Singer Marilyn Scott has launched a new business. Her company, StartingGreen, offers eco-friendly clothing for babies from birth to twelve months. According to Earnshaw’s Magazine, Scott began working on this project three years ago.
The collection is made of unbleached organic cotton and other light organic fabrics and currently features T-shirts, dresses, overalls, jumpers, and other pieces. A few of the items include print, such as the Bee Green Overall and a one-piece that bears the words “one peace” around a green peace sign.
As described by the company’s website, “Sweet, warm and lovingly soft, are some of the words to describe your baby. We would like you to feel content knowing your baby is safe and free from unknown harm when you choose StartingGreen clothes and quilts.”
StartingGreen is about starting smart and understanding the delicate balance of nature’s simple gifts.
You can get more details about her clothing company by visiting startinggreen.com and for more information on Marilyn check out her website, marilynscott.com.
Setting the Stage for Jazz Fest
The annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival kicks off this weekend. A festival that was nearly knocked out by Hurricane Katrina is set to reclaim itself with a re-birth that would appear to be just as strong, if not stronger than the heights the festival had seen prior to Katrina’s destruction.
Prior to Katrina the festival’s attendance was up to 400,000. Last year’s attendance came in around 375,000 while the prior year had fallen to 300,000. This year’s festival is expected to exceed the 375,000 mark and possibly match the numbers from the pre-storm year.
Returning to the festival for the first time since 2005 is Jazz Fest’s seventh day. Also appearing for the first time since the storm are the Neville Brothers. They will appear along with many other acts that make up a bill showcasing many major stars and a vast range of regional talent.
In a recent article in USA Today, Quint Davis, producer/director of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, recalled how on a regular Friday in New Orleans he had counted 103 venues showcasing the talents of 200-plus live acts. “It’s like South by Southwest here every weekend,” he says. “After Katrina, the question was, ‘Would the roots of New Orleans culture survive, and would the music scene revive, or would musicians find better jobs in Utah?’ It’s very poignant to realize all this is still here.”
The revival of the festival is owed in part to an investment in a broad range of national talent as well as the steady return of the region’s own highly talented and supremely gifted musicians and performers.
When it comes to this year’s lineup the Jazz Fest is chock-full with the most glamorous mainstream roster it has seen in its 39-year history. The boasting musical schedule unfurls the likes of first-time headliners Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow, Tim McGraw and Keyshia Cole.
The dynamic range of performers on this year’s bill has the festival set and loaded with enough ammo to thrill plenty of visitors and locals. However, the flashiness of the mainstream roster barely resonates in the minds and must-see-lists of those who frequent the Jazz Fest’s renowned trinity of jazz, blues and gospel.
These three entities are without a doubt the definitive backbone of the Jazz Fest and they are the core attraction for people who will travel hundreds of thousands of miles to attend. So while this year’s festival offers an incredible dose of mainstream flare, the big stars with household names will not outshine the home-grown, grass-roots talent that is signature to this one-of-a-kind festival.
For more information, history, and complete daily schedules of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival visit www.nojazzfest.com.
Get An Autographed Klugh
Grammy Award winner Earl Klugh, hailed as a master of the acoustic guitar, will be releasing his much-anticipated ensemble album The Spice of Life on April 29th. This will mark his first release in nine years.
To celebrate the release of The Spice of Life, Klugh is offering an exclusive pre-sale of the album via his website. The pre-sale is currently available and includes autographed copies of the 13-track album. There are three different package options available. Each package includes an autographed copy of the album while two of the packages include a few extra items.
The Spice of Life was conceived as a celebration of Klugh’s 30-year journey as a pioneering musician with a talent so encompassing that he has unified audiences of jazz, R&B, and pop. Described by the Boston Globe as “one of the most highly esteemed jazz guitarists in the world,” Klugh continues to be one of the most in-demand live artists globally.
The Spice of Life is the follow-up to Klugh’s 2005 masterpiece, “Naked Guitar,” which gave him his eleventh career Grammy nomination.
“I wanted to create something that would encompass a wide spectrum of directions: solo, standards, originals, electronic, acoustic and orchestral,” says Klugh. “I wanted to make a recording that would reflect where I am at this moment in my life, and something I am proud to present to my fans.”
The Spice of Life plays from beginning to end with the command and force of a greatest-hits collection, while managing to capture the fresh nuances of an innovative artist still in the prime of his discovery. This album is composed of many elements that make it both a vulnerable and powerful masterpiece. It swells with opulent orchestration, resonant production, and original solo guitar compositions, add to all of this Klugh’s unfailingly positive, fresh and imaginative style and the result is an album as refreshing to the soul as it is to the ear.
For more information on the master guitarist you can visit his website at www.earlklugh.com. You can purchase the pre-sale autographed copy of his album here: www.buyswag.com/earlklugh.
Free Tune from Melody Gardot
Melody Gardot is currently featured on iTunes as the Single of the Week. You can jump onto iTunes now and download her song Worrisome Heart for free. This track comes off her album of the same title.
At 22, this singer-songwriter has a soulfully smooth voice and a pleasantly articulate sound that blends the taste of jazz with the flavor of folk.
A quick snippet from her bio, “Melody Gardot has set the bar for what it means to be a musical athlete. Drenched in a sublime vapor of mellow blues, eclectic folk, and the faintest essence of jazz, she breaks forth with her debut full length album, Worrisome Heart. The record is an effervescent 10-track collection of original songs co-produced by Melody Gardot and Grammy-Award winning producer Glenn Barratt. With a superb narrative and inventive vocal-scat patterns, the pianist/guitarist tackles heartache full on by way of velvet tongue and alluring disposition.”
For more information on Melody you can visit her website, www.melodygardot.com and if you do not have iTunes you can download it for free at www.apple.com.
Yellowjackets Swarm Around Mike Stern
On their upcoming release, LIFECYCLE, The Yellowjackets join forces with guitarist Mike Stern for a collaboration that calls attention to the band’s roots and extends their already groundbreaking reach into uncharted musical territory.
With this release the Yellowjackets may be on the verge of introducing something entirely new to the jazz landscape. And one could/should/would expect no less when such a tremendous quartet summons the high-energy, high-talent guitar guru that is Mike Stern.
