Mus News

Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, Peru was home to the sophisticated civilization of the Inca empire. Although the Inca had managed to subjugate their various neighbours and raise exquisite cities, they quickly fell to the Spaniards due to gunpowder, disease, and deceit. Once the conquistadors had sated their lust for gold, it was time to start settling the territory, and since they had pretty much exterminated the local crop of potential slaves they had to rely on importing Africans like everyone else. As has been the case throughout the Western hemisphere where Africans were used as slaves, the African population in Peru brought with them their own traditions, including music. However, unlike North America where it became one of the key foundations for popular music, in Peru their music, like their population, has remained segregated from the mainstream. African Americans in South America are routinely second class citizens, and anything associated with them is considered inferior, including their music. So, aside from sporadic recognition from outside performers like David Byrne's The Soul Of Black Peru released in 1995, little Afro-Peruvian music has been heard outside of its own community. In 2001 four young Peruvians, Ramon Perez-Prieto, Grimaldo Del Solar, Rafael Morales, and Carlos Li Carrillo, from outside the Afro-Peruvian community formed the group Novalima as a way to experiment with their appreciation for both Peruvian and modern music, and in 2002 released their first disc, Novalima. They had invited various musicians from the Afro Peruvian community to participate and created a disc that mixed both traditional rhythms and contemporary sounds. When the disc went platinum in Peru, they realized they were onto something and in 2006, they released Afro internationally, and firmly establishing Afro-Peruvian music on the world scene as it spent ten weeks at number one on the US Collage Music Journal's Latin Alternative and New World charts. The band has now expanded to include permanent Afro-Peruvian musicians; Juan Medrano Cotito, Mangue Vasquez, Milagros Guerrero, and Marcos Mosquera, as well as renowned Peruvian drummer and percussionist Constantino Alvarez. It's this group, plus a variety of guest performers from the Afro-Peruvian music community, who can be heard on the band's forthcoming release (January 13, '09, US and Canada and Jan. 16 for the rest of the world) Coba Coba on the Cumbancha label.

I’ll admit it, there’s always at least one book about British pop culture on my bedside table, whether it’s a tell-all Beatles bio or some esoteric volume of Kinks arcana. We navel-gazing boomers love to read about our own pop past, which is probably why the normally sober Oxford University Press has seen fit to publish these two critical histories on what I (totally dating myself) still call the British Invasion. The OUP imprint, however, demands a modicum of academic high-mindedness, and the first pages of Gordon Thompson’s Please Please Me: Sixties British Pop, Inside Out worried me. Three-hundred-plus pages of dry ethnomusicology was definitely not what I’d bargained for. I scanned the list of interview subjects and couldn’t find a single surviving Beatle or Rolling Stone there, let alone a Kink, Animal, Yardbird, or Who. Where was all the “inside” dirt I was hoping for? Well, luckily, once Thompson gets past his intro – once the grownups stop paying attention – he plunges delightfully into the music itself, and delivers a different kind of inside scoop: behind-the-scenes detail on how the record industry of the time actually worked. Forget those oft-quoted headline stars; what Thompson scored instead was exhaustive interviews with several of the period’s top producers, engineers, arrangers, session musicians, and songwriters. The result is a rich and surprisingly nuanced portrait, a vivid fly-on-the-wall view of how those iconic records of the 1960s got made. Thompson’s got a wonderful ear for rock music - I found myself continually running over to my CDs to replay some track he was writing about, and hearing things I’d never properly paid attention to before. Want to know who really played drums for the Dave Clark Five? Who really wrote “The House of the Rising Sun”? Who sang the backing vocals on the Who’s “I Can’t Explain”? How Donovan’s classic hit “Hurdy-Gurdy Man” gave birth to Led Zeppelin? It’s all here, along with fresh takes on historic moments like George Martin’s original signing of the Beatles and the weekend when Mick Jagger and Keith Richards reluctantly wrote their first song. After Thompson’s book, I turned with high hopes to Annie J. Randall’s Dusty!: Queen of the Postmods. As a longtime Dusty Springfield fan, I was ravenously curious about this corner of '60s Britpop history. I adore Dusty, one of the greatest-ever singers of “white soul,” captured in hits like “Son of A Preacher Man” and “I Only Want To be With You.” Randall’s quite good on tracing Dusty’s Motown roots, which went even deeper than the Mod generation’s trendy obsession with American R&B. Where Randall really opened my eyes, however, was in fleshing out Dusty’s embrace of a less well-known genre, the European pop aria (just think of Dusty pulling out all the melodramatic stops on her classic tracks “I Close My Eyes and Count To Ten” and “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me”). The histrionic hand gestures, the platinum beehive wigs, the sparkle-draped evening gowns, the thick mascara and frosted lipstick – every element of Dusty’s iconic '60s act melded these two performance styles with verve and vitality.

