JEAN CARNE - LOVE LESSONS

Singer Jean Carne's career has had various incarnations, as well as a slight name change similar to Dionne Warwick's (adding an "e" to the end of her last name as Warwick did for a short time). Born Sarah Jean Perkins in Columbus, GA, she was raised in Atlanta. She began singing gospel music in the church choir at age four; she also took piano lessons and learned the clarinet and bassoon. Carne won a music scholarship to Morris Brown College and began her recording career in 1969 with her husband, keyboardist Doug Carn, on the Black Jazz label, where she was one of the last vocalists to work with jazz legend Duke Ellington before his death.

Carne popped up several times during the early-to-mid-'70s, singing with Earth, Wind & Fire on two albums, recording several times with Norman Connors, and reaching the charts via George Duke's hit single "Reach for It." In 1977, Carne was signed to Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records; her debut album, "Jean Carne", was a classy affair that merged the best of '70s soul and jazz with solid songwriting and tight instrumental support (MFSB, Instant Funk). The debut single "Free Love" went to number 23 R&B. Though the follow-up single didn't chart, several of the album's tracks received considerable radio airplay, and some tracks made the disco charts. In June 1978, her second album for the label was released; Happy to Be with You included the hit single "Don't Let It Go to Your Head."

Carne's final Philadelphia International album, 1980's "When I Find You Love", was more of a return conceptually (musically and sonically) to Jean Carne. Produced by Dexter Wansel, the album rates as one of Carne's best efforts. The smooth and haunting "My Love Don't Come Easy" peaked at number 35 R&B. Released in August 1981, Carne's "Sweet and Wonderful" featured a remake of the Spinners' "Love Don't Love Nobody," which went to number 35 R&B. Carne moved to Motown Records in 1982, making her label debut with the album Trust Me. The single "If You Don't Know Me By Now," a cover of the Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes hit with backing vocals by the Temptations, went to number 49 R&B. By 1986, Carne signed to Omni Records; "Closer than Close" was released in July of that year and the title track that went to number one R&B. Her 1988 album "You're a Part of Me" included a hit cover of Aretha Franklin's "Ain't No Way."

Carne later signed with Place One Entertainment, which reunited her with former Omni Records president Steve Bernstein, with her Love Lessons album being distributed by PPI/Peter Pan. Carne continues to tour with Connors, among others, and makes her home in Atlanta. Jean Carn recently performed at The Scene in Washington, D.C. She be launched this brand new club on Valentine Day, Saturday, February 14, 2009.

RITA MORENO IN CONCERT AT THE CONGA ROOM

The legendary Rita Moreno, winner of the GRAMMY, Oscar®, Tony Award® and Emmy awards, is set to perform in Los Angeles on February 19, 2009 at the newly reopened Conga Room, L. A. LIVE. Rita will appear in a special one-night only show on February 19 at 8:00 PM at The Conga Room. Only nine entertainers have won all four awards--the Oscar, Grammy, Emmy and Tony. Rita Moreno is the first Puerto Rican woman performer to accomplish this feat.

"Rita Moreno is a legendary Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer. The Conga Room is thrilled to be presenting her first Los Angeles show in over 25 years," said co-owner and managing partner Brad Gluckstein. The Conga Room, known as "the House of Blues for Latin music", is co-owned by a host of celebrity investors such as the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am, Jennifer Lopez, Jimmy Smits, Paul Rodriguez and Sheila E.

The Conga Room is the preeminent Los Angeles destination known for its vibrant, Latin-infused nightclub. The Conga Room is located in downtown Los Angeles at the highly anticipated L.A. LIVE Complex. Founded in 1998, the world famous Conga Room has earned a reputation for hip ambiance and hot performers including Carlos Santana, Shakira and Tito Fuentes among others. The Conga Room reopened in December 2008 at L.A. LIVE, Los Angeles' hot new entertainment district. Lead by the Grammy award winning musical director, Oscar Hernandez, The Conga Room offers a special blend of Salsa and Latin music that is unmatched in the city of Los Angeles.

MARCH CONCERT CALENDAR: SIMPLY RED, ADELE, BRIAN CULBERTSON, VICTOR WOOTEN, B.B. KING & OTHERS...

John Legend @ Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Mar 1
Re:Jazz @ Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Mar 1
John Legend @ Annexet, Stockholm, Sweden, Mar 2
Sergio Mendes @ Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Mar 2-7
Simply Red @ Credicard Hall, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Mar 3-4
John Legend @ Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, Holland, Mar 4
John Legend @ Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium, Mar 6
Madeleine Peyroux @ Empire Theatre, Albany, NY, Mar 6
Tony Bennett @ Agua Caliente Casino 7 Resort, Rancho Mirage, CA, Mar 6
Simply Red @ Citibank Hall, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mar 6
Allen Toussaint, Henry Butler, Jon Cleary @ Birch North Park Theatre, San Diego, CA, Mar 6
John Legend @ Zenith, Paris, France, Mar 7
Chuck Loeb @ Jakarta Convention Center, Jakarta, Indonesia, Mar 7
Branford Marsalis @ Schlesinger Concert Hall, Alexandria, VA, Mar 7-8
John Legend @ Brixton Academy, London, UK, Mar 9
Adele @ House Of Blues, San Diego, CA, Mar 9
Simply Red @ Telmex Theatre, Guadalajara, Mexico, Mar 9
Adele @ Martini Ranch, Phoenix, AZ, Mar 10
Simply Red @ National Auditorium, Mexico City, Mexico, Mar 11
John Legend @ Academy, Glasgow, UK, Mar 12
Adele @ La Zona Rosa, Austin, TX, Mar 12
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Evanston, IL, Mar 12
John Legend @ Apollo, Manchester, UK, Mar 13
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ Pageant, St. Louis, MO, Mar 13
Frankie Valli @ Dodge Theater, Phoenix, AZ, Mar 13
Simply Red @ Club Nokia, Los Angeles, CA, Mar 13
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI, Mar 14
Adele @ Warehouse Live, Houston, TX, Mar 14
Brian Culbertson @ Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA, Mar 14
Madeleine Peyroux @ Park West. Chicago, IL, Mar 14
Brian Culbertson @ Comcast Arena, Everett, WA, Mar 15
Adele @ Granada, Dallas, TX, mar 15
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ House Of Blues, Cleveland, OH, Mar 15
John Legend @ Academy, Birmingham, UK, Mar 15
Simply Red @ Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY, Mar 15
Madeleine Peyroux @ Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis, MN, Mar 15
Spanish Harlem Orchestra @ Memorial Auditorium, Stanford, CA, Mar 15
John Legend @ E Werk, Cologne, Germany, Mar 16
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ Ark, Ann Arbor, MI, Mar 16
John Legend @ Tonhalle, Munich, Germany, Mar 17
Adele @ Variety Theatre, Atlanta, GA, Mar 17
Adele @ Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, TN, Mar 18
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ Handlebar, Greenville, SC, Mar 18
John Legend @ Alcatraz, Milan, Italy, Mar 19
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ Legends At Appalachian State, Boone, NC, Mar 19
George Benson @ Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL, Mar 19
Branford Marsalis @ Jazz Alley, Seattle, WA, Mar 19-22
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA, Mar 20
Adele @ St. Andrews Hall, Detroit, MI, Mar 20
John Legend @ Volkshaus, Zurich, Switzerland, Mar 20
Madeleine Peyroux @ Folly Theatre, Kansas City, MO, Mar 20
Bobby Caldwell @Centet Stage Park Avenue, Winter Park, FL, Mar 20
John Legend @ Palanet, Padova, Italy, Mar 21
Adele @ House Of Blues, Cleveland, OH, Mar 21
Madeleine Peyroux @ Boulder Theatre, Boulder, CO, Mar 21
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ Shoreline Ballroom, Hilton Head Island, SC, Mar 21
Chick Corea, John McLaughlin @ Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley, CA, Mar 21
Quasimode @ Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Mar 22
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ Birchmere Music Hall, Alexandria, VA, Mar 23
Giovanni Mirabassi Trio @ Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Mar 23-25
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ Ram’s Head, Annapolis, MD, Mar 24
Simply Red @ Braehead Arena, Glasgow, UK, Mar 24
Madeleine Peyroux @ Moore Theatre, Seattle, WA, Mar 24
Branford Marsalis @ Catalina's in Hollywood CA, Mar 24-28
Tower Of Power @ Turning Stone Resort, Verona, NY, Mar 25
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ B.B. King’s. New York, NY, Mar 25
B. B. King @ Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN, Mar 25
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ Toad’s Placem New Haven, CT, Mar 26
Tower Of Power @ Keswick Theater, Genside, PA, Mar 26
Simply Red @ Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, UK, Mar 26
Simply Red @ Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, UK, Mar 27
B. B. King @ The House of Blues, Cleveland, OH, Mar 27
Tower Of Power @ Klein Memorial Auditorium, Mar 27
Victor Wooten, JD Blair @ Berk’s Jazz Fest, Reading, PA, Mar 27
Peter White @ Sheraton Reading Hotel, Wyomissing, PA, Mar 27
Peter White @ Scottish Rite Cathedral, West Reading, PA, Mar 27
Mindi Abair, Peter White @ Berks Jazz Fest, Wyomissing, PA, Mar 27
Simply Red @ LG Arena (NEC), Birmingham, UK, Mar 28
B. B. King @ Rochester Auditorium Theatre, Rochester, NY, Mar 28
Mindi Abair @ Jazz In The Gardens Music Festival, Miami Gardens, FL, Mar 28
Madeleine Peyroux @ Club Nokia, Los Angeles, CA, Mar 28
Kenny G @ Jazz In The Gardens Music Festival, Miami Gardens, FL, Mar 29
B. B. King @ Lyric Opera House, Baltimore, MD, Mar 20
Simply Red @ Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, UK, Mar 30
Bela Fleck @ Berk Jazz Fest, Reading, PA, Mar 30
Brandford Marsalis @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Santa Cruz, CA, Mar 30
Simply Red @ Brighton Centre, Brighton, UK, Mar 31
Chris Botti @ Teatro la Cuidad, Mexico City, Mexico, Mar 31
Tower Of Power @ State Theater, Falls Church, VA, Mar 31
B. B. King @ State Theatre, Easton, PA, Mar 31
Brandford Marsalis @ Anthology, San Diego, CA, Mar 31

JESSE COOK - FRONTIERS

Jesse Cook has been making major waves since his March 2008 release, of "Frontiers." The album continues to climb the charts and reaches new fans and attention everyday. Recently, Cook took home the Silver award for Best Flamenco Guitarist from Acoustic Guitar. He also proves to be a home-town favorite. Canadians and CBC Radio 2 listeners voted to have Cook's music be included on President Barack Obama's Playlist.

