Norah Jones Recording New CD, Performs On Willie Nelson TV Tribute
Grammy winner Norah Jones spent time in a New York studio during the month of April to track new tunes for her second solo CD.
According to her label's website Jones was joined in the studio by her band, which includes guitarists Kevin Breit and Adam Levy, bassist Lee Alexander, drummer Andy Borger on drums, and Daru Oda on background vocals. The CD project is due sometime in early 2004.
Jones and her band are currently on tour, with upcoming stops in the Southeast early next month and a three-night stand at New York's Beacon Theatre from June 23 through 25.
Meanwhile, we can catch Jones performing on the 70th birthday TV tribute to country star Willie Nelson. Willie Nelson & Friends: Kickin' It Live will also feature performances by Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, Wyclef Jean, Kris Kristofferson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Shelby Lynne, Steven Tyler, and others. The special airs on the USA Network on Monday (May 26) at 9 and 11 p.m., ET, and again on Saturday (May 31) at 2 a.m. ET.
Jones' debut CD, Come Away With Me, earned a total of eight Grammy Awards this year. The album has been certified six times platinum for sales of more than six million copies, and remains in the Number One position on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart after 64 weeks.
Dixie Chicks Backlash Continues
The Dixie Chicks were a last minute addition to the roster of performers on Wednesday (May 21) 38th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards show, live from Las Vegas. During the three-hour event, which was steeped in patriotism, the Chicks still seemed to be suffering from the backlash of resentment over Natalie Maines' remarks about President Bush.
The group performed on the CBS telecast via satellite from a concert in their adopted hometown of Austin, Texas. The band was greeted by applause from the audience in Austin, but when Vince Gill announced the Chicks as one of the nominees in the Entertainer Of The Year category--the crowd in Las Vegas booed loudly. Gill tried to calm the angry crowd, saying, "Stop it, stop it. You know who gets blessed when you forgive--you."
After the broadcast, Reba McEntire was asked if she thought the Dixie Chicks' performance on Wednesday night's show might have helped them win back the support of the fans or fellow performers who were miffed by Maines' seemingly unpatriotic comment. Reba candidly replied, "Didn't sound like it. I announced it, and it was a pretty big negative response. It was very, very bad. I don't think it's over." When McEntire was asked what advice she would give the Chicks, she replied, "When they ask for it, I'll give it. I don't think that will happen, though."
The incident that sparked the backlash happened in March when the Dixie Chicks were performing in London and at a time when the United States was making plans to go to war with Iraq. During the concert, Natalie Maines told the British crowd, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas." Since then, the Chicks, have repeatedly apologized for Natalie's ill-timed remark which set off a tidal wave of resentment directed at all three singers.
The Dixie Chicks lost in all three categories they were nominated in--Top Vocal Group, Entertainer Of The Year, and Album Of The Year.
New Items For Your Viewing Pleasure
Its time once again to look at the new video and DVD releases that are hitting shelves today. Many of them are "Should Have Beens", meaning they should have been good, but they just aren't.
Oh sure, they're entertaining enough in their own right, but the sum of the parts involved should have been enough to guarantee the audience that they would be good movies that are worth our time and money.
They just aren't. But they should have been!
Happily, there is one exception. The Oscar winning THE PIANIST also bows today. Take the time to watch this mater work. It is a perfect example of how a great film can move you, entertain you, and educate us all. It shouldn't have been, but it is!
Here are the new titles bowing on DVD and video on Tuesday, May 27th, 2003:
THE PIANIST - A supeb account of man hiding from Nazi's in German ghetto. It is not quite as powerful as SCHINDLER'S LIST, but it stands on it's own as a master work of filmmaking. (Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay)
THE RECRUIT - A CIA protege discovers that nothing is as it seems in this would be thriller that doesn't thrill or leave you guessing. Moynahan is super sexy, though, if you are into that sort of thing. (Colin Farrell [James Clayton], Al Pacino [Walter Burke], Bridget Moynahan [Layla])
NATIONAL SECURITY - Two police rejects turned security guards unearth smugglers in this would be comedy. (Martin Lawrence, Steve Zahn, Eric Roberts)
A GUY THING - A guy thinks he committed the ultimate bachelor party sin in this horrible movie that wastes a great concept and cast and offers no laughs whatsoever! (Julia Stiles, Jason Lee, Selma Blair)
These films were released with little to no expectations and you may enjoy them, as I did, or you may not. Good luck!
Talk To Her - Two men meet while visiting their comatose wives. (Rosario Flores, Javier Camara, Dario Grandinetti)
Love Liza - Man becomes addict after his wife's unexplained suicide. (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Stephen Tobolowsky)
And this release is from the "Take It Or Leave It" file
The Best Of Charlie's Angels - The best moments from the TV series Charlie's Angels. (Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith)
Charlie's Angels: The Complete First Season - The complete first season of the TV series Charlie's Angels. (Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith)
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: Season One - The complete first season of the TV series Dr. Quinn. (Jane Seymour, Joe Lando, Chad Allen)
Today's New Releases
Next week, Tuesday June 3rd, will see new music releases from Jewel (who I love), Lou Reed (Who will always rock), Gordon Downey (From The Tragically Hip) PLUS discs from Train, Sugar Ray and Luther Vandross.