In 2002, Michelle Williams decided to make her own spotlight by going solo from Destiny's Child with her first album, Heart To Yours. She got some success from it with one of the album cuts, "Heard A Word." After that song was released, her presence on her own seemed to diminish in the media. After returning to her doormat status in the world of Destiny's Child, she tried again with Do You Know, an album released before the final Destiny's Child album, Destiny Fulfilled. The title of that final exodus is tragic in a way, as none of the girls in the present-day or past Destiny's Child lineup beyond Beyonce and her sister Solange have been hits with the public. There's many an obvious reason for that. The oldest one you could use in this case is that none of the others have the chops for the business. There are things you have to do in order to get noticed. You have to be different, exciting, sexy, and the dream of every man or woman alive. Michelle Williams, Latavia Roberson, Kelly Rowland, and Letoya Luckett don't seem to want the spotlight as much as their former leader. I don't count Farah Franklin, given that her time in the group was shorter than anyone else who’s been in DC. Beyonce, for all of her acclaim and sexiness, has no real chance to be herself. Coming from a musical catalog of hit songs discussing the art of booty shaking and dumping a trifling boyfriend, it's hard for her as she gets on in years to make that leap and still be relevant. Kelly Rowland actually tried that with "Stole", which she recorded for her first album Simply Deep.  Because that song didn't involve anything remotely trivial and sounded too much like it belonged in another musical genre, the song got dismissed. Kicking herself probably for breaking from the DC formula, she returned to the more radio-friendly airwaves with her second album Ms. Kelly. It still didn't do anything in the states, but overseas apparently the album is killing the charts. Michelle Williams is back this time with yet another album, Unexpected. The title basically informs the person buying it that this is not the Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child that no one pays attention to or largely ignores. This Michelle Williams is her own person and is ready to compete in the R&B genre without hesitation - that is if you believe that title. If you take a listen to the actual album, that's a different story. Like Kelly Rowland's latest effort, Michelle Williams and her venture to party on this latest album feels dishonest. I understand that as an artist you have to do what's necessary to be able to eat. I also understand, however, that you have to do what's comfortable for you.

Ground-breaking jazz musician Freddie Hubbard died today (December 29) at the age of 70. The renowned trumpet player passed away at a Los Angeles-area hospital. He had been hospitalised there since suffering a heart attack in November. During his lengthy career, Hubbard collaborated with jazz greats including John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. He is credited with having influenced countless trumpet players with his unique style. “He played faster, longer, higher and with more energy than any other trumpeter of his era,” his long-time manager and producer David Weiss said in a statement. Hubbard won a Grammy Award in 1972 for Best Jazz Performance By A Group and has played on more than 300 recordings. His most recent band was The New Jazz Composers Octet. The Indianapolis, Indiana native is survived by his wife of 35 years, Briggie Hubbard, and his son Duane. Funeral services are pending. A memorial tribute will reportedly take place in New York in early 2009.

Delaney And Bonnie frontman Delaney Bramlett has died aged 69. The guitarist, singer and songwriter, who collaborated with Eric Clapton in the late 60s and early 70s, passed away on December 27 in the US, reportedly due to complications after gall bladder surgery. Bramlett formed Delaney And Bonnie with his wife in 1967, signing to first Elektra and then The Beatles’ own label Apple in their early years. They were joined by Clapton live and on record many times - most notably on 1970’s ‘On Tour With Eric Clapton’ - with the legendary guitarist even claiming that Bramlett gave him the confidence to sing. Bramlett continued to release solo albums after Delaney And Bonnie’s personal and professional break-up, most recently putting out ‘A New Kind Of Blues’ in 2008.