As it is eloquently worded on their website, “According to some basic, undeniable laws of nature, when two powerful forces collide, something explosive will occur, and a dramatic transformation is likely to take place as a result. It’s a law that applies to every dynamic in the known universe, including jazz.”
Mike Stern is an established and prominent jazz guitarist and composer with four Grammy nominations, a career that spans three decades, and a discography that includes more than a dozen eclectic and innovative recordings.
There are seven tracks on the album that feature Stern, while the remaining three tracks are demonstrate the individual and collective talents of the current Yellowjackets lineup: Ferrante, saxophonist Bob Mintzer, bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Marcus Baylor.
According to their website, “Lifecycle illustrates the kind of energy and creative brilliance that results when five talented players pool their individual talents as songwriters and musicians and merge into an entity that’s far greater than the sum of its parts.”
Stern and the Yellowjackets will hit the road later in the year for a series of U.S. and European tour dates.
The beloved performer known as “the prince of sophisticated soul” is setting out on a speaking engagement tour that will mark his victorious return. This tour of one-on-one speaking engagements will mark Will’s first public appearances since being diagnosed with Polymyositis at the end of 2006.
Throughout this five-city engagement Downing will sit down before his fans and engage in an intimate conversation which will explore his current illness, his faith, his musical career, and his exciting plans for the near future. Each evening is set to end with a meet and greet. Due to the fact that Downing is still in recovery he will not be performing during these appearances, but he will answer questions directly from fans, sign autographs and possibly pose for photos if time permits.
Taking advantage of his improving condition, Downing hopes to utilize this tour as a chance to rekindle his relationship with fans by once again going the extra distance to stay close to those who love and admire his artistry.
In both his personal endeavors and his musical career Downing has been making remarkably miraculous progress. Thanks to a lot of hard work, his faith and the support of his family, Will has emerged triumphant in his battle with the muscle disease. Where at one point he was not even able to lift his head or leave his bed without assistance, Will is now able to get up and walk on his own with the aid of a walker – a major accomplishment!
Will’s latest album After Tonight, his thirteenth, is his fastest selling to date since its October 2007 release. In addition, Will just recorded a performance of “Never Can Say Goodbye” to be featured on saxophonist Gerald Albright’s upcoming release. Not only that, but Will is optimistically pushing himself to be ready for a concert tour by fall of 2008!
A Private Evening With Will Downing begins on April 22nd in Chicago, Illinois. After which he will visit Detroit, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Atlanta. Proceeds from the tour will benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Check out www.willdowning.com for more information.
Stanley Clarke Returns To School
Renowned electric bassist Stanley Clarke, one of the founding members of Return To Forever, is returning to The University of the Arts in Philadelphia later this month where he will be bestowed with an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts Degree.
In May, Clarke will join his RTF band mates for their highly anticipated US tour kicking off in Austin, TX. Go to: www.stanleyclarke.com and click on “Magazine” to view his RTF rehearsal video.
Mindi Abair Goes Interactive
Saxophonist and vocalist Mindi Abair is celebrating her new CD release and debut with Peak Records/Concord Music Group with an interactive online concert.
The interactive part happens when Fans are invited to vote online for the songs they want her to perform as she's playing them. Says Mindi: "I'll see their votes come up on the computer screen right in front of me while I'm playing," she says. "People can even choose the camera angles."
Wine & Jazz Autograph Session featuring Brian Culbertson
Wine and Jazz is a bi-monthly CD and Wine Club which features a special delivery of two especially selected high quality domestic wines from premier wineries along with two winery glasses and a Smooth Jazz CD hand picked to be paired with the wines. Also included is an autographed photo and letter from the featured smooth jazz artist.
On Sunday, May 4th there will be a Wine & Jazz Autograph Session with Brian Culbertson at Spaghettini Grill & Jazz Club, located in Seal Beach, California. Miner Family Vineyards will be pouring free samples of their wine. Brian Culbertson's new album Bringing Back The Funk is released 4 days before this event.
Make your table reservations by calling Spaghettini at (562)596-2199. Email info@wineandjazz.com for membership info.
Tampa Bay Concert Lineup Set
WSJT's 13th Annual Smooth Jazz Fest will be held this Friday and Saturday at Coachman Park in Clearwater, FL. Headliners include Boney James, Chieli Minucci and Paul Taylor. For info, go to: www.wsjt.com
Fattburger’s Carl Evans Passes Away
Our deepest condolences go out to Carl Evans’ family and all the members of the band Fattburger. Carl passed away on Thursday, April 10th due to complications related to Diabetes.
COOKIES FOR A KOZ
“Cookies For A Koz” was created in honor of Smooth Jazz saxophone star Dave Koz’s late mother Audrey. According to Dave and his sister Roberta, Audrey spent her adult life spreading happiness, love and smiles through the proliferation of her “famous” chocolate chip cookies. Cookies For A Koz is their way of ensuring that the special magic and love she put into every batch lives on.
As the name implies, this company is also committed to raising money for a very important “cause” – The Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation - which helps seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment and education. This was Audrey’s favorite charity. Go to: www.cookiesforakoz.com for more information.
Herb Alpert, Lani Hall Donate $15M To CalArts
The California Institute of the Arts announced that Herb Alpert and his wife, Lani Hall, have donated $15 million to its music school.
CalArts President Steven D. Lavine said the school will be renamed The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts in recognition of the gift and the long-time support provided by the foundation created by Alpert, an eight-time Grammy award winner and co-founder of A&M Records.
"Herb and Lani stand with us in championing the individual artist, one who charts an independent creative course," said Lavine.
The $15 million endowment brings to nearly $24 million the value of the support that Alpert's foundation has provided CalArts in the past 16 years, according to CalArts.
Alpert pledged $30 million to UCLA in November to establish the cross-disciplinary UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.
Alpert, 73, is the ground-breaking trumpeter who headed up Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, and was also a co-founder of A&M Records.
Toby Keith Joins Wayman Tisdale On Remake of
Barry White’s Hit Never, Never Gonna Give You Up
Former basketball great and accomplished jazz bassist Wayman Tisdale is no stranger to one-on-one match-ups but playing with country music star Toby Keith was an unexpected pairing. The duo recently joined forces for a remake of Barry White’s hit Never, Never Gonna Give You Up on Tisdale’s eighth album Rebound, set for release on Rendezvous Entertainment on June 3rd.
