Sunday March 12th, 2006 HOME
New CD's this past week:
- Javier - Left of center
- Ralph Tresvant - RizzWaFaire
Music news headlines this week:
R&B/Soul Legend Teena Marie Back On Top With New
Single
The legendary 'blue-eyed' soulful
songstress Teena Marie had the #1 most
added song at Urban AC Radio last week. Her sizzling new single "Ooh Wee,"
is the first release from her forthcoming sophomore album Sapphire, on
Cash Money Classics a division of Cash Money Records. The album is a
follow-up to Teena's critically acclaimed 2004 album, La Dona, which
heralded Ms. Marie's return to the music industry after a 13-year absence.
Sapphire, produced by Ms. Marie, is the fifteenth album from the effusive
vocalist, who is regarded as one of the most influential R&B female
singers of all times. Known for her ability to effortlessly navigate
soul/R&B/funk and hip-hop, Teena Marie has also forged many chart-topping
collaborations with superstars such as the late Rick James, Common, Gerald
Levert and MC Lyte, among others.
A multi-instrumentalist herself, Teena Marie has maintained a production-
hand in every one of her albums except her debut Wild And Peaceful (1979).
The popular songstress and 3-time Grammy nominee has delivered an arsenal
of genre defying albums along the way, including Lady T (1980), Starchild
(1984), Naked To The World (1988), which featured the #1 classic "Ooh La
La," and 1994's independently released Passion Play. Ms. Marie has
released 10 compilation albums as well since her stunning national debut
on Motown Records in 1979.
Known for her tireless and universally acclaimed live performances, Ms.
Marie is currently making plans to showcase selected songs on her upcoming
album Sapphire, due in stores Spring 2006.
Mathew Knowles and Music World Entertainment Split from Sanctuary
Mathew Knowles, Music World Entertainment (MWE) and the Music
World Music
Record Label are no longer affiliated with Sanctuary. The parties have
come to a mutual agreement to part ways. As a result, Mathew regains
ownership of his companies; Music World Entertainment and the Music World
Music Record Label. Mathew Knowles, President of MWE is best-known for his
role as manager of Beyonce and the global phenomenon Destiny's Child, the
most successful "girl group" in the history of pop music.
The final paperwork will be done later this month and details of the deal
will be made public. The Music World Entertainment Enterprise includes;
Records, Management, Production and Properties.
Kelis Readies New Album For June
R&B singer Kelis has changed the title of her upcoming fourth album from
"The Puppeteer" to "Kelis Was Here." Due June 13 through Jive, the set
features rapper Nas (Kelis' husband) as well as production by will.i.am
and Linda Perry.
Producers Scott Storch, Raphael Saadiq and Max Martin are also said to be
contributing. First single "Bossy" featuring Too Short will be released
April 4 as a 12-inch vinyl single. The new album title signals Kelis
"tagging up the world" and refers to the popular graffiti tag often etched
to mark someone's presence, according to a label spokesperson.
In January, Kelis wrote in her blog, "My album is almost done even though
I swear up [and] down to my label I've been done for months. I just can't
let it go yet for some reason. There's something I've got to add ... It
must be fabulous!"
The singer's most recent effort, 2003's "Tasty," was released through the
Neptunes' Star Trak/Arista imprint. The disc peaked at No. 27 on The
Billboard 200 and has sold 522,000 copies in the United States, according
to Nielsen SoundScan. It spawned the single "Milkshake," which reached No.
3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Rihanna Returning With Sophomore Album
The release date for Barbados-born singer Rihanna's sophomore Def
Jam
album, "A Girl Like Me," has been pushed back two weeks to April 25. A
limited edition of the project will be housed in a special digipak
featuring five collectible postcards and album covers.
As they did on Rihanna's 2005 debut, "Music of the Sun," Carl Sturken and
Evan Rogers handled the majority of production on the new offering, whose
lead single "SOS" is featured in a Nike ad campaign. The cut was released
exclusively last month through Nikewomen.com.
Other songs expected to appear on the album are "Dem Haters," "No Looking
Back," "Don't Lie" and "Selfish Girl." Rihanna's labelmate,
singer/songwriter Ne-Yo, penned the second single, "Unfaithful."
"Music Of The Sun" bowed at No. 10 on The Billboard 200 and has sold
404,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The
album spawned the hit single "Pon De Replay," which reached No. 2 on the
Hot 100.
Jodeci Hit The Comeback Trail
The roster of 1990s R&B royalty currently on the comeback trail —
including acts such as Bobby Brown, Guy, En Vogue and SWV — continues to
grow. Next up? North Carolina's R&B bad boys Jodeci.
Before you start scoffing and saying you've heard it all before (the
reunion has been talked about for at least five years), evidence is
pointing to the fact it just might happen this time. Jodeci — two sets of
brothers: Joel ("JoJo") and Cedric ("K-Ci") Hailey and Donald ("DeVante
Swing") and Dalvin ("Mr. Dalvin") DeGrate — performed together during
Clive Davis' Grammy party in February, just finished a tour of Europe, and
say they have been in talks with Jamie Foxx to hit the road with him
(Foxx, in fact, brought out Jodeci at Davis' party).
"Everybody thought we disappeared, but we just laid back for a while and
figured out our strategy," JoJo, fresh from a studio session with the
group, said last week in Los Angeles at a pre-Oscars event. "It's all
good, though."
Just as the self-professed "mad band" was at its height, the guys
disbanded. Devante Swing, considered one of R&B's most innovative R&B (he
discovered Missy Elliott, Timbaland and Ginuwine), basically disappeared
from the scene, while his brother Dalvin released the ill-fated solo LP
Met.A.Mor.Phic under his real name in 2000.
Just as the self-professed "mad band" were at their height, they
disbanded. Devante Swing, one of the most innovative R&B producers of all
time (he was also responsible for discovering Missy Elliott, Timbaland and
Ginuwine), basically disappeared from the scene, while his brother Dalvin
released an ill-fated solo LP, Met.A.Mor.Phic under his real name in 2000.
K-Ci & JoJo found multiplatinum success as duo, but their popularity has
faded in recent years and the duo have found themselves opening up for
people like Keith Sweat.
Jodeci as a collective haven't released an album since their third LP,
1995's The Show, the After Party, the Hotel. But the group has reportedly
been at work on a new studio album for years.
"It's incredible," JoJo said of the album. "It's the Jodeci sound, but ...
If you heard our second and the last half of Hotel, it's like the bridge
between the second and third albums. There's 17 cuts — it's a double CD."
"We're blessed," K-Ci added. "We're just doing a bunch of music, baby.
That's all I can say."
K-Ci said that in addition to the Jodeci LP, he has a solo album in the
works, but his first priority is to the group. The members of Jodeci have
also contributed recently to songs by such acts as Mariah Carey, Petey
Pablo and Naughty by Nature. Although the guys say to look for the album
in July, no release date, label or title has been announced, but they say
they do know what their first single will be.
"A song called 'Show Off' — and you're the only person I've told that to,"
JoJo divulged. "My brother Devante is gonna be mad that I said that
because it's gonna be our #1 single. It's crazy — it's a song about a
strip club. I can't tell you more."
News 2006