November 17, 2007
November 12, 2007
November 7, 2007
November 6, 2007
Denzel Washington Hand Picks Songs For New Film, The Great Debaters.
ABOUT THE SOUNDTRACK
Atlantic Records has announced details of "THE GREAT DEBATERS - MUSIC FROM & RECORDED FOR THE MOTION PICTURE," the original motion picture soundtrack to the forthcoming Weinstein Company theatrical release. Due in stores on December 11th, the album features an extraordinary roster of modern artists - including Sharon Jones, Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart, and the Carolina Chocolate Drops - performing pre-1935 blues, folk, jazz, and gospel classics. Directed by and starring Academy Award®-winner Denzel Washington, The Great Debaters is set to open in theaters nationwide on December 25th.
The pre-1935 songs were hand picked by Denzel Washington for the various on camera scenes from over 1000 songs from the period. Recorded largely at Memphis' world-renowned Ardent Studios, "THE GREAT DEBATERS - MUSIC FROM & RECORDED FOR THE MOTION PICTURE" centers around Grammy Award-winning blues singer/guitarist Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart and Brooklyn-based soul sensation Sharon Jones, who are featured both as solo performers and in collaboration with The Carolina Chocolate Drops. Among the album's many highlights is a version of the traditional "Step It Up and Go," performed by Hart and legendary Hi Rhythm Section guitarist Teenie Hodges (Al Green, Ann Peebles). In addition, Hart unites with traditional African-American string band, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, for a series of songs, including a stunning take on Blind Willie Johnson's "Nobody's Fault But Mine" and the exciting Mississippi Sheiks hit, 'Blood In My Eyes For You."
Elsewhere, Jones pairs with Memphis' acclaimed community choir, Billy Rivers and the Angelic Voices of Faith, for soaring renditions of such classic spirituals as "We Shall Not Be Moved" and "Up Above My Head." "THE GREAT DEBATERS - MUSIC FROM & RECORDED FOR THE MOTION PICTURE" also features jazz favorites like Duke Ellington's "Delta Serenade," performed by the esteemed New York-based big band, David Berger and the Sultans of Swing. The collection is rounded off by period recordings from such luminaries as Marian Anderson, Art Tatum, and the Delmore Brothers.
"THE GREAT DEBATERS - MUSIC FROM & RECORDED FOR THE MOTION PICTURE" was produced by G. Marq Roswell & Denzel Washington. G. Marq Roswell is known for his work as music supervisor on over 50 films.
TRACKLISTING
2. "That's What My Baby Likes" - Sharon Jones, Alvin Youngblood Hart & Teenie Hodges
3. "I've Got Blood In My Eyes For You" - The Carolina Chocolate Drops & Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart
4. "Step It Up and Go" - Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart & Teenie Hodges
5. "It's Tight Like That" - Sharon Jones, Alvin Youngblood Hart & Teenie Hodges
6. "Busy Bootin'" - Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart & The Carolina Chocolate Drops
7. "City Of Refuge" - Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart & The Carolina Chocolate Drops
8. "Two Wings" - Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart, Sharon Jones w/Billy Rivers and the Angelic Voices of Faith
9. "Delta Serenade" - David Berger & The Sultans of Swing
10. "Rock n' Rye" - David Berger & The Sultans of Swing
11. "Wild About That Thing" - Sharon Jones, Alvin Youngblood Hart, & Teenie Hodges
12. "Nobody's Fault But Mine" - Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart & The Carolina Chocolate Drops
13. "How Long Before I Change My Clothes" - Alvin 'Youngblood' Hart
14. "We Shall Not Be Moved" - Sharon Jones w/Billy Rivers and the Angelic Voices of Faith
15. "Up Above My Head" - Sharon Jones w/Billy Rivers and the Angelic Voices of Faith
16. "The Shout" - Art Tatum
17. "Begrussung" - Marian Anderson
ABOUT THE FILM
"Believe in the power of words"
From two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and an ensemble cast lead by Washington that includes Academy Award® winner Forest Whitaker, comes "The Great Debaters." Inspired by a true story, "The Great Debaters" chronicles the journey of Professor Melvin Tolson (Denzel Washington), a brilliant but volatile debate team coach who uses the power of words to shape a group of underdog students from a small African American college in the deep south into a historically elite debate team. A controversial figure, Professor Tolson challenged the social mores of the time and was under constant fire for his unconventional and ferocious teaching methods as well as his radical political views.
In their pursuit for excellence, Tolson's debate team receives a groundbreaking invitation to debate Harvard University's championship team. The film is directed by Denzel Washington and stars Washington, Forest Whitaker, Jurnee Smollett, Nate Parker, Denzel Whitaker, and Kimberly Elise. "The Great Debaters" was written by Robert Eisele and Tom Epperson and produced by Todd Black, Kate Forte, Oprah Winfrey and Joe Roth. Presented by The Weinstein Company, "The Great Debaters," will be released by MGM on December 25th.
