Features

The Ru Report #137

Sounds Of Summer
New albums and hot singles aren't the only thing to keep music lovers captivated with aural pleasure this season. Here's a listing of some musical happenings in the Big Apple, and beyond:

Just when we thought the TV hoopla was over, the "American Idol" franchise is spinning off into a third North American touring jaunt. Titled "Pop Tarts Presents American Idols Live!" the 49-city trek will kick off in Salt Lake City on July 14 and play for a full two and a half months, culminating in Honolulu on September 30.

Headlining the massive concert outing will be this year's grand prize winner Fantasia Barrino, who will be supported by the highly rated show's other nine finalists: Diana DeGarmo, Jennifer Hudson, George Huff, John Peter Lewis, La Toya London, John Stevens, Jasmine Trias, Amy Adams and Camille Velasco.

The show promises to include individual as well as ensemble performances.

RCA Records recently released a 13-track compilation, "American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics," which didn't fare well with some mainstream critics, and is just shy of 200,000 copies in sales. Featuring all ten finalists, the Simon Fuller-helmed disc will chart at Number 98 on next week's Billboard 200 Albums chart, after slipping nearly forty spots.

The compilation album opens with Ms. Barrino's stirring rendition of Aretha Franklin's classic "Chain Of Fools." "My thing is, I always want people to--to get the message that I'm trying to send out," Ms. Barrino said in a recent interview.

"You know, I've been through some things, so when I get up there and sing my songs, I'm like, Hey, I've been through it, and I want to encourage somebody else that if you're going through it, you can come out."

Music mogul Clive Davis's J Records will release her eagerly anticipated maxi-single--containing the tracks "I Believe" and "Chain of Fools" along with her take on Gershwin's classic standard "Summertime"--on June 22. Insiders at the record label tell The Ru Report upwards to 500,000 copies have been shipped to retail outlets across the nation.

Last weekend, America Online hosted a first listen of "Summertime" with sixty percent of its listeners giving the track the thumbs up via its non-scientific poll.

While there is no official release date for her yet-to-be-titled debut album, which Grammy Award winning hip-hop superstar Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott has expressed interests in working on, it is expected to bow this fall. Maybe even in December.

"I think my purpose was just to get out and sing," the High Point, North Carolina native commented. "I love to sing. I wasn't even in it for the--you know, the prize. I was, like, 'Hey, man, I'm going to sing. Forget that.'"

Having played to sold-out arenas following the first two seasons of the television program, 19 Entertainment and AEG will produce the concert tour this year. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and the respective venue box offices. (idolonfox.com)

But before the American Idols hit the east coast playing spots such as East Rutherford's Continental Airlines Arena (August 29) and Long Island's Nassau Coliseum (August 31), there are lots of musical happenings in the city that never sleeps.

This week, "The 2004 JVC Jazz Festival--New York" kicked off boasting more than 300 artists in nearly sixty shows at seventeen venues within eleven days. It's a music marathon. Ornette Coleman, Abbey Lincoln, Jason Moran, Oscar D'Leon, k.d. lang, Lou Reed, Dianne Reeves, João Gilberto, Angelique Kidjo, George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic, Peter Cincotti, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland, Brian Blade, Poncho Sanchez and countless others are celebrating twenty years of jazz with JVC, this go round.

One of the highlights of this year's festivities is an evening celebrating the artistry of the late, great high priestess of soul Dr. Nina Simone, featuring two of her bands led by Al Schackman with special guests Tracy Chapman, Oscar Brown, Jr., Floetry, Lizz Wright, Toni Morrison and James "Blood" Ulmer with Vernon Reid. Her beautiful and talented daughter Simone Kelly--who can stand on the stage with the best of them--will also be featured on the bill titled "Sing the Truth … A Tribute to Nina Simone," taking place at Carnegie Hall on June 21.

Also on June 21, "Hairspray" star Chester Gregory brings the heat with an intimate showing at New York's hip hot-spot Joe's Pub. With his five-octave vocal range and comparisons to the likes of the great Donny Hathaway and Prince, Mr. Gregory will perform songs from his own projects, including the independent released CD Morning Star and a few cover tunes. He has cover tunes down to a science too. He garnered critical acclaim for his breakout role as the star of the traveling musical, "The Jackie Wilson Story." No novice to his craft, the Chicago native has also worked with a myriad of gospel choirs and R&B groups, writing, producing and arranging (under the name Ahdae), and opening for the likes of BeBe and CeCe Winans, Silk and TLC.

