I couldn’t be happier right now. It
affords me to do anything with anybody musically and I don’t have to seek
permission. On one hand I don’t have the tour or distribution support; but I am
able to do whatever I want to do. The label didn’t know what to do with me.
I am not a dance artiste. I sing R&B, gospel and jazz. I do have the
different facets but no one wants to hear that.
KJ: What kind of advice would you pass on to anyone new in the industry based
on your experiences?
R: To learn about the industry first. Take time out to learn about
the ins and the outs. The snake pits and the snakes. The intricate stuff
that no one wants to tell you. Learn how to become the businessman or woman
with your craft and don’t rely on other people to guide you through things. That’s
basically what I am teaching a group called Five Verses that I am working with.
I didn’t want them to go out and spend the money to work at someone else’s
studio. I build a studio at my house for myself as well as for them. Teaching
them how to run a studio and to more responsible with their business. The thing
is with the record labels, if you do not consider yourself as a commodity then
you will be take advantage of. If you look at yourself as a commodity or
merchandise in demand, you will learn how to become a better entrepreneur. I
had to learn the hard way and it was a very expensive lesson that I learnt.
KJ: Did you foresee the problems that the industry is experiencing today?
R: yes I did. The people that are in the industry now (and it’s no disrespect
because God knows I am looking for another label). There are no more Clive
Davis’ out there. I love Clive Davis, never had the opportunity to meet him,
wish, want to and would love to. I know that I can sell, I know I can do what I
did ten years ago. There are no more Berry Gordy’s out there. There are no more
people that are willing to take the time to cultivate, nurture or train.
Everything is about instinct. We are now living in an industry where it doesn’t
matter what you sing about as long as you threw it up on the wall and it
sticks. Where is the music theory? Who’s taking music theory in college? Who
knows the history of music anymore? It’s all about who you know and how long
you’ve known them, and how you look. I know how Clive worked with Whitney
and how he held her back until the time was right for her to come out and he
didn’t make her compromise who she was even though she was a model and a
superstar’s daughter and a superstar’s niece. The Wendy Motens, she is
wonderful. She does a lot of soundtrack music and she is a great singer. She
sounds just like Whitney. But she is full figured. There’s no one in the
industry who is willing to take the chance.
Raphael
Saadiq Soul Power Reigns Again
Source: bd@catalystgroupsite.com, leyla@catalystgroupsite.com, andre.morris@sonybmg.com
(July 17,
2008) *In an era where any teenager with ProTools can compose an opus on his
laptop, it is altogether rare to encounter a wholly live, sample-free,
recording such as Raphael
Saadiq's THE WAY I
SEE IT (due September 16th on Columbia Records).
Particularly one that is a fully realized oeuvre; from the opening snare shots
of "Sure Hope You Mean It" through the last string strains of the
piece de resistance "Sometimes," the artist takes us on a journey
that is like a lush feature film, not a string of hackneyed trailers.
And his timing couldn't be better. While plenty of ink has been spilled lauding
various upstart 'Queens of Retro-Soul' from across the pond, Saadiq has
lovingly synthesized the essence of the various regional scenes that underpin
our best music - Motown, Stax, Chi-town, Philly - and seamlessly spliced in
surprising aesthetic choices (an industrial vocal filter here, a Spanish
vocalist there) that clearly earmark THE WAY I SEE IT as, literally, state of
the art.
First single "Love That Girl" (stream here) lays it down with a
club-ready update of classic Temptations-era swing - right down to the
impeccable strings and Saadiq's clarion, falsetto vocals. In an album full of
high points, "Never Give You Up" slays with its multi-generational
line-up: the track includes Raphael's musical protégé C.J., as well as the
legendary Stevie Wonder on harmonica. And the quick-paced shuffle of "Big
Easy" finds Saadiq longing for a child lost in Hurricane Katrina with
classic honky tonk flair replete with overlapping horn solos.
The album's inspiration was indeed global.
"I was cooling out and surfing in Costa Rica and The Bahamas,"
recounts Saadiq, "and ran into people from all kinds of places. I noticed
everybody was listening to classic soul music. When I came back home the music
for this album flowed organically, naturally. Since I have my own studio, I was
able to perfect it, take my time to make it right. I was able to live with it,
day after day and that had a lot to do with how the album turned out."
Grammy-winning Joss Stone (with whom Raphael worked on the best-selling 2007set
INTRODUCING JOSS STONE) is a special guest on the song "Just One
Kiss."
"The track reminds me of early '70s soul songs and getting Joss to sing on
it wasn't hard because she has a profound appreciation for great classic
musicm," says Raphael.
