Sunday February 24th, 2002
New CD's this week:
Sorry, no news CD's to report this week.
Short news stories this week:
Earth, Wind & Fire To Perform For Olympics Closing Ceremonies
Earth, Wind & Fire is set to perform
several of their greatest hits as part of the
closing ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City this
Sunday evening, 2/24. The performance will air on NBC's coverage of the
festivities.
The multi-million unit selling, six-Grammy Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame inductees will perform their classic hits "Shining Star,"
"Let's Groove" and
"Getaway." On April 23, Columbia/Legacy will release "That's The
Way Of The
World: Alive in '75," a CD collection of previously unreleased live concert
performances. Presently, the band is working on their 23rd album, which they
hope
to release in late summer or early fall. Two new songs from the disc,
"Why?" and
"Fun and Free" will be featured in the Eddie Murphy film "The
Adventures of
Pluto Nash," expected in theatres in August.
London dates for India.Arie, Bilal and City High
India.Arie is to play live at London's
Shepherd's Bush Empire on April 4.
This will be India's first solo date, following last year's UK tour supporting
Musiq
Soulchild.
India has been nominated for a record eight Grammy Awards this year. The 44th
Grammy Awards will be held at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles on February 27.
The ceremony will be broadcast live on BBC2.
Bilal has announced his first live solo
date in the UK.
Bilal, who made his live debut last year supporting City High, will play
Shepherds
Bush Empire, London, on March 21.
City High are to play their second live
date in London.
The trio will play London's Hanover Grand on March 6. They release the single
'Caramel' featuring Eve, on March 4.
Patti LaBelle, Christina Aguilera, Pink,
Lil' Kim & Missy Elliott To Perform
'Lady Marmalade' At Grammys
Patti LaBelle will join Christina Aguilera,
Pink, Lil' Kim, Missy Elliott, and Mya in
singing Labelle's classic 1975 hit "Lady Marmalade" at this year's
Grammy Awards.
The tour de force rendition is just one of three newly announced special
performances
scheduled for Wednesday's (February 27) Grammy ceremony. Al Green, India.Arie,
Brian McKnight, and Hezekiah Walker will also perform an inspirational segment,
while Billy Joel and Tony Bennett will perform Joel's "New York State Of
Mind." It
has also been announced that the Grammy telecast will be expanded from its
traditional
three hour slot by 30 minutes to present the extensive lineup of guests and
performances.
These new artists join previously announced performers Bob Dylan, Alan Jackson,
Alicia Keys, Alejandro Sanz with Destiny's Child, Dave Matthews Band, Joshua
Bell,
*NSYNC with Nelly, U2, OutKast, Train, and the O Brother, Where Art Thou?
tribute.
Don Henley and Trisha Yearwood will appear at the Grammys as presenters, joining
previously announced presenters Bonnie Raitt, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson,
Diana
Krall, the Dixie Chicks, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani, Ja Rule, Kid Rock,
Michael W.
Smith, Kevin James, and Ray Romano.
The 44th Annual Grammy Awards will air on CBS Wednesday night beginning at 8
p.m. ET.
Brandy Expecting Child In July
Superstar singer-actress Brandy is
expecting her first child in July, according to
published reports. The singer, who recently went public with the news of her
marriage
last summer to songwriter Robert Smith, will release her third album, Full Moon,
on
March 5.
Brandy shared her thoughts on her pregnancy with The RU Report, "We're so
happy
and excited. I've always wanted children and look forward to being a mom. Right
now, I'm enjoying the experience of marriage and being pregnant. But if I had to
choose between the two, I'd rather be a mother." She continued, "Thank
God, I don't
have to choose! I will continue to work before and after. As you so well know, I
have
multitasked for years, I've learned the art very well."
In related news, Brandy is prepping the release of a second single from her new
collection, the title track "Full Moon." She will shoot a video for
the tune with Chris
Robinson in the coming weeks. Full Moon's lead single, "What About
Us?", is currently
Number Nine on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
Trina Lands First Single From 'All About The Benjamins' Soundtrack
Trina, Trick Daddy's protegee and the first
lady of Slip N Slide Records, kicks off the
All About The Benjamins soundtrack with the first single "Told Y'all,"
that also features
up-and-coming Slip N Slide artist Rick Ross.
The soundtrack for the film starring Ice Cube is scheduled to be released March
5, and
the film will hit theaters on March 8.
The record features a mixture of new and old songs, including the O'Jays
"For The Love
Of Money," B.G.'s "Bling Bling," and Puff Daddy's "All About
The Benjamins," as well
as tracks from Nappy Roots, Petey Pablo featuring Sunshine Anderson, Mya, and
IMx.
Trina's sophomore album, Diamond Princess, is expected to be released on May 21.
Aaliyah Screen Time Limited In 'Queen Of The Damned'
Aaliyah fans beware: Although the deceased
singer-actress is featured prominently in
the trailers and advertisements for Queen Of The Damned, her actual screen time
is
limited. Aaliyah plays the queen of all vampires, Akasha, whom even fellow
vampires
fear because she once sucked the earth dry of human blood back in her heyday.
Akasha spends most of the movie in statue form--that is, until the vampire
Lestat (Stuart
Townsend) awakens her through his angry rock music and his public declaration as
a
vampire. Aaliyah's Akasha doesn't make an appearance in the flesh until more
than
halfway through Queen Of The Damned. Director Michael Rymer (In Too Deep)
declined
to comment on Aaliyah's limited screen time, but the movie's producer, Jorge
Saralegui,
explained it to us this way: "She's in the movie very much like villains in
horror movies.
They're there, 'Ooooohhhhh,' then they come in with a bang in the middle of the
movie,
and then they stay, and they increase their time. That said, somebody who is
going to see
Aaliyah, it's her last role--it's what she wanted to do. She wanted to play a
vampire before
she heard of our movie, and she's really good in it. I think it is good for her
fans to know
that the movie is not wall-to-wall Aaliyah, but it's quality Aaliyah and I think
that they'll enjoy it."
Prince Announces More Concert Dates
Prince has announced the remaining dates of
his imminent U.S. tour. Highlights from
the tour include a performance at New York City's Lincoln Center and a show at
Hollywood's new Kodak Theatre, the new home of the Academy Awards.
Ticket holders for the upcoming tour, dubbed One Night Alone, will be treated to
a
scaled-down and intimate production. Instead of playing arenas and stadiums,
Prince
will perform in theatre-sized venues. He has announced that there will be no
predetermined setlists for the shows, but that fans can expect more of the
artist's jazz-
tinged songs to be performed since saxophonists Maceo Parker and Candy Dulfer
will
join him on the road.