As the year ends and the economy continues to shrivel (or whatever it’s doing, I’m not here to debate), it seems like I can’t go a day or two without seeing yet another printed report of how CD sales have continued to fall. For whatever reason (laziness?), the articles never bother factoring in online sales. For all I know, maybe that’s not making all that much of a difference. My point though, is tangential: all of these media bits give the public the impression that there’s actually less music out there. This is definitely not true. In fact, I had a tough time paring down this list to a manageable length. What follows is an unordered list of my favorite recordings from 2008. Jazz, rock, and everything else are all mixed together. Review links are included where appropriate. And even though I really don’t pit these albums against each other, the list does end with my favorite record. Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog - Party Intellectuals From freaky ambient haze to classic rock run through the skronk machine, guitarist Marc Ribot has no fear. (BC, Jazz.com) Southside Johnny with La Bamba’s Big Band - Grapefruit Moon: The Songs of Tom Waits For Southside and Tom Waits fans, a dream come true. (BC, BC, Jazz.com) Nik Bartsch’s Ronin - Holon Funk-meets-minimalism. I’m not kidding. (BC, Jazz.com) Free Form Funky Freqs - Urban Mythology Vol. 1 Vernon Reid, Jamaaladeen Tecuma, G. Calvin Weston. Yikes! (BC) Vampire Weekend Yeah, I know. They seem like the sort of band that I would have loved during the New Wave era, only to discard them two weeks later. The fact is, I listened to this super-catchy CD a bazillion times this year. Totem> - Solar Forge Brutal. Just brutal. (BC,Jazz.com) Carla Bley & Her Remarkable Big Band - Appearing Nightly The classic big band era may be long gone, but there are quite a few modern big bands. Bley sits at the top of the heap. (BC,Jazz.com) Melvyn Price - Rhythm & Blues A very cool percussion/funk/soul/jazz reissue thing. (Jazz.com)

As a follow-up to the CD Edition of my favorite 2008 reissues, here are my Vinyl LP choices:  1. The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillies Limited Edition, 180 Gram Vinyl. Ray Davies is certainly not like everybody else here, nor is he a dedicated follower of fashion: “I’m a 20th Century Man but I don’t want to be here,” he angrily seethes. At the same time, in the nostalgically exquisite “Oklahoma USA,” he fairly yearns for the company of Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae and a cinematic escape away where “All life we work / But work is a bore / If life’s for livin’ / then what’s livin’ for?” Embracing music hall and vaudeville, with songs ranging from country-folk to boozy blues, and subjects covering, say, demon alcohol and “sad memories you can’t recall,” or ocean-side holidays where “the sea’s an open sewer,” 1971’s Muswell Hillbillies is one of the Kinks’ more consistently first-rate albums, in both lyrical wit, bite, and poignancy - and in musical terms, as rooted in its infectiousness and ferociousness with which it conveys the ambiguity and ambivalence toward life in general, and living on London’s Muswell Hill, specifically. 2. The New York Dolls - The New York Dolls Limited UK 180 Gram, Vinyl Pressing. When friends were listening to ‘70s luster and sludge like Journey and ELP — whose tunes I could not get attuned to — I discovered this debut '73 New York Dolls LP in, of all places, my local branch of the Orange County, California Public Library. I whisked it away, and soon got carried away by the reckless glam and proto-punk spirit. My friends thought I suffered a 'personality crisis' - and, fortunately, I had. 3. The Beach Boys - Endless Summer  Two LPs, Limited Edition. Twenty-one tracks of '60s pop perfection from the first Wilson Administration. “And we’ll have fun, fun, fun ‘til her daddy takes the t-table away…” 4. The Band - The Band  Four-Color Gatefold Jacket, 180 Gram Vinyl. A drunkard’s dream if I ever did hear one. Rustic Americana done right by a bunch of mostly Canadian guys. 5. House of Freaks - Monkey on a Chain Gang Back2Vinyl.com Though it doesn’t pack the powerhouse punch of their 1989 sophomore stunner Tantilla, this stripped-down but striking 1988 debut presents the range of the guitar-and-drums duo (Bryan Harvey and Johnny Hott) from melodic pop to more dire declarations, such as found in the Wolfeian avowal that “You Can Never Go Home”: Standing on a dusty road Praying for a sign Lightning only struck me once And then it struck me blind… You can never go home.Tragically, Harvey’s life came to an untimely end on January 1, 2006, when he was found by Hott in the basement of his burning house murdered — beaten, slashed and bound with electrical cord and tape — along with his wife and two young daughters.