Rebound’ personally marks Tisdale’s recovery following a bone cancer diagnosis last year. According to Tisdale, “this record is definitely a reflection of me and where I’m at today.” Go to: waymantisdale.com for more info
Alicia Keys in Africa
“Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland” is the documentary of Grammy Award-winning musician and Keep a Child Alive (KCA) Co-Founder Alicia Keys' month-long trip to Africa to visit communities affected by HIV and AIDS.
Spreading the message is so important to Alicia that she is making the documentary available for FREE online. A portion of the film will debut live on American Idol: Idol Gives Back on Wednesday, April 9 on FOX. Viewers who visit www.americanidol.com will be directed to www.AliciainAfrica.com where they can watch the entire documentary. By distributing the film for free online, KCA knows the broadest audience possible will be reached, translating into understanding and compassion for the people and then ultimately resulting in donations crucial to fulfilling KCA's mission.
Herbie Hancock And Joni Mitchell Perform On Yahoo!
Herbie Hancock, winner of the 2008 Album of the Year Grammy® for 'River: The Joni Letters' (Verve), took the stage with longtime friend, collaborator and inspiration Joni Mitchell when he taped a show for Nissan Live Sets that debuted on Yahoo! Music April 1st. It is the first time a worldwide audience will be able to see the two play together.
Mitchell sang on three of her songs -- "River," "Tea Leaf Prophecy" and "Hana." Hancock also played classics including "Chameleon," "Watermelon Man," "Maiden Voyage" and "Rockit."
The performance, including video streams of 10 individual songs and an audience Q&A, is available to view now: http://music.yahoo.com/promo-31904706
Hancock will begin an international tour in May that will include Brazil, Europe and many dates in the U.S. and Canada, including the Playboy Jazz Festival in Los Angeles.
Photo: Stephanie Cabral
Dave Koz, Ramsey Lewis and John Legend Headline The Kroger Indy Jazz Fest
The American Pianists Association (a national organization dedicated to discovering, promoting and advancing the careers of world-class, American, jazz and classical pianists) and the Indy Jazz Fest Inc., will hold their annual Kroger Indy Jazz Fest Father’s Day weekend June 13th, 14th and 15th 2008 in Indianapolis.
The three day event features a wide array of world class jazz musicians including Ramsey Lewis (with his Legends of Jazz lineup of Fourplay and Paquito d’ Rivera), Dave Koz, and soul vocalist John Legend. Go to: www.indyjazzfest.net for more information.
Mick Hucknall Presents “Tribute To Bobby”
Mick Hucknall has recorded his first ever solo album - Tribute To Bobby, a collection of soul classics originally recorded by the legendary Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland. After an illustrious career with Simply Red, Hucknall decided to do something different, and last June, he emerged from his home recording studio with a brand new album, a tribute to Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland – one of his heroes and inspirations. Further On Up The Road will be the first single from the CD.
Other highlights on the album include Cry Cry Cry, I’ll Take Care Of You and I Pity The Fool.
A beautiful bay colt race horse named Smooth Air (sired by, get this…Smooth Jazz) is the surprise winner of the Hutcheson Stakes in Florida. That all but ensures his place in the 2008 Kentucky Derby on May 3rd. Best of luck to Smooth Air!
Al Green’s “Lay It Down” In Stores May 27th
Al Green’s new CD, “Lay It Down” features the sophisticated R&B voices of singer/songwriters John Legend, Anthony Hamilton and Corinne Bailey Rae, and was co-produced with Green by two of hip-hop's most innovative players, drummer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson from the Roots and keyboardist James Poyser, the go-to guy for high-profile artists such as Erykah Badu. Add in Brooklyn's celebrated Dap-King Horns (who have worked with Amy Winehouse), guitarist Chalmers "Spanky" Alford (Mighty Clouds of Joy, Joss Stone) and bassist Adam Blackstone (Jill Scott, DJ Jazzy Jeff), among others, and you've got a modern soul-music dream team, fronted by the most expressive voice in the business.
The album has everyone laying down the music together, face to face, heart to heart, soul to soul. Al admits, "That's the only way I know how to work, that's what I've done all my life. You just write it from here." He taps his heart. "That's what we do every Sunday. We never write a sermon now. If you can't preach out of here"--tapping his chest again--"you have nothing to say anyway. It's all from the heart, this whole album, from start to finish."
Whitney Houston to Headline the Plymouth Jazz Festival
Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart and Shakira are among the performers set to take the stage at the fourth annual Plymouth Jazz Festival in Plymouth, Tobago, from Friday, April 25th – Sunday, April 27th. Diana Ross will open the festival Friday night with Smokey Robinson, Peabo Bryson and James Ingram. Whitney Houston will close the festival on Sunday with Rod Stewart and others to be announced. Tobago is the most southerly island of the Caribbean.
Legendary trumpet player and producer Herb Alpert and his wife, singer Lani Hall, have hit the road. After two Los Angeles dates (already sold out) their spring tour includes several nights in New York City and Washington DC, then back to Northern California through May. They’ll be performing intimate nights of Brazilian Jazz. See Spanning The Globe for tour dates.
Shanachie Entertainment has released the highly anticipated recording debut of The Sax Pack featuring three of the most dynamic saxophone players today; Jeff Kashiwa, Kim Waters and Steve Cole.
Jeff Kashiwa was inspired to create The Sax Pack one day while he was watching a PBS documentary on The Rat Pack. “I am a huge fan,” explains the saxophonist. “I love the way the Rat Pack took the part that usually happens backstage and brought it to the forefront of the audience. The trio will hit the road this spring. Please click on “Spanning The Globe” for tour dates.
Seabreeze Jazz Festival Brings Smooth Jazz to the Gulf Coast
Smooth Jazz radio station WSBZ/Ft. Walton Beach presents the 2008 Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Wednesday April 16th – Sunday April 20th. The Gulf Place Outdoor Amphitheater will be the venue hosting this 10th Anniversary celebration which JazzIZ Magazine names as one of the “Top 10 Jazz Festivals in the USA.”
The top artists in Smooth Jazz will be performing: Dave Koz, Rick Braun, Brian Culbertson, Richard Elliot, Norman Brown, Wayman Tisdale, Euge Groove, Joyce Cooling, Jeff Kashiwa, Four 80 East, Kim Waters, Paul Taylor, Alex Bugnon, Chante Moore, Nick Colionne, Steve Cole, The Groove Boutique featuring Rafe Gomez, Shilts from Down To The Bone, Nyee Moses, Matt Marchek and Bonafide featuring Slim Man.
