Sunday February 5th, 2006 HOME
New CD's this past week:
- Heather Headley - In my mind
- The Temptations - Reflections
Music news headlines this week:
Glenn Lewis Signing With Tyrese’s Headquarter
Toronto-bred R&B crooner Glenn Lewis has signed with singer-actor
Tyrese's
Headquarter Entertainment. "Tyrese is one of the most thorough, most
savviest businessmen I know. He's passionate about this thing. I'm proud
to be on a team that believes in my vision! And I believe in their vision.
Headquarter Entertainment is the future," said the singer. Lewis is best
known for his hit single "Don't You Forget It" from his 2002 release
'World Outside My Window,' in addition to playing a wedding singer in the
Jennifer Lopez film 'Maid In Manhattan.'
The multimedia company also houses a staple of music producers called the
Frontline Boyz - a team of ten producers and songwriters who'll craft
tracks for the label and other artists. "We're surrounded by nothing but
talent. There's nothing that anyone of us can't do. We're 'bout to be
unstoppable because we're pumping out good product. It's a real blessed
situation," said Frontline producer James "J2" White.
One of Headquarter Entertainment's first undertakings is the soundtrack
for Tyrese's next film, 'Waist Deep,' which also stars Larenz Tate, Meagan
Goode and The Game. Tyrese himself is working on a double-CD-one R&B and
the other rap-that will introduce his new hip-hop alter ego Black Ty.
Headquarter Entertainment has also signed rapper Kurupt to its roster.
Jaheim's 'Ghetto Classics' In Stores February 14, 2006
Divine Mill and Warner Bros. Records are proud to announce the
release of
"Ghetto Classics" on Tuesday, February 14, 2006, from platinum-selling
hip-hop balladeer, Jaheim.
Jaheim, whose vocal heritage comes from his grandfather Victor Hoagland,
who sang for the legendary The Drifters, won numerous competitions at
local and national talent shows - including the legendary "Showtime at the
Apollo" three times - before getting his big break with Divine Mill
Records in 2000. The Brunswick, New Jersey, native teams up with Executive
Producer and Divine Mill Records' KayGee once again to continue to build
on their success with Jaheim's previous RIAA-certified platinum releases -
"Ghetto Love" and "Still Ghetto." In addition to KayGee producing tracks
for "Ghetto Classics," the release also sees production from Jaheim
himself, in addition to producers Scott Storch and Bink (Beanie Seigel,
Lil' Mo, Nas).
On the first single, "Everytime I Think About Her," Jaheim partners with
Jadakiss and offers his signature smooth sound mixed with Jada's
gritty-voiced lyrics. The single is currently rotating at Urban AC and
Urban Mainstream.
In addition to conventional avenues of exposure, Jaheim will be featured
in a multi-million dollar national cross promotion with Verizon's Music On
Demand campaign, which launched January 16th. This latest music-on-demand
service allows fans to access their favorite songs, videos and live
performances, manage their personal library and in some cases, get album
art as part of the download. Users of Verizon's Music On Demand will be
able to transfer the single, "Everytime I Think About Her," and other
songs to either their PC or over the air to their mobile phone. As a
focused artist for the campaign, Jaheim TV spots will run through March on
UPN, BET, MTV, MTV2, ESPN, Comedy Central and others.
To celebrate the album release, Jaheim will be performing at the Newark
Symphony Hall in Newark, NJ @ 1020-30 Broad St. on Valentine's Day. Also
performing on the show are Meli'sa Morgan and the Luther Vandross band.
Destiny's Child Reunite For Farewell Performance At 2006 NBA All-Star
Game
One of the biggest selling female acts of all-time, Destiny's
Child will
share Center Court with NBA All-Stars, reuniting for their last ever
performance to sing the national anthem preceding the 2006 NBA All-Star
Game at the Toyota Center in their native Houston, Texas, Sunday, Feb. 19.
The 55th NBA All-Star Game will be televised in the U.S. by TNT beginning
at 8:00 p.m. ET to a global audience in 215 countries.
The multi-talented members of Destiny's Child, who have collectively won
eight Grammy Awards and been nominated for six more, have burgeoning
music, TV and film careers. The group's chief songwriter and producer,
Houston, Texas native Beyonce Knowles, whose multi-platinum debut solo
album "Dangerously in Love" garnered five Grammy Awards, and who has made
forays into Hollywood with lead roles in "Austin Powers Goldmember" in
2002, 2003's "The Fighting Temptations," will appear in the December 2006
theatrical release "Dream Girls." Beyonce and her mother Tina Knowles are
also launching "House of Dereon," a new fashion line.