Needless to say I am looking past today to next week.
Should you need a music fix before next week, here are the New Music Releases for Tuesday, May 27, 2003:
CHICAGO Chicago (DVD Audio) (Rhino)
DE LA SOUL Singles Collection (Rhino)
FLAMING LIPS Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (DVD Audio) (Warner)
HIGH SOCIETY OST High Society OST (DVD Audio) (Rhino)
LED ZEPPELIN How the West Was Won (Atlantic)
LED ZEPPELIN Led Zeppelin DVD (DVD Video) (Atlantic)
PAT METHENY One Quiet Night (Warner)
RAY MATERICK Life & Times (Linus Entertainment)
SARAH BRIGHTMAN Harem (EMI)
Staind cancels concert over SARS
TORONTO (CP) -- Citing a "health concern" in Toronto, heavy metal rock band Staind cancelled its visit to the city.
An autograph session Tuesday at a local record shop and a concert Wednesday night were each postponed until further notice "due to SARS concerns," according to a statement.
Promoters were refunding tickets for the Kool Haus concert.
Formed in 1994, Staind is touring to promote their latest album 14 Shades of Grey.
Toronto returned to the World Health Organization's list of SARS-affected areas on Monday. However, no travel advisory was issued against the city.
Idol auditions attract 10,000
TORONTO (CP) -- For weeks, they've flocked to cities like Montreal, Ottawa, Halifax and Vancouver by the thousands, belting out songs in the hope of becoming the next Kelly Clarkson or Ruben Studdard.
And as the Canadian Idol auditions came to a close in Toronto on Monday, the CTV show got it's largest crowd yet.
About 10,000 people were queued in a dusty, gravel parking lot across from the downtown Metro Toronto Convention Centre hoping to become the first Canadian Idol.
Many of the popstar wannabes and their parents had been in line, huddling under tarps and umbrellas to ward off rain, wind and the sun, since the start of the weekend.
Coolers, sleeping bags and other camping gear were scattered across the make-shift shelter area. Portable toilets lined a street and litter was piled high. Traffic on adjoining streets crawled during the Monday rush hour as drivers gawked at the scene.
One Idol hopeful was Kristina Monk, a 16-year-old from Napanee, Ont. (Avril Lavigne's home-town) who, like the others, will have to compete through three rounds of judging to make the cut.
"I lived through the cold," said the bubbly teen, while waiting in line in a holding room inside the Convention Centre where a team from L'Oreal was styling hair and painting nails. "My voice isn't up to par. I have a sore throat and I'm nervous."
When asked why she thought she'd have a shot at the title she gushed: "Oh my god, I'm so into music. Music is my thing. I write, I sing, I used to be in plays. It's just what I want to do. It's my dream."
The auditions began at 10:30 a.m. Monday. Approximately 1,600 competitors, aged 16 to 26, were to be processed each day through Wednesday. Those finalists will be reduced to 100 by Wednesday night by a four-judge panel. They will then compete alongside 13,000 others from eight cities across Canada for a chance to be one of 30 semi-finalists.
First in line was a group of four from Windsor, Ont., who pitched a tent outside the Convention Centre's doors early Thursday morning.
Police officers moved them across the street where they then alternated between the chilly tent and a hotel suite.
"We thought that thousands of people would already be lined up on Thursday. That's why we came," said Monique Regnier, an 18-year-old student who travelled with her two sisters.
"I wanted to do this my whole life," added her friend Tara Mandler, also from Windsor. "In Canada there's never any opportunities to things like this. You either have to have money or position or some connection. It's the first opportunity so that's why I'm doing it now." The 25-year-old waitress performed I Want To Love You Forever by Jessica Simpson.
No doubt some contestants will provide great ammunition for the Canadian judges who will likely try to replicate the razor tongue of Simon Cowell, the popular judge on American Idol.
"I'm not gonna look down that's for sure", said Jazz Torralba, 17. The Toronto student says he watched the American series and picked up several pointers for his audition.
The show will air Wednesday nights on CTV beginning June 11. And if the U.S. version is any indication, millions will tune in to watch the spectacle unfold. The second season of American Idol attracted an average of 2.1 million Canadian viewers, with 3.4 million tuning in for the season finale.
The show is based on the 2001 smash hit from Britain, Pop Idols. The franchise has created national Idols in six countries including Poland, South Africa and Germany.
Winning the competition has proved fruitful. Last year's winner Kelly Clarkson saw her album Thankful debut at No. 1 (it outsold Madonna's latest disc by nearly 20 per cent in the U.S.). Runner-up Justin Guarini will put out an album next month and have his big screen debut opposite Clarkson in From Justin to Kelly, a romantic musical comedy that looks like Grease on the beach.