Nick Colionne will host a free Thursday Evening All-Star Jam Show to celebrate the festival’s 10th Anniversary. “It's our way of showing 'thanks" to the Emerald Coast for supporting us and smooth jazz," says Mark Carter, President and General Manager of WSBZ 106.3-The Seabreeze. “The All-Star Jam show is going to be a cool and exiting addition to commemorate 10 years of great performances, and we are so happy to offer it free of charge to the local community!" Order tickets online at seabreezejazzfestival.com.
The Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown with Allen Kepler airs on WSBZ on Saturday morning and Sunday evenings.
HEADS UP INTERNATIONAL SIGNS UK-BASED R&B/FUNK INNOVATORS INCOGNITO
Heads Up International, a division of the Concord Music Group, has announced the signing of an exclusive recording agreement with Incognito, the UK-based neo-soul pioneers that have spent three decades grafting exotic multicultural grooves to their American soul and funk roots.
Incognito founder, frontman, guitarist and primary songwriter Jean-Paul Maunick – better known to fans worldwide as Bluey spent his childhood in Mauritius. “When I was a kid, my first taste of music came from the beaches,” he says. “I spent a lot of time listening to the hotel bands, or the bands playing around the bonfires and cookouts. It’s a small island, so there were beaches everywhere. I was always watching live musicians play. So for inspiration for this album, I went back to various beaches around the world – in Italy, Indonesia and elsewhere – and just let the music flow.”
Look for Incognito’s Heads Up debut with Tales From The Beach, an album scheduled for worldwide release on June 24, 2008.
Condolences to Corinne Bailey Rae and her family on the death of her husband this weekend. 31 year old Jason was a saxophonist with a funk band, the Haggis Horns.
Return To Forever – 2008 Tour Dates
The Return To Forever reunion tour hits the road May 29th in Austin, Texas. Coinciding with this historic tour, founding members Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke are producing an anthology CD package which will include remixed and remastered tracks from their albums released in the 70’s.
Click on Spanning The Globe for complete tour dates.
BRIAN CULBERTSON - BRINGING BACK THE FUNK
Smooth jazz keyboard master Brian Culbertson is about to go off into a new direction with his latest CD – “Bringing Back The Funk”. Funk music has been Brian Culbertson’s passion since he was a kid way back in the day. As a matter of fact, the cover image on the new CD is of Brian as a boy listening to one of his favorite groups at the time – Earth, Wind & Fire. Fast forward to 2008 when Brian started to make plans for a new project, and he pursued none other than Maurice White (leader and the visionary force behind Earth, Wind & Fire) to executive produce the CD. The sessions were recorded live in the studio (just like they used to do it back in the funk heyday), which in the end gives the sound of the album a truly classic feel. Brian Culbertson and Maurice White were able to assemble an all-star cast of musicians to take part in the project, including Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham, Gerald Albright, Ronnie Laws and others. Brian Culbertson’s Bringing Back The Funk is scheduled for release on April 29.
Bassist Marcus Miller to Host Inaugural Playboy Jazz Cruise January 25, 2009 – February 1, 2009
Celebrating its 30th Anniversary, the Playboy Jazz Festival will take to the high seas when it teams up with Jazz Cruises LLC to present the first-ever Playboy Jazz Cruise. Renowned bassist Marcus Miller will serve as musical host for the cruise, which will feature 2008 Grammy® Album of the Year Winner Herbie Hancock as a special guest, along with a lineup of legendary stars including: Dianne Reeves, Poncho Sanchez, Roy Hargrove, James Moody, blues guitarist and singer/songwriter Keb’ Mo’, saxophonist James Carter and young jazz pianist Eldar.
The inaugural cruise will set sail from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on Holland America’s luxurious M/S Westerdam, for the exciting ports of San Juan, St. Barth’s, Nevis, and the private island of Half Moon Cay. For more info call: 866-923-7269 or go to: www.playboyjazzcruise.com
Philippe Saisse signs with Koch Records
Philippe Saisse has not only a new label home but a new domestic home as well in Calabasas, CA where many smooth jazz stars such as Euge Groove, Norman Brown, Rick Braun and Paul Brown reside. Saisse’s new work will be released on Koch sometime this year.
The voters spoke on Friday, March 7th in Mississauga, Ontario. Here is a list of the winners:
International Instrumentalist - Peter White
International Vocalist - Randy Crawford
Female Vocalist - Diana Krall
Male Vocalist - Michael Bublé
Guitarist of the Year - Jesse Cook
Wind Instrumentalist- Allistair Elliott
Keyboardist/Pianist - Kristian Alexandrov
Album of the Year - Carol Welsman ‘Carol Welsman’
Best Original Composition MichaelBuble/AlanChan/AmyFosterGillies Everything
Broadcaster of the Year Alexander Zonjic - WVMV Detroit, Michigan.
The audience at the Living Arts Centre was treated to a live show that dazzled with performances from Smooth Jazz superstar Peter White, newcomers Allistair Elliott and Kristian Alexandrov, Carol Welsman and Warren Hill performed Gimmie Love. Also taking the stage were Slim Man and guitarist Brian Hughes also performed.
Carly Simon has joined the stellar artist roster of Starbucks' Hear Music label. She joins Paul McCartney, James Taylor, and Joni Mitchell with the Brazilian-infused This Kind of Love, which will be in stores April 29th. Simon reunited with Jimmy Webb and Frank Filipetti who collaborated with her on her 1997 release; Film Noir. This Kind of Love is Simon’s first album of original material since The Bedroom Tapes which was released in 2000.
Keyboardist Chick Corea, guitarist Al DiMeola, bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White reunite this summer on a major U.S. and European tour, their first in 25 years. According to RTF founder Chick Corea, they will play their songs from the 70’s and reinvent them on stage by “playing them like they’ve never been played before.” The 70’s jazz/fusion supergroup will release an anthology cd with re-mixed and re-mastered classics: Romantic Warrior, Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy and No Mystery. Go to chickcorea.com and sign up to be alerted by e-mail with tour date info.