Saadiq's innate musical facility - he learned to play guitar, drums and bass by
the age of six, was singing with a professional gospel group at nine and toured
with Prince and Sheila E. upon graduating from high school - goes a long way in
explaining his ability to craft an album that will delight baby boomers and
groovesters alike. Saadiq, founder of hybrid super group Lucy Pearl, member and
producer of Tony! Toni! Toné!, as well as acclaimed producer of artists like
Joss Stone, D'Angelo, Mary J. Blige, The Roots, Snoop Dogg, and John Legend -
is a virtual one-man show. He wrote, produced, arranged and performed the
flawless grooves (drums, bass and guitar) and effervescent vocals on every
song. And it is that combination of elements that will make THE WAY I SEE IT
the go-to album for any setting. A worthy follow-up to his 2002 solo debut
INSTANT VINTAGE - the first independent release to receive five Grammy
nominations - THE WAY I SEE IT sets a welcome new standard.
Visit Raphael's on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/raphaelsaadiq
Costello Pumps Up The Party
Source: www.globeandmail.com
- Fiona Morrow
THE WHISTLER MUSIC FESTIVAL
In Whistler, B.C. on Saturday and Sunday
(July 22, 2008) 'There's nothing quite like a cool mountain breeze and the
lingering smell of skunk," mused Elvis Costello as he closed the Whistler Music
Festival on Sunday.
What began on Saturday morning with a bear escorted from the venue half way up
Blackcomb Mountain, ended with a sun-baked, dirt-caked crowd singing along to
Costello's Peace, Love and Understanding, before tidying up after
themselves and waiting patiently in line at the gondola for a ride back down to
the village.
Festival Network's first year at Whistler was a success - if only modestly so
at the box office (early estimates suggest 5,000 attended Saturday, slightly
fewer Sunday). Carelessly clashing with the more established Vancouver Folk
Music Festival, and just a week before the corporate behemoth of the Pemberton
Festival rolls into the mountain region, Whistler felt a little forgotten in
the mix. The low-key profile may do them no harm: With three more years already
booked, this felt like a trail run, with Festival Network's CEO, Tom Shepard,
in attendance throughout, making changes on the fly and taking notes for next
year.
First on that list should be creating a more hospitable space: The lunar-like
landscape, usually home to Whistler's Tube Park, was miserably rocky underfoot
and every gust of air brought with it a fresh cloud of dust. Ticket holders
were unfazed, trekking back to the village to return with chairs, tents and
coolers (a "no outside food" rule was waived for the weekend), the
chilled out, family-friendly atmosphere leaving the couple of cops doing
cursory circuits nothing to do save smile and sweat. "Keep hydrated and
ask us if you need sunscreen" became the m.c.'s mantra.
The searing heat made getting the audience onto its feet a tough call. On
Saturday, it took Ontario's Bedouin Soundclash, with their reggae beats and
easy stage presence, to get things moving. But it was Philadelphia's hip-hop
group the Roots that cajoled the crowd to create a 3,000-strong mosh pit that stayed
on for Washington, D.C.'s prime electronic/lounge band Thievery Corporation.
Day two opened with a last-minute addition: Stephane Wrembel's mellifluous
Gypsy jazz, which proved to be the perfect soundscape for a hot and hazy
hilltop. An eclectic, heavily instrumental afternoon continued with the
psychedelic trance jazz of Medeski, Martin and Wood. Robert Randolph and the
Family Band drove the funk a little dirtier, before Cajun legend Allen
Toussaint sparkled brighter than his glittery necktie.
Expectations were high for Broken Social Scene, but the weekend's first sound
problems saw them leave the stage in disgust after a couple of numbers. Whether
it was the false start, or the fact the band's back-up singers were stopped
from entering Canada, BSS never got its groove on. The ramshackle set, with
long pauses between songs and a visibly irritated front man Kevin Drew, itching
to come off early, threatened to wreck the good-natured vibe. Drew's final
thanks to "those who only came to see Elvis Costello, anyway" ended a
lacklustre performance on an unnecessarily sour note.
When Costello did storm the stage and launched into a high-octane reprisal of Pump
It Up, it felt like a slap in the face to the Canadian indie band. The
audience may not have been huge, but Costello couldn't have cared less.
Ricocheting from classics such as Watching the Detectives and (I
don't want to go to) Chelsea to tracks from new album Momofuku,
Costello and his band, the Imposters, relished the venue's potential.
Encouraging the crowd to turn around and look up the mountain, Costello summed
up the weekend: "I can see a bear up there, and he's digging it. Every
nightclub should look like this."
Toth Brothers Not Your Typical Boy Band
Source: www.thestar.com - Ashante Infantry, Pop & Jazz
Critic
(July 17, 2008) Laszlo Toth