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NEWSLETTER

Updated:  April 8, 2004

 

April 8, 2004

Happy Happy Easter for those that celebrate this holiday as I do.  It's a sign of many things, hope and unconditional love - think it's a good weekend to check out The Passion.  Speaking of The Passion, have you ever felt bogged down and running low on passion for what you love?  I'm sure that it's simply the need for a vacation but I chose a simple remedy.  I went out to Revival on Monday night to get a dose of why I started this business in the first place.  It turned out to be the perfect antidote.  What unbelievable talent we have in this city!!  It took me back to the days of Wade O. Brown at Somewhere Else and many other artists that would come through College Street Bar on Sunday nights.  Coincidentally, Wade was there on Monday and performed as only Wade can, along with Syreeta Neal (see details of her CD release next week below!), The Show (great new talents) and Sasha Williamson.   I was truly touched!  And not to mention the kick ass band - Rich Brown, Shamakah Ali, Joel Joseph, Alexis Baro with other special guest musicians during the night.  So, thank you all.  I'm inspired all over again - or at least it will hold me until I do get that vacation! 

Congratulations to all the Juno winners especially those covered in previous newsletters and interviews - In Essence (Yeahhh - these guys were my FIRST EVER interview which you can see HERE), Choclair and Nelly Furtado (multiple Juno winner) - see a related article HERE.  For a list of all the winners, check out my JUNO PAGE. 

Congratulations to all the winners at the ReelWorld Film Festival - including my friends, Kim Kuhteubl, Richard Leacock and Dawn Wilkinson among many others.  See the related article HERE.   Look for some special interviews coming up next week.  Just didn't have the time to complete them this week.  But get ready - some special people coming your way.  

To my New York family, Happy 100th Birthday to Times Square.    More congratulations to our Canadian Women's Hockey Team on their 8th consecutive win!!  Incredible - see article HERE.  Lots more entertainment news in every genre so scroll down.  Don't forget that you can see all the graphics with the headlines at NEWSLETTER.   Special mention goes to Kevin Barton as he launched his new urban record label, Soul Clap Records, last night at Indian Motorcycle with performances by Ray Robinson, Janelle and Jason Simmons to a sold out crowd.  Much love and success to the Soul Clap family - more evidence that Canadians are doing their thing.    
 
This newsletter is designed to give you some updated entertainment-related news and provide you with our upcoming event listings.   Welcome to those who are new members.  Want your events listed by date?  Check out EVENTS.

 

 

SCOOP

 

 

Syreeta Neal CD Release – Wednesday, April 14

The long-anticipated CD release for Toronto’s luminous Syreeta Neal is finally here!  This contemporary soul and blues infused CD entitled STAND TALL marks Syreeta’s first solo venture.  And as an added bonus, a very special guest joins Syreeta this night for an exceptional performance - her father, Grammy nominated blues legend, Kenny Neal.  A union which will showcase the profound influence of musical heritage.  Come and witness one of Canada’s unique soulful talents, Syreeta Neal, on Wednesday, April 14th at Healey’s. 

If you want to pick up a copy of Syreeta's CD before April 14th, just CLICK HERE to go to Maple Music and buy a copy online.  As an added incentive, just bring your online receipt with you from Maple Music on April 14th and get into the CD release at Healey's for FREE!  

As a fourth generation musician/writer and vocalist, one could say that Syreeta Neal is music royalty.  Granddaughter of Raful Neal who was inducted into the Blues Hall Of Fame in 1995 and daughter of acclaimed Louisiana blues musician Kenny Neal, Syreeta was weaned on music.  In keeping with the blues tradition of storytelling, Syreeta was nurtured with tales of family friends like Slim Harpo, Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters.  It was Big Mama Thornton who gave Kenny Neal his start when he was a teenager, later paving the way for Syreeta to debut with him while touring in Europe.   As a teen, Syreeta was encouraged to follow her destiny and studied jazz and classical music to broaden her skills.  Taking her craft to the streets, Syreeta performed at various festivals, showcases and clubs finally settling on a style that is a culmination of her life’s experiences; soul music.  
 
The CD is a lush musical experience rich with traditional soul instrumentation, modern harmonies and head boppin’ grooves.  Lyrically the album is an intricate fusion of moods that take the listener on an emotional journey.  Syreeta’s vocals are enchantingly crafted to showcase her rich tone and versatile range.
 
Syreeta Neal is a woman of soul beyond her years so don't miss this night and experience an evening of real music. 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14
SYREETA NEAL CD RELEASE
With performances by Jeen O’Brien and Joel Parisien
Healey’s
178 Bathurst (at Queen)
Doors open:  8:00 pm; Show starts 8:30 pm
$15 with purchase of CD; $5 without

 

 

HOT EVENTS

 

 

Irie Monday Party
 
Irie Mondays are back!!  Come out and join the Irie crew as we come to hang out and enjoy the first signs of summer.  Irie will be serving up their usual magic with tasty tidbits, live performances from local artists and the DJ stylings of Carl Allen. 
 
MONDAY, APRIL 12 
IRIE PATIO OPENING PARTY 
745 Queen Street W. 
9:00 pm

 

 

Get Reel Festival – 5 Days Of Film, Music And Fashion - April 21– 25, 2004 
 
GET REEL was developed with an idea: to become a vehicle where black commercial and independent cinema could be exhibited. GET REEL also intended to build on an audience already appreciative of diversity in film. Recognizing the amount of films by black filmmakers that go beyond just black culture to encompass the lifestyles of "city folks", or urbanites, GET REEL's focus is to explore all aspects that make up urban culture. Thus we are evolving into an organization that supports emerging artists, as well as filmmakers.  During the Get Reel Festival you never know whom you might see or meet at one of our fashion shows, film screenings, music showcases or one of our parties. Artists, actors, musicians and industry professionals come from all over the world to be a part of the Get Reel Festival!  This year’s country profile focuses on films from Jamaica, including the Harder They Come and Life and Debt.   Win A Get Reel Prize Pack!  You can win an Apple I-Pod, $150 certificate at Chapters and dinner for two at My Small Talk, by entering the GET REEL Prizepack giveaway.  To be eligible, you must purchase either an events pass or an all-access prize for GET REEL 2004.  The winner will be announced at GET REEL’s closing night event on April 25, 2004.   Passes for GET REEL can be purchased from April 9–20, at the GET REEL office, 401 Richmond St. West, Suite #441, from 12noon – 7pm from Monday to Friday.  For more information, please give us a call at 416-368-3354 or email us at info@getreel.ca.    
   
APRIL 21– 25, 2004  
GET REEL FESTIVAL    
Carlton Theatres  
20 Carlton St.    
For more info call 416-368-3354; www.getreel.ca    
   
Wednesday, April 21:  
Opening Night Film:  WattStax, Varsity Theatres    
Manulife Centre, 55 Bloor Street West    
Opening Night Party – Ricochet – 122 Avenue Road (North of Bloor Street, at Davenport)    
 Ticket Information:           Opening Night Film - $15     
Opening Night Party - $20 ($10 with opening night ticket)    
  
Sunday, April 25:   
Closing Night Party    
Chocolate Lounge  
193 King St. East @ Jarvis    
Hosted by Rachel Lea from CHRY’s Urban Wake Up Show    
With DJ “Juiceman” Jonathan Shaw    
Co-sponsored by www.myurbanprofile.com    
Admission: $20  
   
All other films:            Carlton Cinemas    
20 Carlton Street (just east of Yonge Street)  
   
All other film prices - $10    
All-Access festival Passes $200    
Events Passes: $100    
(Includes opening night and closing night films, as well as all of the after parties)    
   
Thursday, April 22:  
GET SOUL: The Urban Music Showcase      
Performers:  Jully Black and Ray Robinson with DJ Glen C    
Hosted by: Dalton Higgins – Host – Urban Groove on BPMTV    
The Reverb    
651 Queen St. West, (at Bathurst)    
Admission: $20 in advance    
Tickets available at www.ticketmaster.ca    
Co-sponsored by Flow 93.5, BPM TV, MUCH VIBE and PEACE MAGAZINE     
   
Friday, April 23:  
THE AFTER PARTY    
Hosted by Sandy Daley – Actress and Host of Lime TV, Mark Poyser and Lyric Bent of “Aces Down”    
With Directors, Producers from the festival and other industry types    
Trane Studios    
946 Bathurst St. (North of Bloor)    
With DJ Sawtay    
Admission:  $20    
   
Saturday, April 24:  
GET STYLIN’:  The Ultimate Urban Fashion Show    
Tangerine Lounge  
647 King St. West (at Bathurst)     
Admission: $10    
Co-sponsored by www.beautifulpeople.ca    
   
Saturday, April 24:  
Get Started: Industry Panels:    
12noon – 4pm    
Metro Hall, Room 308/309    
55 John St. (South of King, West of University)    
Admission:  Free    
  
Festival Sponsored by PEACE MAGAZINE, CHRY, CKLN, BPM TV, MUCHVIBE, Guinness, South Corp Wines, Canada Council, Canadian Heritage, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council and Trillium Foundation.  Hotel Sponsor: Westin Harbour Castle

   

 

 

THOUGHT

 

 

MOTIVATION NOTE: Procrastination Is The Enemy You Must Defeat  
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - by Jewel Diamond Taylor  
 
(Apr. 5, 2004) You may be like so many ... you don't like to exercise, you don't like doing the paperwork for your taxes, you can't fight the temptation of eating, drinking or spending too much, you can't find time to go to the doctor or take your car to repair shop.  Procrastination is exhausting and brings painful and costly consequences.  You may only want to do the fun and easy tasks in life.  Well...snap out of it.  Pay attention before you pay a heavy cost.  Make your mind to get your behind in gear this year.    Procrastination is a thief of your time, health, money, blessings and peace of mind.  Action brings momentum and satisfaction.

 

 

 

MUSIC NEWS

 

 

Multiple Nods For Sam Roberts, Sarah McLachlan and Nickelback At 2004 JUNO Awards    
  
(Apr. 4, 2004) – Sam Roberts, Sarah McLachlan and Nickelback emerged as the big winners at The 2004 JUNO Awards, Canada’s Music Awards, broadcast tonight from Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta by CTV. Roberts received top nods in all three of his nominated categories: Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Rock Album of the Year. Sam Roberts (3), Nickelback (2) and Sarah McLachlan (2) were the only multiple winners announced across the two-night premier awards celebration which included both the JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards ceremony and the Sunday night telecast    
  
Nine awards in total were handed out at the celebrity-studded show, including wins by Billy Talent, Nelly Furtado, In Essence, Sarah McLachlan and Nickelback. The stellar show, hosted by Alanis Morissette, featured performances by Barenaked Ladies, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, Michael Bublé, Kathleen Edwards, Finger Eleven, Nelly Furtado, Ben Heppner, In Essence, Avril Lavigne, Aaron Lines, Sarah McLachlan, Alanis Morissette, Nickelback, Simple Plan, Billy Talent, Three Days Grace and Whitefish Jrs. Rocker Alice Cooper flew in to Edmonton for a special tribute to Canadian Hall of Fame inductee, Bob Ezrin while Canadian icon Anne Murray was on hand to honour Walt Grealis posthumously with the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award.    
  
We Were Born In A Flame is Sam Roberts’ first full-length album since 2002’s breakthrough EP, The Inhuman Condition, The album, featuring the hit singles Brother Down and Don’t Walk Away Eileen, showcases Roberts’ unique vocal styling that blends rock, punk and roots influences. This year’s multiple JUNO Award wins are the first for Roberts — he was nominated for Single of the Year (Brother Down) and New Artist of the Year at the 2003 JUNO Awards.  
  
Songstress Sarah McLachlan — a contender in five JUNO categories —received the JUNO Award for Songwriter of the Year (with Pierre Marchand), for World on Fire, Fallen and Stupid — hit songs from McLachlan’s new album Afterglow. This is McLachlan’s second win at the 2004 JUNO Awards — she received the Award for Pop Album of the Year, also for Afterglow last night at the Juno Gala Dinner & Awards ceremony. This is her first since the eight-times Platinum album, Surfacing. In 1998, Surfacing garnered a JUNO Award in the Songwriter of the Year (with Pierre Marchand), Female Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year, and Album of the Year categories.  
  
After Sam Roberts, Nickelback scooped up the second most JUNO Award wins tonight. Nickelback, whose latest CD The Fourth Road has already hit double platinum, won in both Group of the Year and JUNO Fan Choice Award categories. Last year, Nickelback garnered the Songwriter of the Year JUNO Award for the singles Hero, Too Bad and How You Remind Me.    
  
Nelly Furtado picked up the Single of the Year JUNO Award for Powerless, the hit single from her new album Folklore. which reflects Furtado’s reach toward various musical styles. This year’s JUNO Award victory is the first since Furtado dominated the 2001 JUNO Awards with wins for Artist of the Year, Best Songwriter of the Year, Single of the Year and Producer of the Year.    
  
Other winners announced tonight include Toronto four-piece Billy Talent, who broke through with the hit single Try Honesty from their self-titled major label debut album. Billy Talent won for New Group of the Year. Toronto-based group In Essence, whose sound marries R & B, hiphop, soul and tribal rhythms, garnered the JUNO Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year (The Master Plan). This is the first JUNO Award for both artists. A complete list of the 2004 JUNO Awards winners announced at The 2004 JUNO Awards Telecast can be found at http://www.juno-awards.ca.

 

 

 

Burning Junos Questions Answered Backstage   
 
Source:  CTV.ca News Staff 
 
etalk's Ben Mulroney and Tanya Kim wrestled up a number of the star performers backstage at the 2004 Juno Awards to hit them with two burning questions: Who would they want to collaborate with for a Juno performance? And, if they ever got the chance to host the Junos themselves, what would be their theme? 
 
Shawn Desman says he'd love to work with a certain bird-like performer who shares his ethnic heritage. "I'd love to do something with Nelly Furtado. We're both Portuguese, so we'd have that," Desman said. "I think putting her style with mine could be something really cool." Desman said he would jump at the chance to host the Junos and would fill it with all the stuff he likes. "I'd probably do different skits from movies I love. Like Tom Green movies, I love that stuff!" Nickelback's lead singer Chad Kroeger decided in the name of decency, it would probably not be a good idea for him to host next year's Junos. "I wouldn't host. They would have to bleep me all night long. They'd need a seven-second delay, or really, a 14-second delay. It'd be like "Hey how you all blleeeep doing?! Are you having a good bllleeeping time tonight?"  Kroeger and Single of the Year winner Nelly Furtado cozily agreed they'd love to work with each other. But Furtado said she will probably never host the Junos either. "They'd never ask me. I'm just too unpredictable. I'd just make it crazy," she laughed.   
 