Jesse Cook has been known to blend African percussion, Cajun accordion and pop vocals with his own rumba flamenco style to create a breathtaking, multi-textured global hybrid. It is this experimentation and sound that clearly connected with Acoustic Guitar's audience. The Players' Choice Awards are voted on by thousands of readers of Acoustic Guitar and http://www.acousticguitar.com/ who cast their votes for their favorite guitars, performing and recording equipment, retail shops, instructional materials, and, for the first time this year, guitarists. Those players recognized Cook as one of the Best Flamenco Guitarist for 2008. The Gold went to the legendary Paco de Lucía and Bronze was given to the incomparable Vicente Amigo. To be included with these amazing artists represents just how far Cook has come. Left in the hands of these three gentlemen, inspiring flamenco music will continue to span the globe.

As if that weren't enough, awareness of Jesse Cook's sound heads to the White House in the form of a Presidential Playlist! CBC Radio 2 thought it would be a great idea for President Barack Obama to get to know Canada through its music. Canadian citizens have been voting over the last two weeks to help choose 49 pieces of music that best represents who Canada is -- "the top 49 songs from north of the 49th parallel" that best define the country, especially given the depth of the musical offerings -- spanning a wide variety of genres and representing the culture from coast to coast to coast. After the votes were counted, Jesse Cook was on top and his track "Mario Takes A Walk" was included. For the complete playlist, please visit: http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/obamasplaylist/

The success of Cook's latest album, "Frontiers," has been incredible. It has remained in the Top 10 of Billboard's New Age chart for 46 weeks, and spent several weeks at #1. The radio story is just as impressive. After going Top 5 at Smooth Jazz radio with "Café Mocha," the new single titled "Havana" is climbing into the upper reaches of the Radio and Records chart.
Cook plans on releasing a new studio album in Autumn '09 on E1 Music. When not touring, he is in the studio working on tracks for this new release. Continue to check back in for more information, including video content and streaming music at http://www.jessecook.com/.

JESSE COOK UPCOMING TOUR DATES:

Tampa, FL - March 25

Clayton, NC - March 27

Wilmington, NC - March 28

New York, NY - March 30

Boston, MA - March 31

New London, CT - April 2

Huntington, NY - April 3

Randolph, VT - April 4

STEVIE WONDER - LIVE AT LAST

Universal/Motown Records will release Stevie Wonder’s his first-ever live concert DVD, ’Live At Last’. The DVD program, released worldwide on March 9, 2009, was filmed at the O2 Arena, in London, England, over two nights, September 30 and October 1, 2008, before a rapturous audience of 15,000 each night. The concerts were part of the first Stevie Wonder world tour in over a decade which sold 120,000 tickets in the UK alone.

‘Live At Last’s set list traces a lifetime of innovation and accomplishment – and, in fact, our own lifetime appreciation of his music, stretching from Wonder’s teens with “My Cherie Amour” and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours.” Along the way, the program encompasses iconic hits that redefined pop and R&B music, including “Superstition,” “Higher Ground,” “Living For the City,” “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” and “I Wish,” while reaching into his classic albums for such enduring fan favorites as “All I Do,” “Overjoyed” and “Knocks Me Off My Feet.” The exuberant “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” is preceded by Wonder’s interpretation of Chick Corea’s instrumental “Spain.” And in a delightful, impressive and emotional moment, Wonder’s daughter Aisha Morris -- the inspiration of his classic “Isn’t She Lovely” -- steps from the background vocal group and performs Nat “King” Cole’s jazz standard “I’m Gonna Laugh You Right Out of My Life.”

Wonder also takes time out in the set to salute the British audience with an affectionate medley of two Beatles songs (“Fool on the Hill,” “I Want To Hold Your Hand”) and a Rolling Stones classic (“[I Can’t Get No] Satisfaction”), book-ending them with the traditional “London Bridge is Falling Down.” Aside from being his first DVD release, ‘Live At Last’ is Stevie Wonder’s first high definition release on Blu-Ray disc. Blue laser disc reader technology provides unparalleled picture quality (at 1080i) as well as pure and uncompressed 5.1 surround sound -- the highest standard of sound quality ever achieved on a Stevie Wonder release. Stevie Wonder was introduced to the world at age 12 in the 1963 hit “Fingertips - Pt. 2,” his first of nine No. 1 records and he has also charted eighteen more Top 10 hits so far. He has won 22 Grammy Awards since 1973, when Innervisions won Album of the Year, among his first four Grammys that year. He is the recipient of NARAS’ Lifetime Achievement Award (1996) and Billboard Magazine’s Century Award (2004). He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. His 10-million selling 1976 double album Songs in the Key of Life was the first album by an American artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart. His most recent studio album is 2005’s gold-certified Top 5 A Time To Love.

Wonder performed “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” to a crowd of 85,000 at Denver, Colorado’s Invesco Field, just prior to then-Senator Barack H. Obama’s nomination acceptance address at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, and he also is prominent among performers at the public Obama Inaugural celebrations held in Washington, DC in January 2009. His new song “All About the Love Again,” is featured on the special all-star compilation project ‘CHANGE IS NOW: RENEWING AMERICA’S PROMISE’, released on Inauguration Day.

At age 58, Stevie Wonder remains among the most visionary, influential and admired of singers, songwriters, musicians and producers in the history of American music.

DR. JOHN - CITY THAT CARE FORGOT

Dr. John (aka Mac Rebennack, Jr.) has won the Grammy Award for "Best Contemporary Blues Album" for his 2008 recording CITY THAT CARE FORGOT. He was recently signed to the Savoy Label Group's 429 Records which released the this homage to his hometown of New Orleans. This is Dr. John's 5th Grammy Award overall having won the award in 1989, 1992, 1996 and 2000. With the help of guests such as Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, Ani Di Franco and Terence Blanchard, Dr. John fuses the blues, funk and soul in his distinctive and irrepressible swamp-voodoo style and comes up with a bold and heartfelt homage to his hometown in response to the tragedy that is post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. Noted SLG President, Steve Vining: "It's an elegant, elegiac and angry collection of songs that mark a career highlight -- we're thrilled for Mac and his Grammy win and the chance to have been a part of such a powerful project."

"CITY THAT CARE FORGOT" is a bold musical statement and a cry for justice and humanity from an artist who is inseparable from the vibrant and colorful culture of the Crescent City. Says Mac in New Orleans' Times-Picayune newspaper: "This is only the second time I made a record solely for the people of New Orleans. This is a record I just could not not do. I couldn't have lived with myself if I didn't make this record."

The project is released by 429 Records is a unit of the Savoy Label Group (SLG).

ASA

Born in Paris but transplanted to Lagos, Nigeria, Nigerian-born singer Asa has released her self-titled debut on Downtown Records' new label Mercer Street Records (January 27th), and it has quickly risen to #1 on iTunes' World Chart. Recorded during a 6-week period in Lagos in 2007, Asa went into the studio with Cobhams Emmanuel Asuquo, a well known blind Nigerian multi-instrumentalist, to record the album. Returning to Paris to test her new songs on the French music scene, her first singles started getting airplay in Nigeria. By the time she returned home, MTV had chosen her as the ambassador for South Africa, and she was opening for Akon, John Legend, Beyonce and Snoop Dogg, amongst others. Featuring impeccable percussion, a funky Hammond organ, reggae-infused bass and contributions from celebrity flautist Magic Malik, Asa is an impressive collection of melodic songs. The standout song "Jailer" is about the irony of oppression, while the most candid and politically charged song of the album, "Fire On The Mountain," is about an ignorant and indifferent world, commenting on the conflicts we neglect and the disparity on our doorstep that goes unnoticed. It seems there is no better time for Asa to take her place on the world stage.

CHRIS BOTTI IN BOSTON

Since the release of his first solo album in 1995 Chris Botti has created a series of recordings which have made him one of the world's top-selling instrumental artists. Drawing from the worlds of pop, jazz, classical and other genres, Botti created his own signature sound, transforming the world of contemporary jazz while simultaneously finding success in the pop music sphere. Praised for the warmth and complexity of his tone and musical ideas, Botti combines a soulful ambience with naturally flowing improvisation. He has earned both critical acclaim and mainstream appreciation for a succession of best-selling albums including When I Fall In Love (2004, #1 Top Jazz Album, #37 Billboard Top 200), To Love Again: The Duets (2005, #1 Top Jazz Album, #18 Billboard Top 200), and Chris Botti Live with Orchestra & Special Guests (2006, #2 Top Jazz Album).

For his latest project, Chris Botti In Boston , Botti invited an extraordinary variety of musical artists,- including Sting, Josh Groban, Steven Tyler, Yo-Yo Ma, John Mayer, Katharine McPhee, Lucia Micarelli, and Sy Smith to join him on-stage with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra for a pair of once-in-a-lifetime concerts, produced by Bobby Colomby and directed by Jim Gable, at Boston's historic Symphony Hall, one of the world's most exquisite performance venues. The event took place on September 18 and 19, 2008. Chris Botti In Boston, is an extraordinarily luxurious film of the two-night event, captures and accentuates the warmth, excitement, chemistry and spontaneity of the shows. The CD version of Chris Botti In Boston features Botti along with his special guests and core band -- Billy Childs (piano), Billy Kilson (drums), Mark Whitfield (guitar), and Robert Hurst (bass) -- performing definitive versions of "Ave Maria," "When I Fall In Love," "Seven Days," "Emmanuel," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Cinema Paradiso," "Broken Vow," "Flamenco Sketches," "Glad To Be Unhappy," "Hallelujah," "Smile," "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You," and "Time To Say Goodbye."

The full-concert DVD and Blu-ray configurations of Chris Botti In Boston include the bonus performances of "Caruso," "The Look of Love," "Cryin'," "Indian Summer," and "Shape of My Heart" in addition to an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling the making-of-the-concert as well as a deeply resonant performance of "Fragile" unavailable anywhere else. In addition, the Blu-ray configuration features Dolby TrueHD audio providing master quality, high-resolution, 7.1 surround sound. Following the exclusive televised premiere of Chris Botti In Boston during PBS's March Pledge Drive, Columbia Records will release the concert extravaganza in three configurations -- CD, a CD/DVD package and a Blu-ray edition -- on Tuesday, March 31.

