Sunday September 22nd, 2002
New CD's this week:
- Natalie Cole - Ask a woman who knows: new
album from Ms Cole with guests
Joe Sample, Roy Hargrove and Diana Krall
- Al Jarreau - All I got: new album from Al Jarreau with guests Joe Cocker,
Kirk Whalum and Siedah Garrett
Short news stories this week:
India.Arie Says That 'Little Things' Is About Lessons Learned
Soul singer-guitarist India.Arie is gearing
up for the release of her
sophomore album, Voyage To India, due out via Motown Records on
September 24. The first single, "Little Things," is currently Number
57
on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
Arie recently shared with us that "Little Things" was therapeutic for
her since she penned it only a few days after this year's Grammy Awards,
where she did not win a single award in spite of seven nominations:
"That right there is the first song on the album for a reason, because
it's the big lesson that I've learned last year from the music industry,
and what everything I went to last year means to my personal growth.
That right there is the lesson put into a song, and right after the
Grammys I went on vacation to Jamaica, and I wrote that song while I was
in Jamaica."
Raphael Saadiq To Shoot Video For 'Still Ray'
Raphael Saadiq, formerly of Tony! Toni!
Tone! and Lucy Pearl, released
his solo debut album, Instant Vintage, in June and it is now Number 80
on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The singer recently sent
to radio a second single, "Still Ray," and it is Number 91 on the
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
Saadiq shared that he's shooting a video for "Still Ray" this weekend:
"I'm actually shooting a video Saturday (September 21). We spent about
$5,000 shooting. It's gonna be real simple, real grimy, real
basic--just me and the tuba player, just on a corner outside, just
dirty, just ragging, just kicking it on the corner. Just one shot."
Tweet Pens Special 'Serenade' For Whitney Houston
The year just got better for Missy
Elliott/Timbaland protege Tweet, who
is on the cover of Honey magazine, and enjoying being a poster girl for
Gap, Levis, and Verizon Wireless. She recently wrote a song for Whitney
Houston's album Just Whitney, due out on November 5 on Arista Records.
Tweet explained the song to us: "It's called 'Serenade,' and it's about
you being in love with somebody so much that they do a lot for you, but
it's the words that they say to you. And you're telling them, 'Say
something to serenade my heart.'"
Tweet added that she had an opportunity to be in the studio with Houston
as she recorded the song: "Just being in the studio with Whitney Houston
was just a moment for me. And then to have her say she wanted to do my
song and just to see her face to face is like, I had to just gawk. I had
to realize that me, coming from a small town, and then finally doing
something that I dreamed of, and then, on top of that, doing something
with someone that I wanted to be. It's just a blessing."
A spokesperson for Houston could not confirm the track listing for Just
Whitney at press time.
Tweet released her debut album, Southern Hummingbird, in April on
Elektra Entertainment, and her new single "Smoking Cigarettes" is
impacting at radio. She is planning to begin working on her sophomore
set in November.
Jackson Family To Reunite For Tour?
The Jackson family has not toured in more
than 17 years, but that might
change in the not-too-distant future. The Jacksons have been working on
new joint project that will include all-new material from brothers
Michael, Jermaine, Tito, Randy, Jackie, Marlon, and sister Janet, as
previously reported. Following the completion of the as-yet-untitled
studio work, there is a possibility that the legendary siblings might
head out on tour.
The last time the Jacksons performed together was at the Michael Jackson
anniversary concerts of September 2001. Jermaine Jackson tells us that
performing as a family for the first time in years for just those two
times excited them about giving it another try: "After not being on
stage for 17 years or more, we knew we had to do something that was
exciting. We felt like we didn't even give 20 percent, because there's a
lot more from where that comes from, and having that little time on
stage you can't show what you want to do, what's been locked up in you
for 17 years."
Ruff Endz has many R&B fans loving current song
R&B duo Ruff Endz is currently touring
small venues across the country
and promoting their current album, "Someone To Love You." The album's
title track is currently the #1 song on adult contemporary radio; that's
not a bad situation, considering the song was written well over a year
ago. The song, "Someone To Love You," first saw the light of day on
the
"Down To Earth" soundtrack, which was released in February 2001. The
BET
Radio Network recently caught up with Ruff Endz members Davinch and Chi,
who gave the scoop of how the song came together. Davinch explained,
(quote) "'Someone to Love You' was originally a movie soundtrack… It was
on the 'Down To Earth' soundtrack with Chris Rock, his movie… they
called us to do the song and it just so happened to be the first song
that started the 'Someone To Love You' album… so we named this album
after that song, because it was, like, the first song we recorded for
it… the song was written by a producer named Corey Rooney… Corey Rooney
has worked with artists, like Michael Jackson, Marc Anthony, Jennifer
Lopez… He's a really musical guy… When we went into the studio it was
like magic, you know what I mean."
Craig David To Return With 'Slicker' New Album
Craig David's sophomore album, Slicker Than
Your Average, is due out
November 11 in the U.K. on the singer's Wildstar label, and on November
19 in the U.S. on Atlantic Records. The first single from set is titled
"What's Your Flava?" David also reportedly recorded a duet with Sting
that will appear on the new album.
David told us that he still remains very focused and passionate about
his music: "Music is everything to me. It's, like, some people feel it's
like a culture, some people kind of can jump in and out of it, and be an
actor or an actress, but for me it's like music is a natural expression
for me--like talking to somebody. And I find it kind of easy to just to
scribble down things that I feel and let people know, be it good or bad,
but people seem to be enjoying it, which is cool."
Slicker Than Your Average is the follow-up to David's 2001 album, Born
To Do It.