SUNFEST 2008
West Palm Beach will once again host SunFest a primarily rock/pop event that runs April 30th – May 4th Smooth Jazz stars Mindi Abair and The Rippingtons take the stage as well as five-time Grammy Award ® winner John Legend on May 4th. SunFest was founded in 1982 and is the largest waterfront music and art festival in Florida. Approximately 275,000 attend annually. Go to: www.sunfest.com for more information.
IDOL GIVES BACK 2008 AIRS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9TH
John Mayer has just been added to the mega star-studded episode of American Idol that will airing April 9th on FOX.
Idol Gives Back debuted last year and raised an astounding $76 million for various US and African charities that benefit underprivileged children with a variety of services including medical care, food and grocery products, clean water initiatives, literacy programs and more.
This year’s two hour event will feature an international array of talent including: John Legend, Annie Lennox, Bono, Mariah Carey, Brad Pitt and more. Go to: www.americanidol.com for program updates
30th Playboy Jazz Festival 2008
The Playboy Jazz Festival will celebrate its 30 year anniversary June 13th and 14th at the historic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA. Album of the Year Grammy® winner Herbie Hancock will be one of the headliners of this year’s festival it was announced February 28th.
Other greats to perform over the weekend of June 13th and 14th are: Al Jarreau, Tower of Power, R n’ R featuring Rick Braun and Richard Elliott as well as Grammy ®nominee, vocalist Ryan Shaw. Bill Cosby will remain the master of ceremonies and will perform as well with his band Cos of Good Music. Go to:playboyjazzfestival.com for the complete lineup.
Paul Hardcastle Launches Hardcastle Records
Smooth Jazz star Paul Hardcastle who’s song Lucky Star is the #1 single on the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown chart is launching a new record label and looking for souful singers ala American Idol. Simon Fuller, American Idol’s creator was Hardcastle’s manager back in 1985 when “19” was a big hit for him. If interested in auditioning please e-mail your demo via mp3 or similar format to: feedbacktrax@mac.com for further info go to: paulhardcastle19.com.
Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards
The 4th annual Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards will be held Friday, March 7th, 8pm at the Living Arts Centre, in Ontario, Canada. Guitarist Lee Ritenour will be the recipient of the George Benson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nyee Moses stopped by the smooth jazz network studios to visit with show host Allen Kepler about her recent touring as well as the next potential single for her self titled debut CD. Although the single has not yet officially been selected, you can expect to hear the premiere of Nyee's new song on the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown show in the coming weeks.
BEYONCE to Star and Executive Produce “Cadillac Records”
Beyonce Knowles steps back into the film spotlight by starring in and executive producing “Cadillac Records” a film about Chicago based Chess Records. Knowles will portray legendary blues singer Etta James. “Cadillac Records” tells the story of Leonard Chess, founder of Chess Records, and the lives of some of the label’s recording greats; Chuck Berry, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters. Knowles will record four new songs for the soundtrack on Columbia Records and will donate a portion of her earnings from the film to addicts in recovery through her family’s charity, The Survivor Foundation.
Additional stellar actors who have signed on include: Academy Award winner Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Cedric the Entertainer and Columbus Short.
Since his Album of the Year Grammy win February 10th, Herbie Hancock’s CD “River: The Joni Letters” on Verve Records has rocketed from Number 159 to Number 5 on the Billboard Hot 200 sales chart, with sales last week toping 54,000 copies, an increase of 967%! Congratulations to Herbie and all the fine talent who contributed to “River…”
Grammy Award winner Alicia keys will depart for at two month North American Tour with American Idol winner Jordin Sparks. The duo will kick off their tour on April 19th in Hampton, Virginia at the Hampton Coliseum. They will hit 28 cities before their June 18 finale show in New York City at the Madison Square Garden. Go to: aliciakeys.com for tour schedule.
Congratulations to Alicia Keys for winning the following Awards at the 39th Annual NAACP Image Awards: Outstanding Female Artist, Outstanding Album for As I Am, and last but not least, Outstanding Song for Like You’ll Never See.
NEW ORLEANS 2008 JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL MUSIC LINEUP
April 25 – 27 and May 1 – 4, New Orleans will be grooving for seven full days of music as the city has since 2005. A very diverse group of musicians in genres ranging from Jazz, R&B, Gospel, World, Country and Blues will perfom over 2 weekends this Spring. Some of the confirmed artists scheduled to appear include; Diana Krall, Stevie Wonder, Santana, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Al Green, Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea. Little Richard will perform the night before the festivities begin on April 23rd at a fundraiser for the Jazz & Heritage Foundation.
Earl Klugh Hosts 5th Annual Weekend of Jazz at The Broadmoor Hotel
Earl Klugh has announced the lineup for his fifth annual Weekend Of Jazz, being held Thursday, April 3 – Saturday, April 5th, at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Confirmed to perform at this year's event are: pianist Ramsey Lewis, saxophonist Boney James, saxophonist Mindi Abair, and jazz vocalist Sophie Milman as well as Earl Klugh.
Michael Lington and his new wife, Shivaune Cristina were photographed attending the Keep a Child Alive : I am African event held at the Fred Segal Mauro Cafe in Los Angeles. To commemorate World Aids Day, renowned photographer Michael Thompson displayed his "I am African" series of celebrity photographs while raising awareness and funds to fight the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Coverage of the event was featured in the January edition of 944 Magazine.
Dave Koz and Brian Culbertson join Barry Manilow on stage in L.A.
On Valentine's day, Keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson, who opened for Barry Manilow and Grammy nominated saxophonist Dave Koz joined Barry Manilow on stage and surprised a sold out Staples Center. Koz literally emerged from his seat in the audience to join Barry on a smooth version of "My Funny Valentine"... then Culbertson and his trombone joined Dave and Barry on stage for a jam session.
Koz talks about this week's Grammy experience
"Only on the Grammy stage could you have one of the oddest combinations of artists ever...Kid Rock, Keely Smith and Dave Koz!! But the occasion was the 50th anniversary of the Grammys, so on a night like that...anything can happen. And it did. Was a tremendous amount of fun to recreate the magic of Louis Prima and Keely’s “Old Black Magic” with Kid in the Louis role and me in the Sam Butera role. Great music like that never goes out of style...50 years after it won the very first Grammy, it still was one of the freshest sounding pieces of music on the stage last Sunday."