THE FULL LIST OF GRAMMY WINNERS

Record of the year
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, "Please Read The Letter" T Bone Burnett, producer; Mike Piersante, engineer/mixer

Album of the year
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, "Raising Sand"

Song of the year
Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters (Coldplay), "Viva La Vida"

Best new artist
Adele

Best female pop vocal performance
Adele, "Chasing Pavements"

Best male pop vocal performance
John Mayer, "Say"

Best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals
Coldplay, "Viva La Vida"

Best pop collaboration with vocals
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, "Rich Woman"

Best pop instrumental performance
Eagles, "I Dreamed There Was No War"

Best pop instrumental album
Béla Fleck & The Flecktones, "Jingle All The Way"

Best pop vocal album
Duffy, "Rockferry"

Best dance recording
Daft Punk, "Harder Better Faster Stronger"

Best electronic/dance album
Daft Punk, "Alive 2007"

Best traditional pop vocal album
Natalie Cole, "Still Unforgettable"

Best solo rock vocal performance
John Mayer, "Gravity"

Best rock performance by a duo or group with vocals
Kings Of Leon, "Sex On Fire"

Best hard rock performance
The Mars Volta, "Wax Simulacra"

Best metal performance
Metallica, "My Apocalypse"

Best rock instrumental performance
Zappa Plays Zappa, featuring Steve Vai & Napoleon Murphy Brock, "Peaches En Regalia"

Best rock song
Bruce Springsteen, "Girls In Their Summer Clothes"

Best rock album
Coldplay, "Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends"

Best alternative music album
Radiohead, "In Rainbows"

Best female R&B vocal performance
Alicia Keys, "Superwoman"

Best male R&B vocal performance
Ne-Yo, "Miss Independent"

Best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals
Al Green, featuring John Legend, "Stay With Me (By The Sea)"

Best traditional R&B vocal performance
Al Green, featuring Anthony Hamilton, "You've Got The Love I Need"

Best urban/alternative performance
Chrisette Michele, featuring will.i.am, "Be OK"

Best R&B song
Mikkel S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen & S. Smith, songwriters (Ne-Yo), "Miss Independent"

Best R&B album
Jennifer Hudson, "Jennifer Hudson"

Best contemporary R&B album
Mary J. Blige, "Growing Pains"

Best rap solo performance
Lil Wayne, "A Milli"

Best rap performance by a duo or group
Jay-Z & T.I., featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne, "Swagga Like Us"

Best rap/sung collaboration
Estelle, featuring Kanye West, "American Boy"

Best rap song
D. Carter, S. Garrett, D. Harrison, J. Scheffer & R. Zamor, songwriters (Lil Wayne, featuring Static Major), "Lollipop"

Best rap album
Lil Wayne, "A Milli"

Best female country vocal performance
Carrie Underwood, "Last Name"

Best male country vocal performance
Brad Paisley, "Letter To Me"

Best country performance by a duo or group with vocals
Sugarland, "Stay"

Best country collaboration with vocals
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, "Killing The Blues"

Best country instrumental performance
Brad Paisley, James Burton, Vince Gill, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert & Steve Wariner, "Cluster Pluck"

Best country song
Jennifer Nettles, songwriter (Sugarland), "Stay"

Best country album
George Strait, "Troubadour"

Best bluegrass album
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, "Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass: Tribute To 1946 And 1947"

Best new age album
Jack DeJohnette, "Peace Time"

Best contemporary jazz album
Randy Brecker, "Randy In Brasil"

Best jazz vocal album
Cassandra Wilson, "Loverly"

Best jazz instrumental solo
Gary Burton & Chick Corea, soloists, "Waltz For Debby"

Best jazz instrumental album, individual or group
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, "Monday Night Live At The Village Vanguard"

Best Latin jazz album
Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, "Song For Chico"

Best gospel performance
Mary Mary, "Get Up"

Best gospel song
Kirk Franklin, songwriter (Kirk Franklin), "Help Me Believe"

Best rock or rap gospel album
TobyMac, "Alive And Transported"

Best pop/contemporary gospel album
CeCe Winans, "Thy Kingdom Come"

Best southern, country, or bluegrass gospel album
Gaither Vocal Band, "Lovin' Life"

Best traditional gospel album
The Blind Boys Of Alabama, "Down In New Orleans"

Best contemporary R&B gospel album
Kirk Franklin, "The Fight Of My Life"

Best Latin pop album
Juanes, "La Vida...Es Un Ratico"

Best Latin rock or alternative album
Jaguares, "45"

Best Latin urban album
Wisin y Yandel, "Los Extraterrestres"

Best tropical Latin album
José Feliciano, "Senor Bachata"

Best regional Mexican album
TIE: Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, "Amor, Dolor Y Lagrimas: Musica Ranchera" and
Mariachi Divas, "Canciones De Amor"

Best Tejano album
Ruben Ramos & The Mexican Revolution, "Viva La Revolucion"

Best Norteno album
Los Tigres Del Norte, "Raices"

Best Banda album
Joan Sebastian, "No Es De Madera"

Best traditional blues album
B.B. King, "One Kind Favor"

Best contemporary blues album
Dr. John And The Lower 911, "City That Care Forgot"

Best traditional folk album
Pete Seeger, "At 89"

Best contemporary folk/Americana album
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, "Raising Sand"

Best Native American music album
Various artists, "Come To Me Great Mystery — Native American Healing Songs"

Best Hawaiian music album
Tia Carrere & Daniel Ho, "'Ikena"

Best Zydeco or Cajun music album
BeauSoleil & Michael Doucet, "Live At The 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival"

Best reggae album
Burning Spear, "Jah Is Real"

Best traditional world music album
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, "Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu"

Best contemporary world music album
Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju & Giovanni Hidalgo, "Global Drum Project"

Best polka album
Jimmy Sturr And His Orchestra, "Let The Whole World Sing"

Best musical album for children
They Might Be Giants, "Here Come The 123s"

Best spoken word album for children
Bill Harley, "Yes To Running! Bill Harley Live"

Best spoken word album (includes poetry, audio books & story telling)
Beau Bridges, Cynthia Nixon & Blair Underwood, "An Inconvenient Truth (Al Gore)"

Best comedy album
George Carlin, "It's Bad For Ya"

Best musical show album
"In The Heights," Kurt Deutsch, Alex Lacamoire, Andrés Levin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Joel Moss & Bill Sherman, producers; Lin-Manuel Miranda, composer/lyricist (Original Broadway Cast With Lin-Manuel Miranda And Others)

Best compilation soundtrack album for motion picture, television or other visual media
"Juno," various artists

Best score soundtrack album for motion picture, television or other visual media
"The Dark Knight," James Newton Howard & Hans Zimmer, composers

Best song written for motion picture, television or other visual media
"Down To Earth" (From "WALL-E"), Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman, songwriters (Peter Gabriel)

Best instrumental composition
John Williams, composer (John Williams, "The Adventures Of Mutt" (from "Indiana Jones And
The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull")

Best instrumental arrangment
Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman, arrangers (Thomas Newman), "Define Dancing (from WALL-E)"

Best instrumental arrangement accompanying vocalist(s)
Nan Schwartz, arranger (Natalie Cole), "Here's That Rainy Day"

Best recording package
"Death Magnetic," Bruce Duckworth, Sarah Moffat & David Turner, art directors (Metallica)

Best boxed or special limited edition package
"In Rainbows," Stanley Donwood, Mel Maxwell & Christiaan Munro, art directors (Radiohead)

Best album notes
"Kind Of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition," Francis Davis, album notes writer (Miles Davis)

Best historical album
"Art Of Field Recording Volume I: Fifty Years Of Traditional American Music Documented By Art Rosenbaum," Steven Lance Ledbetter & Art Rosenbaum, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)

Best engineered album, non-classical
"Consolers Of The Lonely," Joe Chiccarelli, Vance Powell & Jack White III, engineers (The Raconteurs)

Producer of the year, non-classical
Rick Rubin
· "Death Magnetic" (Metallica)
· "Home Before Dark" (Neil Diamond)
· "Mercy (Dancing For The Death Of An Imaginary Enemy" (Ours)
· "Seeing Things" (Jakob Dylan)
· "Weezer (Red Album)" (Weezer)

Best remixed recording, non-classical
"Electric Feel (Justice Remix)," Justice, remixers (MGMT)

Best surround sound album
"Mussorgsky: Pictures At An Exhibition; Night On Bald Mountain; Prelude To Khovanshchina," Michael Bishop, surround mix engineer; Michael Bishop, surround mastering engineer; Robert Woods, surround producer (Paavo J䲶i & Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)

Best engineered album, classical
"Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago," David Frost, Tom Lazarus & Christopher Willis, engineers (Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Alan Gilbert, Silk Road Ensemble, Wu Man, Yo-Yo Ma & Chicago Symphony Orchestra)

Producer of the year, classical
David Frost
· "Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique" (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
· "Right Through The Bone — Julius R?en Chamber Music" (ARC Ensemble)
· "Schubert: Sonata In D Maj.; Liszt: Don Juan Fantasy" (Min Kwon)
· "Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago" (Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Alan Gilbert, Yo-Yo Ma, Silk Road Ensemble, Wu Man & Chicago Symphony Orchestra)

Best classical album
"Weill: Rise And Fall Of The City Of Mahagonny," James Conlon, conductor; Anthony Dean Griffey, Patti LuPone & Audra McDonald; Fred Vogler, producer (Donnie Ray Albert, John Easterlin, Steven Humes, Mel Ulrich & Robert Worle; Los Angeles Opera Chorus; Los Angeles Opera Orchestra)

Best orchestral performance
"Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4," Bernard Haitink, conductor (Chicago Symphony Orchestra)

Best opera recording
"Weill: Rise And Fall Of The City Of Mahagonny," James Conlon, conductor; Anthony Dean Griffey, Patti LuPone & Audra McDonald; Fred Vogler, producer (Donnie Ray Albert, John Easterlin, Steven Humes, Mel Ulrich & Robert Worle; Los Angeles Opera Orchestra; Los Angeles Opera Chorus)

Best choral performance
"Symphony Of Psalms," Sir Simon Rattle, conductor; Simon Halsey, chorus master (Berliner Philharmoniker; Rundfunkchor Berlin)

Best instrumental soloist(s) performance (with orchestra)
"Schoenberg/Sibelius: Violin Concertos," Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Hilary Hahn (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra)

Best instrumental soloist performance (without orchestra)
"Piano Music Of Salonen, Stucky, And Lutoslawski," Gloria Cheng

Best chamber music performance
"Carter, Elliott: String Quartets Nos. 1 And 5," Pacifica Quartet

Best small ensemble performance
"Spotless Rose: Hymns To The Virgin Mary," Charles Bruffy, conductor; Phoenix Chorale

Best classical vocal performance
"Corigliano: Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems Of Bob Dylan," Hila Plitmann (JoAnn Falletta; Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)

Best classical contemporary composition
"Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems Of Bob Dylan," John Corigliano (JoAnn Falletta)

Best classical crossover album
"Simple Gifts," The King's Singers

KENNY G, ANTHONY HAMILTON, ROY AYERS & OTHERS TOPLINE JAZZ IN THE (MIAMII) GARDENS

The City of Miami Gardens has announced a truely star-studded lineup for the 4th Annual "Jazz in the Gardens" hosted by #1 rated, nationally syndicated radio personality Tom Joyner. Jazz in the Gardens takes place on Saturday, March 28th and Sunday, March 29th at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Confirmed artists thus far include Maze featuring Frankie Beverly; Anthony Hamilton; Grammy award-winning saxophonist, Kenny G; Common; Grammy-winning soul singer and writer, Erykah Badu; Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds; Will Downing; Roy Ayers; Angelique Kidjo; and two-time Grammy-nominated songwriter, guitarist and producer, Jonathan Butler.

