In the 20 years since Snoop Dogg released his genre-defining debut “Doggystyle,” the rapper’s name has become a sort of hip-hop shorthand, and he’s become a larger than life figure in popular culture over a string of albums and movie roles (“Starsky & Hutch,” “Training Day”). So it came as something of a surprise when the MC rechristened himself “Snoop Lion” last year after studying the Rastafari religion in Jamaica, and announced he was recording a reggae album, “Reincarnated,” which comes out Tuesday.
Snoop today takes over Speakeasy as the first-ever special guest editor, and in that role wrote an essay that explains his reggae transformation, assigned a story about the part youth sports programs play in communities, and will answer questions from readers. Check back in throughout the day to read Snoop’s contributions.
It only makes sense to pair his guest-editing stint with “Reincarnated,” which Speakeasy is streaming in its entirety. To listen, click here. The album features contributions from Drake, Akon and Miley Cyrus, and production from Diplo and Major Lazer. If you have questions for Snoop, send them on Twitter with the hashtag #AskSnoop.
article by Eric R. Danton via blogs.wsj.com
Posts tagged as “music”
Richie Havens performs at the ‘Woodstock 40th Anniversary’ Blu-Ray release party at Hard Rock Cafe – Times Square June 4, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images)
NEW YORK (AP) — Richie Havens, who sang and strummed for a sea of people at Woodstock, has died of a heart attack Monday, his family said in a statement. He was 72. Havens, a folk singer and guitarist, was the first performer at the three-day 1969 Woodstock Festival. He returned to the site during the 40th anniversary in 2009.
“Everything in my life, and so many others, is attached to that train,” he said in a 2009 interview with The Associated Press. Havens was born in Brooklyn. He was known for his crafty guitar work and cover songs, including his well-received impersonation of Bob Dylan’s “Just Like a Woman.”
The singer’s website said he had kidney surgery years ago and that he never recovered enough to perform concerts like he used to. Havens performed at Bill Clinton’s presidential Inauguration in 1993. He has released more than 25 albums. His last album was 2008′s “Nobody Left to Crown.”
“I really sing songs that move me,” he said in an interview with The Denver Post. “I’m not in show business; I’m in the communications business. That’s what it’s about for me.” A public memorial will be planned for a later date.
Below is one of his most popular songs, a cover version of “Here Comes The Sun”:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBbXKsKXyNU&w=420&h=315]
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press via thegrio.com
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gofe3zBKhf0&w=560&h=315]
Amber Holcomb, one of the Top 5 left in the “American Idol” competition, and often called a “young Whitney Houston” by the judges, has been in the bottom two several times this season. 
But after weeks of pop-tinged performances, last night she showed off her jazz chops again (the first time was in the Las Vegas sudden death rounds where she sang “My Funny Valentine“) and did an amazing vocal on the Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman standard “What Are You Doing For The Rest of Your Life?” Hopefully her talent will be rewarded and she will be one of the Top 4 after tonight’s elimination episode on FOX.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson
From Shadow and Act‘s Tambay A. Obenson via indiewire.com:
Web-wide reactions to this when I first wrote about this film in late 2011 was strong; lots of excited folks curious and anxious to see it, and with good reason, given the subject matter. And some of those same people (specifically those who live in New York City) will be pleased to know that it’s getting a 1-week theatrical run at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, from May 10 – 16, after a lengthy film festival circuit run.
So if you happen to be in or around NYC during those specific dates, and you’re interested in seeing the film, here’s your chance to do so (I suspect there’ll be other similar limited theatrical runs in other parts of the country; but no confirmation of that).
A quick recap:
Director Judy Chaikin’s documentary, The Girls In The Band, highlights the untold stories of women in jazz and big band instrumentalists, from the 1930s to the present day.
I’d say, for the average enthusiast, it’s likely an easier challenge to name women jazz vocalists than instrumentalists. Images like the one above probably aren’t the first to come to mind when most of us think of jazz music. And Chaikin’s doc hopes to influence that, with this poignant narrative, which includes lots of wonderful archival footage, telling the fascinating stories about the lives and careers of these trailblazing women who endured sexism, racism and diminished opportunities for decades, yet continued to persevere, inspire and elevate their talents in a field that seldom welcomed them.
The film also looks at the present-day young women who are following in the footsteps of those who paved the way for them in the male-dominated world of jazz. For more on the upcoming theatrical run, visit the Lincoln Center website HERE.
Watch the trailer below:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6XDjh8gRGg&w=560&h=315]
NEW YORK — R&B star Chaka Khan will be inducted into the Apollo Theater’s hall of fame. The theater announced Thursday that Patti LaBelle and Mary J. Blige will perform in Khan’s honor at its June 10 New York gala.