American singer and actress Eartha Kitt has died at the age 81 of colon cancer. Andrew Freedman, a close friend, confirmed the star, most famous for playing Catwoman in the ’60s, passed away earlier today (December 25) in New York, reports AP. She had recently be treated at the city’s Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. Musically, Kitt, who was born on January 17, 1927 in North, South Carolina was renowned for her sultry, ‘kitten purr’ of a voice, especially on the 1963 Christmas song ‘Santa Baby’. The star also got a whole new following in the ’80s after scoring a UK Top 40 hit in 1984 with the disco-flavoured ‘Where Is My Man’ and then later worked with Bronski Beat on 1989’s ‘Cha-Cha Heels’, another UK hit. In her later life, she was a stalwart of the Manhattan cabaret scene. The versatile Kitt was one of the few artists to be nominated in the Tony, Grammy and Emmy award categories (she won two of the latter). In her early movie career, Kitt worked under the greats like Orson Welles (in 1950’s ‘Dr Faustus’). The legend was rumoured to have had an affair with her and called her “the most exciting woman in the world”. Kitt was most renowned for playing Catwoman in the ’60s version of the ‘Batman’ TV series. The star was also infamously blacklisted in the US in the same decade at the height of her fame, in 1968, for speaking out against the war in Vietnam at a White House function. As a result, she switched to performing more overseas.

Taken from the long-running German television series Rockpalast, which continues to air at the time this article was written, this DVD contains two different incarnations of the classic Southern rockers. The main concert features Lynyrd Skynyrd headlining the Loreley Festival on June 23, 1996. At this point in time, the remaining original members of the band are keyboardist Billy Powell, guitarist Gary Rossington, and bassist Leon Wilkeson. Johnny Van Zant, brother of Ronnie who died in the fateful airplane crash of October 1977, has been the lead singer since the band reformed in 1987. Skynyrd, a band that seems so authentically an American band, and more specifically a Southern band, transcends geography and nationality with their brand of triple-guitar rock. They connect with the enthusiastic German audience, who at one point all sing along in unexpected agreement that “a Southern man don’t need [Neil Young] around anymore.” This bond speaks to universal appeal of both rock ‘n’ roll and the stories of love and lust told in songs like “I Ain’t The One” about potential paternity and “Gimme Three Steps” about dancing with the wrong man’s lady. The musicians are given opportunities to spread their wings as “Gimme Three Steps” opens with a drum solo by Owen Hale. During “Call Me The Breeze,” Powell is given some solo time on the 88s and the song concludes with the three guitarists each getting some alone time in the spotlight. Johnny’s vocals dominate the audio mix and the guitars don’t always have a clean sound, but that’s all right. Skynyrd is supposed to be slightly messy. It’s beer-guzzling music meant to be blared out of cars with bad speakers. The band makes gloriously loud, rock ‘n’ roll noise that celebrates life from the bottom to the top as they sing about the bare necessities of life. The DVD audio is available in Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Surround 5.1, and DTS Digital Surround Sound. For no apparent reason, the makers of the DVD left in almost four minutes of the crowd whistling for the encore before the band returns for “Free Bird.” It's a waste. The bonus tracks are of the original line-up at the Hamburg Musikhalle on December 5, 1974 when the band was the opening act for Queen. Filmed in 16mm during the first year of Rockpalast, all that remains are three songs (“Workin’ For MCA,” “Free Bird,” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” all of which were in the ’96 set) that run almost 25 minutes. Although more than two decades older, the quality of the audio sounds better. Skynyrd fans should enjoy the two hours, especially the bonus footage.

In this two-part episode from season one of the highly successful Nickelodeon series The Naked Brothers Band, Nat and Alex Wolff face off against a California punk-rock group in a charity contest. But there's another battle going on as well. Nat's bandmate Rosalina (Allie DiMeco) has a crush on the other band's lead singer. This doesn't sit too well with Nat who has his own set of feelings to deal with. Thus the battle ensues not only between the bands but for Rosalina's heart. This series has been a huge success among the pre-teen set and it's easy to see why. The music is fun and infectious. The stories are charming and hit upon the things that concerns viewers the most. Battle of the Bands is no exception. This remarkable show is the creation of Polly Draper (thirtysomething) who also happens to be mother to Nat and Alex Wolff. The boys' father, Michael Wolff, portrays their dad. To top things off, Nat and Alex write all their own songs for the show adding another layer of realism to the underlying story.  Battle of the Bands is not, however, an entirely family-friendly show. At times it seems that the writers are forcing the kids to grow up a little too fast. The whole relationship dynamic between Rosalina and Nat seems a little forced and almost out of place given the fact that they are supposed to be only 12 years old.  Overall, this is still a pretty entertaining show. Parents should be cautioned that there are elements that might be a little more mature than they might want for their pre-teen kids. But there is immense talent on display here and it's a safe bet that this series will have a long run ahead of it.