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, nominated for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year had a ready answer to who they'd like to collaborate with. "Alice Cooper. We'd love to work with him," singer Tom Wilson declared. "He rocks." As to how they would host their own version of the Junos, they had a rather strange idea. "We'd like to wrestle people," Wilson said. "We've always wanted to have, instead of folk festivals, which can be so boring, have folk fights. And then maybe we'd start 'Folk Thug' magazine." Songwriter of the Year nominee Kathleen Edwards, who shared a stage with Blackie for a Juno performance, says she too would love to work with Alice Cooper.  But when told that Blackie had already given that answer, she said: "Well, if it wasn't Alice Cooper, it'd have to be Buck 65. He's smoking," she said, but added "It would probably be disastrous though because we'd probably just hang out and drink." As for her chance at hosting the Junos, Edwards said she didn't imagine that day will ever come. "No, they would never ask me to host the Junos. I have nothing to offer," she said. "All I could offer is drinking jokes."   
 
Country nominee Aaron Lines said he'd love to work with a performer he's always admired. "I'd love to sing with Bryan Adams," he told Mulroney. "I'd like to write a song with him. We're both songwriters, so that'd be cool. " In Essence, winners of the best R&B/ Soul Recording of the Year, didn't hesitate with their answer as to who they would collaborate with -- and it may not be someone you'd think. "Three Days Grace," the quintet agreed.  Asked why, they replied: "Are you kidding? They got that great song "I hate everything about you... That's just great."  The group said they'd happily host the Junos but they would choose a theme close to their hearts. "We would have an urban theme," they said. "Yeah, yeah. And when you came to get your award, you would ride in low rider bike... And there'd be lots of spling."  Spling? Spling, the boys explain, is the poor man's version of "bling bling."

  

 

 

Same Old Show at the Junos

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - by Tamara Smith / eurfeedback@eurweb.com

(Apr. 6, 2004) The annual Juno Awards lit up Edmonton this past Sunday. As is the case with the majority of awards shows, there were some surprises and unexpected winners, but for the most part, the night went as expected.  The Juno for Best Rap Recording went to Choclair for Flagrant, beating out a number of talented newcomers. Though a well mastered follow-up, many have seen Flagrant as a sub-par follow up given the masterful skills Choclair has exhibited in the past.  That is not to say that Juno voters weren't able to think "out-of-the-box" somewhat when casting their votes. Buck 65 was awarded Alternative Recording of the year for the not-quite-alternative Talkin' Honky Blues.  Best R&B/Soul Recording went to In Essence for the Master Plan and Best Reggae Recording to Leroy Brown for Rent a Tile. 50 Cent took home yet another award for his mantle with Best International Album for Get Rich or Die Tryin'.  Otherwise, Montreal rocker Sam Roberts swept up. Upsetting favourite female songstresses, Roberts took home awards in every category he was nominated including, Artist, Album and Rock Recording of the year for his debut, We Were Born in a Flame.  Host Alanis Morissette also took the opportunity to "support" Janet Jackson's Superbowl episode, dropping a raincoat to reveal a skin colored body suit complete with mock-nipples. "We're not afraid of the female breasts," she boasted.  The Junos still have a long way to go before being a feasible rival to their international counterparts. However, each year the Junos seem to be making a step in the right direction following in following with the success of Canadian artists.

 

 

 

CHUM Limited and Milestone Media Broadcasting Ltd. Receive CRTC Approval

 
Source:  Milestone Media Broadcasting Ltd. 
 
(April 6, 2004) CHUM Limited, in partnership with Milestone Media Broadcasting Ltd., is pleased to announce CRTC approval for a license to operate a newly created Urban-formatted FM radio station in Edmonton – the first of its kind in the city. VIBE 91.7 FM will offer a unique blend of culturally diverse Urban music styles that until now have been missing from the Edmonton market.  With VIBE 91.7 FM, CHUM and Milestone establish a strong position in one of Canada’s fastest growing markets and address the demand from listeners and advertisers for a dedicated, authentic Urban station.   “Edmonton is an ideal market to establish a new Urban-formatted radio station,” said Paul Ski, Executive Vice President Radio, CHUM Limited. “We’re pleased to be partnered with Milestone, who pioneered the Urban music radio format in Canada, and to add our experience and resources to introduce a vibrant, innovative, culturally-diverse radio service to Canada’s fifth largest market.”  "Urban radio is finally coming to Edmonton," said Denham Jolly, CEO of Milestone Media Broadcasting Ltd. "This new station will greatly increase variety in radio in a way that directly responds to the tastes of Edmonton's younger population. We’ve seen the impact that FLOW 93.5 has had on Toronto. I know there are many Urban artists in Edmonton that are ecstatic they’ll finally have an outlet for their music."  VIBE 91.7FM will be run by a five-member joint management committee, three from CHUM which owns 51% of the station and two from Milestone Media Broadcasting Ltd. which owns 49%.  In addition, a Local Advisory Board is being established to ensure programming that is responsive to Edmonton’s culturally diverse community. The Advisory Board will be chaired by former Vision TV President and CEO, Fil Fraser, and comprised of educators, local business and community leaders, and representatives from the local Urban scene and multicultural communities.  “This is wonderful news,” said Fraser. “It is fitting that this announcement comes just as we’ve wrapped up the Junos, during which Edmontonians showed Canada how much they value and appreciate Canadian music. This new station will provide a much-needed outlet for new voices to be heard.”  The station stands to make a significant contribution to the development of Canadian musical talent by offering 40% Canadian content that will provide mainstream media exposure to local and Canadian Urban musicians. Additionally, VIBE 91.7 FM will undertake $4 million worth of Canadian talent development initiatives during the term of its license.  CHUM and Milestone will also provide extensive additional support for Canadian Urban music through joint initiatives with Toronto’s FLOW 93.5 FM and other Urban stations across the country, as well as through synergies with CHUM specialty channels MuchMusic and MuchVibe.  The new station will operate on frequency 91.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts.

    

 

 

Music Industry Hit All Wrong Notes In Court  
  
Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Tyler Hamilton  
  
(Apr. 5, 2004) A lawyer for a U.S. civil liberties group said it best last week when she summed up her ongoing battle against a recording industry hell-bent on suing music swappers.  "It's not so much these are issues we are going to win, it's what they are going to lose," said the lawyer, adding that the recording industry's "tremendously arrogant" and overconfident approach is its worst enemy. "The fact they are arrogant and overshoot is our best weapon."  Justice Konrad von Finckenstein's federal court decision last Wednesday, which denied a motion from the Canadian recording industry that would have forced Internet service providers to reveal the identities of 29 "John Doe" music pirates, is a case in point.  The media attention last week focused on the judge's conclusion that music-swapping — both the downloading of free music and passively making music available for others to download — is not illegal under Canadian copyright law.     
   
This shocking conclusion, which I'll explain in detail later, was viewed as a tremendous setback for the Canadian recording industry, and indeed, for an international industry that a day earlier had announced more than 200 new piracy lawsuits in Germany, Italy and Denmark.  It's arguable that the Canadian case could have gone a different way, had the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) been a bit smarter and less brazen in its approach.  Let's start with the arbitrary number 29. Out of hundreds of thousands of Canadians likely using Kazaa and other file-sharing networks on the Web, CRIA decided to go after 29 individuals it believed were "egregious" traffickers of digital music.  Notice that they left downloaders alone, and exclusively targeted high-volume uploaders or traffickers, implicitly acknowledging that Canadian law — and a levy on blank recording media that clearly allows us to make copies of music for personal use — appears to permit downloading.  An interesting question is why go after 29 people? What's so special about that number? Not too high, not too low, I suppose.  What is clear is that CRIA wanted to go after people from coast to coast who subscribed to one of the five largest Internet service providers — Bell, Rogers, Shaw, Telus and Videotron. This would capture headlines, and send a powerful national message presumably meant to deter the largest number of onlookers from continuing their evil file-sharing ways.  Or, to put it another way, it will make music fans hate you even more.     
   
If creating "music-swapping chill" was CRIA's biggest goal, it's unclear whether it worked or made matters worse. If CRIA's goal was also to build a solid test case likely to move beyond preliminary court proceedings, the group's strategy failed miserably.  The lawyer representing Bell Canada made a good point on Day 3 of courtroom arguments. He asked why CRIA felt it necessary to drag five large ISPs into court, when it could have better accomplished its legal objectives by focusing its litigation on one ISP and one music swapper.  What I suspect this lawyer was hinting at, but didn't say, is that CRIA should have avoided the big splash and instead struck a deal with Montreal-based Videotron, a high-speed cable provider that — unlike its four peers — was openly in favour of the lawsuits and more than willing to hand over the identity of any suspected subscriber.  Of course, privacy legislation prevented Videotron from volunteering the subscriber information, meaning CRIA still needed to get a court order. But in this scenario, with Videotron in full cahoots, resistance to the order would have been minimal at best.  Instead, CRIA pulled Bell, Rogers, Telus, and Shaw into the skirmish, pushed these communications powerhouses into the media spotlight, and in return got a fight that they should have expected.  That resistance ultimately led the judge to deny any disclosure of music swappers' identities. Shaw, in particular, with the help of two intervening privacy groups, did a solid job of making mincemeat out of CRIA's evidence.     
   
And this leads to CRIA's second mistake — or mistakes, considering there were a number of embarrassing mistakes wrapped under one umbrella. The organization overconfidently walked into court with a lot of assumptions and sloppily assembled evidence that Justice von Finckenstein refused to blindly accept, as some U.S. courts have done over the years.  "CRIA thought it was a slam dunk," said Shaw Cable president Peter Bissonnette. "I think they were relying more on precedent, that if it was good enough in the U.S. (piracy cases), it was good enough for here."  Instead of a slam dunk, CRIA got slammed.  One of the key pieces of evidence that CRIA submitted was an affidavit by Gary Millin, the president of a New York-based MediaSentry Inc., a company with technology that can track the movement of copyrighted songs over networks such as Kazaa and determine which computers are sharing which songs, and how many.  Computers are identified by an address that is assigned to them when they connect to their ISP's network. The Kazaa users are identified only by their self-chosen online pseudonym. One of the 29, for example, used the pseudonym Geekboy.  MediaSentry's job was to match the pseudonyms and IP addresses and then hand the data over to CRIA, which then submitted it as evidence. CRIA wanted the ISPs to match the IP addresses with subscriber information so they could find out the real person behind the music trading and then launch individual lawsuits — or, more likely, force settlements — at a later date.  The problem with Millin's affidavit is that, well, Millin wasn't the one who did the tracking, nor did Millin say who did the tracking or even explain how a pseudonym is accurately linked to an IP address. The judge properly dismissed the affidavit as hearsay.  In fact, Millin proved to be a liability for CRIA's lawyers. Under a very effective cross-examination, Shaw's lawyer went for the jugular, and got Millin to admit he didn't know whether anybody had listened to the files that had been tracked. Millin also said it's possible the files could have been decoy files meant to look like real songs.  "There is, thus, no evidence before the court as to whether or not the files offered for uploading are infringed files of the plaintiffs," the judge wrote, adding it would also be irresponsible to reveal subscriber identities and expose people to lawsuits if evidence is unreliable.  Richard Pfohl, general counsel for CRIA, pointed out after the decision that full evidence involving dozens of witnesses is not typically expected in a simple proceeding for getting a court order. "This was not the stage to try the entire case," he said, adding that in light of Justice von Finckenstein's ruling, "in terms of evidence, obviously there were some procedural issues and we'll correct those to the extent that needs correcting."     
   
Pfohl and his legal team should have known better. Even in the United States, some judges overseeing music-piracy cases have recently required a higher standard of evidence before jeopardizing an individual's privacy.  On March 5, a week before in-depth arguments were presented in the Canadian case, a federal judge in Philadelphia ruled that the Recording Industry Association of America — CRIA's big sister to the south — could not simply sue 203 anonymous "John Does" at the same time by only presenting detailed evidence on one person. The idea here is that the other 202 wouldn't get a fair shake.  The judge required the RIAA to file separate cases — with detailed evidence in each case — against all 203 before any of their identities would be revealed. A federal judge in Florida issued the same ruling last Thursday in a case involving 25 alleged music pirates.  These judges may be reacting to earlier RIAA lawsuits against music swappers that involved people who were wrongfully accused. These include a man from Los Angeles who doesn't speak Spanish but was accused of sharing 600 Spanish-language songs, a 66-year-old lady who doesn't use a computer, and a Mac user accused of stealing songs with a PC.  Perhaps these judges — and Justice von Finckenstein — realized that the way IP addresses are assigned, the way multiple computers can use the same Internet account, and the way people can hijack wireless connections creates multiple ways of being wrongfully accused.  Sticking to one case and working with one ISP, what CRIA should have done, brings fewer opponents to the fight, focuses the evidence and limits the chance of going after the wrong person and breaching precious privacy rights.  CRIA went after too many people, involved too many ISPs, offered shoddy evidence, and underestimated the privacy card just three months after Canada's headline-grabbing privacy legislation went into full force.  The most crushing blow to CRIA, however, was perhaps Justice von Finckenstein's conclusion that making songs available for others to download was just as legal as the act of downloading itself. CRIA can talk all it wants about the "spirit" of copyright law, and how this decision may violate that spirit, but the law is the law and the judge read it for what is said, not for what it may or should mean.  In his view, users of Kazaa and similar peer-to-peer networks aren't actively distributing song files to other people or explicitly authorizing their reproduction or even advertising the fact these files exist. At the very least, he said CRIA didn't present any evidence to the contrary.  Kazaa, for those who haven't used it, basically creates a shared folder on your computer when you install the software. When you download songs from other Kazaa users on the Internet, a copy is placed in your shared folder. Likewise, when somebody wants a song from you, they essentially copy the file from your shared folder. If you leave your computer on all the time, this can happen without your knowledge.  Simply having songs in a shared folder, or "making available," is no different than a photocopier in a library, the judge determined. A library isn't responsible for people who photocopy copyrighted works, and neither should Kazaa users be responsible for others who reach into their computers and download songs.     
   
A technical glitch in the law? A cheap way around a very serious issue? Perhaps, but it's not Justice von Finckenstein's job to improve lousy legislation or determine the moral rightness or wrongness of a person's actions.  It's my sense that the judge wanted to light a fire under legislators, the real folks who should be addressing this nagging issue of copyright reform. In doing so, he offered CRIA some valuable tips on what not to do if it appeals the decision.  CRIA says an appeal is likely, but I wonder whether it should redirect its energy and financial resources away from lawsuits and toward copyright reform. Even better, it could strike a truce with peer-to-peer providers, accept that free music swapping is here to stay, and attempt to harness the power of the technology for its own benefit.  The latter, in the long run, may be its best bet. As a well-researched and detailed Harvard University study pointed out last week, music swapping doesn't appear to be affecting CD sales, and may in fact be improving them.  The study cited other factors, which I have cited in the past — economic downturn, more choice of entertainment products and services in the market, high price of CDs, lack of format choice, and lower quality of album content — as more likely reasons for revenue declines. It also said those sharing song files the most are also the most unlikely to buy the music in the first place.  This has been another assumption of the recording industry, one that the courts and politicians have not adequately challenged: that music swapping is harming CD sales.  It seems obvious, it seems safe to assume, but as Justice von Finckenstein made clear, the courtroom is not a place for assumptions or bold assertions. Evidence, as it should be, is king, and the recording industry hasn't proven its claims with cold, hard evidence.  If this case goes to an appeals court, or even as legislators attempt to balance the need for heightened copyright protection against the need to encourage and embrace innovation, the recording industry will — at some point — be asked to show how Kazaa is actually harming them.  It's CRIA's battle to lose.