The annual event raises funds for the Apollo’s education and community outreach programs. Khan and Blige received a Grammy Award together in 2008 for “Disrespectful.” Singer-songwriter Lionel Richie and the late Etta James were inducted last year into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame.
Other previous inductees include LaBelle, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Aretha Franklin, to name just a few. Sarah Jessica Parker will present this year’s corporate award to Time Warner Inc.
via Chaka Khan Chosen For Apollo Legends Hall Of Fame.
As Beyoncé kicks off her Mrs. Carter Show tour in Belgrade, Serbia tonight, she’s announcing a new partnership with Goodwill for her North American tour dates.
Goodwill will host donation drives for clothing, electronics and other small household goods at all her stops across America. The money earned from the sale of these donated items will “help people with disabilities and disadvantages, and anyone facing challenges to finding employment,” read a press release.
“Goodwill helps people get back to work by providing education, job training and placement,” said Beyoncé. “I wanted to team up with an organization that puts people first and works every day to help them improve and re-establish their lives.”
In other related news, the ESSENCE Festival headliner is also teaming up with “Miss a Meal” to fight hunger. “Miss a Meal,” run by Houston’s Bread of Life, encourages people to skip meals and donate the money to help the hungry. Currently, Bread of Life, serves 14,000 meals a month to locals in Houston.
“I was 13 and my sister Solange was eight when we started donating and serving meals to the homeless after church,” said Beyoncé in a statement. “There were people from all walks of life, even children, who needed a meal. We learned that we are all three paychecks away from poverty. It was a lesson in humility for all of us.”
article by Derrick Bryson Taylor via essence.com
Beauford Delaney
Portrait of Charlie Parker, 1968, Oil on canvas
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, New York
The Whitney Museum of American Art exhibit, “Blues for Smoke,” features an exciting array of works by a wide range of contemporary black artists. But it offers so much more. A journey back in time, the combination of works, inspired by African-American music, slips you, with a heady mix of anticipation and foreboding, into a dark, back alley jazz club that would be easily at home in the ruins of Potsdam, Berlin, or along the steamy backwater canals of New Orleans. The mood of the show captures the feeling of folks gathered at smatterings of café tables as you enter, where you sit and listen to live jazz vocals in an atmosphere tinged with the bite of a gin cocktail and the halo of cigarette smoke.
YouTube hopes users will get on the good foot with its new James Brown channel, featuring, concert footage, testimonials — and, of course, opportunities to purchase DVDs and other merchandise, reports Deadline.com.
The channel (youtube.com/jamesbrownofficial and shoutfactory.com/jamesbrown) is a partnership between the James Brown Estate and label Shout Factory, which distributes the Godfather of Soul’s properties.
“These digital destinations will continue to evolve as we program content specific to key events as well as discover and add new video assets, leveraging Shout Factory’s unique content curation capabilities,” says Jeffrey Thompson, Shout Factory’s VP of digital strategy and business development.
The launch coincides with the 45th anniversary of Brown’s Boston concert following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Many historians believe that the concert helped to prevent riots from breaking out as they had in several other cities.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P318KJwNx-E&w=560&h=315]
original article via eurweb.com
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7acuT6Sydc4&w=560&h=315]
American Idol contestant Candice Glover took to the stage Wednesday night and floored the judges, audience members and millions of TV viewers with her unforgettable performance. The six-remaining contestants filled the two-hour long show with performances that prompted mixed reviews from Idol judges — but Glover’s closing act scored a standing ovation from the panel.
Glover chose to sing “Lovesong” by The Cure and Randy Jackson proclaimed it “one of the greatest performances in the 12 years of American Idol.” He later clarified his statement and said it was the best performance in any singing competition show ever.
The same awestruck emotions were echoed by his colleagues. Country star Keith Urban bowed down to Glover’s feet and Mariah Carey walked to the stage to shower the contestant with glitter.
Boosting support from past contestants
Twitter also provided rave reviews of Glover’s performance including supportive tweets from former Idolcontestants Jordin Sparks and Jennifer Hudson. The Oscar-winning actress responded to a retweet, which included a video of Glover’s act, and said: “This girl is a beast! They not ready.”
The University of Rochester has announced that it will present an honorary doctorate of music to Jessye Norman, one of the world’s leading classical sopranos. Norman will receive the honorary degree at a benefit concert in Rochester for Action for a Better Community on April 14. Action for a Better Community is a community action agency that promotes and provides opportunities for low-income individuals and families to become self-sufficient.
Jessye Norman has had a singing career spanning more than 40 years. She is a five-time Grammy Award winner, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, in 2010 she was presented by President Obama with the National Medal of Arts. She holds honorary degrees from more than 40 colleges and universities around the world.
article via jbhe.com