Kenny G debuts at #1 in Smooth Jazz CD sales this week
Congratulations to Kenny G and everyone at Concord Records!
Kenny's new CD Rhythm & Romance debuts at #1 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart, with sales of over 31,000 copies this week! Also, Rhythm & Romance debuts at 14* on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart!
LARRY CARLTON TRIO "RE-RECORDED" TOUR HEADS TO EUROPE THIS SPRING
Three-time Grammy award winning jazz guitarist, Larry Carlton is to tour in Europe this spring to promote his new greatest hits album, “Re-Recorded.” Currently there are nine scheduled stops on the "Re-Recorded Tour," starting on March 26 in Milan, Italy and ending on April 10 in Paris, France.
The "Re-Recorded Tour" will provide the fans the chance to hear favorites such as “All in Good Time and “Hello Tomorrow” and fall in love with them all over again. Travis Carlton, Larry's son, will join his father on tour playing bass.
Larry and his band will tour the following European cities in March and April:
Milan, Italy, Basel, Switzerland, Monte Carlo, Monaco Avignon, France,
Mallorca Spain and Paris, France
Carlton's release of "Re-Recorded" starts a new venture for him as it was released under his own record label, 335 Records.
Jessy J will be performing live on Univision (Spanish speaking channel) this afternoon on the Evening News with Gloria Trevi. Jessy will also appear onTelemundo's fastest growing late night talk show, "Mas Vale Tarde" She will perform songs from Gloria Trevi’s upcoming tour which kicks off Friday, February 15th at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, CA.
Tune in Thursday, February 14th to Mas Vale Tarde", 11pm on Telemundo- Channel 29/Los Angeles. Jessy will be performing songs from Gloria Trevi's upcoming tour , which is starting off with a bang at the Universal (Gibson) Amphitheatre this Friday, February 15th.
Verve recording artist Herbie Hancock took top prize last night winning Album of the Year for River: The Joni Letters featuring classic Joni Mitchell songs sung by Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae, Tina Turner and Luciana Souza. This category was diverse in style and format this year with records nominated ranging from the rock, rap, country, pop and jazz categories. According to Grammy.com the last time a jazz record won this category was "Getz/Gilberto," a collaboration between Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto in 1964. The Joni Letters also was awarded the Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.
Patti Austin won the Best Jazz Vocal Album for Avant Gershwin on Rendezvous Entertainment. Heads Up recording artist Michael Brecker, who passed away last year won two Grammys for his CD Pilgrimage; Best Jazz Instrumental Solo for the track Anagram and Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group. Michael Brecker was a 15-time Grammy winner and some would say the most influential tenor sax play in the history of Jazz since John Coltrane.
Alicia Keys grabs two R&B Grammys
Alicia Keys wins two Grammys for No One; Best Female R&B Performance and Best R&B song. Keys collected her first award just after her opening “duet” with Frank Sinatra. Footage was used from the 5th Annual Grammy Awards show of Frank singing “Learnin’ The Blues” with Alicia accompanying him on piano and vocals.
[Photo: aliciakeys.com]
HEADS UP INTERNATIONAL SIGNS CONTEMPORARY JAZZ SUPERGROUP FOURPLAY
Quartet To Perform At 50th GRAMMY Awards After-Show Party On February 10th
Heads Up International, a division of the Concord Music Group, today announced the signing of an exclusive recording agreement with Fourplay, the innovative quartet that has remained on the cutting edge of contemporary jazz since their inception more than 15 years ago. Fourplay will make their Heads Up debut with a yet-to-be-titled album scheduled for release in summer 2008.
The band is scheduled to perform at an after-show party following the GRAMMY® Award ceremonies at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday,” February 10.
DAVE KOZ TO PERFORM AT THE 50TH ANNUAL GRAMMY®AWARDS
Smooth Jazz Superstar Dave Koz will perform on the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast, it was announced today by The Recording Academy®. Dave will perform along with jazz pianist Eldar, rap-rocker Kid Rock and jazz/pop singer Keely Smith. Dave has two nominations for Best Pop Instrumental Performance ("Over The Rainbow") and Best Pop Instrumental Album (At The Movies).
The music industry's premier event will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 Surround Sound on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).
Rising new saxophonist Jessy J visits the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown studios
Jessy J, who's single "Tequila Moon" is breaking onto the top 20 chart stopped by for an interview with show host Allen Kepler this week. Listen for commentary and Jessy's single on the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown in the coming weeks.
Saxophonist Kenny G parted ways with label Arista Records after 25 years because he was tired of recording other artists' music.
The jazz musician has been releasing albums of cover songs since 2002 - and decided to leave the firm in favor of specialist label Concord Records after executives refused to allow him to record his own compositions for his next LP.
He says, "I was with Arista forever, and Clive (Davis, record producer) was like family to me. But I wanted to do an album of original material, and that wasn't what they wanted me to do.
"I personally wanted to get back to my roots and explore creative things. Also, I think people are tired of cover records and they are hungry for original music."
Copyright World Entertainment News Network 2008
Double Grammy nominated Dave Koz At The Movies double feature CD/DVD package to be released February 12th
Capitol Records will release a double feature CD/DVD of Dave Koz’s At The Movies. The CD has been nominated for two Grammys; Best Pop Instrumental Album and Best Pop Instrumental Performance for Over The Rainbow.
Two bonus tracks have been added; the Oscar nominated theme Alphie from the movie Alphie and Love Theme from the Godfather. The DVD will include special recording studio footage with Dave and his special guests; Barry Manilow, Johnny Mathis and Peter White. Also included will be track by track commentary and exclusive artist interviews.
PBS will air Dave Koz At the Movies Double Feature during their March 2008 pledge drive. Check your local listings.
Pianist Ramsey Lewis has confirmed that a live tour based on his “Legends of Jazz” syndicated radio show and PBS Television program will kick off April 24th in Newport News, VA.
Along with the Ramsey Lewis Trio, Fourplay, Bob James, Paquito D’Rivera, Larry Carlton, Nathan East , Harvey Mason, Kurt Elling and Ernie Watts are scheduled to perform on different legs of the 15 date tour.
16th Annual Las Vegas City of Lights
Jazz /R&B Festival Lineup Announced
Smooth Jazz artists slated to perform at the 16th annual Las Vegas Jazz / R&B Festival include Smooth Jazz artists Paul Taylor, Steve Cole, Nils, Alex Bugnon, Pieces of a Dream, Bobby Caldwell, Greg Adams, Lenny Williams and Tom Scott.