Kelly Rowland, also a Texas native, will appear in three episodes of UPN's
"Girlfriends," and the self-titled follow-up to her platinum debut solo
release, "Simply Deep," is due out June 13.
Michelle Williams starred on Broadway in Elton John and Tim Rice's "Aida,"
and will follow up her first two Top 5 Billboard albums "Heart to Yours,"
and "Do You Know" with her highly anticipated third album to be released
in late summer 2006.
NBA All-Star brings together the top NBA players and performers for a week
of competition, community service and world-class entertainment. Among the
many events that reach more than 3.1 billion people in over 200 countries
are the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge; Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk; Foot
Locker Three-Point Shootout; PlayStation Skills Challenge; RadioShack
Shooting Stars; NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by Nokia, the league's
interactive event that attracts more than 100,000 fans each year; and the
55th NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 19.
Jazz Fest Stays Put In New Orleans
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will be held in its
usual
location at the city's Fair Grounds Race Course on April 28-30 and May
5-7, despite the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. The event will be sponsored
by Shell, marking the first time a presenting sponsor has been brought on
board. A full lineup announcement is expected next month.
"We're dedicating this year's festival to the people of New Orleans and
inviting everybody who cares about this city to come to Jazz Fest and play
a meaningful role in bringing back the city's culture, which is the soul
of America," festival producer Quint Davis said today (Jan. 31)." Jazz
Fest 2006 will be a homecoming party for thousands of New Orleans
musicians, Festival chefs and craftspeople, and we want the world to join
us in welcoming them back as we present the celebration of a lifetime."
The lone artist confirmed at present is R&B legend Fats Domino, who was
evacuated from his New Orleans home in the wake of Katrina. Domino will
also be the subject of the 2006 event poster, which was designed by local
painter James Michalopoulos.
Tickets for Jazz Fest are on sale now via NOJazzFest.com and Ticketmaster.
The event's Web site features information on early-bird discounts and VIP
packages.
Ashanti Files Lawsuit Over Early Demos
Multi-platinum artist Ashanti filed a federal lawsuit Jan. 27
over the
unauthorized release of demos recorded more than eight years ago.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court in New York, names as
defendants Genard Parker, Ellenwood, Ga.-based TEAM Entertainment, German
distributor ZYX Music, Australian companies Big Records Australia and
Rajon Distribution, Japanese label Farm Records, and U.K. companies Simply
Vinyl Recordings and Unique Corp.
In the suit Ashanti claims she recorded demos for Parker and T.E.A.M. to
shop for a major-label deal when she was 16 years old. They failed to land
a deal; the artist claims she never intended or authorized them to release
the demos as an album.
In a separate lawsuit, TEAM and Genard won a $630,000 judgment against
Ashanti last July for failing to allow them to produce additional albums
for her in breach of a production agreement she signed as a teenager.
The current complaint alleges that last year, various editions of a
compilation album called "Can't Stop" appeared in the market with
Ashanti's name in large print and recent photographs of her on the covers.
On two of the tracks she only sings background vocals, while on another
she is not performing at all.
Ashanti alleges invasion of privacy, unfair competition and
trademark-related claims for releasing the demos without her permission
and using her name and likeness on the albums and in advertising. She asks
the court for an injunction, damages to compensate for lost profits and
harm to her reputation, and punitive damages in excess of $1 million.
"It has long been a sad fact of the music industry that there are a great
many people who try to make easy money off of the talent, hard work and
success of young recording artists," says Ashanti's current lawyer,
William Archer, head of the entertainment practice group at Lewis,
Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith in Los Angeles. "Recording artists are starting
to fight back in different ways. That is what we intend to do here."
TEAM and Parker could not be reached for comment. Archer says the
complaint has not yet been served on the defendants.
Will Sly & the Family Stone reunite?
Grammy organizers already announced a tribute to funk/rock
pioneers Sly
and the Family Stone and now it looks like they`re going for the real
deal.
Friends and associates of the reclusive Sly Stone say he`s in talks for a
Sly and the Family Stone reunion performance at Feb. 8 ceremony, The
Washington Post reported Friday.
Stone has not performed live since 1987 and last major public appearance
was the group`s 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The original band has not performed together since 1971, the Post said.
Among the group`s groundbreaking hits were 'Dance to the Music,' 'I Want
to Take You Higher,' 'Hot Fun in the Summertime,' 'Family Affair' and
'Everyday People.'
A spokesman for the Recording Academy of Arts & Sciences did not confirm
the reunion report, saying it is 'rumor,' but added, 'we do believe that
he is attending the Grammy Awards,' the Post said.
Neither Stone nor his management could be reached for comment.