    

 

 

Furtado Takes To The Road  
  
Excerpt from www.billboard.com - Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.  
  
Nelly Furtado has confirmed a slate of U.S. theatre dates kicking off April 30 in Chicago. The run will wrap May 19 in Los Angeles a few weeks before the Canadian pop star heads to Europe for a tour that kicks off June 10 with an appearance at the Super Bock Super Rock festival in Lisbon.  Furtado is touring in support of her sophomore album, "Folklore" (DreamWorks). Released in December, the set debuted at No. 38 on The Billboard 200.  Although tied with Sarah McLachlan for with a leading five Juno Awards nominations, Furtado walked away from last night's (April 4) ceremony in Edmonton with only one trophy. The "Folklore" track "Powerless (Say What You Want)" won the single of the year honour at the event; in the United States, the single reached No. 16 on Billboard's Adult Top 40 chart, while remixes of the cut hit No. 6 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play tally.

 

 

 

Official Song for Soccer Championships by Nelly Furtado 
 
Source:  Universal Music Canada 
 
UEFA today announced that the Official Song for UEFA EURO 2004™ is “Força” by Nelly Furtado.  The song will be used extensively as part of the event marketing and promotional programme and will be performed live by Nelly Furtado in the pre-match entertainment before the Final Match on July 4th at the Luz Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal.  “Força”, written and performed by Nelly Furtado has been taken from her album Folklore, which was released in November 2003 and has sold more than one million copies world-wide and over 100,000 in Canada.  “Força” will be the third single from the Folklore.   Nelly Furtado said of UEFA’s decision: “ I am delighted and thrilled that “Força” has been chosen as the Official Song of UEFA EURO 2004™, as I am really looking forward to going back to Portugal to perform it.  I wrote it with the passion the Portuguese people have for football in mind and I hope this comes through in the music and lyrics”.  The album Folklore is a musical exploration of Nelly’s feelings towards life, her experiences and emotions and is strongly influenced by her Portuguese roots and Portuguese life and music.  “Força”, which is Portuguese street slang for “keep going” is about sport, especially football and the words “the beautiful game” are part of the lyrics.  “Força” describes how football exhilarates you with passion.  It is a happy song, a kind of football anthem with a lot of energy in the chorus, which the fans will find easy to sing along with.  Lars-Christer Olsson, CEO of UEFA said: “I am very pleased that we have such a strong piece of music as the Official Song of UEFA EURO 2004 and I am sure it will become a memorable part of the entertainment fabric of the event:”  Dr Giberto Madail, President of EURO 2004 SA, remarked: “I am delighted that the song “Força” will be the Official Song of the event and in particular that Nelly Furtado is the singer, as it is important that the song has a strong Portuguese feel and she understands the passion for football and how important football is to people here in Portugal”.  UEFA EURO 2004™ is the world’s third largest sporting event, with projected cumulative television audiences of up to nine billion people and the 31 matches will take place in nine cities and ten stadia in Portugal between 12th June and 4th July this year, with around 1.2 million spectators expected to attend the matches.  Nelly Furtado performed Juno Award winning (Single of the Year) “Powerless (Say What You Want)” this past Sunday (April 04) at the 2004 Juno Awards.

 

 

 

Kool Keith And Jacky Jasper Prep New Album, Canadian Dates

Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Nolan Strong

(Apr. 7, 2004)  Kool Keith, the master of multiple personalities, is teaming with H Bomb also known as Jacky Jasper, to release a new album titled 7th Veil. The album, which is nearing completion, features Rock & Roll pioneer Ike Turner, who makes his first appearance on any rap record, Flava Flav, Mr. Pimpin' White Folks and Roscoe. Production chores on the album were given to Lynch Mob's Chilly Chill as well as efforts by Cartel Productions. The 7th Veil album will come with a bonus DVD that chronicles the making of the album as well as performances by exotic dancers and female porno stars. The CD/DVD will priced lower than usual and is slated for a summer release. Keith and Jacky Jasper will do seven dates in Canada starting tonight (April 7) on the Kool Keith vs. Canada tour.

Dates are below:

VANCOUVER - WED April 7 - Atlantis
SEATTLE - THUR April 8 - Neumos
VICTORIA - FRI April 9 - Lucky Bar
EDMONTON - SAT April 10 - Starlite Room
CALGARY - SUN April 11 - Tequila Nightclub
OTTAWA - MON April 12 - Babylon Bar
MONTREAL - TUE April 13 - Cabaret Music Hall

 

 

 

More Shakeups For The Music Industry As EMI Slashes 1500 Jobs  
  
Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com -  By Nolan Strong  
   
(Mar. 31, 2004) The world's third largest music company, EMI, is cutting 1,500 jobs, will drop 1 in 5 of its artists signed and will begin outsourcing its CD and DVD manufacturing to reduce costs, the company announced today (March 31). EMI owns such labels as Capitol, Virgin, Caroline and Bluenote, is home to almost 300 artists including Dilated Peoples, Norah Jones, Radiohead, Coldplay, Beastie Boys, Janet Jackson, Snoop Dogg and others. The label declined to announce what acts would stay and what ones would be sent packing. EMI is estimated to save almost $100 million dollars a year from the cuts, in an attempt to boost profits amid their declining sales. "These additional steps will more closely align us with the evolution we are seeing in our markets," EMI Music's Chairman Alain Levy said. "We believe that by concentrating our efforts on a tightened roster of artists we will increase our revenue-generating potential while reducing our costs, even as we continue to invest in artists worldwide and in developing our digital capabilities.” Despite blaming bootlegging and illegal file trading for the downturn of fortunes, the company's sales current fiscal year has seen album sales that match those of last year. EMI also bought the remaining 20% of Motown founder Berry Gordy's Jobete Music catalog for approximately $80 million dollars.  EMI bought an initial 50% stake in the lucrative company in 1997 and another 30% a year ago, paying almost $350 million for just the music publishing company. EMI now owns over 15,000 Motown songs.

 

 

 

International Songwriting Competition Results: R&B/Hip-Hop Winners  
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 2, 2004) The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is very pleased to announce its winners for the 2003 annual competition. Called "the songwriting competition to take note of" by the New York Times, ISC received over 11,000 entries from 60 countries in its sophomore year. ISC prizes include more than $100,000 (USD) in cash and merchandise and are shared by 68 winners in 13 categories.   Winning First Place in the R&B/Hip-Hop category is Akrobatik from Boston, MA, USA for his song "Remind My Soul." Akrobatik (http://akrobatik.com/) is known as Boston's finest MC and one of the major driving forces behind the city's hip-hop scene. "Remind My Soul" can be found on his latest album "Balance." Akrobatik represents the best in hip-hop music - creative and thought-provoking content, thundering beats, energetic live performance, and a deep respect for the tradition of artists that paved the way.   Taking Second Place honours is Yewande Austin (http://yewande.com/) from New York City, NY, USA for "Rufus" - a song about a homeless man's hope for a new life. Yewande is an alternative soul artist whose powerful messages and moving live performances have generated a growing legion of listeners the world over. Her music has garnered accolades from the Songwriters' Hall of Fame, Billboard, Seventeen Magazine and more. "Yewande's voice resonates with a spellbinding, earthy soulfulness. Prepare to be impressed." - Blues and Soul Magazine, London     
  
Other songwriters who placed in the R&B/Hip-Hop category include:     
  
Hellabrown (Atlanta, GA, USA), Honourable Mention - "When Them Playboys Ride" Marlon Saunders/Julio Acosta/Michael Hind (Jersey City, NJ), Honourable Mention - "Love Serenade"     
Sebastian von Bishopink/Hilde Wahl (Liverpool, England), Honourable Mention - "Lady                     Stand Up!"     
Alroy Dias/Allwyn Philips/Ronell Casey-Nestor/ Judd Cowan (Toronto, ON, Canada) - "In These Waits"     
Aja Emmanuel (Goodlettsville, TN, USA), Runner Up - "Smile"     
Jawan Jackson/Deshawn Johnson (Evanston, IL, USA), Runners Up - "It's Jumpin"     
DaRome Bentley/Marcus Thomas (Atlanta, GA, USA), Semi-finalist - "Café"     
Eric Campbell/Bamm Washington (Wheaton, MD, USA), Semi-finalist - "Real Love"     
Noah Haspray  (Halifax, NS, Canada ), Semi-finalist - "Love Is Sinking"     
Hellabrown (Atlanta, GA, USA), Semi-finalist - "I Ride Illegal"     
Jawan Jackson/Deshawn Johnson (Evanston, IL, USA), Semi-finalists - "Keep Walkin"     
Bryan Kelly/Matt Green (Bloomingdale, IL, USA), Semi-finalists - "The Real Life"     
Nick Macaluso (Sacramento, CA, USA), Semi-finalist - "What We Do"     
David Monger/ Jon Gleich/Tigris Carter/Darren Moxin/Eric Bas (Richmond, VA, USA), Semi-finalist - "All That I Want"     
Alexander Ross-Iver (Moscow, Russia), Semi-finalists - "Wacky Jacky"     
Assaf Seewi (London, England, UK), Semi-finalists - "Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't"     
Pat Sheils/Teddy Tsidemidis/Matt Bowe/ Joe Hinden/Alexander Marentis (Sea Cliff, NY, USA), Semi-finalists - "Bus Stop"     
Attila Szabo/Tamas Berecz/Jackson Jones (Budapest, Hungary), Semi-finalists, - "Black Widow Woman"     
Cory Wallace/Walter Harris (Hollywood, FL, USA), Semi-finalists, - "If I Had One Wish"     
   
For more information and a complete list of winners, please go to www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.htm

 

 

 

Marvin Gaye Remembered

Source: Ron Brewington & Associated Press

(Apr. 6, 2004) LOS ANGELES - Fans and friends of Marvin Gaye gathered at the singer's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Saturday to pay tribute to him 20 years after his death.  "We sang some of his songs, we talked about how his music touched our lives, and had a good time," said Ron Brewington, executive director of the Los Angeles chapter of the Motown Alumni Association.  Brewington said about 250 people attended the tribute, including: Motown Records singers Brenda Holloway and Mable John; songwriter Janie Bradford; and Kitty Sears, Gaye's personal assistant for 15 years.  Betty Kelly, an original member of Martha and The Vandellas, and Claudette Robinson, a former member of The Miracles, also participated.  Gaye died on April 1, 1984, when his father, Marvin Gaye Sr., shot and killed him during an argument at their Los Angeles home. He was 44.  Some of Gaye's most famous songs, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "What's Going On," and "Pride and Joy," were played during the tribute.  "We reminisced and talked about how the music he made years ago are still relevant today," Brewington said. "And I thanked Marvin for the fun his music has provided to me."

 

 

 

Luther To Get Tribute From Jazz Artists  
   
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 2, 2004) Luther Vandross may be recovering from the stroke he suffered almost a full year ago, but his career seems to have reached yet another zenith. The velvety vocalist, who has thrilled audiences for years with his classic tunes and stellar stage performances, is finally getting his just desserts this year with numerous accolades for his "Dance With My Father" CD and heart-tugging title tune (which was co-written by '80s pop idol Richard Marx!). Besides a platinum plaque for the best-selling album, Vandross' most recent honours include four Grammys, a Soul Train Award, and four NAACP Image Awards, just in the last two months.  Now Vandross will get a musical tribute from several jazz and R&B artists, who are currently putting the finishing touches on a CD project titled "Forever, For Always, For Luther." The GRP set will reportedly feature performances of Luther hits by Lalah Hathaway, George Benson, saxophonist Boney James, singer Ledisi, saxophonist Mindi Abair, guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr., keyboardist Brian Culbertson, sax man Dave Koz, and producer/keyboardist Rex Rideout. The album is expected some time in July. Let's all keep the prayer circle going so that Luther continues to gain strength and health through our focused "love power/the power of love."

 

 

 

Cissy Houston Says Pray For The Children    
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 2, 2004) *Cissy Houston, singer and mother of Whitney Houston, has probably put in some deep knee time over Whitney, but now she's encouraging other mothers to do the same.   Next week begins Holy Week and Monday, April 5, Ms. Houston, along with KISS-FM and prominent New York area ministers, will lead a prayer vigil from 7-9pm at Harlem's historic Abyssinian Baptist Church, located at 132 Odell Clark Place (138th Street between Lenox Ave. and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd.).   Ms. Houston is calling on mothers to pray for their sons and daughters who are affected by substance abuse. A number of well-known entertainers, Pastors and community leaders from the New York metro and Tri-state vicinity, will join Houston and KISS-FM at the prayer vigil. The list of participating clergy include Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, Bishop George Seawright, Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Joe A. Carter, Rev. DeForest Buster Soaries, Jr. and Rev. Lester Taylor.   Houston hopes the vigil will remind mothers of the power they have "to come together in prayer, to pray for our children for healing and deliverance."   Rev. Calvin Butts, Pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church, who will open the prayer vigil, added, "So many of our young people find themselves in challenging situations. Parents, spouses, family members and friends are giving as much as they can. We, as a community can under gird that support with our prayers. Prayer changes things and we are praying for the recovery, health and strength of all our young people who are challenged by the scourge of drugs and alcohol."   Toya Beasley, Program Director at KISS-FM summed up the event saying, "In the past we've taken a stand on hard issues like violence and disease, but we never talk about the devastation caused in our communities and to our families from substance abuse. KISS-FM wants you to stand with us at the Abyssinian Baptist Church as we come together for a powerful evening of prayer. We're coming together to save lives because KISS cares."

 

 

 

Online Store Gives You More Of Prince  
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Mar. 31, 2004) *In other Prince news, the pop revolutionary announced the opening of his very own online music store offering downloads of his songs.  A statement by Prince announced the launch of the "Musicology Download Store" within his NPG Music Club website.  The site will be a music download source for Prince's new album "Musicology" as well as all of his independent music.  The launch came in the wake of several legal download websites aiming to offer consumers an alternative to illicit file-swapping that the recording industry is trying to halt.         Like some of the other sites, he will offer downloads at 99 cents per song.  "The creation of The Musicology Download Store underscores Prince's understanding and commitment to the convergence of technology and music," the statement said.   "Instead of relying on iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, or any of the other corporate-run and owned music services filling the marketplace right now, Prince is building his own 99 cent pay-as-u-go service."  

