The Son of The American Gangster, Frank Lucas held an intimate recording session with the 70's group "Blue Magic" at Fenix Studios in Staten Island.
Frank Lucas (The Crown Holder) is releasing the single "Blue Magic" off of his upcoming street CD "birthright" (AGC Records)
Buzz Tv and E2k Magazine covered the exclusive recording session. The interview on Buzz TV will premiere Friday, November 9 at 10:30pm on channel 57 (Time Warner).
The interview will feature footage from the making of the single Blue Magic and an exclusive interview with the 70s group "Blue Magic" and Frank Lucas (The Crown Holder)
Otis Williams, the lone surviving member of the original Temptations, has filed a lawsuit against three former members of the band for their alleged improper use of the group name.
According to TMZ.com, the lawsuit alleges that Williams is the only person who has a legal right to the name. But former members Glenn Leonard, Ali Woodson and Barrington Henderson have been performing under the name "Legendary Lead Singers of the Temptations" and/or "The Temptations Reunion Show" since 2004.
Williams says they are infringing upon his ownership of the name, and their willingness to accept lesser billing at certain shows hurts his reputation, TMZ reports. He also claims they have accepted payment "considerably lower" than the standard fees charged by Williams for performances by the Temptations.
Williams' lawsuit also includes managers who worked with the "Legendary Lead Singers of the Temptations," as well as venues which promoted them. He claims that advertising used to promote the band was deceiving and hurt his ability to work as the Temptations.
The Motown veteran is seeking the maximum amount of damages as well as interest on all damages awarded, legal fees, and any properties and assets obtained by the profits of the defendants' infringing activity, reports TMZ.
AFTER TONIGHT, represents a work of startling beauty and one which is infused with Downing’s indomitable spirit of determination and a fierce faith.
Downing’s longtime friend and collaborator (this is their 10th project together) Rex Rideout, who has worked with Downing for nearly 15 years, serves as the album’s producer. Rideout also co-wrote six of the 10 tracks with Downing and laces the project with his adept skills on keyboards. AFTER TONIGHT was executive produced by Peak Partners Andi Howard and Mark Wexler.
AFTER TONIGHT kicks off with “Will’s Groove,” which ably showcases Downing’s rich-as-chocolate, smooth trademark baritone. The song was birthed during a telephone conversation between Downing and Rideout. “Will and I were on the phone one evening, and he asked me if I thought I could put music to this groove he came up with, and then he proceeded to just riff for a few minutes and what evolved, organically, was ‘Will’s Groove’,” says Rideout. “I think ‘Will’s Groove’ kinda represents what Will’s fans have always loved about his particular sound in the first place. His voice clearly is his instrument.”
Each song on AFTER TONIGHT is bathed in rose-tinged glow of romance and a velvety sensuality, with Downing’s voice deftly moving between his baritone, tenor and even his falsetto ranges, clearly demonstrating Downing’s vocal versatility and his well-honed musicianship. After Tonight,” the title track, is sultry and decidedly romantic.
On “Lover’s Melody,” a track bathed in sensuality and soulfulness and which provides the perfect aural inspiration for a romantic evening, the gifted and iconic vibraphonist Roy Ayers, embellishes the song with his electrifying and nimble playing while Kirk Whalum lends the “voice” of his tenor sax on both “All I Need Is You,” (which also features Audrey Wheeler-Downing on background vocals along with her husband) and the little known Bill Withers’ penned “You Just Can’t Smile It Away.”
One of AFTER TONIGHT’S many standouts is “God Is So Amazing,” a simple yet profound song of praise and gratitude that Downing sings with such a pure intention and an emotional innocence, his voice dipping and weaving yet remaining smooth and focused as he sings with a heartfelt sincerity: “Imagine someone who can change everything in your life/Someone who can take all of your wrongs and make them right …”. With “God Is So Amazing,” Downing stakes his claim as a man of immense faith and fortitude.
*A revised schedule has been confirmed by Atlanta-based Rowe Entertainment, Inc. for R. Kelly's nine-week Double Up tour, featuring supporting acts Keyshia Cole, Ne-Yo and J. Holiday. [See itinerary below.]
The nine-week outing kicks off Nov. 14 in Columbus, GA and will roll through such cities as Atlanta, Philadelphia, Little Rock, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, Cleveland and Miami.