"Four years ago, we were just another jazz festival, now it is really amazing to know that nationally and internationally, we are a well-known and respected music festival. 'Jazz in the Gardens' has become an economic resource; infusing a new stream of revenue into the South Florida area; creating business opportunities for local businesses and sponsors; and driving tourists into South Florida and the local community. In 2009 we will exceed our past attendance records and continue to make Miami Gardens the winter-break destination for adults," says Mayor Shirley Gibson.

With attendance doubling each year, "Jazz in the Gardens" is one of the top cultural events in South Florida and across the country. The jazz festival is a diverse mix of music genres that range from Jazz, R&B, Caribbean and African sounds. "Jazz in the Gardens" is an exciting multi-cultural event that has something to offer all music aficionados. With an expected turnout of 30,000, it is positioned to break its own attendance record yet again.

For more information click to:
www.jazzinthegardens.com

PATTI LABELLE & GEORGE BENSON HEADLINE 32nd ANNUAL FREIHOFER’S JAZZ FESTIVAL

The Saratoga Performing Arts Center has announced that its 32nd Annual Freihofer's Jazz Festival will feature performances by Patti LaBelle, the "Queen of Rock and Soul" who last appeared at the Festival in 1985. Called the "high priestess of good vibrations," by the New York Times, Patti Labelle (along with LaBelle) has a new album entitled Back to Now. Also appearing are George Benson, Gary Burton Quartet featuring Pat Metheny and a celebration of Miles Davis' seminal album, Kind of Blue by jazz great Jimmy Cobb who was part of the original recording. The Festival, scheduled for Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, June 28, will feature more than 20 jazz performances over two days on SPAC's Amphitheatre and Gazebo stages. Located in Saratoga Springs, New York, SPAC has been the site of the Freihofer's Jazz Festival since it was founded in 1978 by George Wein. With an inside seating capacity of 5,200 and lawn seating of 20,000, and just three hours driving time from Boston and New York, SPAC's Jazz Festival draws thousands of jazz aficionados from across the Northeast and the US.

2009 FREIHOFER'S JAZZ FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Saturday June 27
Patti LaBelle
The Gary Burton Quartet Revisited with Pat Metheny, Steve Swallow and Antonio Sanchez
Jimmy Cobb's "So What Band" tribute to Miles Davis' Kind of Blue @ 50
Dred Scott Trio
Wallace Roney Quintet
John Ellis Quartet

Sunday June 28
George Benson
Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time Out @ 50
Bonerama
Aaron Parks
Julian Lage

ANNIE LENNOX - THE ANNIE LENNOX COLLECTION

On February 17, Arista Records will release an Annie Lennox 14-song retrospective that brings together the acclaimed artist's finest solo work on a single disc for the first time, and includes a pair of new songs recorded exclusively for this release. Entitled The Annie Lennox Collection , it will also be available in a limited deluxe CD/DVD edition includes hits from her four top-selling solo albums Diva (1992), Medusa (1995), Bare (2003) and last year's highly praised Songs of Mass Destruction (2007). The timeless music selected for this collection uniquely reflects the essence of the singer's instantly recognizable brand of soul music on tracks like "Why," "Walking on Broken Glass" and "No More 'I Love You's'" -- a song that earned Lennox one of her four Grammys.

The two new songs that Lennox recorded specially for this collection include "Pattern of My Life," written by Tom Chaplin of Keane. The second is a cover of Shining Light, a song originally recorded in 2001 by Ash. "I first discovered this song by Ash about six years ago, and I simply couldn't stop listening to it. It's so exultant that it virtually shimmers," Lennox says. "Shining Light" is the retrospective's first single and hitting the airwaves of Adult Top 40 and hot AC formats February 9. Look for the video to premiere exclusively on AOL Music this week.

On February 10, Annie Lennox will perform songs from her new collection and interview with New York Times chief pop music critic, Jon Pareles at The New York Times Talk Live - An Evening with Annie Lennox. Her promotional tour continues with performances on Good Morning America (ABC) February 10 and Live With Regis & Kelly (ABC) February 11. On February 13, Lennox will perform on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (NBC) and the GRAMMY Museum at LA Live will host An Evening with Annie Lennox. The night will include an Audience Q&A session and special performance. A one hour 5-song performance and interview A&E Television Private Sessions will air March 8.

Among the many highlights on The Annie Lennox Collection is "Sing," a song that references The SING Campaign, a humanitarian organization Lennox founded to raise awareness and support for the AIDS/HIV pandemic in Africa. "We're still in the early stages, but this is a lifelong commitment on my part," Lennox says. "I'm coming out from behind my singing voice to express myself in broader terms and help give a voice to those who don't have the same opportunities as I do."

In her 26-year career, both as a member of the groundbreaking Eurythmics and as a solo artist, Lennox has amassed sales of more than 78 million albums worldwide. Her towering achievements also include 34 hit singles, four Grammy Awards, 11 Brit Awards and five Ivor Novello Awards. The superstar has also won an Academy Award and Golden Globe.

To Listen to the retrospective please click the following: The Annie Lennox Collection CD/DELUXE CD Track Listing

1. "Little Bird"

2. "Walking on Broken Glass"

3. "Why"

4. "No More I Love You's"

5. "Precious"

6. "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

7. "A Thousand Beautiful Things"

8. "Sing"

9. "Pavement Cracks"

10. "Love Song for a Vampire"

11. "Cold"

12. "Dark Road"

13. "Pattern of My Life"

14. "Shining Light"

LIMITED EDITION DELUXE DVD

1. "Little Bird"

2. "Walking on Broken Glass"

3. "Why"

4. "No More I Love You's"

5. "Precious"

6. "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

7. "A Thousand Beautiful Things"

8. "Sing"

9. "Pavement Cracks"

10. "Cold"

11. "Dark Road"

For more informationm click to:

http://www.annielennox.com/

INCOGNITO – MORE TALES REMIXED

It seemd like Incognito just months ago released their latest album – Tales From The Beach, and now they have just released More Tales Remixed. With this new release, Incognito's Mauritius-born guitarist/founder/frontman Jean-Paul Maunick, (a.k.a. Bluey), unleashes some of the world's most prominent DJs on the original tracks of Tales From The Beach. With the help of the likes of Dimitri from Paris & DJ Meme from Brazil, Brooklyn's Tortured Soul, UK's Ski Oakenfull, Germany's Christian Prommer and many others, More Tales Remixed takes the high energy of the original material and jacks it up even further with infectious, body-moving dance mixes.

"From its conception to current times, Incognito has had one foot in the dance world and another in live concert performance," says Bluey. "Along that path, the two have crossed and merged and become one. DJs and the club connection have been as strong a point of reference as our live performances throughout our history. Though I'm an out-and-out jazz funker, anyone who truly knows me knows how much I love soulful house music." More Tales Remixed is a fantastic continuation of Incognito's journey on the parallel lines of live and dance music. This one is a can’t miss. Go out and get it!

More Tales Remixed Tracklist

1. Step Aside (Dimitri From Paris and DJ Meme Remix)

2. Love Joy Understanding (Tortured Soul Remix)

3. Freedom To Love (Simon Grey Remix)

4. Feel The Pressure (Mark De Clive-Lowe Remix)

5. I've Been Waiting (Ski Oakenfull Remix)

6. Happy People (Christian Prommer Remix)

7. N.O.T. (Physics Remix)

8. I Come Alive (Rimshots and Basses / DJ Day Remix)

9. Freedom To Love (Yam Who? Rework)

10. Happy People (Mystery and Matt Early Remix)

11. I Remember A Time (Francis Hylton Remix)

12. Tales From The Beach (Outside Remix)

TOWER OF POWER - THE GREAT AMERICAN SOULBOOK

One of my all time favorite groups Tower of Power turned 40 in 2008, but the group is commemorating the anniversary with special album releases -- in 2009. This fantastic R&B/rock outfit expects to release "The Great American Soulbook" sometime during the first quarter of 2009 on its own Tower of Power Records label. Once we have the final release date, we’ll be sure to pass it on to you. As the title suggests. it's a collection of covers, ranging from obscurities (Stevie Wonder's "You Met Your Match") to well-known favorites."We really didn't want to do it," saxophonist and group co-founder Emilio Castillo tells Billboard.com, crediting manager Pat Rains with pushing the idea. "We were like, 'Yeah, yeah, everybody's doing that.' We don't like chasing trends. But we got about a third of the way through and started thinking, 'Boy, this is gonna be really cool,' and it turned out really good."

Tower of Power call in several of its famous friends to be part of the album. Joss Stone duets with band vocalist Larry Braggs on Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston's "It Takes Two" and Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Your Precious Love." Huey Lewis sings Wilson Pickett's "634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)," Tom Jones performs on Sam & Dave's "I Thank You" and Sam Moore does Otis Redding's Mr. "Pitiful.” Other tracks on the album include Aretha Franklin's "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone," Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones" and Tavares' "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel," as well as a four-song James Brown tribute. George Duke produced four of the album's tracks, while Castillo helmed the other 10.

CARIBBEAN JAZZ PROJECT & AFRO BOP ALLIANCE TEAM UP FOR BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM OF 2008

Dave Samuels of the Caribbean Jazz Project and Joe McCarthy and his Afro Bop Alliance have already landed a 2008 Latin Grammy for their album entitled Afro Bop Alliance. Last year, their two great bands joined forces to make some exceptional music, producing one of the hottest Latin Jazz recordings of 2008. On the Heads Up label, it's the third recording for the Maryland-based Afro Bop Alliance. Teaming up with the Caribbean Jazz Project, the group swelled to the size of a big band to create a winning sound. The group anticipated neither nomination. Says Afro Bop Alliance bandleader Joe McCarthy: "I've never made a recording with the intention of trying to win an award. The idea behind the Grammy-nominated recording was to put some of our favorite music into big band arrangements."