"The lure of Joe's Pub is the idiosyncratic programming that is reflective of the fabric of New York and the world," notes the out-going Tony Award winning producer of The Public Theater, George C. Wolfe. "In only five years, it has drawn a really smart, cutting-edge audience to The Public--one that thrives on blurring artistic boundaries."

With that said, Joe's Pub is also heading uptown. Well sort of.

For the very first time, The Public Theater will team up with MTV and VH1 to present the inaugural season of "Joe's Pub In The Park," a two-week series of paid and free concerts at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Kicking off with a performance by Bebel Gilberto on August 16 and continuing through August 27 — the series will feature additional performances by Jonatha Brooke, Mos Def, Gavin DeGraw, Joe Jackson, Ute Lemper, Meshell Ndegeocello, Todd Rundgren and Suzanne Vega, among others. (publictheater.org.)

There's also a lot of new hot spots cropping up in the city, presenting music series of all sorts.

The new landmark Time Warner Center overlooking New York's Central Park will present the "AOL Music Summer Concert Series," showcasing the hottest up and coming artists including Cherie (June 25), Ben Jelen (June 29), Julie Robert (July 13), Anthony Hamilton (July 21) and Christina Milan (July 26).

All concerts will be taped for the AOL Broadband Rocks original concert series, and will be broadcast at a later date, exclusively for AOL for Broadband members.

Each of the concerts are free and open to the public and will take place on the second floor of The Shops at Columbus Circle located within the new 2.8 million square foot Time Warner Center complex at Columbus Circle in New York City.

"While we continue to introduce our vast online audience to new music, our partnership with Time Warner will bring our programming to life in New York City," said Evan Harrison, vice president and general manager of AOL Music, in a statement. "Our summer concert series will showcase AOL Breaker artists from Time Warner Center, with the beautiful Central Park serving as the backdrop."

"The AOL Music Summer Concert Series" from Time Warner Center builds upon AOL Music's commitment to help music fans discover the best new artists through the AOL Breakers program. After just two years, AOL Music's Breakers program has established itself as a reliable searchlight for hot new music talent. Past artists include Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch, Josh Groban, 50 Cent, Fefe Dobson and Jet.

Also brewing: Dionne Farris, the long lost former lead vocalist of Arrested Development who scored pop success with her own solo effort (I Know) nearly ten years ago, is scheduled to play a show at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York's Times Square on June 28. Neo-soul heartthrob Eric Roberson is also slated to perform on the bill also.

Hip-hop's Queen Bitch, herself, Lil' Kim makes a rare performance at the venue on July 2--to set some sizzle to the Fourth of July weekend.

The easily accessible underground performance venue also boasts a diverse line-up of performances including Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin (June 25), former New Kids On The Block member Jordan Knight (July 1), Godmother of 80's Rock Pat Benatar (July 6), R&B chanteuse Vesta (July 12), teen rap star Bow Wow Wow (July 16), veteran funksters The Brothers Johnson (July 20), reggae crooner Maxi Priest (August 4), soul legends The Delfonics (August 7), Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Little Richard (August 18) and rap pioneers Brand Nubian (August 19).

And in the Caribbean--the heart and soul of reggae music--an explosive line-up of reggae stars will appear at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex in Montego Bay from July 18 to 24 for "The 12^th annual Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest Festival."

Beenie Man, Beres Hammond, Bounty Killer, Sizzla, Elephant Man, Wayne Marshall, Vybz Cartel and Tanto Metro & Devonte are confirmed to headline the weeklong festival, which is a major occasion on Jamaica's calendar of annual music events, and always a spectacular presentation of the indigenous Jamaican music form immortalized by the late Bob Marley.

First staged in August 1993, Reggae Sumfest was an immediate hit and continues to be a tourist attraction. Affordable, value-added air-inclusive packages are offered by several companies such as Air Jamaica Vacations (800-LOVEBIRD /airjamaica.com Alken Tours (800-221-6686 /alkentours.com) and Jamaica Reservation Service (800-JAMAICA / 1-800-jamaica.com).

And I would be remiss if I didn't include news of the Blue Note Jazz Club paying homage to the life and music of a jazz legend with a "Tribute to Elvin Jones" (June 24 through June 27) featuring the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine and special guests including Bill Cosby, Max Roach, Chip Jackson, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Duane Eubanks and Rick Germanson, among others.