Kelly says in a statement: "I'm more excited than ever about the Double Up tour. I haven't done an arena tour in a while, and it will be a great opportunity to give my fans a memorable show where I’m pulling out all the stops. Since my last arena tour I’ve done a lot of great collaborations with some phenomenal artists which has given me a lot more hits to add to my repertoire."
Official tour dates are listed below. Advance tickets can be purchased through TicketMaster by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.
Wed Nov 14 Columbus, GA Columbus Civic Center Thurs Nov 15 Atlanta Phillips Arena Fri Nov 16 Greensboro Greensboro Coliseum Sat Nov 17 Birmingham BJCC Sun Nov 18 Charlotte Bobcat Arena Wed Nov 21 Philadelphia Wachovia Center Thurs Nov 22 Newark Prudential Center Fri Nov 23 New York Nassau Coliseum Sat Nov 24 Baltimore 1st Mariner Sun Nov 25 Washington D.C. Verizon Center Thurs Nov 29 Little Rock Alltel Arena Fri Nov 30 New Orleans New Orleans Arena Sat Dec 1 Dallas American Airlines Arena Sun Dec 2 Houston Toyota Center Thurs Dec 6 Oklahoma Ford Center Fri Dec 7 Kansas City Sprint Center Sat Dec 8 Indianapolis Conseco Fieldhouse Sun Dec 9 Memphis Fed Ex Forum Thurs Dec 13 Las Vegas The Orleans Fri Dec 14 Los Angeles L.A. Forum Sat Dec 15 Oakland Oakland Arena (Oracle) Sun Dec 16 Sacramento ARCO Arena Thurs Dec 20 Minneapolis Target Center Fri Dec 21 Chicago United Center Sat Dec 22 Detroit Joe Louis Arena Sun Dec 23 Cleveland Wolstein Center Thurs Dec 27 Charleston North Charleston Coliseum Fri Dec 28 Orlando Amway Sat Dec 29 Columbia Colonial Center Sun Dec 30 Jacksonville Veteran Memorial Mon Dec 31 Miami American Airlines Arena Fri Jan 4 Nashville Sommet Center Sat Jan 5 Louisville Kentucky Expo Center Sun Jan 6 St Louis Scottrade Wed Jan 9 Savannah Savannah Civic Center Thurs Jan 10 Greenville Bi-Lo Center Fri Jan 11 Richmond Richmond Coliseum Sun Jan 13 Hampton Hampton Coliseum
Michael Jackson snuck into Brooklyn recently to shoot a cover for Ebony magazine in honor of his record-breaking "Thriller" album turning the big 2-5.
Spies at the shoot ran to the New York Post's Page Six, stating he was very "sweet" and asked various questions about the lives of crew members on set.
"He did go on and on about kids, though, saying how much he loved them," reported the spy.
After the shoot, Jackson posed for photographs with the crew while on location at the Brooklyn Museum of Art.
With a new album only weeks away, Alicia Keys is finally opening up about her personal life and the recent death of her grandmother.
In a recent interview with The Independent the multi-talented Keys revealed she faced some "real lows" in 2006, before embarking on the writing and recording of her coming album As I Am.
Much of her struggle was related to her experience last year, caring for her paternal grandmother, who was suffering from an advanced cancer that would eventually claim her life. Keys told The Independent that her grandmother's illness "broke" her down "in a lot of ways."
With her father residing in Colorado, Keys took over as primary caregiver of the grandmother who had, in turn, played an active role raising her, and for the time being put her career on hold.
"I had to totally, completely stop," Keys said. "I'm used to constantly going on to the next thing, but I realized at that moment, 'Man, this is it, this is all I have."
In retrospect, Keys says she made the right decision. Had she opted not to focus her full attention and energy on her grandmother, she says, "I would be a terribly messed-up person right now. I would be full of regret and really down on myself for that. And I was able to spend some of the most precious time with her ever. And I grew. And grew up. I learnt a lot - about family, about who's there for me, who's not."
Keys admitted it was largely this experience that helped her realize she had been neglecting herself and her personal life. Her grandmother eventually succumbed to the illness, leaving Alicia with a newfound, albeit painful, awareness.
"It was a whole different thing for me," she recalled. "And it was very stressful and it was very hard on my spirit. And I was obviously totally saddened by the fact that eventually, you know... So it was hard, and it was joyful. It was bittersweet.