This is his third album with Afro Bop Alliance and the second major collaboration with New York-based Caribbean Jazz Project led by Dave Samuels. The Washington Post calls it "an inspired pairing." Amplified by a talented team of brass and reed players, they forge a unique and powerful sound that gets audiences visibly excited and itching to dance. Samuels wrote the opening high-energy track, "Rendezvous," and four other tunes on the CD. Recognized as the top mallet player of his generation, the award-winning artist shines on both the vibraphone and marimba. Says McCarthy, "Dave is a phenomenal improviser with a wonderful time feel. With him the groove is paramount."

The big band instrumentation lends extra color and power to the music. The CD also features much-praised remakes of Dizzy Gillespie favorite "Sole Sauce," the John Coltrane classic "Naima," and the more conventionally Latin "Stolen Moments" by Oliver E. Nelson. The new versions are receiving plenty of airplay. Besides the Latin Grammy win and Grammy nomination, the project has yielded two books being published by Alfred Music. One features McCarthy's drum-set-playing techniques; the other taps Dave Samuels' knowledge as a mallet player.

For these musicians, the path has been short on glitz and glamour and long on hard work and discipline. Samuels is based in New York, as is conguero Roberto Quintero. The rest of the musicians on the recording live and work in the Baltimore-Washington area. Afro Bop Alliance bandleader Joe McCarthy lives in Annapolis and holds the rank of Chief Petty Officer as a musician in the United States Naval Academy Band. He is the principal percussionist of the U.S. Naval Academy Concert Band and the drummer in the jazz ensemble.

McCarthy founded Afro Bop Alliance in 2002, combining the harmonic language of jazz and the rhythmic language of many different Afro Cuban rhythms. The group is infused with the talent and experience of many military band career musicians and others. About the musicianship of his colleagues he says: "The level is second to none. They are serious and reliable. Had I not been in the Navy Band, I may not have met most of these world-class musicians."

15th ANNUAL ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Essence Music Festival slated for July 3-5 at the New Orleans Superdome, will include events marking the festival's 15th anniversary and President Barack Obama's inauguration. Headliners for the festival — billed as one of the nation's largest annual events celebrating black music and culture — will include Maxwell, Anita Baker, Al Green, John Legend, Robin Thicke, Salt-N-Pepa, Ne-Yo and En Vogue will join previously announced headliner Beyonce. Rounding out the bill are Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars, Teena Marie, Eric Benet, Jazmine Sullivan, Janelle Monae, Raphael Saadiq, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Zap Mama, The Knux, Irvin Mayfield, Lalah Hathaway, Blind Boys of Alabama, Ledisi, Marva Wright, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Brand New Heavies, Dan Dyer, DJ Soul Sister, Keri Hilson, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Rebirth Brass Band, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave. The Essence Festival is also known for its empowerment seminars, which are free and open to ticket-holders on a first-come, first-served basis. Among the personalities participating in these events are Bill Cosby, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Donna Brazile, Tom Joyner, Hill Harper and Donnie McClurkin.

The format for this year's festival will be the same as in years past: Ticketed musical performances are slated at night and free empowerment seminars will be held during the day. The festival began in 1995 as a one-time celebration of the 25th anniversary of Essence magazine. Over the years, it has hosted performances by Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, LL Cool J, the Isley Brothers, Lionel Richie, Luther Vandross, Mary J. Blige, the O'Jays, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Toni Braxton and Patti LaBelle, among others.

In honor of Essence's 15th anniversary, the festival is offering a 15 percent discount on select tickets through Friday. General admission tickets range from $51 to nearly $175.An estimated 200,000 people attended the festival in 2007, the year it returned to New Orleans after being held in Houston in 2006 because the city was still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. The festival had one of its biggest turnouts last year with more than 270,000 attendees.


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SIMPLY RED 25TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR

Simply Red are about to embark on a huge worldwide tour starting on February 1st in Thailand. All the dates to the end of July have now been announced and gone on sale – see below for a list of confirmed concert dates thus far. The tour is expected to continue until the summer of 2010.

Impact Arena, Bangkok, Thailand, Feb 1
Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia, Feb 4
Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia, Feb 5
Peter Lehmann’s Winery, Barossa Valley, Australia, Feb 7
Rochford Winery, Yarra Valley, Australia, Feb 8
Palais Theater, Melbourne, Australia, Feb 10
Palais Theater, Melbourne, Australia, Feb 11
Bowl of Brooklands, Taranki, New Zealand, Feb 13
Church Road Vineyard, Napier, New Zealand, Feb 14
Villa Maria Estate, Auckland, New Zealand, Feb 15
Royal Theatre, Canberra, Australia, Feb 17
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia, Feb 18
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia, Feb 19
Bimbadgen Estate, Hunter Valley, Australia, Feb 21
Sirromet Valley, Mount Cotton, Brisbane, Australia, Feb 22
Vina del mar Festival, Dina de Mar, Chile, Feb 26
Casino, Vina del Mar, Chile, Feb 28
Credicard Hall, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Mar 3
Credicard Hall, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Mar 4
Citibank Hall, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mar 6
Telmex Theatre, Guadalajara, Mexico, Mar 9
National Auditorium, Mexico City, Mexico, Mar 11
Club Nokia, Los Angeles, CA, Mar 13
Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY, Mar 15
Braehead Arena, Glasgow, UK, Mar 24
Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, UK, Mar 26
Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, UK, Mar 27
LG Arena (NEC), Birmingham, UK, Mar 28
Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, UK, Mar 30
Brighton Centre, Brighton, UK, Mar 31
The O2 Arena, London, UK, Apr 2-3
M.E.N. Arena, Manchester, UK, Apr 5
The Clyde Auditorium,, Glasgow, UK, Apr 6
Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, UK, Apr 7
Trent FM Arena, Nottingham, UK, Apr 9
Sprotspaleis, Antwerp, Belgium, Apr 18
Rockhal, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg, Apr 19
Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Apr 21
Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Apr 22
Forum, Horsens, Denmark, Apr 24
Annex, Stockholm, Sweden, Apr 26
Hartwall, Helsinki, Finland, Apr 28
Kremlin Palace, Moscow, Russia, Apr 30
Torwar, Warsaw, Poland, May 3
Leipzig Arena, Leipzig, Germany, May 5
Arena Nurnberger Versicherungen, Nurnberg, Germany, May 6
Mannheim SAP Arena, Mannheim, Germany, May 7
Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany, May 9
Hamburg Color Line Arena, Hamburg, Germany, May 11
Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany, May 12
Frankfurt Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany, May 13
Halenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland, May 15
Teatro Degli Arcimboldi, Milan, Italy, May 16-17
Palasport, Conegliano Veneto, Italy, May 19
Stadhalle Vienna, Vienna, Austria, May 21
Stadhalle Graz, Graz, Austria, May 22
O2 Arena, Prague, Czech Republic, May 24
02 World Arena, Berlin, Germany, May 25
Olympia, Paris, France, May 27-28
Olympiahaile, Munich, Germany, May 30
Westonbirt Arboretum, Tetbury, UK, June 21
Heroes’ Square, Budapest, Hungary, June 27
Vaerket Outdoors, Randers, Denmark, July 1
Westerpark, Amsterdam, Netherlands, July 3
Foret National, Brussels, Belgium, July 4
Markplatz, Lingen, Germany, July 5
Parkuhne, Hannover, Germany, July 7
Amphitheater, Gelsenkirchen, Germany, July 18
Muensterplatz, Ulm, Germany, July 19

BEN HARPER’s COMPLETE CATALOG TO BE RE-RELEASED ON VINYL

EMI Music’s vinyl campaign continues with Ben Harper’s complete Virgin Records catalog. On, February 24, EMI Music continues its successful high-quality vinyl campaign with the release of Ben Harper's entire Virgin Records catalog in limited edition, 180-gram vinyl packaging. Nine Ben Harper albums, all previously out-of-print on vinyl, have been restored to the format with Harper's supervision. The LPs will be released in deluxe packaging with carefully replicated artwork, and two live EPs will make their vinyl release debuts. A bonus colored vinyl 7" is included for Welcome To The Cruel World (Anniversary Edition), and an original poster has been reproduced for inclusion with Both Sides Of The Gun.

EMI Music launched its popular "From The Capitol Vaults" series in September 2008 with 13 classic titles, all previously out-of-print on vinyl. Included in the campaign's debut were A Perfect Circle's Mer de Noms, The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, Coldplay's Parachutes, A Rush Of Blood To The Head, and X&Y, Radiohead's Pablo Honey, The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A (two 10" 140-gram LPs), Amnesiac (two 10" 140-gram LPs), and Hail To The Thief, R.E.M.'s Document, and Steve Miller Band's Greatest Hits 1974-78.

The series continued with John Lennon's Imagine and Rock 'N' Roll, The Band's Music From Big Pink and The Band, The Beach Boys' Endless Summer, Paul McCartney & Wings' Band On The Run, Megadeth's Peace Sells and Rust In Peace, Queensryche's Operation: Mindcrime, Roxy Music's For Your Pleasure and Roxy Music, Stray Cats' Built For Speed, The Verve's Urban Hymns, and Jimi Hendrix's Band Of Gypsys on fiery red 180-gram vinyl.

For more information click to:
www.benharper.net
http://fromthecapitolvaults.com

Ben Harper vinyl LP & EP titles:

Welcome To The Cruel World (Anniversary Edition)
1 LP + bonus colored vinyl 7" (7" tracks: "Remember" / "If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again")
Gatefold packaging, paper sleeve with inner clear lining, printed labels

Both Sides Of The Gun
2 LPs, gatefold packaging, paper sleeves, printed labels, poster

Burn To Shine
2 LPs, gatefold packaging, paper sleeves, printed labels

Diamonds On The Inside
2 LPs, gatefold packaging, paper sleeves, printed lyrics

Fight For Your Mind
2 LPs, gatefold packaging, paper sleeve with inner clear lining, printed labels

Life Line
1 LP, gatefold packaging, paper sleeves, printed labels

Live From Mars
4 LPs, special packaging, paper sleeves, printed labels

There Will Be Light
1 LP, gatefold packaging, printed sleeves, printed lyrics

Will To Live
1 LP, gatefold packaging, paper sleeve with inner clear lining, printed labels

Will To Live (Live EP)
Side A Side B
1. The Will To Live 1. I Shall Not Walk Alone
2. Faded 2. Voodoo Chile
3. Forever

Alone (Live EP)
Side A Side B
1. Alone 1. Steal My Kisses
2. Burn To Shine 2. Nobody's Fault But Mine
3. The Woman In You 3. Please Bleed

SOIL & “PIMP” SESSIONS – PLANET PIMP - DUE FEBRUARY 24

Emerging from the club scenes of Tokyo, London, and Paris, SOIL & "PIMP" SESSIONS, the groundbreaking sensation of last summer's Montreux Jazz Festival, are set to invade the U.S. in 2009 with their newest album on KOCH Records, "Planet Pimp." This is a band that accepts no taboos and acknowledges no barriers in their mission to rid jazz of its tired old clichés, and re-energize the values that made it the original popular music of a time gone by. The attitude is ferocious and full of humor; the music charges ahead with abandon: rhythmic, danceable, driven by powerhouse grooves, kinetic piano, and bold horns. They're considered a pop group in their native Japan, where they play before thousands and receive maximum airplay for their videos. In the UK and Continental Europe, they've established themselves at the head of a new wave of club jazz that's packing in young audiences who may not even identify with an older generation, but respond to the sheer enthusiasm and gutsy euphoria of the band's gigs and records. SOIL & "PIMP" SESSIONS are now ready to begin their friendly takeover of the United States' alternative, club, fusion, and contemporary jazz scenes.