 

 

 

Melba Moore -- 'Here I Come ... Get Ready!'    
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 1, 2004) Melba Moore was born in Harlem Hospital to a single mother. Her mother sang professionally. An only child, Melba learned to fight early on in life. Since her mother was on the road most of the time, originally Melba was raised by her grandmother. Her grandmother fell ill and then a nanny was hired who eventually became the quasi-head of the family.  "We called the nanny, Mama Lu, although her true name was Lulubelle Hattie Mae Stetley Hawkins," recalls Melba. Mama Lu came up from the cotton fields sans education with a hard hand, love, and a taste for alcohol. "We didn't call folks alcoholics then. We would just think "...she sure is sippin,' rippin' and a 'tastin" chuckled Melba. "That was my early background, lots of beatings from Mama Lu. It was kind of rough but certainly it built compassion, which is a great, great strength. It's really a warring tool. It's a way to do battle. And it's why you win. You win because humility is your weapon," explained Moore. "It's a kind of insanity. You have a combination of humility, anger, violence and all those things. That is the abusive side to it, but if you come through it the right way, it really develops character and integrity which can give you a certain drive and energy. It actually ends up providing one with a positive goal oriented edge," claims the durable singer. Melba's mother eventually married. Moore's new stepfather was a musician who provided her with a ready made brother and sister whose own mother had passed away.    
  
Melba's mother and stepfather had a combo together and often played the night club circuit. The family eventually moved, including Mama Lu, to Newark, NJ, where Melba found herself taking piano lessons alongside her siblings. At age 9, Melba fell in love with both the artistic and technical side of music. "I went from fighting class to middle class. I went from the streets to taking piano and ballet lessons and learning to exist within an entirely new family unit. I loved my step dad. He told me I couldn't use my fists anymore. He taught me how to communicate. I wanted a dad and a whole family which has everything to do with who I am as a whole human being, in spite of whatever has happened to me. I am strong now but not hard."  Melba attended Mt. Claire College where she earned a teaching degree in music. She was a gifted teacher but felt teaching wasn't her life's calling. Melba began doing studio background singing. Then, she moved onto her first Broadway role as the female lead in the musical, "Hair," taking over from Diane Keaton. Melba put color into "Hair." Moore's second Broadway role in "Purlie," won her a Tony Award. Afterwards, she went on to do a supper club tour before launching the "Melba Moore/Clifton Davis Show." Melba was flying high for 3 years when she fell to earth with a thud. Her turn of bad luck was due to bad managers who fleeced her and a major illness that incapacitated her, leaving her hospitalized for nearly a year. "I came out of the hospital only to discover my mother in a deep state of depression and fragile health due to her lifestyle and failed marriage. This was painful to see. However, my mother's having to take care of me gave her someone to care for and she began to show some signs of improvement." Moore and her mother began to try to heal one another through dietary changes and much needed love.  Since Melba no longer had management, she began to perform at benefits to keep her name alive. She met her ex-husband, Charles Huggins, a restaurateur, at the Apollo during one of those benefits and they began to date. "I was still caring for my mother at the time and I think one of the things that made me really love Charles was the way he loved and took care of my mother. They really had a good and loving relationship. Charles was a good man for a very long time but later things went very wrong. Charles never really did show his true colors until towards the end of our marriage. He got people to forge my name on documents to get a secret fraudulent divorce," claims Moore. "All this time he was still living with me. It seems he never intended to leave but just to change the legal situation. The divorce was the mechanism to put all of our/my assets in his name. In the end, I didn't have the time or the money to fight the situation. Charles had always taken care of everything. He was managing my career and eventually I found myself isolated from everybody and everything. We had a daughter and I was devoting my time to raising her. "One morning, the postman came with a package and I happened to be standing downstairs. Usually, Charles got the mail. I opened the package and saw a document which said final divorce decree. I saw that this document was already signed and final. I approached Charles about it but he said: "Don't worry about it, they are just papers," recalled the singer.    
  
Melba soon realized that she had to carefully plan her recourse and eventually counter sued for divorce so she could get custody of her daughter. Very carefully Melba extricated herself from the situation and started her life over. Broke, wounded, homeless and struggling, Melba eventually ended up on welfare. "There was a period that Bill Cosby took my daughter in and helped to pay for her education. I will always be grateful for that," say Melba. Although, Moore had many trials by fire her trust in God pulled her through.  Melba is riding the crest once more due to her own talents, determination and the aid of those around her. Melba is busy these days. She has had a comeback in the studio with her new CD entitled: "I'm Still Here." And, she has been lauded for her performance on screen in the movie entitled, "Fighting Temptations." Her new gospel CD, "I'm Still Here," is a stunning vocal feat. The lady can still hit the decibel meter - ranging from a low G to a high C in one bar. Moore sings with all the heart, soul and force of a woman who rose from the ashes to become a Goddess. It is clear that Moore's trust in God has brought her back a winner. Melba Moore is truly still here! So, get ready because she plans to stay. Melba is in great form. Her voice is more youthful and poignant than ever and she literally rocks the house with her vocal pyrotechnics.  Melba Moore is back better than ever, giving testimony to the fact, that the light of a true star never truly wanes and can always find a way to keep on shining through.

 

 

 

NEA Recognizes Herbie Hancock  
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 1, 2004) *Herbie Hancock is probably ingrained in most of our memories through his Grammy award winning song "Rockit." But he has a legacy that goes back more than three decades.  Wednesday, March 31, Herbie Hancock was honoured with the Jazz Masters Fellowship Award from the National Endowment of the Arts -- the government's most prestigious honour for jazz musicians.  Hancock received the award after performing at half-time of the NBA game between the Washington Wizards and New Jersey Nets. Other recipients received their awards in January, but Hancock was unable to attend.  Hancock now joins the ranks of the award's past recipients that include Count Basie, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughan.

 

 

 

Wyclef Gathers Musical Coalition

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Apr. 6, 2004) *Wyclef Jean knows he can get some people together ... with the exception of the Fugees.  The Haitian sensation will team up with Buju Banton, Scarface, and Haitian group T-Vice to shoot a music video in the Caribbean in an effort to unite the region.  “Through music, people are united despite their cultures, views, race or creed. Music is responsible for creativity and change. That is why this video is needed.  "This video will serve as a platform for the different cultures of the Caribbean to show that we are not alone," said Wyclef

 

 

 

Patti Labelle Has Made A 'Timeless Journey'     
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 1, 2004) *Patti LaBelle is timeless and she's preparing an album that shows off her innovative approach to music as it transcends through different styles. In other words, she's sangin' with the young folks on this one.  The R&B legend has just signed a new deal with Def Soul Classics and will release her latest set "Timeless Journey" on May 4. The first single "New Day" hit No. 1 last week on Billboard's Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. Other tracks include a Babyface-produced cut called "Sometimes Love" and "Hear My Cry" featuring Floetry's Marsha Ambrosius.  Carlos Santana is set to appear on an as-yet-unnamed song on the 13-track set, reports Billboard.com. In addition, LaBelle has a handful of appearances on tap in the coming weeks, including an April 18 performance on VH1's Divas concert in Las Vegas. She is also scheduled to appear on CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman," NBC's "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" and the syndicated "Ellen DeGeneres Show."  In addition to a hot new album, she launched her spring fashion line with a two-hour special on HSN Wednesday.  "This is my other calling," LaBelle told Billboard last year of her new career as a fashion mogul. "You must be able to stand by your product, and I do. I'm proud of these clothes, and I can't wait for people to start enjoying them."  Patti's new set will be her first offering since her 2000 set, "When A Woman Loves." That album was her swan song from long-time label MCA, which folded last year.

 

 

 

Labels Team Up For 'Women & Songs'    
  
Excerpt from www.billboard.com    
  
(April 1, 2004)  Warner Bros. and BMG are combining forces to release the 19-track compilation "Women & Songs." Due April 27, the set features hits from Christina Aguilera, Jewel, Dido, Alicia Keys and Cher.  The set opens with Aguilera's "Beautiful," and segues into Faith Hill's "Cry." Kelly Clarkson donates "Low," while Keys offers "A Woman's Worth" and Toni Braxton serves up "Un-Break My Heart." Cher's "Believe" and Nelly Furtado's "I'm Like a Bird" are some of the other high-charting hits on the album.  The two labels also hope "Women & Songs" will help them break a pair of new artists. Warner Bros. is introducing its diva-in-the-making Cherie on the set. The French vocalist delivers "I'm Ready," which will be featured on her Lava Records debut later this month. BMG is presenting young singer/songwriter Rachael Yamagata via "Under My Skin," which will appear on her Private Music debut in June.  
  
Here is the track list for "Woman & Music:"    
  
"Beautiful," Christina Aguilera  
"Cry," Faith Hill  
"Intuition," Jewel  
"I'm Like a Bird," Nelly Furtado  
"Low," Kelly Clarkson  
"A Woman's Worth," Alicia Keys  
"Thank You," Dido  
"Are You Happy Now?," Michelle Branch  
"Thank U," Alanis Morissette  
"Adia," Sarah McLachlan  
"How Do I Live," LeAnn Rimes  
"Believe," Cher  
"Lights Out," Lisa Marie Presley  
"I Can't Make You Love Me," Bonnie Raitt  
"I'm Ready," Cherie  
"Kind & Generous," Natalie Merchant  
"Under My Skin," Rachael Yamagata  
"I Wish I Wasn't," Heather Headley  
"Un-Break My Heart," Toni Braxton

 

 

 

Joss Stone Exhibits Plenty Of 'Soul'   
 
Excerpt from www.billboard.com - By Margo Whitmire (Additional reporting by Emmanuel Legrand in London) 
 
(Mar.  29, 2004) For 16-year-old newcomer Joss Stone, the rules don't apply.  Without the usual push at radio, the S-Curve Records artist's debut EP, "The Soul Sessions," jumped from the bottom half of The Billboard 200 to No. 64 last week. The collection of vintage soul covers arrived in September 2003 and served as an introduction to the Devon, England, singer's upcoming album of original material.  "I thought it was just going to be a word-of-mouth thing," Stone recalls. "That was the idea -- like an underground, five-dollar thing. It kind of turned into something completely different."  S-Curve president Steve Greenberg executive- and co-produced the project. He explains that releasing an EP before a full studio album opened doors that are usually closed to new artists.  "If you put out a regular studio album with a single to pop radio, the world is really going to judge her based on how the single does," Greenberg says. "With 'Sessions,' we made a record that stood on its own, that clearly wasn't made for the sole purpose of having hit singles."  Instead of a hit radio single, music TV channels MTV and VH1 picked up Stone's version of the White Stripes' "Fell in Love With a Girl" -- renamed "Fell in Love With a Boy" -- last month.   The video sparked TV appearances on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," "Last Call With Carson Daly" and a featured segment on MTV's "Total Request Live." Stone also performed with Elton John at the pop icon's request during his annual Oscar bash with "In Style" Feb. 29.  Co-produced by soul veteran Betty Wright, the release is long for an EP, with 10 tracks. It is a foray into soul from the 1960s and '70s with classics like the Isley Brothers' "For the Love of You" and more obscure cuts like Carla Thomas' "I've Fallen in Love With You."  "We wanted to pick songs that she could do radically different from the original," explains Greenberg, who recalls that the whole recording process took just four days. "We really tried not to do a karaoke record."  Though it's not every day that a teenage ingenue records with veteran backing like Latimore and Timmy Thomas, Stone says, "I don't really know any different. Everyone's saying, 'Oh, it must be weird being 16 and doing this,' but I really have no idea what it's like to be any older."  Internationally, the story is similar. The Pan-European release for "Sessions" was unveiled Feb. 2, while Asian territories and Latin America followed this month. Stone's "Fell in Love With a Boy" is also starting to hit mainstream top 40 stations like BBC Radio 1 in the United Kingdom and Europe 2 in France.  Stone has performed showcases in Germany, France and Italy and will open for Sting at London's Royal Albert Hall in May. "I can't wait to do that," Stone says. "Royal Albert Hall is really posh, so it's going to be funny-a bit of a laugh."  Stone's album of original material is slated to arrive in September. The singer says she has been writing the material for it since she was 14.

 

 

 

Motown Spruces Up Supremes/Temptations Duets    
  
Excerpt from www.billboard.com - Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.  
  
(Mar. 30, 2004)  Motown has set an April 27 release for "Joined Together: The Complete Studio Duets," compiling two discs worth of collaborations between Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations. Some of the tracks were originally released on the late '60s albums "Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations" and "Together" and are augmented here with a variety of bonus cuts.  "Join the Temptations" featured the smash hit single "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," plus covers of such Motown staples as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and Marvin Gaye's "Try It Baby." The new edition begins with a medley of five songs, including the Supremes' "Stop! In the Name of Love" and also sports previously unreleased covers of the Beatles' "Got To Get You Into My Life" and the Burt Bacharach/Hal David-penned "A House Is Not a Home."  "Together" is loaded with unreleased single and mono mixes of tracks like the Band's "The Weight," Smokey Robinson's "I'll Try Something New" and Gaye's "Stubborn Kind of Fellow." Rounding out the album is a Mary Wilson solo version of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and an extended version of "Not Now, I'll Tell You Later," which first appeared on the Temptations' 1966 album "Get Ready."  The packaging for "Joined Together" sports new interviews with Supremes members Ross, Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, plus the Temptations' Otis Williams. The set will be issued a week after the compilation "Motown 1's," featuring the biggest hits from the label's storied past.

 

 

 

Juvenile And James Prince Team Up  
  
Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com -  By Nolan Strong  
   
(Mar. 31, 2004) Rapper Juvenile is teaming with Rap-A-Lot CEO James Prince in a new joint venture to release new artists.  Under the deal, Juve and J. Prince will release new music from Skip and Wacko as well as an album by the new group Partners N Crime.  "This venture is a new way for me to experience the record business, executive producing, with J, new acts. I'm spreading out in my career," Juve told AllHipHop.com in a statement.  Juve said that in addition to producing a number of songs on his latest album Juve The Great which was recently certified Gold (500,000 copies sold), he wanted to work with new artists as an entrepreneur.  The rapper will continue to tour and support Juve The Great, which dropped on Cash Money/Universal.  "I'm excited to produce and spread my involvement," Juvenile continued. "To do all this, I need a great partner in the new activity, and J, with his business skills, is just the person I need!"  J. Prince has released some of the most well known rappers under his Rap-A-Lot label.   Geto Boys, Scarface, Do or Die, Yukmouth and others have all worked with the mogul, who also handles the careers of boxers Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather, Clarence "Bones" Adams and Winky Wright via his company, Prince Boxing Enterprise.  Juvenile just released the second single from Juve The Great. "Bounce Back" has just been released to radio and video outlets nationwide.

 

 

 

Eminem and Obie Trice Nominated For Detroit Music Awards  
  
Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com -  By Nolan Strong  
   
(Mar. 29, 2004) Eminem and Obie Trice were among the nominees for the annual Detroit Music Awards, which are slated to take place Friday, April 23 at the State Theatre in Detroit. Eminem is nominated twice in the Best National Single category for his songs "Sing For The Moment" and "Superman," while Obie Trice's album Cheers landed him an Outstanding Major Label Recording nomination. Neither of the rappers were nominated in the Urban/Funk/Hip-Hop categories. Local artists White Boy Ric, Miz Korona, Khary Kimani Turner, Paradime, Poetic Menace, Trip, Black Bottom Collective and Black Magic Crossing filled out the rap categories. Local DJ's DJ Babe, DJ Houseshoes, DJ Stezo and Mark EP were all nominated for their turntable work. The event will honour blues legends the Butler Twins and electronic music pioneer Juan Atkins with the Distinguished Achievement Award. Tickets to attend the event are priced between $10-$25 and are available through Ticketmaster.