It sounds like we’re getting close to a new Paramore album. Or, you know, at least closer. For months, Paramore have maintained that they were in “the very early stages” (or,”stage 0.5,” to be exact) of work on the follow-up to their Riot! album, with guitarist Josh Farro working on “tons of ideas” and frontwoman Hayley Williams penning fragments of lyrics based on the rather tumultuous year the band has endured. But nothing appeared to be set in stone. Then, in early December, Williams told Spin magazine that the band had decided to record the album in Nashville and hoped to have it in stores by next summer. So, when MTV News caught up with the band backstage at KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas in Los Angeles, we decided to get a status update. And it sounds like things are finally starting to come together. “[We’ve been getting inspired by] life, really. It’s not one specific instance or record or book or anything. We’re constantly taking in new music — that’s what we’re passionate about — but I think life has given us a lot to say, and I’m really excited,” Williams said. “Josh has been writing really cool riffs and really cool music that I can’t wait to write over. Lyrically, I think it’s going to be a very different record — we’ve learned a lot about relationships and friendships and life in general, and I’m stoked because I don’t really know what I’m going to say about it, but I’ve got a lot that I want to get out.” And just what will the album sound like? Well, Farro wouldn’t say, but according to bassist Jeremy Davis, it could be an all-over-the-map affair. Or, you know, just another Paramore album. “I think everyone’s just growing, you know? Growing up. And I feel like we all kind of know what the Paramore sound is, but we’re all experimenting and trying to figure out how far we can go with it but still keep it Paramore,” he said. “We’ve all been getting into different music ourselves, which is just going to be better in the long run. When we get into the studio, there’s going to be a lot more different things going on.” When the band does head into the studio in ‘09, it sounds like it’s going to be all business — which is only more good news for Paramore fans hungering for a new album. “I mean, this last record did really well, and it’s not that we didn’t appreciate it, but we always want to do better,” drummer Zac Farro said. “Just because we did well on the last one, we don’t think we can go in and make a great record without having to try. We’re going to work just as hard, if not harder, this time around.”

Bill Cosby may be seventy one years of age, but he is still fit enough to tour the countryside. Starting 16th January, the veteran comedian and actor will be on tour for several months, through stand-up performances in different states of the US including Indiana, Michigan, Florida and DC running up to 27th June. He will also hold a solitary show in September at Cerritos, CA. Famous for his role in ‘I Spy’, which later led to his own series ‘The Cosby Show’, Bill has acted in numerous films. He has been given the nickname of ‘America’s Dad’, due to his personality. Bill Cosby Tour Dates 2009 01/16/09 - Elizabeth, IN - Horseshoe Southern Indiana 01/18/09 - Flint, MI - The Whiting 01/24/09 - Washington, DC - Kennedy Center Opera House 02/14/09 - Oakland, CA - Paramount Theatre 02/21/09 - Worcester, MA - The Hanover Theatre For The Performing Arts 02/28/09 - Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall 03/06/09 - Hamilton, ON - Hamilton Place Theatre 03/13/09 - Houston, TX - Jones Hall For The Performing Arts 03/14/09 - Fort Pierce, FL - Sunrise Theatre 03/21/09 - Omaha, NE - Orpheum Theater 03/28/09 - Denver, CO - Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre 03/29/09 - Durham, NC - Durham Performing Arts Center 04/11/09 - Madison, WI - Overture Center For The Arts 04/25/09 - Wilkes-Barre, PA - F.M. Kirby Center For Perf. Arts 04/26/09 - Englewood, NJ - Bergen Performing Arts Ctr. 05/07/09 - Santa Ynez, CA - Chumash Casino 06/27/09 - Minneapolis, MN - Orchestra Hall 09/27/09 - Cerritos, CA - Cerritos Center For The Perf. Arts

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has announced that it plans to end lawsuits against people who illegally download music. In a statement issued Friday (December 19), the RIAA declared that it will instead team up with internet service providers to prevent music piracy. “We think this is going to be a different form of stick, but we absolutely think this will be a meaningful alternative approach that will have a significant impact,” an RIAA spokeswoman told Reuters. The RIAA, which represents major record labels including Warner Music Group Corp, EMI, Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, will pursue lawsuits that have already been filed, but have said that they do not intend to file new suits. Instead they will issue warnings through ISPs to those who download music illegally. If users fail to heed warnings, their internet service may be disconnected, the RIAA said. Since 2003, the music industry filed approximately 35,000 music piracy lawsuits.