The festival will be held Saturday and Sunday April 26th and 27th at Hills Park at Summerlin in an outdoor picnic setting located 15 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip.
Check out www.yourjazz.com for tickets and info.
Al Jarreau, the only artist to ever win Grammy awards in Pop, Jazz and R&B categories, has released his latest CD “Love Songs”, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Al hand-picked the 14 romantic songs from his vast earlier releases. Included are his smash hit “We’re In This Love Together”, the Elton John/Bernie Taupin
classic “Your Song”, and Jarreau’s “After All”.
Jarreau explains his fascination with love songs: “As a kid, by the second grade I knew the complete melody and lyrics to more than a dozen sentimental, heart-tugging love songs that I didn’t even know the meaning of. I got hooked early and I still am.”
“Love Songs” is available at retail outlets and rhino.com
Chillout Productions hosts the 6th annual Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival 08, Thursday, February 21 – Saturday, March 1st. This years lineup includes saxophonist Boney James and flamenco guitarist Jesse Cook. Singers David Gray and Robin Gibb of Bee Gees fame are also on the bill.
The first Dubai International Jazz Festival was held in 2003 with 8,000 in attendance. 2007 brought 25,000 jazz fans. For more information, go to www.boxofficeme.com.
CBS will air a one hour Celine Dion concert on February 15th. The performance was taped January 12th at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. Songs performed include: “Because You Loved Me” and “My Heart Will Go On”. Dion performed two duets; “Taking Chances” with Josh Groban and “Eyes On Me” with will i. am.
Kenny G Performs February 12 at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Kenny G, one of the most celebrated instrumental musicians of the past two decades, will perform an intimate special concert on February 12 at Rose Theater in the Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center on Broadway at 60th Street, New York City. The concert celebrates his new album, Rhythm & Romance, his first record for Starbucks Entertainment and Concert Records.
Tickets are priced at $69 and may be purchased at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office on Broadway at 60th Street, Ground Floor, by calling CenterCharge at 212-721-6500, or online at www.jalc.org.
Kenny G will perform familiar songs off some of his best-selling albums and debut new material from Rhythm & Romance, a tantalizing album that blends Samba, Salsa and Bossa Nova love songs with the sensual sound of Kenny’s signature saxophone melodies.
With a career spanning more than 25 years, Kenny G’s natural ability to create and set different moods with his music has made him one of the world’s most renowned soprano saxophone players. With total global sales of more than 75 million albums, singles and videos, he has earned GRAMMY, American Music, Soul Train, World Music and NAACP Image awards as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Rhythm and Romance follows up Kenny G’s 2006 collection of all-instrumental popular material I’m In The Mood For Love…The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time. Prior to that, Kenny released his fourth holiday best-seller The Greatest Holiday Classics, preceded by 2004’s RIAA gold At Last…The Duets Album.
The Claremont Resort & Spa in Berkeley introduces the first of its quarterly Concerts at The Claremont series, Friday, February 22nd, featuring local jazz legend, Gerald Albright. Albright will perform in the historic Claremont Ballroom once graced by Tommy Dorsey and Louis Armstrong.
Kenny G made the U.S. debut of his long-awaited line of saxophones in Anaheim, Calif., at the annual National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show January 17th. The G-Series Saxophones and Educational Series Saxophones are based on those he has been using for many years and was co-designed by Rheuben Allen, a Southern California-based maker and repairer of saxophones.
Kenny demonstrated his soprano sax line by performing “Sabor A Mi” and other songs from his forthcoming CD Rhythm and Romance. The CD hits stores on Feb. 5th.
Paul Hardcastle launches new website along with the release of a new CD "Hardcastle 5"
One of the more prolific smooth jazz artists out there, Paul Hardcastle is set to release his fifth "Hardcastle" CD on February 5th. Along with the CD launch, Paul has put together a new website for fans to peruse; www.paulhardcastle19.com. The "19" connection goes back to the 80's in honor of Paul's worldwide pop hit "19". On the site, fans can check out personal PICS from Paul's recent 50th birthday party and also get to know two of his children Maxine and Paul Jr. Maxine is developing a singing career and helps out on backing vocals on Paul's new CD and Paul Jr. lends his sax playing on the CD's final track.
Norah Jones thought she'd prepare for her big-screen debut in My Blueberry Nights by taking a few acting lessons -- a thought that horrified the film's director Kar Wai Wong. Norah tells Britain's Grazie magazine, "I found an acting coach and took a couple of lessons, then I asked Kar Wai what I should start working on -- you know, because I knew nothing about this character. And he said, 'No, don't take acting lessons. I want you to be natural.' So I said, 'Are you sure? Are you crazy? You've never seen me act.'" Fans will get a chance to judge for themselves when My Blueberry Nights opens on February 13th. -- David Sprague
Multiple Grammy winner John Legend will help commemorate the 50th anniversary of this year’s Grammy Awards by performing an in-flight acoustic concert for 50-60 sweepstakes winners. Delta Airlines has a Grammy-branded Boeing 757 which will carry the lucky winners from New York to Los Angeles on February 7th.
To enter the sweepstakes contestants may visit the web sites of participating CBS Radio stations in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Baltimore and Denver. The grand prize winners will receive paid airfare, hotel accommodations, two tickets to the Grammys and a $200 gift card as well as the in flight performance!
Saxophonist Andre Delano who recently returned from a national tour with Donny Osmond, has a new tour scheduled next month. This February, Delano will perform with the Los Angeles Jazz Society “Jazz in Schools” program. It is designed to stimulate young people’s interest in music, specifically Jazz. Jazz in Schools is funded in part by grants from the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, the Music Performance Fund, and the Herb Alpert Foundation.
Saxophonist Eric Marienthal and his Superband, which includes his friends Grammy nominated keyboardist/guitarist Jeff Lorber, guitarist Chuck Loeb, drummer Will Kennedy and the Yellowjackets founding member Jimmy Haslip will be performing at the American Embassy in Moscow on January 24, they then continue their tour of Russia in St. Petersburg, Kiev, Odessa and return to Moscow January 31st.