 

 

 

Master P Goes Gold     
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 2, 2004) *Master P goes gold, but those teeth are still platinum. But, he's smiling all the way to the bank with his newest release.   The rap mogul has so many sides it's hard to believe he could narrow them down in his new set to the "Good Side/Bad Side."   In its first week of release, "Good Side/Bad Side" hit stores on March 23, the set hit gold status.   "Them Jeans," the first single from the set stayed in the top 10 of BET's "106 & Park" video countdown show for four straight weeks.   Another track, accompanied by a controversial video which premiered on BET last week is "Act a Fool," featuring Lil' John and it has gotten substantial response as well.   "Good Side/Bad Side" is the first album to have a limited edition 3 disc set featuring 2 CDs of new music from Master P and a full-length feature film by the same name on DVD.   "This is the first time anyone has put out a full length movie with their CD. I was the first one to do well with my straight-to-video films in the late 90s, so who else is out here to start the new trend of putting out films with their music but me," says Master P. "It's a complete package, 2 CDs of music and a movie starring me and Rome. You can't get anything like this out here right now."   The film is executive produced and co-directed by Master P and stars Master P and Lil Romeo. The music is produced by Myke Diesel and features several tracks by Lil' Romeo and P's brother Silkk The Shocker. Also notable are, "Who Wants Some" and "Act a Fool," two hot tracks featuring and produced by Lil' John.

 

 

 

Outkast Wins 2 Kids' Choice Awards  
  
Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Nolan Strong  
  
(Apr. 4, 2004) Colourful rap group Outkast won two awards at Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. The rap duo took home Best Song award for their hit "Hey Ya," as well as Best Group honours. "Thank you for inviting us to your award show,'' Andre 3000 told the crowd, made up mostly of screaming kids. "We're having a great time, and it is so great to learn how to read. You have to read, that's it, and count, and all that type of stuff. Stay away from drugs.'' Big Boi also reminded the importance of voting to children to reminding them to tell their parents to vote in the upcoming elections. The Kids' Choice Awards differ from most awards in that kids vote for their favourite musicians, actors and sports heroes. In related news, Big Boi recently joined the line up for Atlanta's Music Midtown Festival, taking place in Atlanta from April 30-May 2.

 

 

 

Young Producers Take On Gamble & Huff Tracks  
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 5, 2004) *Producer/songwriter Carvin Haggins and partner Ivan Barias are drawing inspiration from legendary duo Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.  The Haggins and Barias duo have been given the opportunity to reproduce some of the famous hits Gamble and Huff introduced to a generation of music fans in the 60s and 70s.  "Gamble and Huff have a vault of records that no one has heard before," Haggins told Reuter’s Gail Mitchell, recalling his visit to the pair's Philadelphia studio. "They gave us a list and let us choose 10 songs."  The younger production team has already begun work on one of the songs, "Friend," with RCA artist Heather Headley.  As if garnering the chance to redo the work of Gamble and Huff wasn’t enough, Haggins and Barias have had their hands in a number of other projects.  Creators of CarMul Productions, the two worked on albums by Philly colleagues Musiq and Jill Scott, and laid several tracks on Joe and Patti LaBelle’s latest discs, as well as the “Johnson Family Vacation” soundtrack and Earth, Wind & Fire tracks.  Next up is time with Faith Evans and the new Musiq project.

 

 

 

Rappers Are Not Musicians

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - by Morris O’Kelly

(Apr. 6, 2004) Part of being a writer is accepting the fact that often times you’ll have to stand alone in your opinion, unguarded by a mythical username on a message board or any type of pseudonym shielding you. Ostensibly there is nothing to protect you from the people you invariably will offend on some level. It’s the nature of the job.  But isn’t that the beautiful part of it all? If you’re not invoking emotion in a reader (positive or negative) then you haven’t done your job. So in that spirit, get ready to get your feathers ruffled, because I’m at it again.

Bring back real music with real musicianship.

I had a conversation with a colleague of mine in the entertainment industry and we discussed “who were the most brilliant musicians of our time.” We listed the usual suspects, but that’s not the point. Our debate became sidetracked when I said, “you can’t include any rappers in the discussion, period.”  Yes, I said it. If you want to have a discussion of the most brilliant MUSICIANS or musical minds of all time, rappers shouldn’t even be considered.  Are rappers incredible poets and lyricists? Yes. Are rappers some of the most talented wordsmiths or spoken word artists ever recorded? Yes. Are they some of the greatest selling ‘music artists’ of all time…yes.  Just don’t call them musicians. We haven’t had real music as a whole on radio for quite some time. Bring back real music…with real musicians. I’ll take any album of James Brown over an album full of James Brown samples, any day of the week.  The fact that an ‘artist’ may have an album played on the radio, sells 5 million copies or even wins a GRAMMY award for his ‘work’; that doesn’t qualify him/her as a musician. Don’t get it confused. Milli Vanilli had hits (and Grammys). Afroman had hits…or ‘hit.’ These are not the real yardsticks in measuring musical prowess.

Put it in other terms.  If the crux of your ‘music’ requires you to borrow directly (i.e. sample) from music pre-recorded by other musicians, how much of a ‘musician’ are you truly? If you don’t play any instruments in the creation of your music and you’re not singing either…how much of a musician are you…really? In the strictest of terms, you’re neither the creator of the melody or the harmony…so where is the musical contribution? In the old days, they credited that person as “Lyrics By.” The manipulation of samples does not equate to musicianship.  If we’re honest with one-another, we can agree that Notorious B.I.G. doesn’t have any big hits if he isn’t allowed to use the music of Mtume, Herb Alpert, DeBarge or Sylvia Striplin. Lyrical genius is praiseworthy, but lyrical genius and just a drum beat hasn’t had a hit arguably since Dougie Fresh and Slick Rick’s “The Show” back in the mid 80’s.  Sampling is not musicianship and lyrical artistry enhanced with sampling doesn’t equate to musicianship either.  Parallel: If I cut/pasted some of the greatest lyrics of Jay-Z and/or Tupac, then add a stanza of my own; does that make me a great rapper? Does that even grant me the title of rapper?  Absolutely not.  If ‘biting rhymes’ won’t qualify me as a great rapper, then ‘biting music’ surely doesn’t qualify you as a musician on any level.  There’s an old axiom in math, all squares can be considered rhombi but not all rhombi are squares. Meaning, there are rappers who are true musicians (DJ Quik, Wyclef, The Roots for example) but not all rappers are musicians.  Is it any coincidence that much of the greatest Hip-Hop music of all-time samples from the greatest R&B of all time?  No.  James Brown, Earth, Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder sound great as a complete song or a modified sample. No surprise there.  Great music is just that, great music. The only difference is that much of Hip-Hop is dependent on this pre-recorded great music to survive…the same music they did nothing to create. 

To be fair, it’s not just Hip-Hop. Pop music with the dominance of scantily-clad divas and boy-bands is not much more than an amalgamation of marginal singers with overproduced studio sound and dangerous pyrotechnic shows. We can’t even be sure if any of these people are truly singing anymore with all of the pre-recorded ‘background’ vocal tracks they use in their ‘live’ concerts.  Let’s be real, we can listen to Patti LaBelle sing with just a piano all night long and wait with baited breath for that moment she kicks off her shoes. Could you imagine Britney Spears with just a piano behind her?  Don’t expect it any time soon. Feel free to keep your shoes on Britney.  His Royal Badness, Prince played ALL of the instruments on his first studio album. Why, because he could. Stevie Wonder was too a MUSICAL prodigy. The adolescent couldn’t even see yet had mastered multiple instruments. Not a bad singer either as we all might remember too.  Donny Hathaway? I dare you to find another male singer who even approaches his vocal virtuosity…while also playing keyboards. Hathaway studied music at Howard University prior to becoming a professional.  I remember that Alicia Keys was classically trained, but I don’t remember hearing anything about Tupac knowing the difference between a chord progression, the key of G and the Mixolydian mode. Maybe I’m wrong and I’m sure someone out there (who thinks Tupac is living on some island in the South Pacific) will correct me if I am. 

I know, I know, I just ensured myself of receiving 500 pieces of hate mail from the “Tupac Still Lives Fan Club.” But it won’t change my opinion…one that’s pretty solid in this case.  I’ve worked with virtually every music label and artists ranging from Janet Jackson to Scarface, to M.C. Hammer to Dré to D’Angelo; to even rock and classical. I’ve sat in on virtually every type of album and seen (heard) firsthand how just about every genre of music is made. I am unmoved.  Rappers (as a whole) are not musicians.  It’s too much to ask of me (someone who can competently play 10 instruments) to label someone a ‘musician’ who neither reads music nor plays any instrument during the creation of his/her ‘musical’ legacy. If history takes a different turn and sampling is both eschewed and outlawed, we can easily argue that Hip-Hop as a genre does not survive.  Ashanti does not have a hit song in ‘Foolish’ (or Notorious B.I.G. with “One More Chance” )if DeBarge wasn’t nice enough to record ‘Stay With Me’ back in 1986. I know that many may not even remember the DeBarge version, but its hook was sampled in its entirety.  Yes, VERY creative…  There are too many artists and songs to name who’ve made fortunes on the backs of Roger Troutman & Zapp, George Clinton and other funk legends with little added ‘creative’ input. That’s not impressive.  Of course this is all subjective, relative to a person’s tastes; but there are some objective facts that can’t be denied. MUCH of music today does not come to be if it weren’t for specific R&B songs created long before, like it or not.  Kanye West’s ‘Through The Wire’? Only because Chaka Khan serenaded us with ‘Through The Fire.’ Lyrical genius…maybe; but leave it at that. No ‘Through The Fire’ … definitely no ‘Through The Wire.’ Take away Chaka and you have a spoken word poem with rhythmic overtones.  Is that ‘musical’ creativity? Not really. That’s legalized theft. If it were a column they’d call it plagiarism. And if it were a screenplay it would be grounds for an intellectual property theft lawsuit. Yes, sampling is legal…  But under no circumstances should it be considered genius.  True musicianship is dead and music today has suffered considerably. Decades from now, radio will still extol the virtues of Stevie, Donny, Prince, Michael and other music legends whose successors have gladly imitated out of flattery, or sampled out of lack of creativity. True musical genius is never duplicated. You can sample it, loop it and even give it a new title, but it’s never duplicated.  Yes, there are ‘hot’ tracks out there, great songs to dance to and good music to put into your CD player. But musical genius? Hardly. Not if you have musical perspective in the sense of who came before the people on your radio right now.  This isn’t a slam against rap music or the stars that shine at the top, not at all. But far too frequently a misconception is passed along and far more credit is given than deserved. Rappers by and large are not musicians…and yes I said it. Some Hip-Hop artists are musicians, but definitely not the majority. 

Bring back real music with real musicianship.

 

 

 

B-Baller Gary Payton Now A Record Mogul   
 
Source: Adee Glazer-Drory / Echoing Soundz / adeeglazer@echoingsoundz.com   
 
(Apr. 5, 2004) Nashville, TN –– Out of Nashville, Music City USA– emerges Rock Solid Entertainment, a power-house of talent including Los Angeles natives PYG’s, Cali Active and Ill Gates, Nashville natives TNT, Diggz and Caliber, Philly native Sweets, along with CJ Mac.  With an understanding of the music industry and the struggles emerging rap and R&B artist face, The General chose to invest time and money in building a family owned label. This was something the famed “Music Row” sector was not familiar with nor seemed interested in building. “New Breed” has become associated with .L.A Lakers Gary Payton not only in name, but also because he is a fan of the artists.  The debut album set to release May 4th, ,2004 will feature Ill Gates “I See Some Ladies Tonight,” Caliber “Holla Back,” TNT “Take It Outside” and the PYG’s “Sit Down and Talk to a G.” “We are excited about this project and feel the positive feedback already with Ill Gates moving up 5 spots on the charts already,” explained The General. The duo put together the premiere release on Rock Solid Entertainment to showcase a roster of lyrically talented artists and ingenious production of Gary Payton Presents Rock Solid Entertainment “New Breed”  For More info, please visit www.rocksolidentertainment.net

 

 

 

FILM NEWS

 

 

 

ReelWorld Film Festival Announces Winning Filmmakers    
   
ReelWorld Film Festival announces winning films and filmmakers at this year's 4th annual celebration of diversity in cinema, television and music videos.  The closing night's screening and awards ceremony followed by the closing gala party, took place Sunday April 4th and were attended by actress Tonya Lee Williams, President and Founder of ReelWorld along with members of the Festival Board and local dignitaries.  Bill Duke, Nathan Purdee, Damon Vignale, Sharifa Johka and Hina Khan were among some of the celebrities & filmmakers in attendance.    
   
'The Tonya Lee Williams Award for Best Feature Film' was presented to director, co-writer and co-producer Moussa Sene Absa for his Canadian/Senegalese co-production "Madame Brouette."  'The National Film Board's Best Canadian Documentary' went to local filmmaker Hina Khan for her emotionally-charged "Jihad: Struggling With Islam," which followed her own personal quest for understanding the faith into which she was born.    
   
Other notable winners include:    
'Kodak Award for Best Canadian Short Film' - "Nigel's Fingerprint" (Director Amy McConnell/Kim Kuhteubl Producer)    
 'EMI Music Award for Best Canadian Music Video'- "I'm A Lucky One"    
(Artists: Tru Rez Crew & directed by Randy Redroad/Big Soul Productions)    
 'Best International Short Film Award' - "American Made" (USA) (Directed & produced by Sharat Raju)    
 'The Tony Stoltz Completion Fund for a Canadian Producer' was awarded to Dawn Wilkinson for her current project "Devotion."    
The 'Star! ReelChoice Audience Award' is "Little Brother of War."  Larysa Harapyn, the "StarNews" Presenter, Reporter and Associate Producer for Star!, presented writer/director Damon Vignale the award for the favourite film voted on by the ReelWorld Film Festival audiences. "Little Brother of War" marks Canadian writer/director Damon Vignale's sensational feature film debut - a riveting tale composed of loss, self-discovery and emotional rebirth starring local lead actor Frank Cassini! The film screened the opening night of the festival. 
 'The ReelWorld Industry Angel Award' was presented to Shan Chandrasekar, President & CEO of the Asian Television Network, for his tireless support and encouragement of culturally diverse TV and film professionals and his significant contributions to promoting diversity in the Canadian community.    
   
The Festival also recognized a number of industry Trailblazers who have made a considerable personal impact on the industry: Sook-Yin Lee, Jason DaSilva, Bobby Del Rio, Richard Leacock, Annemarie Morais and Ngozi Paul.    
   