Throughout the month of July, the world's famous jazz club will also host shows by tribute singer Carlton J. Smith (July 16), Broadway darling Lillias White (July 20-21), and the incomparable entertainment legend Eartha Kitt (July 22). (bluenotejazz.com)

Like Sly & The Family Stone sang in 1969, it's Hot Fun In The Summertime!

Good Works
Syndicated columnist and bona fide media specialist Gil Robertson's roots really run deep. The jet-set journalist is setting his sights on the southern city of Atlanta in his mission to empower the minds of aspiring African American media professionals. Throughout the month of June, Mr. Robertson and his Atlanta-based associates are presenting a series of workshops at the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History. The four week series, titled "Writing As A Tool Of Empowerment"--named after his best-selling books, kicked off on June 1 and continues every Tuesday and Thursday evening throughout the month.

With a principal goal to introduce aspiring communicators to skill sets that will enable them to empowerment themselves through their use of the written word, Mr. Robertson developed "Writing As A Tool of Empowerment" with the late UCLA professor Dr. Beverly Robinson and New York City School principal La Vonia Sherman.

"The programs that I'm putting forth responds to a need present in the community," Mr. Robertson told The Ru Report in a phone interview yesterday. "People really want to express themselves but don't know how to take the first steps. Through programs like the one that I am presenting at Auburn, my goal is to take participants through the initial steps in reaching outside of themselves and having their voices heard."

According to recent Newsroom Employment Surveys, African Americans comprise only 5.6% of all newsroom employees with figures being less for television, online media and periodicals. The workshops are designed to expose participants to the importance of effective communication and the fundamentals of how to build, manage and grow careers in the media marketplace.

"I'm always thinking of new ways to deliver new and exciting programs to our message to the public." Mr. Robertson continued. "Next year, we will be taking the program on the road with dates in New York, Detroit, Chicago, Miami and Los Angeles."

Francine Henderson, Administrator for Auburn Avenue Research Library, said that they considered the program a very worthwhile endeavor. "We are pleased about the partnership with The Robertson Treatment," said Ms. Henderson. "Writing literacy is certainly a precursor to bringing about change and improvements in society. Auburn is no stranger to community outreach. For years we have developed and fostered programs to help create a better Atlanta. We are committed to a mandate of interacting with Atlanta citizen with offerings that will lead to improvements in every area of life."

Tube Talk
A special Collector's Edition 2-Disc DVD of the seven-time Oscar nominated epic film, Cold Mountain, will hit the shelves on June 29. The sweeping drama of love and war, boasts an all-star cast including Jude Law, Nicole Kidman and Renee Zellweger--who snagged her first Oscar for her supporting actress role in the film, directed by Anthony Minghella. Bonus materials in the package include never-before-seen deleted scenes, the Climbing Cold Mountain documentary, a live show from UCLA's Royce Hall with musical performances from Allison Krauss, Sting and Jack White called "Words & Music of Cold Mountain" and a storyboard-to-film comparison feature.

She may be down, but she's not out! Martha Stewart lives on. At least on television. Yesterday, the Style Network announced a multi-year licensing agreement to air "Martha Stewart Living," the Emmy-award winning television program hosted by the Diva of Domesticity, in primetime. Hour-long episodes from the existing library of "Martha Stewart Living" will air nationally on The Style Network weekday evenings beginning this month. The Style Network will be the exclusive cable home of the original one-hour show, which I have learned a lot from. Currently available in 36 million households and attracting a core audience of young, affluent adults between the ages of 18 and 49, programming on The Style Network will consist of episodes of the show, as well as newly repackaged "best of" specials, including repackaged wedding specials.

Kwame Jackson has a new gig. He and his questionable antics with beauty pageant contestants may have gotten him ousted from his recent judging duties of this year's "Miss Universe" program, but he's still a hot commodity in the public speaking arena. "The Apprentice" runner-up has been selected as the keynote speaker for the National INROADS Alumni Association (NIAA) presentation of their First Annual Northeast Regional Networking Event. Scheduled for June 26 at New York City's W Hotel. The Harvard MBA graduate and former Goldman Sachs investment manager is prominent alum of INROADS, whose staff provides ongoing academic support and career training and guidance to more than 5,500 Interns sponsored by over 700 companies.

Got to get that dirt off your shoulder!

Message Karu F Daniels or email him directly at therureport@aol.com

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