Sunday August 20th, 2006 HOME
New CD's this past week:
- Lyfe Jennings - The phoenix
Music news headlines this week:
Incognito Buzzing On All-Star New Album
Incognito return in October with a new
album “Bees + Things + Flowers”
featuring an all-star vocal line-up. Carleen Anderson, Jocelyn Brown,
Maysa, Joy Rose, Imaani and Tony Momrelle all handle lead vocals on the
11-track album, which features a 16-piece string section.
The album, which is largely an acoustic set, includes new arrangements of
Incognito favourites such as “Always There”, “Still A Friend of Mine” and
“Deep Waters”. There are also covers of EWF’s “That’s The Way of the
World”, Roy Ayers’ “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” and America’s “Tin Man”,
as well as several brand new Bluey compositions.
The album will be released in the UK by Dome on October 2. Says Bluey:
“The album is an almost unplugged affair. It was recorded the old
fashioned way with everyone playing live in the studio, and just a few
overdubs afterwards. I’m really pleased with it, and to have so much vocal
talent on one album is tremendous”.
Boney James Will “Shine on Sept. 26.
Saxophonist Boney James calls Shine, his
10th CD and first for Concord
Music Group, an upbeat and positive work that features many of his musical
influences. The 12-song CD – with nine originals and three covers – has a
guest performance by guitarist George Benson on the song “Hypnotic,”
marking the first time the two smooth jazz powerhouses have collaborated
together. Benson is also recording an album for Concord, a duets project
with Al Jarreau.
Also guesting on Shine are pianist George Duke and five singers: R&B
vocalists Dwele on a cover of the Dramatics’ “In the Rain”; Faith Evans;
Phillip Bailey; gospel vocalist Ann Nesby, who sings on a cover of a song
Chuck Mangione recorded in 1975 called “Soft”; and chill-influenced
vocalist Esthero. James also adds an instrumental cover of Antonio Carlos
Jobim’s bossa-nova classic “Aguas de Marco.”
KeKe Wyatt Signs With TVT Records
TVT Records announces the signing of soul
singing siren, Ketara "KeKe"
Wyatt. "I have personally watched her career and we are excited about
bringing on a great talent such as KeKe. Her extraordinary vocal gift
combined with her personal saga of struggle and triumph inspires people
everywhere," says TVT Records President, Steve Gottlieb. The
Indianapolis born R&B vocalist made her impact in 2001 with her rousing
debut MCA Records album, Soul Sista. A critical and commercial success
that sold more than 600,000 units, her debut touted the dynamic duet, "My
First Love" with recording star Avant. That Rene & Angela remake went on
to become a number one Urban Mainstream Record in 2001 and the video
remained on BET's countdown show, 106th and Park for six consecutive
weeks. She collaborated with Avant again for "Nothing In This World" which
peaked at number four on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
Wyatt now lives in Kentucky but was born in Indianapolis, IN, where she
grew up listening to a variety of R&B and gospel and came from a very
musical family. Both of her parents sang in church; her mother was a
vocalist, her
father an organist. When Wyatt was in her early teens, she sang as an
early member in Destiny's Child, when they were called Girl's Tyme.
"It feels good to finally find a home at TVT Records", says KeKe. "They
really support my vision and will allow me to develop my own sound. I see
how they developed Teedra Moses through word of mouth and I am looking to
create my own buzz once again."
The album is expected to be released in 2007.
Toni Braxton Opens Up About Bankruptvy & More
Toni Braxton, currently performing nightly
at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino
in Las Vegas, recently broke her silence about having to file for
bankruptcy back in 1998. In an on-line podcast interview with
TheStripPodcast.com, she revealed that she earned just $2,000 in royalties
on her multi-platinum sophomore album Secrets, because of how her deal was
structured.
"My situation wasn't about having an artist spending all her money, my
situation was about an artist who made 32 cents a record and had to pay
back all the money the record company invested and pay back studio time
and had to pay back the promotion and everything," Braxton explained. "So
when I got my royalty checks for my second album, it was less than $2,000.
This is fact."
Braxton added that while she probably did overspend, she did so to
maintain her image while being misled about the monies she would receive
from royalties: "Was it my fault for spending money before I had money?
Yes. But I was spending money on tours promoting myself for my record. So
that's how my money was being spent, the money I thought I was getting."
She added that the record industry does not like to talk about how her
suit forced changes in artist contracts. "It changed a lot of the laws in
entertainment. So my situation was a little bit different," she says. "But
the reason you don't hear about it is because no one wants to bring it up
and talk about that case."
The podcast also finds Braxton discussing her gay audience, moving to Las
Vegas, her changing hairstyles, how she came to perform at the Flamingo,
her time on Broadway, and more.
Braxton's most recent album was last year's Libra. She will continue to
perform in Toni Braxton: Revealed at the Flamingo for the next six months.
TLC'S Chili Inks Deal With Akon’s Konvict Music
TLC's Chilli is set to launch her solo
career, and the R&B singer has
decided to sign with Akon's Konvict Music label. Chilli told MTV.com,
"He's very talented and I remember back in the days when he was trying to
get out there, he was just as talented then. I don't know, maybe certain
people didn't believe in him -- but it's mighty funny how you get that one
hit and people are like, 'Oh, you're great.' Talent is talent."
Chilli hasn't set a release date, but is close to completing the project.
She explained, "I did a few songs, then got with Akon. We've been working
and came up with some stuff that's been missing from the album, but we
have a couple of more songs and we'll be finished. I got a track from
T-Pain -- it's so crazy. T-Pain is so talented. I love his tracks. ... We
were all in the studio working in Florida. He came in and had a track
ready in 20 minutes, then had another one in 25 minutes. I chose an
up-tempo one because I dance."
So far the album will feature A-Kon, T-Pain, T-Boz, and Missy Elliott.
Chilli added, "The fans love TLC as a group. I wanted to make sure to give
them something we would do as a group anyway. I don't think I could help
myself -- it's naturally there."