TRACK LIST FOR PLANET PIMP
1. I.N.T.R.O.
2. Hollow
3. STORM
4. Fantastic Planet
5. GO NEXT!
6. Darkside
7. Sea Of Tranquility
8. The world is filled by...
9. Khamasin
10. Struggle
11. Mingus Fan Club
12. Mars
13. SATSURIKU Rejects
14. Sorrow

BRIAN MCKNIGHT JOINS THE ABC RADIO NETWORKS

Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, pop and R&B musician Brian McKnight has partnered with the ABC Radio Networks to host "The Brian McKnight Show." Originating from its flagship WRKS-FM/New York, the program will air weekdays from 7-midnight ET starting on January 26, 2009. The show will include interviews with entertainers from the worlds of music and film, discussions on love and relationships and McKnight's selection of ballads from today's top musicians. Prior to this, Brian hosted a radio show, The Brian McKnight Morning Show with Pat Prescott on KTWV The Wave in Los Angeles, CA. The show was also simulcasted on KHJZ-FM, Smooth Jazz 95.7 The Wave in Houston, TX from 6am-9am CST, but this station has since changed its format.

"Brian is a phenomenal music personality who has quickly established himself as a broadcaster with a knack for touching his audience in a deeply personal way," said VP/Urban Programming Ed Pearson. "Adding this new show to our Urban portfolio is a win for us and R&B music fans across the country. The live studio performances will be a hit on the air and online and there's no question they will create traffic and become a destination point for both consumers and advertisers." "The opportunity to have an intimate visit each night with an audience looking for some good Soul and R&B plus a bit of conversation is going to be a thrill for me," added McKnight. "I'll be able to connect with our listeners on the air, on the phone and in our live Web chat room during the show. It's going to be a fun ride and I can't wait to get started." (01-26-09)

DEAN MARTIN - LOVE SONGS

There is "cool" and then there is Dino, the King of Cool. Now, just in time for Valentine's Day, Dean Martin - Love Songs (Hip-O/UMe), released January 13, 2009, brings together 14 of his most heartwarming performances, from his best known signature tune, "Everybody Loves Somebody," to his forever hopeful "Somewhere There's A Someone." A handful of these recordings have rarely been available on CD, and now they're in one place.

As the man who once knocked the Beatles out of the No. 1 spot on the charts, Dino has remained an icon and a timeless singer whose vocal style has defined smooth, suave and seductive, while being rediscovered by new generations. Coincidentally, a pair of Martin's albums was recently on the Top 40 charts. The George Clooney-Brad Pitt Ocean's Eleven series of hit movies, a continuing fascination with the Rat Pack, Comedy Central's reruns of Martin's classic "Celebrity Roast" specials, and lounge music revivals have helped fuel a never-ending interest in one of the most popular entertainers in history.

Martin's music career boasted more than 30 albums, 12 of them certified gold. He originally signed to Capitol Records, where he scored several major hits. He moved to Reprise, the imprint formed by pal Frank Sinatra, in its inaugural year and he stayed for 16 years. At that label, he enjoyed 11 Top 40 singles, including Love Songs' gold-seller and #1 smash "Everybody Loves Somebody," "I Will" (#10) and "Somewhere There's A Someone" (#32).

On Love Songs, Martin's unique combination of carefree charm and late night intimacy infuses such classics as "Besame Mucho," "I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)," "I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)," "I'll Be Seeing You," "You'll Always Be The One I Love" and "Release Me." Also on board are vintage gems "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face" (from the album spun off from the enormously successful "The Dean Martin TV Show") and "The Glory Of Love" from the soundtrack to the film The Silencers, one of the spy spoofs that starred Martin as Matt Helm. Rounding the album out are the pop hits "For Once In My Life," "For The Good Times" and "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want To Do It)" on Dean Martin - Love Songs.

BRIAN CULBERTON JOINS BARRY MANILOW TOUR

Just off of his annual "A SOULFUL CHRISTMAS" tour, Brian Culbertson is preparing to hit the road with Barry Manilow. Culbertson is thrilled to be sharing the stage again with Barry Manilow. Culbertson stated, "I had the chance to open for Barry on a number of dates last year and had a blast! He has the best fans and I can't wait to share my music with them again."
Culbertson will be wowing audiences with his signature high-energy show as he opens for Manilow's hit concert, "ULTIMATE MANILOW: The Hits.and then some" in various cities throughout the U.S.

Tour stops include:
February 4 - Manchester, NH @ Verizon Wireless Arena
February 5 - Wilkes-Barre, PA @ Wachovia Arena
February 11 - Providence, RI @ Dunkin Donuts Center
February 14 - Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum
*Benefit for STAND UP FOR A CURE
March 14 - Spokane, WA @ Spokane Arena
March 15 - Everett, WA @ Comcast Arena
*Benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Manilow, who will be performing the exclusive rendition of his hit Las Vegas Hilton show, ranks as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time with more than 75 million records sold worldwide. His career includes 25 consecutive Top 40 hits such as Even Now, This One's for You, Weekend in New England, I Write the Songs, Tryin' to Get the Feeling Againand Copacabana (At the Copa). In 1978, five of Manilow's albums were on the charts simultaneously - a record rivaled only by Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis.

Billboard Magazine recently stated: "Among the few things one can count on in life: the taste of McDonald's cheeseburgers, 'I Love Lucy' reruns are still funny-and Barry Manilow never wearing out his welcome at the top of the charts." The pop icon has written hundreds of songs and performed around the globe thrilling millions of fans, winning a Grammy, two Emmys, several Tony Awards and an Oscar nomination along the way.

BETTYE LAVETTE IS A DIVA TO BE NOTICED!

Bettye LaVette pulled out all the stops and put on a staggering performance of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" in a duet with Jon Bon Jovi on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. This marks the second time in the past two months she has been in the capitol making an indelible impression with the powers that be and distinctly shined through it all. The first was at the Kennedy Center Honors when she slayed the crowd with her own very unique version of the Who's "Love Reign O'er Me."

"'Music has always been the creative heartbeat of the American experience,'" Denzel Washington said at the Lincoln Memorial during Sunday's opening ceremony, noted The Philadelphia Inquirer. "That truism was brought vividly to life this week. Bettye LaVette turned in a soul-searing performance at the memorial of Sam Cooke's civil-rights-era classic 'A Change Is Gonna Come.'"

Of singing for Obama, Bettye said in Tina Brown's Daily Beast: "In the middle of the song I turned and looked and Obama was on the stage, the whole group of them, and my eyes were just fixed on him for a moment. I was singing the line 'I always believed that a change would come,' and just as I turned, our eyes locked and he was mouthing the words along."

Bettye recounted her other most meaningful moments of the day in the Detroit Free Press, where Bettye proclaimed: "Do you know I just hugged, kissed and sung for the president of the United States? For the second time in six weeks?" And in another section of the paper, she revealed: "I got a chance to talk to them. He (Obama) held me and he said, 'I appreciated you singing for me so much and I really loved the song.'"

Meanwhile, Jon Bon Jovi was on Oprah yesterday (1/21) showing photos he had taken during all the inaugural festivities. While Oprah was holding a photo of Bettye and Jon, he exclaimed, "That's Bettye LaVette who sang with me 'A Change is Gonna Come.' Talk about a lady who's lived the lyric of a song -- looking into her eyes was almost as magical as looking out at the 400,000 people I was singing to. It was pretty special."

Elsewhere, Daily Variety declared: "Bettye LaVette, who took D.C. by storm last month at the Kennedy Center Honors, was partnered with Jon Bon Jovi on Sam Cook's 'A Change Is Gonna Come.' She invested it with anguish, while he approached it from a perspective of reasoned logic, giving the perf considerable gravitas"; while The Baltimore Sun remarked: "The under-rated blues-soul great Bettye LaVette -- whose wrenching, scarred approach to everything she sings -- was... paired with Jon Bon Jovi for Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Gonna Come."

Utne Reader had the best headline of the event: "Bettye LaVette and the Soul of Barack Obama." The item went on to predict, "I think her performance might be the Barackathon's emotional showstopper." And even the sports world took notice. Former NFL running back for the San Francisco 49ers confessed to the San Francisco Chronicle: "Oh... when Bon Jovi and Bettye LaVette sang Sam Cooke's stirring civil-rights song, 'A Change Is Gonna Come,' on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday? I cried like a baby."

According to Newsday: "The great Bettye LaVette brings the first amazing moment of 'We Are One' as she fills 'A Change Is Gonna Come' with fire, dueting with Jon Bon Jovi. They even rewrite the final chorus to say 'Change has come.'"

"It was truly the most wonderful experience and highlight of my life," Bettye whispered with all the sincerity and humility in her soul.

You can see and hear her duet with Jon Bon Jovi from Barack Obama's Inaugural Event at the Lincoln Memorial here:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SeMBiz58ot4

Additionally, NPR's "Fresh Air" is going to re-air and update their interview with Bettye for today's broadcast (1/23).

For more info click to:
http://www.bettyelavette.com/
http://www.anti.com/.

WJZZ-FM SMOOTH JAZZ 107.5 ATLANTA TO DROP FORMAT

Well here we go once again. Over the past two years we have lost so many smooth jazz formatted radio stations that I seem to have lost count. At this point, I would guess it’s about at least 12 stations thus far. So far, smooth jazz has disappeared off the FM airwaves in New York, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Miami, and Philadelphia, to name a few. Now comes word that Smooth Jazz 107.5 (WJZZ-FM) in Atlanta has cut its local staff, according to Radio & Records’ industry blog. The Radio One station has reportedly fired Programming Director Dave Kosh and on-air talent Greg Fitzgerald. Station representatives would not confirm whether 107.5 will switch to a new format. According to Bob Baldwin, a local jazz artist who had hosted a “new urban jazz” show on Saturday nights on the station “It’s a nationwide epidemic.” “The whole East Coast,” Baldwin said, “smooth jazz has become a dying art.”