Cheap Trick, an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, officially formed in 1974 with Rick Nielson on guitar, Tom Petersson on Bass, Bun E. Carlos on Drums, and Robin Zander on Vocals. They spent the next few years primarily touring the Wisconsin and Northern Illinois/Chicago areas and recording a pair of well reviewed, but low selling albums. In 1978 the band released their third album; Heaven Tonight, which contained the song “Surrender.” This was the band’s first song to make the Billboard singles chart, peaking at #62. As a side note, this album was also the first to use a 12-string bass guitar. During this time, while none of the band’s three albums had made it into the top 40 in the U.S. (In Color peaked at #73, while Heaven Tonight peaked at #48), all three albums went gold in Japan. It was for this reason that the band decided to tour Japan and to do their fans there the honor of recording a live album at one of the most revered sports stadiums in the country. It was a two night stand at Budokan, and its impact catalyzed the world. Now, three decades later, Epic/Legacy, a division of SONY BMG, has released Cheap Trick - BUDOKAN!: 30th Anniversary Edition, a four disk set that contains one DVD and three CD’s, a booklet, and poster. On the DVD you get the video recording of the second night (April 28th 1978), a one hour 15 song set that was broadcast on Japanese television only once, over 30 years ago. It contains a new studio mix and 5.1 Surround Sound done by the original producer Jack Douglas and engineer Jay Messina. There are several bonus features on the DVD. One is “Looking Back,” a new conversation with the band about their original experience. There is also video of one more song from 1978, “Come On, Come On” and two songs; “Voices” and “If You Want My Love” from their April 2008 30th Anniversary return concert. The second disk (first CD) contains the audio from the DVD, and the third and fourth disk (CD 2+3) contain the 20th Anniversary (1998) double CD Live at Budokan that has been further re-mastered using 2008 technology. First off, let me say that the quality of content of this fabulous. It looks good and sounds good. The video, shot with multiple cameras using a very professional production crew. It is fun to watch the band, especially Nielson bouncing around the stage, and hearing Zander and the rest of the band perform the songs as we have heard them on the original vinyl and subsequently the CD’s. The extras are also a big bonus for the Cheap Trick fan. The only problem that I can see is the packaging that houses the DVD and CD’s is a slip-case cardboard that could easily scratch the CD and DVD. Mine had a couple of marks that were not quite scratches, but if not careful, could become some. That said the quality of the CD’s were just as crisp and clear as the DVD, and just as much fun to listen to. I give this package four and a half stars.

I’m opening myself to criticism here, but since I dole out criticism, it’s only fair that I should take it. But I'm not sweating it. Very few will honestly disagree. Joe Bonamassa is the best young guitarist in music today. Damn the rotten tomatoes! Full speed ahead! [Apologies to Admiral Farragut.] Joe’s abilities aren’t just a screaming guitar, although he certainly is capable of it. Joe was trained as a classical guitarist first, which is an extremely critical basic step in learning any instrument. Not only does it teach you the repetitive skills that are often necessary in playing an instrument, it teaches you discipline. And discipline is the key ingredient in mastering anything one ever does in life. Ever! Discipline is what carries you through earning your keep when you’re sick, when a parent or your best friend just died, or when you’ve just wrecked your brand new car. Some people say, “But Joe’s a blues guitarist, and blues is dead.” Well, they’re right. And they’re also wrong. Let’s address the first clause first, and save the second for later. Joe is, in fact, primarily a blues guitarist, but that’s certainly not all he is. If you’ve ever been to one of his performances, you’d understand. Barring that, however, just take a look at one of his websites.  Spend an hour watching him and you’ll see his versatility, and you’ll see and hear his mastery of blues guitar, rock guitar, classical guitar, jazz guitar, and any other form or genre of guitar playing you’d care to name. Electric? Sure! Acoustic? Damned straight! The guy’s limitless. Here are just a few of his accomplishments: 1) Appeared at Royal Albert Hall (You've arrived once you've played the Royal Albert.) 2) Named 2007 Best Blues Guitarist by the readers of Guitar Player Magazine 3) Every one of his albums has gone to #1 or gone Top 10 4) NPR named him the equal to Clapton, Beck and Page His music is a fusion of British electric blues, traditional Delta blues and hard-driving rock and roll, with frequent bends and twists in the musical trail to include classical, country, folk, jazz, funk and even a dollop of hair metal every once in a while. He plays basic riffs, expansion, and repetition equally well. Near the beginning of this review, I stated that Joe’s the best young guitarist out there. He implied in a recent interview that now that he’s 31, he’s no longer young. Quibbling. But he does give a deep bow to a master who’s just a little older: Les Paul (yes, that Les Paul), who recently celebrated his 93rd, and who still plays a weekly gig at Iridium, the NYC nightclub where he’s held court for some time now.page 1 | 2