Official Wu-Tang Clan 8 Diagrams Mixtape | Album In Stores 12/11
Or you can visit the following link and there's a flash player with the songs in it...
http://staging.universalmotown.com/artists/wutang/
Wu-Tang Clan “8 Diagrams” Mixtape, Download Here on Loud.com!
Loud.com and the Wu-Tang Clan are whetting appetites for the Wu’s upcoming release with the "8 Diagrams" Mixtape and official mixtape widget.
The legendary Wu-Tang Clan will release their last album "8 Diagrams" on December 11th, 2007 through Loud/SRC Records. The "8 Diagrams" mixtape is available for FREE download exclusively through Loud.com. It features 29 tracks of new and unreleased Wu-Tang material. You can stream the full mixtape using the Loud.com "8 Diagrams" widget (which fans can embed into their MySpace page or personal blog, free to pass along to other hip hop heads). If you’d prefer to bypass the widget, click this link and download the full mixtape for free from Loud.com.
And in case you missed it, check out RZA as he talks “The Heart Gently Weeps” here. http://www.loud.com/news/article_23/
Mixtape Tracklisting:
1) Intro feat. Method Man
2) Watch Ur Mouf (Wu-Tang Exclusive)
3) State Of Grace (Raekwon Exclusive)
4) Break That Break (Unreleased)
5) Wu Banga 101 Remix (Unreleased)
6) My Corner (Raekwon Exclusive)
7) Stick Me 4 My Riches (Wu-Tang Exclusive)
8) Thug World (Wu-Tang Exclusive)
9) Maxine Remix (Unreleased)
10) King Toast Queen (Unreleased)
11) Strawberries & Cream Remix
12) Weak Spot (Wu-Tang Exclusive)
13) Intoxicated feat Macy Gray (ODB Exclusive)
14) Crooklyn Dodgers (Ghostface Exclusive)
15) The "W" Remix (Unreleased)
16) Real Nillaz
17) Ghost Is Back
18) Don't Go Breaking My Heart ODB feat Macy Gray
19) Violent Skit
20) Life Changes (Wu-Tang Exclusive)
21) Treez (Unreleased)
22) The Abduction
23) John 3:16
24) Good
25) Da Destroyer (Raekwon Freestyle)
26) Iron God Chamber
27) 4:20
28) Wise (Unreleased)
29) Presidential M.C. (Bonus Track - The Heart Gently Weeps)
November 5, 2007
Let Me Let Go - Michael Jackson
MJ is resurfacing again it seems. Recently he thanked his fans with a letter. He's on the cover of Ebony because it's been 25 years now since Thriller was released and changed the face of music.MJ has a new song too... Check it out below.
[Click Here] Let Me Let Go - Michael Jackson
Herbie Hancock takes 'River' on the Road with 18 year old phenom Sonya Kitchell
NY, NY – Following the release of ‘River: The Joni Letters,’ “an intimate reinvention” (NY Times, 9/9/07) of Joni Mitchell songs, jazz master Herbie Hancock (http://www.herbiehancock.com) will embark on a brief tour of West Coast venues this November. In addition to band members Vinnie Colaiuta, Nathan East and Lionel Loueke, Hancock will be joined by young singing sensation Sonya Kitchell. Kitchell will handle vocal duties for performances of songs appearing on the album, a tribute to Hancock’s friend and fellow music icon Joni Mitchell. The concert tour, which will include songs spanning Hancock’s illustrious five-and-a-half decade career, will makes stops in California, Arizona and New Mexico.
“When Sonya and I first met at one of her performances last year, I was blown away by her professionalism, her grace and, of course, her amazing voice,” said Hancock. “We brought her in to perform Joni’s ‘All I Want’ for ‘River,’ and I was sold. She’s definitely one to watch, and I’m thrilled she can join us for the West Coast dates.”
Citing Joni Mitchell as one of her key influences, the now 18-year-old Kitchell released her debut album ‘Words Came Back to Me’ in spring 2006 (Velour/Hear Music) to widespread acclaim. "With a knockout voice” (People, 4/17/06) and songwriting skills to match, the Massachusetts-born singer’s debut was selected for national distribution by Starbucks as part of their prestigious Hear Music Debut series. This tour marks the second live collaboration between Kitchell and Hancock, who last year invited the young vocalist to perform with his all-star band at the Sonoma Jazz Festival.
‘River: The Joni Letters,” which debuted at the top of the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart following its September 25 release, is a collection of songs, composed by or influential to Joni Mitchell. Arranged and produced by Hancock with legendary producer Larry Klein (Mitchell, Madeleine Peyroux, Brandi Shearer), ‘River’ “explores how old words resonate when interpreted instrumentally and offers beautiful insight into [Mitchell’s] conversational artistry” (LA Times, 9/23/07). The album features vocal performances by artists including Leonard Cohen, Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae, Luciana Souza, Tina Turner, and Mitchell herself. Kitchell’s performance of “All I Want” appears exclusively on the Amazon.com version of the album.