"This has been a truly empowering and sharing experience for all our participants this year," says Festival Executive Director Jannat Hamid. "Their work has inspired us all. With such continued encouragement, we look forward to celebrating an exceptional 5th anniversary Festival next year."      
For a complete summary of this year's awards and announcements for the 2005 ReelWorld Film Festival, please visit www.reelworld.ca   ReelWorld Film Festival is Canada's premiere non-profit organization dedicated to showcasing and celebrating excellence and diversity in film and video.  The Foundation offers year-round training that fosters an environment of education and exchange to help individuals with fresh ideas find their voices, gain experience and reach new audiences.

     

 

 

Telefilm Says L.A. Deal Not A Threat

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - John Mckay, Canadian Press

Telefilm Canada's new one-year pilot agreement with the biggest talent agency in Hollywood is good for smaller Canadian producers and for Canadian talent living in L.A., says the Crown agency's executive producer.  And Richard Stursberg stresses that the deal with Creative Artists Agency is not about encouraging more runaway productions — U.S. films shot in Canada to save money — nor is it about using American actors in Canadian feature films.  "This should give a very significant leg up to Canadian producers," Stursberg says. "We think that at the end of the day it's good for ACTRA (the Canadian actors' union) and there's no downside."  Earlier this week ACTRA leaked a Telefilm document on the still-secret agreement, calling it a slap in the face for the resident Canadian creative community because Telefilm was using tax dollars to buy Hollywood talent.  Despite Telefilm's assurances, Stephen Waddell, the union's national executive director, was not impressed.  "Stursberg hasn't answered any of the important questions. To begin with, how much money are the Canadian taxpayers paying C.A.A in this deal."  Waddell adds that there's also no way of measuring the success of this effort, nor is there any explanation of how it will help Canadian culture. He said he still suspects the real aim of the agreement is to allow C.A.A. to package U.S. talent into Canadian films.

  

 

 

Keith Diamond In Critical Condition At NYC Hospital  
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Mar. 31, 2004) *Former Biker Boyz actor Vincent Ford, who also made appearances on ER, NYPD Blue and Charmed, was shot three times by his father over the weekend.    The 42-year-old actor, who goes by the screen name of Keith Diamond, was in town from Los Angeles to visit his ailing mother, Sally Ford, in Queens, NY, when his father interrupted his lunch and shot him once in the chin and twice in the chest.   Neighbours say the two men may have disagreed about the treatment options for Sally Ford, who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The elder Ford also allegedly suffers from dementia and Alzheimer's disease, according to neighbourhood sources.          "The dad was sick, he's old," neighbour Russell Reed told the New York Newsday. "He was old, and old-timers snap."   Ford is in stable condition, and his father, Vincent Ford Sr., was treated for facial wounds Sunday and has been charged with first-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon.   If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in jail.    

 

 

 

Gorgeous Dre: A Real Pimp Talks About Real Pimpin'     
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - by Ricardo Hazell      
  
(Mar. 31, 2004) *Gorgeous Dre. Hmm, the name sounds kind of familiar, does it not? No, he's not a wrestler. He's a former pimp and film consultant who helped fashion the Hughes Brothers film "American Pimp."  While the movie was somewhat of a disappointment at the box office (How would YOU market a film about pimps?) it has become a cult classic on home video. Some estimates say the film made somewhere around $90 million.    After interviewing actor Antonio Fargas recently we realized that America's idea of a pimp is candied up at best, and heavy handed at its worst. The only thing we could do is get the pimpin' lowdown from a man who knows the game's every high, and dark low.   "My full name is Andre Taylor," the man known on the streets as Gorgeous Dre said proudly. "I didn't give myself that name. I don't want nobody to think that I just gave myself that name. The streets gave me that name.  It would be terrible to think that there was somebody with that name that looked something other."   "So," we asked Dre. "How did you become involved in "American Pimp."  A viable question since he was supposedly one of very few million dollar pimps.   "The Hughes Brothers had this project and they were going around trying to get people for this project when I was living in San Francisco, Dre responded.  "Their take on it was kind of comical until they met me. When they met me they took a different stance and a different look."    Dre says that the Hughes Brothers gave him full control over the arc of the project, every pimp to be featured, and its filming locations. He said he accepted these duties for low wages because he wanted to learn a few new tricks.     
  
"They hired me as a technical advisor and I told them it would only be fair to give them an accurate depiction of the story of the American pimp," said Mr. Taylor.    "I told them that they were going to have to go some places that they might not otherwise have been willing to go to get the true story.  I told them that I would provide them some people.  It was an incredible experience for me watching them film this. I requested the meagre wage of 15,000 dollars because I knew what I was trying to do. I was going to rob them of the knowledge of how to make a film and I knew that I would eventually end up using it for myself, which I have done with my new documentary 'Master of the Game.' "   For those who have watched "American Pimp," the ending is somewhat storybook by Hollywood standards.  So called evildoers always receive their comeuppance at the end. And so did Dre. He was arrested for on several serious state charges while in Nevada. Primary amongst them was aggravated kidnapping.         "While we were filming 'American Pimp' I had gotten into some trouble," explained Dre. "Now, this was some major, major trouble. I can't say that I was totally out of the game, but I was in the weaning process. I had started my music company and was doing some music, but I had to live still and my music required finances so I was betwix.   "What happened was, they hadn't finished doing 'American Pimp' and they got in contact with me because they hadn't had an ending. They found out that I was in jail and suddenly they had an ending better than Hollywood.  The biggest pimp that they were dealing with was in jail. I don't know how they got clearance, but they came in the jail and filmed me there.  Part of 'American Pimp' is showing me in jail, what my position was in jail, and what I thought of that.   "Looking back on it now, it was a scary situation because I was facing life in prison.  I served three years in feds, but at the time I was facing life because I was charged with kidnapping.  Now, I knew that I didn't kidnap anyone. The young girl that I was with made it worse because she was underage, but I didn't know she was underage. So, when I went to court I had to prove that. And the young girl went to the preliminary hearing and told them I didn't do any of the things that they were saying I did. I was all over the news in 'Vegas and everything. It was sexy to them. Here that had this pimp worth millions doing a film with these big Hollywood producers arrested in Las Vegas.  They were all over it."   The last time we saw Dre he was dishevelled, by pimp standards, and wearing a stocking cap in a concrete cell somewhere in Nevada. Now he's out like stout.  How'd that happen?  Dre explains on.   "They brought these charges against me and I beat them really, really bad," he said with a smile. "They were humiliated.  I got out of the state case. I got out after eight months of fighting the case.  When I got out they were furious.    
  
So, what they did was take my face to the federal government.  Two months after the state case I was indicted by the federal government under the Man Act. This act was created for Jack Johnson (the first black heavyweight champion) and it deals with transporting someone across state lines for immoral acts. Now, here I was fighting for my life for eight months, then I had to fight some bigger boys with some bigger problems.   "Most people when they see me, they don't even know that I'm out or people are under the impression that when I got of the federal prison that I had cooperated and told on someone. But I was a gentleman of leisure, a pimp.  Who was I gonna tell on?"   Interviewing this man, we must admit, was a bit enjoyable. Try as we may to paint him as an ignorant and violent buffoon who preys upon naive women, we could not. He's intelligent, charming and a damn good subject.   "5 months after I got out I had (college) professors contacting me to come lecture to their criminal justices classes. This is some phenomenal stuff.  I'm like wow!  I was born from the womb of a prostitute from the seed of a pimp. This is what society tells me, but in actuality this was my mother and my father. It's impossible for me to see what you see. You see the scum of the earth. I see heroes. These are the same people who  love me, caressed me and hugged me.  I couldn't see them in the same manner as you. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't."  

 

 

 

The Rock Has The 'Rundown'  
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 2, 2004) The Rock has dropped the smackdown on his opponents at video retailers. His film "Rundown" has mowed down the competition.   Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will open a new film today "Walking Tall" and his video sales couldn't have come at a better time.   The Universal release which also stars Rosario Dawson, was the top-selling and renting title nationwide for the week ending March 28, according to Nielsen VideoScan and Video Store magazine research.   "Rundown" sold more than 1.5 million combined DVD/VHS units at video rental chains during its first 24 hours in release. It's believed to have sold more than 3 million combined units during its first five days, according to the Hollywood Reporter's industry sources.   "Rundown" generated more than $11 million in gross rental revenue during the same frame, according to Video Store magazine.   Halle Berry's "Gothika," debuted as the nation's second-best-renting and-selling DVD, generating an estimated $9.15 million in gross rental revenue during its first five days, according to VideoScan and Video Store magazine data, respectively.   Universal's "Honey" and "Dr. Seuss" grabbed the third and fourth spots in DVD sales respectively. But "Honey" was the second-best-selling VHS during its debut week on home video, according to VideoScan.

 

 

 

John Belushi Honoured With Walk Of Fame Star  
  
Excerpt from The Toronto Star    
  
(Apr. 2, 2004)  LOS ANGELES (AP) — John Belushi was posthumously honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and salutes from his brother, Jim, and Saturday Night Live cast members Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd.  "He was just funny," said Jim Belushi, star of According to Jim, at Thursday's ceremony. "He had a funny face ... and you couldn't take your eyes off him."  Fans from as far away as Belushi's native Chicago were on hand along with his widow, Judy Belushi Pisano, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen and Tom Arnold.  "We had some of the most hilarious times," Chase said, recounting a moment when the two jokingly posed in underwear, pretending they were models. "John kept me laughing all the time when we were together."  Aykroyd said he and fellow celebrities now have a duty to polish Belushi's star. "He'd wanna say to the rest of us here ... `next time you come to this spot, stock up on the Brasso,' " Aykroyd said.  Belushi was 33 when he died of a drug overdose in Hollywood in 1982.  Jim Belushi recounted several times when his brother stole the spotlight from him and other comedians. He also referred to Belushi as one of the great comedians of his generation.  "When you drink the water remember the men who dug the well," he said, quoting an old saying. "I'm grateful for the well that John dug and the water we all drink from it."  Belushi was an original SNL cast member. He starred in the 1978 comedy National Lampoon's Animal House and 1980's The Blues Brothers, co-starring Aykroyd.

 

 

 

Ladykillers Star Survives Car Accident  
  
Source:  Associated Press    
  
(Apr. 2, 2004) CHICAGO— Irma P. Hall triumphed over serious injuries from a January car crash to attend a private screening of her new movie, The Ladykillers, at a local theatre.   "I loved the whole thing," the 68-year-old actress said. "You never really know until you see it on the screen."   Hall plays a formidable, Bible-thumping landlady opposite Tom Hanks in the film, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. She has been recovering in a Chicago convalescent centre from accident-related open-heart surgery, a broken arm and a crushed ankle.   Hall said she was delighted to be surrounded by friends for the screening. "I've been waiting so long for this," she said. "I couldn't even sleep last night."   While recuperating from her injuries, Hall said she heard from the Coen brothers, Hanks and co-star Marlon Wayans.

 

 

 

Ja Rule Faces 'Assault' Rap In New Film    
  
Source:  Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter  
  
(April 1, 2004)  Rapper Ja Rule has joined the cast of "Assault on Precinct 13," Focus Features' remake of the 1976 John Carpenter film. Ethan Hawke and Laurence Fishburne will star in the film, which is being directed by Jean-Francois Richet. The project will begin shooting this month.  The redo, written by James DeMonaco, is set in the present day. On New Year's Eve, a notorious mobster (Fishburne) is temporarily incarcerated at Precinct 13, a soon-to-close police station. As a rogue gang tries to free him, a cop (Hawke) must command a crew of policemen and prisoners to defend the station.  Ja Rule plays Smiley, a small-time crook whose latest crime lands him in transport with the mobster, and he becomes trapped in the precinct when the assault begins. Gabriel Byrne, Brian Dennehy, Maria Bello, John Leguizamo and Drea De Matteo round out the cast.   Ja Rule's credits include "The Fast and the Furious," "Half Past Dead," "Scary Movie 3" and the upcoming "The Cookout," which is scheduled for an August release in U.S. theatres.

 

 

 

Van Peebles Shows His 'Baadasssss'    
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 5, 2004) *Actor/director Mario Van Peebles is paying homage to his father, director/actor Melvin Van Peebles. Mario will be releasing his latest project “Baadasssss,” which journey’s his relationship with his father after the two bonded when death threats reeled after Melvin made his revolutionary film “Sweet Sweetback’s Baad Asssss Song” in 1971.  “Baadasssss” has already been acclaimed by film critics after it was screened at the Sundance Film Festival. Mario Van Peebles called the film "How to Get the Man's Foot Outta Your Ass," in full, but in theatres and ads, it will be called "Baadasssss," Fox 411 reports.  Fox’s Roger Friedman describes the film as “like the black version Bob Fosse's ‘All that Jazz,’ but slightly sweeter. It's probably the best Father's Day movie since ‘Field of Dreams.’ ‘Baadasssss’ is proof that Mario "got" everything his father was doing as an artist and as a man.”  “Baadasssss” will be in limited release on May 28.

 

 

 

Pink Gets Serious About Acting  
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 5, 2004) *You might want to get used to referring to singer Pink as Alecia Moore, her real name. The singer has been tapped to take on the very serious role as late rocker Janis Joplin, according to Variety. It will be the pop-rocks star’s big screen debut.  "After trying to make a picture on Janis' life for 15 years, I'd call Alecia's screen test the most gratifying moment in my film career," said director Penelope Spheeris. "She is the perfect age to play Janis from when she first came to California at 19 to when she died at 27."  The film, titled “The Gospel According to Janis,” should not be confused with another biopic about Joplin, “Piece of May Heart,” which will star Academy Award winner Renee Zellwegger. Looks like Pink, er Moore, will have some serious competition.