Locally, ratings for Smooth Jazz, which blends contemporary jazz with R&B, have slipped the past two years. In the most recent monthly numbers provided by Arbitron for December, the station was ranked 19th among 25- to 54-year-olds and 16th place overall. The only jazz station left in the Atlanta market is Jazz 91.9 WCLK- FM, which is supported by Clark Atlanta University. Tim Davies, Atlanta vice president and market manager, would not comment on staff changes going on at the station. When asked if there would be a format change in the future for WJZZ he said, “We are going to continue with smooth jazz format for a predetermined amount of time and then we will let folks know about our programming changes if they happen.” The station had been playing smooth jazz for the last seven years.

CHARLES AZNAVOUR - DUOS

Charles Aznavour has long been one of the world's top entertainment legends, with decades of music and film success and global album sales totalling more than 100 million. On February 10, Capitol/EMI will digitally release Charles Aznavour: Duos, a new 28-track collection of mostly previously unreleased collaborative recordings, via all major digital music providers. Duos' U.S. digital release follows its December release on CD.

Duos is a collection of many of Aznavour's greatest vocal collaborations with top stars of the French and international stage, including Paul Anka, Celine Dion, Placido Domingo, Bryan Ferry, Josh Groban, Herbert Groenemeyer, Johnny Hallyday, Julio Iglesias, Elton John, Carole King, Liza Minnelli, Nana Mouskouri, Laura Pausini, Edith Piaf, Frank Sinatra and Sting. All of the tracks, with the exception of "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime" with Dean Martin (previously released on Dean Martin: Forever Cool), make their commercial release debuts on Duos.

Charles Aznavour will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at MIDEM on January 19 in recognition of his outstanding career. The 43rd edition of MIDEM, the international music market, takes place in Cannes from January 18 to 21.

"Charles Aznavour is, without doubt, the most famous French singer throughout the world, and he is a living legend in the pantheon of chanson francaise," said Paul Zilk, Chief Executive Officer of Reed MIDEM. "His songs have become standards covered by some of the greatest artists of successive generations, and the films in which he has starred are classics. It is a pleasure for MIDEM to be able to honour this incomparable personality." Aznavour will travel to New York City in April for four concerts at City Center (April 29 to May 2).

Charles Aznavour has written more than 800 songs, many of which have been interpreted by the world's greatest artists (Fred Astaire, Shirley Bassey, Ray Charles, Elvis Costello, Bobby Darin, Sammy Davis Junior, Juliette Greco, Liza Minnelli, Edith Piaf and Nina Simone, to name but a few). He has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, and his career as an actor, which he began in the theatre at the age of nine, includes more than 60 films, including "The Tin Drum," winner of the Palme d'Or at the 1979 Festival de Cannes. Last October, a musical comedy based on Aznavour's songs, entitled "Je m'Voyais Deja" ("I Could Already See Myself"), opened in Paris.

At 84, the lyricist and/or composer of such classics as "La Boheme," "Je m'Voyais Deja," "Hier encore" and "La Mamma" continues to write new songs and to appear on some of the most prestigious international stages. Charles Aznavour is a dazzling symbol of universal artistic talent coupled with unbounded energy. His latest studio album, Colore ma Vie, was released in 2007 by EMI.

CHARLES AZNAVOUR: Duos (digital album)

1. TOI ET MOI (Charles Aznavour / Celine Dion)

2. QUE C'EST TRISTE VENISE (Charles Aznavour / Julio Iglesias)

3. LES BATEAUX SONT PARTIS (Charles Aznavour / Placido Domingo)

4. PARIS AU MOIS D'AOUT (Charles Aznavour / Laura Pausini)

5. HIER ENCORE (Charles Aznavour / Elton John)

6. IL FAUT SAVOIR (Charles Aznavour / Johnny Hallyday)

7. MOURIR D'AIMER (Charles Aznavour / Nana Mouskouri)

8. L'AMOUR C'EST COMME UN JOUR (Charles Aznavour / Sting)

9. LA BOHEME (Charles Aznavour / Josh Groban)

10. TON NOM (Charles Aznavour / Carole King)

11. JE N'AI PAS VU LE TEMPS PASSER (Charles Aznavour / Paul Anka)

12. MES EMMERDES (Charles Aznavour / Herbert Groenemeyer)

13. C'EST UN GARS (Charles Aznavour / Edith Piaf)

14. YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG (Charles Aznavour / Elton John)

15. QUIET LOVE (Charles Aznavour / Liza Minnelli)

16. LOVE IS NEW EVERYDAY (Charles Aznavour / Sting)

17. YOUNG AT HEART (Charles Aznavour / Frank Sinatra)

18. TO DIE OF LOVE (Charles Aznavour / Nana Mouskouri)

19. SHE (Charles Aznavour / Bryan Ferry)

20. I DIDN'T SEE THE TIME GO BY (Charles Aznavour / Paul Anka)

21. YOU AND ME (Charles Aznavour / Celine Dion)

22. LA BOHEME (Charles Aznavour / Josh Groban)

23. EL BARCO YA SE FUE (Charles Aznavour / Placido Domingo) [Spanish]

24. THE SOUND OF YOUR NAME (Charles Aznavour / Carole King)

25. YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN (Charles Aznavour / Johnny Hallyday)

26. PARIGI IN AGOSTO (Charles Aznavour / Laura Pausini) [Italian]

27. ALS ES MIR BESCHISSEN GING (Charles Aznavour / Herbert Groenemeyer) [German]

28. EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY SOMETIME (Charles Aznavour / Dean Martin)

MOTOWN 50TH PODCASTS

The legendary Motown Records celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with a series of promotions and releases from Berry Gordy's groundbreaking company and Universal Music Enterprises, including a series of online podcasts featuring rare and intimate conversations with the label's legends, producers, songwriters and singers, which started on Monday, Jan. 12 at www.classic.motown.com. The podcasts are also available on iTunes. The year-long series of episodes gets underway with an interview featuring Smokey Robinson reflecting on Motown's early days, his relationship with Gordy and the impact the label has had on American culture.

Fresh episodes will debut bi-weekly, including those with founder Berry Gordy; Nick Cannon; the late Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops; The New York Times columnist Frank Rich; Smokey Robinson detailing the genesis of "Shop Around," the label's first million-seller; the Temptations' Otis Williams and the late Melvin Franklin; Stevie Wonder; Levi Stubbs and Lamont Dozier (of H-D-H fame) discussing "Reach Out I'll Be There"; KCRW's Garth Trinidad; Diana Ross; songwriters Pam Sawyer and Marilyn McLeod on the creation of Ross's hit "Love Hangover"; hip-hop pioneer and Universal Motown artist Q-Tip; Smokey Robinson and more of the Miracles; and songwriter/producer Dozier. Upcoming segments will feature Marvin Gaye, the Jackson 5, the Commodores, film director Lawrence Kasdan (The Big Chill), and songwriter Diane Warren, among others.

These exclusive podcasts are just part of a year-long celebration of Motown's 50th and its lasting legacy, which included the Dec. 9 release of Motown: The Complete No. 1's, a 10-CD box set in the shape of the label's famed "Hitsville U.S.A." birthplace in Detroit, featuring more than 200 classic songs from 50 Motown artists that topped charts around the world, plus a 100-page photo booklet with rare images and an introduction by Smokey Robinson. In addition, NOW That's What I Call Motown!, the latest compilation in the hugely successful NOW That's What I Call Music! Series--featuring 25 of the label's most beloved, timeless classic pop and R&B tracks--was released on CD and digitally January 13, as a joint venture from EMI Music, the Universal Music Group and its Motown Records division, and Sony Music Entertainment.

Below is the link to iTunes, as well as a complete list of the first 15 "Motown 50" podcasts:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=301547030

1. Smokey Robinson: Motown Reflections (1/12): The legendary artist/songwriter reflects on the label's early days, his mentor Berry Gordy and the impact Motown continues to have worldwide.
2. Berry Gordy: A Tour of Hitsville U.S.A., May 1963 (1/27): In this rare interview, the Motown founder and a Detroit radio host walk through Hitsville on the cusp of the company's runaway success.
3. Nick Cannon: Impressions of Motown (2/10): The actor/musician/producer and husband of Mariah Carey shares his earliest impressions of Motown.
4. Levi Stubbs: The Four Tops (2/24): The late lead singer, in a rare interview from the Motown Archives, talks about what made the group tick.
5. Frank Rich: The Nation's Capitol, The Motortown Review and President Obama (3/10): The New York Times' political columnist links Motown to the upheaval of the '60s through personal recollections of the Motortown Review in his native Washington, D.C., while adding perspective on the election of President Barack Obama.
6. Smokey Robinson, The Anatomy of a Hit: "Shop Around" (3/24): The singer/songwriter and Motown veteran tells the amazing story about the label's--and his group the Miracles'--first million-selling single.
7. The Temptations (4/14): Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin and fellow Tempts discuss their beginnings and illustrious musical career in a rare archival interview from the '80s.
8. Stevie Wonder (4/28): In another rare archival interview, the superstar talks of his early days at Motown and the evolution of his music through the brilliant, then-new album Talking Book.
9. Levi Stubbs, Lamont Dozier and Paul Riser, The Anatomy of a Hit: "Reach Out I'll Be There" (5/12): The threesome break down one of Motown's biggest hits, a world-wide smash for the Four Tops.
10. Listening with Garth Trinidad (5/26): The KCRW tastemaker and renowned DJ gets put to the test listening to a batch of Motown songs, unlike any he has heard.
11. Diana Ross (6/09): In a rare '70s interview, Motown's No. 1 diva tells her story in her own words.
12. Pam Sawyer and Marilyn McLeod, The Anatomy of a Hit: "Love Hangover" Part 1 (6/23): The songwriters of Diana Ross' #1 dance smash discuss the birth of the tune, including rare session elements.
13. Q-Tip, The Anatomy of a Hit: "Love Hangover" Part 2 (7/7): The hip-hop pioneer and Universal Motown artist breaks down one of his favorite Motown songs, with more previously unheard elements from the master tapes.
14. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (7/21): Smokey, Ronnie White and fellow members of the band discuss their long career and amazing body of work.
15. Lamont Dozier (8/4): The songwriter and producer, part of the famed Holland-Dozier-Holland team, reflects on the songs and artists that made Motown one of the greatest musical forces of the 20th century - and beyond.