Renowned vocalist Patti Austin, whose 2007 CD “Avant Gershwin” was nominated for two Grammy’s, has also been nominated by the NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Jazz Artist. USA Today has also picked the CD for “Best of the Year.”
CBS News Sunday Morning television show set to profile Kenny G on February 17th!
The biggest selling instrumentals of all time, Kenny G is set to release his first CD on the Concord record label. The CD is titled Rhythm and Romance and features several original Latin jazz recordings as well as two Spanish language vocal tracks. The CD is slated to hit retail outlets, including Starbucks on February 12th and the G-man will be profiled on the popular CBS Sunday morning program on February 17.
Hugely successful recording artist, Norah Jones takes a break from her musical career to star in the new film 'My Blueberry Nights' along with co-stars Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz. The film opened the 60th International Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2007 in France and hits the US on February 13th. Norah stars as a young woman who travels across America to find answers to her questions about the true meaning of love.
The 18th Annual Berks Jazz Fest in Reading, PA kicks off on Friday, 3.28 – Sunday, 4.6.08
This years featured Smooth Jazz Artists include:
Grammy Nominees: Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber and Brian Bromberg. Guitar & Saxes, featuring Gerald Albright, Peter White, Jeff Golub, Chuck Loeb, Eric Marienthal and Candy Dulfer. Paul Brown, Richard Elliott, Rick Braun, Brian Culbertson, Marc Antoine and more!
Alicia Keys will receive the Entertainment Award at the BET Honors, a gala scheduled for Jan. 12 in Washington D.C. that will air on the cable network on February 22.
It's the first time for the awards show, and is scheduled as part of the network's Black History Month programming.
Those scheduled to appear on the show include Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and Wyclef Jean.
Brian Culbertson on tour and opening for Barry Manilow
Keyboardist Brian Culbertson is wasting no time getting out on the road in 2008. Next week Culbertson embarks on a tour that will take him across the US through Atlanta, Columbus Ohio, Washington DC, Dallas, Miami and his home town of Chicago, where he'll celebrate his 35th birthday performing at the United Center with Barry Manilow.
When asked about opening for Barry and performing at the United Center, Brian commented; "Obviously it is a little overwhelming! That's where the Bulls play!! It's very exciting! Believe it or not, the reason I am in the music business is because of Barry's former drummer and musical director Bud Harner. Through Bud, I met Barry many times when I was a kid and saw him perform several times over the years. Barry is incredibly entertaining. I have learned a lot from him. We did a couple of shows with him last fall and he came out during our rehearsal and he actually gave us ideas and comments on how we could capture the audience in these big arenas.”
Cities announced for the tour so far include:
Friday, Jan 11 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Arena
Saturday, Jan 12 Chicago, IL United Center
Saturday, Jan 19 Atlanta, GA Phillips Arena
Sunday, Jan 20 Raleigh, NC RBC Center
Friday, Feb 8 Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena
Saturday, Feb 9 Washington, D.C. Verizon Center
Thursday, Feb 14 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
Friday, Feb 15 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
Tuesday, Feb 19 Dallas, TX American Airlines Arena
Saturday, Feb 23 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Bank Atlantic Center
"I’ve always wanted to do a record of Christmas music, but this year it just happened," Golub says. "I went in the studio, and I think we came up with some very spirited arrangements of these classic songs that I love so much. Now, the inspiration for this came kind of late in the year, so it’s not going to be an official release this year. The only way you can get ‘Six String Santa’ is by going to jeffgolub.com. I hope you like this music enough that you’ll play it at your Christmas party this year."
Saxophonist Dave Koz has been nominated for two Grammy awards for his latest CD "At The Movies". Koz was nominated in two categories; one for "Best Pop Instrumental LP" for the "At The Movies" CD and "Best Pop Instrumental single for "Over The Rainbow" from his CD "At The Movies."
Dave Koz & Friends 10th Anniversary and Smooth Jazz Christmas Tour started on November 23rd in Lake Tahoe, CA. Jonathan Butler, Wayman Tisdale and Kimberly Locke are all special guests.
Chris Standring has created his own record label, Ultimate Vibe Recordings. Standring will release his own CD as the first on the label. The new album Love & Paragraphs is expected to be released in early 2008. Everette Harp and Jeff Lorber will guest appear on the CD with Standring.
James Taylor
UPCOMING TV APPEARANCES:
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Friday, November 16
The Today Show
Tuesday, November 20
Tavis Smiley on PBS
Friday, November 16
(check your local listings)
IN-STORE SIGNINGS:
Barnes and Noble
3rd Street Promenade
1201 3rd Street (at Wilshire)
Santa Monica, CA
Wednesday, November 14; 6PM
Starbucks
Rockefeller Center
30 Rockefeller Plaza, Space A
New York, NY
Tuesday, Nov 20; 12noon
Brian Culbertson’s holiday show begins on November 23. Brian Culbertson's A Soulful Christmas features Gerald Albright, Howard Hewett, Nick Colionne, and Victoria White.
The title track from two-time Grammy winner Peabo Bryson's latest CD "Missing You" has become something of an anthem for U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and their loved ones. It started this past summer when his label, Peak Records, was contacted by a retired Navy serviceman of 23 years, now working as a private contractor in Army Communications in Mosul, who has a radio show that broadcasts most Sundays. Peak sent him an advance of Bryson’s new CD, which he began playing. According to the announcer, response has been terrific, especially to the title track, which seems to express what so many of our troops and their families feel when they are deployed overseas.
Bryson originally recorded the song for his mother and sister, who have passed on, and his son-in-law, who is serving in Iraq. Now it seems to have taken on a whole new world of meaning
He performed "Missing You" on “The CBS Saturday Early Show” on Oct. 27. The segment can be seen by visiting www.cbsnews.com; click on “The Early Show,” then "Sat. Early Show," then "Second Cup Café."
Corinne Bailey Rae has been named an ambassador for CORD, the U.K.’s leading Christian charity working exclusively with. On November 20th, she will be performing in Leeds at a benefit for women who have suffered from domestic violence and sex trafficking, and on December 1st she’ll be performing on World AIDS Day in South Africa.
John Legend will be one of the artists who will be performing on December 2nd, at the Kodak Theatre in L.A., in a concert called Movie Rocks. (A magazine was also created with the same name.) Both the magazine and the show were created to celebrate the connection between film and music. The 2-hour special will air on December 7th on CBS.