 

 

 

Bow Wow And Solange: Young stars of 'Johnson Family Vacation'   
 
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - by Kenya M. Yarbrough 
 
(Apr. 5, 2004) Music fans first saw then Lil’ Bow Wow and Solange Knowles, younger sister of Destiny’s Child lead Beyonce Knowles, in the video for Bow Wow’s “Puppy Love.” Since that coupling, the ambitions of the two young stars have led them back to each other in the movie “Johnson Family Vacation.”  The two star as brother and sister DJ and Nikki Johnson en route with dad Nate Johnson, played by Cedric the Entertainer, and mom, played by Vanessa L. Williams to a family reunion.  The film also stars Steve Harvey as Nate’s brother Mack Johnson. With a cast of comedians, you can imagine quite a jokey journey.  The big-screen debut for Knowles, she says that making a film with comedy kings Cedric and Steve Harvey was a bit difficult because of the jokes and ad-libs of the comical stars.  “There were so many things that were just ridiculous, crazy,” she described. “You just can’t stop laughing when Cedric and Steve are on set. We were just laughing forever. We would cut and they would keep going. I remember this one scene when we’re all praying and they’re just going back and forth. I think stuff started getting personal. I’m supposed to be praying, but I’m tightening my jaw ‘cause I want to laugh, but they just keep going. It was great.”  Bow Wow had a little bit different fun and games with Cedric on the set. An acclaimed Playstation pro, Bow Wow says that the video game battles with his co-star got quite serious.  “Me and Cedric were going at it. There were times I couldn’t even go in Cedric’s trailer,” he said. “I would go in there during lunch and Ced would be like, ‘Bow Wow, if you come in here, you can’t play with the Lakers. He would give me the teams that I had to play with when I came over. He was really getting mad at me. And Steve would come over and say, ‘I got $20 on Bow, I got $100 on Bow.’ They would be over there just losing. Cedric heard me talking on the radio about killing him on the Playstation 2. We took it real serious.”  Seriously speaking, the two young stars say that they have every intention of pursuing serious acting roles and pursuing a career on film. Bow Wow, who considers Denzel Washington his favorite actor, shared that he wants to do dramas and has his eye on the horror genre.  “I want to do bigger and better things, and just keep on elevating. I’m getting ready to do a movie called ‘Mr. President,’ that’s produced by Will Smith. I’ll also be doing ‘Jelly Beans’ down in Atlanta and that also a Will Smith project at Overbrook Entertainment, and me and Solange got our TV show deals on UPN.”  The film follows a family’s journey to their family reunion, which the two stars consider an important part of black culture. However, Bow Wow confesses that he’s never gone to a family reunion.  “No, I do not go to my family reunions,” the 17-year-old confessed, “I have not been. I’m going to let it be known, family has your back, but they are the worst when it comes to autographs and pictures. I haven’t had the experience of people asking me something yet.”  Incidentally, while Bow Wow says it’s hard for him to be a regular family member at kindred gatherings and dodge autograph seekers, he does make an effort to be just that in his everyday life.  “I live in Wal-Mart and Target and folks see me and are like, ‘Dog, what are you doing in Wal-Mart?’ and I’m like, ‘The same thing you’re doing,’ Bow Wow said. “I mean, I try to be as regular as possible and it shocks some people. I always stop, I speak. You feel bad when you can’t do it, but you want them to buy your record.”  Solange also says she takes time to just be a regular 17-year-old, although the young singer/actress got married.  “Back home people are not impressed. They’ve seen me grow up. I take time to go to games and go to movies, the things people our age do,” she said.  In her response to questions regarding her young nuptials with a young college footballer, Solange only diverted from answering, saying “I don’t’ feel like I have to answer to anybody except God.”  Nonetheless, a new bride, Solange is working on her new disc, after dropping her debut, “Solo Star,” two years ago. The new project, she says, will feature a live band she’s put together.  “Everything on this next album is going to be live,” she said. “That’s something that a lot of people, especially our generation have not been exposed to, so I want to give it a chance.  The disc is the early production stages, as are the TV projects for both Bow Wow and Solange, but the two will be larger than life in “Johnson Family Vacation” opening this Wednesday, April 7.

 

 

 

Foxxy Matters - Redemption

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - by Mr. Jawn Murray (Washington, DC)

(Apr. 7, 2004) The early buzz is that comic Jamie Foxx’s performance in the FX Network movie “Redemption” will earn the actor an Emmy nomination. Let’s hope so, because many speculate that if Foxx doesn’t receive some accolades for his stellar performances real soon, he’ll become as bitter as Jim Carrey about not being taken seriously as an actor.  Foxx got real serious when my colleague Rebecca Louie at the New York Daily News asked him about his role playing Death Row inmate and Crips gang founder Tookie Williams in the upcoming TV movie.  Foxx seems to be taking the role to heart by making some controversial statements about the justice system in America. "I've always known that the criminal justice system is strictly for white people," Foxx told Louie. "I think people sugarcoat it and try to be politically correct, but it is what it is. It's not all minorities [who are the target of the law], only blacks. It's wrong, and until [people] start speaking up and standing up for it, it will always be that way."  Foxx has had firsthand experience with the justice system recently. Earlier this year, he was fined $1,500 and placed on probation for two years after an April 2003 altercation in a Harrah's New Orleans casino.  "If you look at how it is now with blacks, including myself, in the news, it's really getting out of hand," he said.  "Redemption" airs April 11 on FX. Foxx said he based his character on hours of face time in San Quentin with Williams. Williams, controversially convicted of four murders in two separate incidents in 1979, has built a following for his writings urging young people to reject violence. He's even been nominated twice for a Nobel Prize.

 

 

 

Vivacious Vivica

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - by Mr. Jawn Murray (Washington, DC)

(Apr. 6, 2004) Vivica A. Fox had decided not to grant any interviews because all anyone wanted to ask her about was 50 Cent. Many people forget that before even attending the MTV's Video Music Awards with 50, Fox was already a household name.  Just check her resume.  She'd appeared in the films "Independence Day," "Soul Food," "Set It Off," "Two Can Play That Game," "Why Do Fools Fall In Love," and many more. And let's not even delve into her stint on TV shows like "City of Angels," "Out All Night" and "Days of Our Lives."  Nonetheless, lots of folks bought into the hype of her over-exposed relationship with the troubled hip-hop star and believed every rumor that came along with it.  Fox invited me to the Santa Monica, Calif. set of her film "Getting Played," and we talked about a lot of things ranging from her plastic surgery to the lawsuit MGM filed against her director Mark Brown for doing her "Beauty Shop" project. Fox even explained to me her frustration with another magazine that fronted like they were interested in talking about her "Beauty Shop" project, only to use the opportunity to sneak questions in about 50. Of course, she cut the interview short and wasn't pleased when she saw the cover line that insinuated she had granted some exclusive interview. Not the case! Trust me when I tell you that Fox was serving it up like never before!  The actress has already produced four films including "Motives" (a must-see), but since our interview she has inked a TV and feature film deal with Lions Gate Entertainment. Under the pact, Fox will be the new star of the company's Lifetime series "1-800-MISSING" and will develop, produce and star in small films. Talk about a black woman working.  What also impresses me about Fox is that she operates in the vein of Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Queen Latifah and other A-list stars who create projects and generate work for their peers and those on-the-verge actors needing a break. That speaks of her character.  To read my in-depth interview with Fox in Smooth magazine's Hollywood Swimsuit issue, you'll have to wait until the issue hits newsstands on April 13.

 

 

 

TV NEWS

 

 

Talking Back To Your TV   

   

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Brad Lee, Business Reporter   

   

(Apr. 5, 2004) Possibly the best thing about the upcoming 24th Genie Awards, celebrating achievements in Canadian film and cinema over the past year, is that they're not the Oscars.  But the low-key, lesser known and lower-budget event will be making a splash, just the same. It is about to become the proving ground for a technological innovation that could change the way we watch television.  The experiment in interactive television, using the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television's annual Genie Awards scheduled to air May 1 as its catalyst, looks to rouse habitual TV viewers from the vegetative "couch potato" state that is imposed when a remote control device is put in their hands.  The goal is to turn watching TV into a more thoughtful, participatory event — something that goes beyond a mere flipping of channels, beyond the act of surfing for worthwhile content.  To make this happen, the producers of what is being called the "Enhanced Genies" will invite Canadians to join in "the largest ever, live trivia game" to be played in the country. Toronto-based Xenophile Media has nurtured relationships with satellite-television services provider Bell ExpressVu, broadcaster CHUM Television and Internet service provider AOL Canada to launch the Enhanced Genies and promote the trivia game.  Using interactive television, or iTV, as their medium in the experiment, producers Thomas Wallner and Patrick Crowe, partners at Xenophile, have developed a computer application that enables broadcasters to run additional — in industry lingo "enhanced" — entertainment programs simultaneously alongside live broadcast events. It allows viewers to pick the information up via the typical new-media devices found in homes.     

    

"Interactive TV in its broadest sense is a term that refers to interaction that one might have with a television . . . that goes beyond just watching it," explains Crowe. "What's unique about what we're doing — and it's never been done before in Canada — is we're using an interactive television platform for live programs," says Wallner.  In its existing forms, interactive television experiences can range from choosing a program to watch from an onscreen TV guide (by using arrow buttons and a select key on a remote control or keyboard), to getting viewers to participate in a poll, like the audience voting that occurred on Canadian Idol.  But now, if Wallner, Crowe and their media partners have their formula right, the concept of interactive TV will be stretched.  Instead of using the telephone or wireless text messaging to respond to content delivered as a question or poll by the broadcaster, viewers who choose to play the national movie trivia game on Genies night will have more complex ways to interact with the show through the use of their televisions, remote controls, and personal computers.  The ability to watch the Genies through a multimedia connection — television or computer or both — is an important part of the project, says Wallner, pointing to a recent study by The Media Centre at the American Press Institute on "simultaneous media consumption."  The study, conducted in October of last year found that 70 per cent of media users often try to absorb two or more forms of media at once — like listening to the radio while watching TV and surfing the Internet. In many respects, the behavioural trend is a natural extension of the "multi-tasking" we are asked to adapt to while at work.  Specifically the study found that while listening to the radio nearly 60 per cent of people are also online. Many of those same people (47 per cent in the study) could be reading a newspaper too and/or watching television (18 per cent). If the primary media at the time is the TV, then those same viewers are also very likely to be surfing the Internet (66 per cent) and/or reading a newspaper (75 per cent).  Says Wallner: "Interactivity is changing the television medium in front of our eyes and this growing trend of multi-tasking isn't about to go away.  "It will ultimately change the face of television and I really think we are involved in the pioneering of what I would call an inevitable evolution in the television medium."  Acknowledgement that "simultaneous media consumption" is happening and developing ways to tap into it is part of the Enhanced Genies project.      

    

All three media partners will provide access to the Genies and the trivia game on May 1. Bell ExpressVu subscribers will be able to play the game using their digital-TV remote controls, AOL Canada members will be able to access the program through their service provider's Web site and CHUM-TV will make it available at http://www.star-tv.com/genies.  And there will be prizes, a list of which organizers are still finalizing but that is likely to include a smorgasbord of gifts similar to those given to Genie awards finalists who attend the annual event as well as an offering of gadgets.  "We love playing trivia games," observes media analyst Mark Federman, who adds that the Enhanced Genies "are very cleverly conceived."  As chief strategist at the University of Toronto's McLuhan Program for Culture and Technology, Federman points to the participatory aspect of the project and the adaptation of iTV to deliver it, drawing a sharp contrast to this year's Oscars flop.  "Why were the Oscars so boring?" says Federman. "Well, we knew The Lord Of The Rings was going to win everything."  "There was no game," said Federman, who watched America's annual film industry blitz on consumers during an attempted Oscar party in his living room.  "We watched Billy Crystal who was very funny but it was just passive watching."  For Federman, as for many other viewers, the Oscars this year lost their sparkle when the suspense about who would win was broken.  "I remember when I was a lot younger than I am now there wasn't as much hype around the Oscars," he said.  "Particularly not as much publicity about the leading films to try and influence the voters.  "The newspapers always ran contests trying to predict who would win the Oscars. We'd sit and watch the Oscars at home — it was always a game about who was going to win . . . and because there was often no runaway film, it would be a lot of fun."  Wallner, Crowe and other members of the Enhanced Genies team have spent hours figuring out the mechanics and graphic interface for the game that will make interaction with the live awards show broadcast intuitive and easy from the audience's point of view.  "Ultimate success is that the technology becomes invisible," says Wallner.  All the harder because the project is "highly technological and highly complex," he says, "because it involves the digital stream of our interactive game and the TV signals traveling up to a satellite and then back down," all managed by the Enhanced Genies team in co-operation with the actual producers of the awards show.      

    

"It's one thing to write canned interactive content to go with a television show," says Wallner. "It's quite another thing to be working with a broadcaster on a live event when you can't anticipate exactly what's going to happen next.  "But in the end, the person who is experiencing this doesn't need to think about all of that. They just play a trivia game that they find exciting."  Finding the balance that will encourage viewers to use their remote controls or keyboards to play the game — and actually watch the Genies for the two hours that it will be broadcast across Canadian airwaves and the Internet — instead of flipping channels has been the topic of the weekly strategy sessions for project members over the last two years.  "It becomes a much more difficult event . . . to manage in total because they are introducing so many more variables into the equation," comments Mark Quigley, Canada research director at Yankee Group.  "When you've got a 200 or 300-channel universe out there, a remote control can make it very easy to go from one place to another."  It's a lesson both Wallner and Crowe are well aware of from their earlier work in the television industry.  "The thing we discovered in the beginning is that you try to load these things with too many ideas, too many features and it becomes almost overwhelming, too much for the audience," says Wallner.  "You have to be very selective about what kind of programs you're going to enhance with iTV."  "I think they're on the right track, but of course it all depends on how it's implemented," said Federman, who compares the Enhanced Genies concept to the popular bar trivia games broadcast on closed-circuit monitors to other bars across the city on any given night.  "It's a participatory thing and you know you're competing with people all over the world, or at least (a vast) number of people, and there's great competition to end up on top, even though you don't know the people with whom you're playing."     

    

One further enhancement the Enhanced Genies team is working on, with just four weeks to go before show time, is a "leader board" that would allow for comparisons of individual scores across the country. In the current version of the program players are only able to track their own scores.  Wallner admits this software feature might not be ready in time, but adds that such an enhancement would be ready by the Gemini television awards ceremony in December.  Keeping score and being able "to create a reputation" as a top scorer, says Federman, is an important element in the over-all success of the event. "One thing we absolutely know about our interactive world today is that reputation is huge currency," he said.  In the case of the Enhanced Genies, "if you think about the long-term effect, if they continue to do this over time, it may have the secondary effect of promoting Canadian film," he said.  "There's this game I want to play, so maybe I'll pay more attention to Canadian films and I'll do better on the game next year."  Coincidentally, audience members who participate in the Enhanced Genies may be revisiting television concepts that were first described by Canadian media guru and communications theorist Marshall McLuhan.  "McLuhan had this notion of `media temperature' and he used the metaphors hot and cool." says Federman, adding that McLuhan "later regretted using those terms because they're very confusing; the meanings of hot and cool change every 10 years."  "But what he was talking about was the amount of information that any medium presents to us."  Hot visual media would tend to deliver high-definition images with clear lines and be filled with readily processed information, while cooler images would be fuzzier, less pixelated, like a mosaic illustration, and require us to think, or participate more to fill in the image and reach a conclusion about the message in the medium.  "Now McLuhan talked about the effects that tend to be induced by a medium that is hotter or cooler," says Federman.  "He said that a hot medium tends to put us to sleep; it tends to numb our awareness. It tends to highlight one sense to the exclusion of others. You get this sensory imbalance or a sensory overload.  "So if there's very high visuals, you get overloaded. At a rock concert there's high audio overload. Your senses go numb.  "In something cooler, where multiple senses are involved, you tend to be engaged, you tend to participate and have a heightened awareness," he added.  In McLuhan's language, the Enhanced Genies would tend to be "cooler" than a regular broadcast of the show or something really hot like the Oscars watched on HDTV.  "Now that we have high-definition and satellite or digital-cable delivery, you look at the effect on people: they sit on the couch and zone out.  "It doesn't matter what's on TV, we just go into a sort of hypnotic trance.  "The participatory action of these game-like instances makes television, in McLuhan's language, `cooler' than it has become.  "It was cooler in McLuhan's time because we participated with it. I remember my grandmother sometimes yelling at Walter Cronkite; it was very participatory."