FEBRUARY CONCERT CALENDAR

Mindi Abair @ All Star Smooth Jazz, Celebrity Cruise Lines, Miami, FL, Jan 31-Feb 6
Simply Red @ Impact Arena, Bangkok, Thailand, Feb 1
John Scofield @ Salem State College, Salem, MA, Feb 2-3
Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Christian McBride, Kenny Garrett, Brian Blade @ Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Feb 2-8
Michael Franks @ Billboard Live, Osaka, Japan, Feb 3
John Scofield @ Zankel Hall, New York, NY, Feb 4
Michael Franks @ Billboard Live, Osaka, Japan, Feb 4
Brian Culbertson @ Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, NH, Feb 4
Simply Red @ Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia, Feb 4-5
Brian Culbertson @ Wachovia Arena, Wilkes-Barre, PA, Feb 5
B. B. King @ Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL, Feb 5
Frankie Valli @ Kravis Center, West Palm Beach, FL, Feb 5
Michael Franks @ Billboard Live, Tokyo, Japan, Feb 6
B. B. King @ UCF Arena, Orlando, FL, Feb 6
Doc Sevrensen @ California Center For The Arts, Escondido, CA, Feb 6
Charlie Hunter @ Café du Nord, San Francisco, CA, Feb 6
Frankie Valli @ Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL, Feb 6-7
Michael Franks @ Billboard Live, Tokyo, Japan, Feb 7
B. B. King @ Kravis Center, West Palm Beach, FL, Feb 7
Charlie Hunter @ Freight & Savage, Berkeley, CA, Feb 7
Simply Red @ Peter Lehmann’s Winery, Barossa Valley, Australia, Feb 7
Dave Koz @ Pechanga Showroom, Temecula, CA, Feb 7
Simply Red @ Rochford Winery, Yarra Valley, Australia, Feb 8
Michael Franks @ Billboard Live, Fukuoka, Japan, Feb 9
Simply Red @ Palais Theater, Melbourne, Australia, Feb 10
B. B. King @ Shoreline Ballroom, Hilton Head Island, SC, Feb 10
Peabo Bryson, Regina Belle @ @ Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Feb 10-15
Simply Red @ Palais Theater, Melbourne, Australia, Feb 11
Brian Culbertson @ Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, RI, Feb 11
Dr. John @ Overture Center, Madison, WI, Feb 11
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons @ Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, FL, Feb 11-12
Dr. John @ Sheldon Concert Hall, St. Louis, MO, Feb 12
B. B. King @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, Feb 12
Mindi Abair @ Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle, WA, Feb 12-15
Dr. John @ Englert Civic Theatre, Iowa City, IA, Feb 13
Dennis Coffey @ Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, Detroit, MI, Feb 13
Chris Bott @ Boettcher Cpncert Hall, Denver, CO, Feb 13
Simply Red @ Bowl of Brooklands, Taranki, New Zealand, Feb 13
John Legend @ Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Palm Springs, CA, Feb 13
Bobby Caldwell @ Scullers, Boston, MA, Feb 13-14
Chris Botti @ Northern Quest Casino, Spokane, WA, Feb 14
Dr. John @ Soaring Eagle Casino, Mount Pleasant, MI, Feb 14
B. B. King @ Midland Theatre, Kansas City, MO, Feb 14
Simply Red @ Church Road Vineyard, Napier, New Zealand, Feb 14
Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr @ Spotlight Casino, Coachella, Ca, Feb 14
Brian Culbertson @ Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY, Feb 14
Freddie Jackson @ B. B. King’s Blues Club, New York, NY, Feb 14
Labelle @ The Civic Center, Atlanta, GA, Feb 14
Chris Botti @ Vilar Center For The Arts, Beaver Creek, CO, Feb 15
Simply Red @ Villa Maria Estate, Auckland, New Zealand, Feb 15
Susan Tedeschi @ Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, CA, Feb 15
Labelle @ Fillmore Miami Beach, Miami Beach, FL, Feb 15
B. B. King @ Louisville Palace Theatre, Louisville, KY, Feb 15
Teena Marie @ Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, Los Angeles, CA, Feb 15
McCoy Tyner @ Portland Jazz Festival, Portland, OR, Feb 15
The Stylistics, The Delfonics, The Manhattans, The Chi-Lites, The Main Ingredient ft. Cuba Gooding Sr. @ The Beacon Theatre, New York, NY, Feb 15
B. B. King @ Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI, Feb 16
Labelle @ The Civic Center, Atlanta, GA, Feb 16
Simply Red @ Royal Theatre, Canberra, Australia, Feb 17
Al Jarreau @ The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA, Feb 17
Angie Stone @ B. B. King’s Blues Club, New York, NY, Feb 17
Rachael Yamagata, Kevin Devine @ Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Feb 16-17
Simply Red @ Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia, Feb 18
B. B. King @ Providence PAC, Providence, RI, Feb 18
Bobby Caldwell @ Birdland, New York, NY, Feb 18-21
Hank Jones @ Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Feb 18-24
Dr. John @ American Music Theatre, Lancaster, PA, Feb 19
Simply Red @ Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia, Feb 19
Branford Marsalis @ Myerson Symphony Center, Dallas, TX, Feb 19-22
Tony Bennett @ Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT, Feb 20
B. B. King @ Dar Constitution Hall, Washington, DC, Feb 20
Chicago @ Agua Caliente Casino & Resort, Rancho Mirage, CA, Feb 20
John Scofield @ Orchestra Hall, Detroit, MI, Feb 20
Thievery Corporation @ Riviera theatre, Chicago, IL, Feb 20
Simply Red @ Bimbadgen Estate, Hunter Valley, Australia, Feb 21
Tony Bennett @ Chevrolet Theatre, Wallingford, CT, Feb 21
B. B. King @ Beacon Theatre, New York, NY, Feb 21
Dr. John @ House of Blues, Atlantic City, NY, Feb 21
Mindi Abair @ Wine and Jazz Festival Laishley Park, Punta Gorda, FL, Feb 21
Thievery Corporation @ Kool Haus, Toronto, Ontario, Feb 21
B. B. King @ The House of Blues, Boston, MA, Feb 22
Thievery Corporation @ Metropolis, Montreal, Quebec, Feb 22
Simply Red @ Sirromet Valley, Mount Cotton, Brisbane, Australia, Feb 22
Thievery Corporation @ House of Blues, Boston, MA, Feb 24
B. B. King @ Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ, Feb 24
Dr. John @ NC Blumenthal PAC, Charlotte, NC, Feb 25
Thievery Corporation @ Terminal 5, New York, NY, Feb 25-26
Bob James, Masato Honda @ Blue Note, Tokyo, Japan, Feb 25-28
Simply Red @ Vina del mar Festival, Dina de Mar, Chile, Feb 26
Branford Marsalis @ University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, Feb 27
Thievery Corporation @ Rams Head Live, Baltimore, MD, Feb 27
Van Morrison @ Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, Feb 27-28
Simply Red @ Casino, Vina del Mar, Chile, Feb 28
John Legend @ KB Halle, Copehagen, Feb 28
Lalo Shifrin Trio @ Birch North Park Theatre, San Diego, CA, Feb 28Thievery Corporation @ Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA, Feb 28

JOHN LEGEND, HEATHER HEADLEY, HERBIE HANCOCK & OTHERS TO PERFORM AT - WE ARE ONE – OBAMA INAUGURAL CELEBRATION

HBO will broadcast an inaugural celebration live on Sunday, January 18 at 2:30PM ET, with an encore play at 7PM ET. The event will be broadcast live for free and it will also be available at the same time HBO.com. The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial “WE ARE ONE” with President-Elect Barack Obama will feature a number of prominent performers. Guest include Jack Black, Steve Carell, Rosario Dawson, Jamie Foxx, Tom Hanks, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah, Laura Linney, Denzel Washington and more. Special performances include Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Jon Bon Jovi, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, Betty Lavette, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Pete Seeger, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, U2, Usher, Will.I.Am, and Stevie Wonder.

NEW RELEASES FROM: FABIO NOBILE, INCOGNITO, BONEY JAMES, TOM JONES & MORE...

Beat Konducta (Madlib) – Beat Konducta Vol 5 – Dil Cosby Suite (Stones Throw)
Binario – Binario (Far Out)
Boney James – Stop, Look, Listen (Concord)
Bonnie Bramlett – Piece Of My Heart: The Best of Bonnie Bramlett 1969 to 1978 (Columbia)
Bossa Do Morro (Man/Universal)
Brighter Days – Brighter Days (Comet)
Burt Bacharach – Live At The Sydney Opera House (Verve)
Cal Tjader – Soulful Vibes: Jazz Club (Verve)
Cecil Ramirez – Talk To The Hand (CecilRamirez.com)
Chris Botti – Live In Boston
Club Jazz A La Mode 3 (Rambling)
DJ Kawasaki & Others – Most Wanted Works International Edition (Extra Freedom)
Dave Grusin – Music From The Television Series ‘The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.’ (Varese Vintage)
Dining Rooms – Other Ink (Schema)
Dutch Rare Grooves 2: 18 Classic Soul, Jazz & Funk Tracks From Holland (Sonic Scenery)
Erik Rick – Double Feature: Journey Back To Me/Higher Frequency (Lifenotes)
Fabio Nobile – AlwaysLove (Déjà vu)
Foreign Exchange – Leave It All Behind (HBD)
Freddie Cruger – Just Chillin’ In The Spot (Home Grown)
Freddie Hubbard – Love Connection (Columbia)
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – Wake Up Everybody (expanded version) (Philadelphia Int’ll)
Harry Connick Jr. – What A Night! Christmas Album (Columbia)
Incognito – More Tales Remixed (Dome)
JWB (The James Ward Band) – In Perspective (ASR Records)
Jazz Supreme Spiritual Waltz-A-Nova (P-Vine)
Jazzanova – Of All The Things (Verve)
Joe Locascio – Ghosts (Blue Bamboo Music)
Ledisi – It’s Christmas (Verve)
Ken Vandermark – Collected Fiction (Okka Disk)
Mavis Staples – Mavis Staples Live: Hope At The Hideout (Anti)
Melo – Off My Chest (Raw Fusion)
Menahan Street Band – Make The Road By walking (Dunham/Daptone_
Movements Vol. 2: 15 Deep Funk Pearls Compiled By Tobias Kirmayer (Perfect Toy)
New Mastersounds – Live In San Francisco (P-Vine)
Perceptions – Introducing The Perceptions (Freestyle)
Peter Hadar – Well Dressed For The Art Show (Cool Weirdos)
Peven Everett – Dear Europe (Studio Confessions)
Quasimode – Sounds Of Peace (Geneon)
Rahsaan Patterson – Ultimate Gift (Artistry)
Romina Johnson – Soul River (J&J)
Ronnie McNeir – Ronnie Mac & Company (Jupiter Island)
Rurals – Farming Grooves (Peng)
Serge Gainsbourg – Je T’aime Moi Non Plus Original Soundtrack LP (Phillips)
Souljazz Orchestra – Manifesto (Do Right)
Tom Jones - 24
Tortured Soul – In Transit EP (Purpose)