This season of American Idol Rewind features recaps from season three and season four of American Idol. Fans can reminisce about their favorite contestants and memorable Idol moments each week on Fox. Season four runner up, Bo Bice, recently took some time to chat with me about his own Idol memories as well as what he has been up to since finishing in second place on the popular television show. You’re promoting the new season of American Idol Rewind. How much of that are you a part of? I sat in and did some interview stuff. I wouldn't say I'm promoting it. Trust me, they don't need little Bo Bice's help promoting. All those Idol folks are doing alright. I'm excited. When they asked me to be part of Idol Rewind, it was really cool. So I jumped at the chance. I spent a little bit of time downtown hanging out with them for a few hours. How much is American Idol still a part of your life? Well, I have my American Idol fans that come to my shows every day. So it's still very much a part of my life. It's a very loyal fan base, the Idol folks. I think some of them are just fans of my music, some of the southern rock music that I play. And so yeah, Idol's a big part of it still. I go back and see them every year, and just pop my head in the door and say 'Hello.' They're like family to me. You were a working musician before Idol, what made you decide to audition? It was a bet between my mom and I. She had asked me the year before to try out for the show. And at the time I was a working musician, had been for many years. I checked into it and I was too old. The age limit was 25. Then the following year, I was watching the news and they said they had upped the age limit to 28. And just out of heckling my mom, I called and said, 'They upped the age limit to 28.' [She said] 'Oh you gotta go, you gotta go.' Long story short, I went down - she went down with me - and the rest is history. With your southern rock style, did you feel really comfortable with the show? Was it different than you expected?

Pop superstar Britney Spears added more dates to her North American 2009 tour. The trek kicks off March 3 by concert in New Orleans Arena. Updated tour schedule, which now lists 36 dates, is included below, tickets are available to book online. Singer will visit Atlanta (GA) Miami (FL), Boston (MA),Toronto (Ontario), Dallas (TX), Los Angeles (CA), Las Vegas (NV), and many other markets. Britney is touring in support of her new album “Circus”, released in December. Britney Spears 2009 Tour Dates 3/3/2009 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena 3/5/2009 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena 3/7/2009 - Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena 3/8/2009 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum 3/11/2009 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum 3/13/2009 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center 3/14/2009 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center 3/16/2009 - Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Garden 3/18/2009 - Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre 3/19/2009 - Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre 3/20/2009 - Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre 3/23/2009 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum 3/24/2009 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center 3/26/2009 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena 3/27/2009 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena 3/30/2009 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center 3/31/2009 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center 4/2/2009 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center 4/3/2009 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center 4/6/2009 - Edmonton, Alberta - Rexall Place 4/8/2009 - Vancouver, British Columbia - General Motors Place 4/9/2009 - Tacoma, WA - Tacoma Dome 4/11/2009 - Sacramento, CA - ARCO Arena 4/12/2009 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion 4/14/2009 - Salt Lake City, UT - EnergySolutions Arena 4/16/2009 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center 4/17/2009 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center 4/19/2009 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center 4/20/2009 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center 4/22/2009 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Arena 4/24/2009 - Glendale, AZ - Jobing.com Arena 4/25/2009 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena 4/28/2009 - Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena 4/29/2009 - Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena 4/30/2009 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center 5/2/2009 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena

Rhino Handmade's exclusive release Hommage A Nesuhi is a five-CD boxed set honoring legendary Atlantic Records producer Nesuhi Ertegun. This release contains 61 songs by various artists dating from 1955-76. These artists were all part of the sterling roster assembled by Ertegun during his tenure as head of Atlantic's jazz division. The aim of the set is to represent the full scope of Ertegun's impact on the jazz world. Although it was Nesuhi's younger brother Ahmet who founded Atlantic Records (with Herb Abramson), the elder Ertegun joined the label in 1955 and produced some of the most significant jazz recordings of the era. The collection is lavishly packaged in a 10" x 10" slipcase and includes some extra goodies besides the five CDs. An 84-page hardcover book tells Ertegun's story in extensive detail. A considerable amount of history is made available to those who want to go beyond the music. A portfolio of 19 photo cards offers a visual glimpse of some of the Atlantic Jazz artists who's work is featured. These photos are previously unpublished and were all taken by celebrated photographer Lee Friedlander. Of course, the music is the main attraction and these discs are packed with great stuff. The songs, all of which were previously available on earlier releases, are arranged thematically. The first disc, "Some Atlantic Jazz," and the last disc, "Some More Atlantic Jazz," feature selections from some of the earliest Ertegun signings as well as later discoveries. In the former category, we have tunes from Milt Jackson, Chris Connor, and The Modern Jazz Quartet. The latter category features the likes of Mose Allison, Eddie Harris, and The Charles Lloyd Quartet. Also accounted for on discs one and five are such greats as Ray Charles, John Coltrane, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk.

A new drugs policy has been proposed in Cleveland, OH following the death of singer Sean Levert in a county jail there in March. Levert, who was the son of O’Jays singer Eddie Levert, passed away after becoming ill at the Cuyahoga County jail. His widow filed a wrongful lawsuit several months later, saying he was not given the prescription Xanax he had brought to the jail to serve his sentence. Levert suffered from high blood pressure and had been hallucinating in jail before his death. The new law would mean prisoners would be given their medication as soon as their prescriptions are verified, reports the Associated Press. Levert was serving a sentence for failing to pay child support.

I hadn’t been in contact with my friend and former colleague for a while, but with his company filing for bankruptcy protection recently, I sent him a short email. He was surprisingly upbeat considering that and the recent passing of Proposition 8. If anyone has reason to feel glum, certainly it would be the men of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. Yet their show, It’s a Fabulous Life: Holiday Songs in the Key of Life, which opens their 30th anniversary season, is funny, touching, and, as one would expect, a touch campy. For one weekend only, Dec. 20-21, at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, the two-hour show includes a few personal stories interspersed throughout musical numbers and some short dance numbers. The show opens with Joy to the World and Santa Claus Llego a la Cuidad but also includes Kislev Cowboys — a mildly sexual-innuendo filled song based on “My Dreydl” with choreography by Billy Rugh, featuring Arron Rothbart and a few cowboys: Rod Andrada, Christopher Durbin, Chris Etscheid, Bill Gallimore, Jay Krift, Michael Lehman, Santo Ragno, Billy Rugh, Andrew Thomas, and Jacob Young. Yet the sexual content is less than you might find in sitcoms like the old Fran Drescher series The Nanny. This is definitely family-friendly fare. The first holiday remembrance (Greg Knotts) is about teddy bears and explaining to a child (in this case a four-year-old nephew) about gay coupledom — “It’s about love.” That’s the central theme returned to over and over. One of the most touching moments is just before the rendition of Silent Night. An attorney (John Duran) for Act Up remembers how angry he was with those people who called AIDS “God’s Wrath” during the 1980s and yet learned that instead of facing people with hate and anger, perhaps he should see love — as in the love of some people and some churches for people — no matter what their sexual preference. The first act ends with I Wanna Be a Rockette and the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers. Featuring Shawn Ingram, with choreography by Bill Rugh, it even has some cross-dressing faux Rockettes. The second act includes an arrangement of the Skaters Waltz and Xanadu. Instead of ice skaters, this number featured roller blade skaters: Andrew Thomas and Peter Wilson for the waltz and Rod Andrada, Bernie Espinosa, Christ Etscheid, Bill Gallimore, Shawn Ingram, Michael Kelly, Aaron Millis, Jason Ralicki, Ben Westbrook and Jacob Young for Xanadu. The last remembrance is from Hoa Le. Born in Vietnam and having moved to Belgium as a refugee, he recalls how, as a Buddhist, he found comfort in celebrating Christmas in his new country by recognizing that love is universal and even Buddha would not frown upon him enjoying the fellowship extended to him by his Christian neighbors. Like Le, I am not Christian, but I do believe in God, and that the true meaning of Christmas is about love and celebrating the common bonds of humankind. The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles will be performing two numbers at 8:25 p.m. (Santa Claus Llego a la Cuidad and Are You Burning Little Candle as part of the Music Center’s free holiday concerts on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24.