 

 

 

T.O. Duo Imagined A Better New York  
  
Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Susan Walker, Entertainment Reporter  
  
(Apr. 1, 2004)  Imagine. It took two Torontonians, two weeks and a lot of good will to make an Emmy-winning public service announcement about memorializing the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City.  Micaéla Birmingham and Peter Putka won a New York Emmy Award on Sunday for "Imagine New York," edging out p.s.a.'s by The History Channel and the government of New York City.  The celebrity, all-volunteer cast for the TV spot included Yoko Ono, Harvey Keitel, Kevin Bacon, Richard Belzer (Law & Order: SUV), Everyone Loves Raymond regular Peter Boyle and Bebe Neuwirth.  Ono donated the use of four bars from John Lennon's song "Imagine". Lennon's widow also speaks the last line in the 60-second spot, "And the world will be as one."  "Imagine New York" took its title from a project of the Municipal Art Society (MAS), a non-profit organization formed by a group of artists more than a century ago.  The society promotes better design and enhanced public spaces in the city. It has worked to preserve Grand Central Terminal and to keep Times Square's bright signs intact. MAS also created the 2002 temporary 9/11 memorial, the twin columns of light at Ground Zero.  Birmingham remembers the society's concern when "there were all these proposals and designs, but there was no real opportunity for regular people to give their opinions. The workshops were a chance for anyone to give their thoughts on re-building." She is an urban planner and McGill graduate who works full-time for MAS.  Putka, her husband, is a writer/director and film and commercial producer. Putka was attending Toronto's film festival on Sept. 11, 2001, while his wife was at home in Brooklyn.  As New Yorkers, they seized the opportunity to get behind the workshops and get the word out to people from the five boroughs of the city.  The 60-second ad aired hundreds of times on New York TV stations and even on the Times Square Jumbotron in April and December of 2003.  It worked. About 30,000 people responded to the call for ideas on how to re-construct lower Manhattan and memorialize the 3,000 lives lost.  "I wrote a concept (aimed at) a delicate balance between mourning and looking to the future," says Putka. "It had to be hopeful, encouraging, helping people move on and move forward."  To get the commercial made, the couple did what every Canadian filmmaker knows best: Work fast, call in favours and get stuff for free.  Through a friend of a friend, Birmingham contacted Ono, who agreed to waive fees, which could have amounted to a million dollars, for use of the Lennon song. A top cameraman agreed to do the shoot. Camera equipment, Kodak 35 mm film, processing and post-production services were also donated.  Alongside the famous New Yorkers, a sampling of neighbourhoods and cityscapes and ordinary citizens representing the diverse population agreed to appear in the spot.  "It would have cost between $350,000 and $450,000 in production costs alone," says Putka, who makes commercials between feature film projects. His screenplay for The Favourite Game, based on the Leonard Cohen novel, was made into a film released last year.

 

 

 

Series Reveals Our Country's Undiscovered Talent    

   

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Greg Quill   

   

(Apr. 4, 2004) A few years ago, Calgary documentary-maker Joel Stewart was shooting a concert film of the fabled Canadian family folk band Leahy, and was struck by the affection the group members bestowed on a man in the crowd, whom they asked to come on stage to accompany them.   "His name was Colum Quigley, and he had played accordion with the Leahys when they were kids," says Stewart. "It was clear that he was an inspiration to them, and yet to most people he had achieved nothing ... he wasn't rich or famous. He was a nobody."   That incident stuck with Stewart for quite a while. An "unknown" musician himself, who had made his way directing performance films and videos for the likes of roots and country music stars Fred Eaglesmith, Terri Clark and Paul Brandt, as well as the National Geographic documentary The 100 Dollar Taxi Ride, Stewart had always wondered what impulses compel musicians. He was especially intrigued by those against whom the odds are severely stacked, but who continue to compose and perform in anonymity, often under appalling circumstances and for no tangible rewards.     

   

"What keeps the people in my record collection going?" he asked himself a year ago, when he came up with the idea of a documentary series chronicling the personal tales and art of Canadian musicians who function well below the media and music industry radar.   "They're people no one has heard of, or very few ... (they're) cult objects. They never sell more than a handful of records, they rarely get a decent gig or any publicity. So how do they sustain it ... this passion?"   With The Undiscovered Country, a seven-part series of 60-minute documentaries beginning this Tuesday at 9 p.m. on CMT, Stewart finds some of the answers.   "What I learned is that there are as many answers to that question as there are musicians out there," he says. "One thing I'm sure of: It's not about fame or money. These songwriters — and most of the artists we shot are songwriters, because that's the field I'm most familiar with — find something insanely precious in the act of composing. One of them says in one episode that writing a song is harder than writing a novel ... and I suspect that the effort is its own reward."   Loosely divided into geographical and thematic bundles, The Undiscovered Country is less a glimpse into the lives of struggling artists than a lengthy socio-anthropological essay on the elusive meaning of success.   Profiled in the premiere episode, "In A Bar Near You," hosted by Maritimes roots star Jimmy Rankin, are Toronto vampire cabaret artist Kevin Quain, Kensington Market street urchin-turned-saloon balladeer Shaun Santalucia, and Astrid Young, sister of Neil, who finances her art with fees she earns as a wine consultant for collectors.   With a handful of exceptions, the artists in Stewart's documentary can't live off the proceeds of the songs they write, the music they make, yet the songs and the music are their life's blood, their reason for being, their spiritual sustenance.     

   

In subsequent episodes, Guess Who's Randy Bachman takes in Port Dover, Ont.'s, Eaglesmith, and British Columbia's The Laws and Carolyn Mark, all independent artists and canny business operators who have built dedicated and substantial "underground" audiences across North America. Canadian guitar hero Colin James hosts "Local Heroes," profiling Edmonton rock legend Mike McDonald and Calgary's "great bespectacled grump" Lorrie Matheson — both of whom work part-time in record stores to support their musical adventures — as well as Fort McMurray's Ken Flaherty, a mining industry safety expert by day and a lyrical, fingerpicking honky-tonk folk poet come sundown.   East Coast fiddle star Natalie MacMaster hosts "Kitchen Party," profiling her neighbourhood legends Andrew Doyle, Fred Lavery and her uncle, Buddy MacMaster. Donnell Leahy looks at practitioners of disappearing musical traditions in "Old School," focusing on the work of accordionist Quigley, step dancer Gilles Roy, and champion fiddler Frank Leahy, a member of Donnell's own enormous Lakefield, Ont., clan.   Later in the series, Toronto rocker Kim Mitchell, in "Been There, Done That," examines the work and personal decisions of formerly successful Canadian musicians who are busily reinventing themselves — metal rocker Lee Aaron as a jazz chanteuse, former arena rocker Michael Hanson (Glass Tiger) as a record producer and composer of custom wedding songs, and Calgary-based 1960s popster and recovering alcoholic Billy Cowsill now on the alternative music trail. And Blue Rodeo front man Jim Cuddy, in "The Three Jennys," profiles sub-radar Toronto songwriters Jenny Orenstein, Jenny Allen and Jenny Whiteley.   To Stewart's credit, the series is a riveting tale about sacrifice, choices, chance and change. The documentary allows its subjects ample time to deliver the goods, both in song — each artist gets to play two or three complete pieces — and in personal narratives unimpeded by rapid edits that would turn these compelling yarns into trivial sound bites. The director's method gives these musicians substance and nobility, attributes they are rarely afforded in their normal performing lives — in Matheson's words, as unrecognized troubadours "on the endless hundred-bucks-a-night-and-all-the-pride-you-can-swallow tour."   Stewart's unsentimental treatment of his subjects' real and undervalued talent more than compensates for the absence of "name" draws, a condition that almost kept CMT's owners, Corus Entertainment, from green-lighting the series. In the end, the director's passion for his material won over the skeptical suits.   "I wanted as few edits as I could get away with," Stewart says. "And with each profile I tried to recreate the circumstances under which the artist lives and performs — honest and organic. The audience has to be drawn into the songs ... they're what it's all about."

     

 

 

CBC Program Examines Courvoisier Syndrome In Genre 
 
Excerpt from The Toronto Star – by Ashante Infantry 
 
(Apr. 6, 2004) Is hip hop for sale? What relationship does the genre have with the liquor industry? Are rappers intentionally writing lyrics that will land them advertising deals?  These are some of the questions raised in Rhyme Pays: Hip Hop And The Marketing Of Cool, a Marketplace special airing on CBC-TV tonight [this past Tuesday].  Over eight months, host Clifton Joseph travelled from Toronto to New York and France to explore the proliferation of product placement in hip hop.  He found few were willing to discuss the phenomenon that occurs on two fronts: the positioning of consumer items, such as cellphones and pagers, in music videos; and the referencing of brand names in rap lyrics.  And those who did talk didn't add much clarity.  Take hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, for instance. On camera, he opined that rapper Busta Rhymes was likely inspired to write his 2002 hit "Pass The Courvoisier" with fellow hip-hop star Sean "P. Diddy" Combs after attending a Courvoisier-sponsored showing of Simmons's Phat Farm clothing line. Only after the song became popular, he noted, did the rapper receive money from the French cognac company.  However, in a separate interview, Courvoisier people said they never paid Busta Rhymes, merely sponsored a few of his events once the song took off.  Busta Rhymes wasn't available to answer Joseph's questions about remuneration and possible motivation for the tune.  "Busta has said that he's really a Hennessy drinker and that he used Courvoisier (in the song) because it rhymes better," said Joseph, also a well-known Toronto dub poet.  "My question is ... better than what? Because in the song `Pass The Courvoisier' is not rhyming with anything, it's the chorus.  "We found it suspicious that Russell Simmons's advertising agency dRush had been working for Courvoisier for a year or two before the actual tune was released."    
 
One thing is clear: On the heels of that song, sales of the pricey drink jumped more than 20 per cent worldwide.  The Marketplace special depicts the increase in demand for the cognac at Toronto bars and nightclubs, as well as how influential hip-hop videos are helping to determine how Canadian teens shell out the $25 billion in spending money at their disposal annually.  And while rappers Nelly and 50 Cent are shilling for Nike and iPod, respectively, in their music and videos, other artists are using their power to tout in-house goods. Jay-Z owns U.S. rights to the Scottish vodka Armadale as well as the Roca Wear clothing line, and both appear in the rapper's videos.  Ownership is of little comfort, said Joseph.  "You can admire some elements of them taking charge, but when you're dealing with a genre of music that has prided itself on coming from the streets and being real and (on) its history of political-social consciousness and you look at what's happening now — you can clearly see that they've turned mainstreet rap into a marketing tool," he posited.  "As materialism and getting paid have moved so much to the forefront of the music, it has de-emphasized politics and culture.  "What does it benefit this so called hip-hop generation if a small number of rappers get hugely rich?"  While product placement has become rife in entertainment since the use of Reese's Pieces in the film E.T. in 1982, (think Samsung cellphones in the Matrix films and Pepsi in Charlie's Angels), hip hop is more vulnerable to the temptation than other types of music, said Joseph.  "Although you'll see Sting in ads for Jaguar and Céline Dion selling Chrysler, their music remains separate," Joseph explained.  "But hip hop is laced in product shout outs. And while the genre is expanding outwards and a lot of money is being made, the music itself is watering down almost to a level of irrelevance.  "This is the music that was supposed to be different. (Veteran rapper) Chuck D said rap was the CNN of black America, but nowadays it's more like the Entertainment Tonight."

 

 

 

Virgin's Branson To Host Reality Show    
  
Excerpt from The Toronto Star    
  
(Apr. 2, 2004) NEW YORK (AP) — As Donald Trump basks in the popularity of his NBC reality show, The Apprentice, the Fox network has announced that Virgin Group's Richard Branson will be leading a group of young entrepreneurs on a global journey.   Branson's Big Adventure, the working title of the show, will air later this year, Fox Broadcasting Co. said Thursday.   The show will feature "a select group of America's best and brightest," who will fly to international destinations and relive some of Branson's personal experiences. Each week, one candidate will be left on the tarmac as the rest of the group jets off to the next adventure.   Mike Darnell, executive vice-president of specials and alternative programming for the network, said in a statement, "It's not about business acumen; for Branson, it's about finding that one extraordinary individual who has the right stuff to follow in his footsteps.

 

 

 

SPORTS NEWS

 

 

Canada Beats U.S. To Win 8th Straight Women's Crown

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Randy Starkman, Sports Reporter

(Apr. 7, 2004) HALIFAX—Her bruised and swollen left ankle held together by a metal plate and pins, Team Canada veteran Therese Brisson could barely fit it into a skate for each game at the world women's hockey championships.  Really, the 37-year-old Montrealer had no business being at the event at all. Her ankle was broken by a slapshot just 2 1/2 weeks before the championships began and, as a result, she could only turn to the right on the ice. Not a good thing for any player, especially a defenceman.  Yet there was Brisson last night, cradling a well-earned cold beer in her hand after helping Team Canada upend the U.S. 2-0 to go a perfect 8 for 8 in world titles at the championships before a flag-waving, decibel-popping, roof-raising sellout crowd of 10,506 at the Halifax Metro Centre.  The grit shown by Brisson was typical on a squad of players who know you don't get glory without a lot of guts, a team that refused to fold after a dreadful 3-1 loss to the U.S. four nights earlier, their first defeat after 37 straight wins at the worlds.  Hayley Wickenheiser, mentally drained after a long season that began with her playing against the men in Finland, ripped a game-winning goal in the second period last night that would still be rising somewhere above Helsinki if there was no mesh to stop it. It turned the tide of the game.  Kim St. Pierre, a money goalie in the mold of her hero Patrick Roy, bounced back from a shaky outing in the earlier loss to the U.S. to show the superb form that backstopped Canada to Olympic gold at the 2002 Salt Lake Games.  "I don't know too many teams in this country that have won eight championships in a row and it's not easy at all to go out there and play in front of this kind of crowd with the pressure that we have to continue it," said Wickenheiser. "This team just finds a way to do it all the time."  Team captain Cassie Campbell praised the character of a squad that has a 26-4-0 record against the U.S. in games where a gold medal is on the line.  "I'm not going to lie to you. It's not like everyone's best friends in there (in the dressing room)," said Campbell. "But 30 years from now, if Hayley Wickenheiser calls me or Vicky Sunohara calls me, we're there for each other. And that's what it is, that every girl in that dressing room is there for each other and they're there for the long haul. We come to this team and we know our roles and we care so much for each other."  The entertaining contest was a showcase for women's hockey and, unfortunately, also the need for instant replay in the game. American Natalie Darwitz appeared to score on the power play with about five minutes left in the third period; TSN replays show the puck going in, but there's no instant replay in women's hockey and the goal judge and referee ruled no goal.  "I think for women's hockey as athletes it's a slap in the face not to have instant replay," said U.S. team captain Cammi Granato. "I'm not saying it would have changed the outcome, but it's only fair to us as players to have instant replay in those situations because it can come back to bite you."  There was also some question about Canada's second goal, scored by rookie defenceman Delaney Collins at 1:37 of the third when she poked the puck past U.S. netminder Pam Dreyer in a goalmouth scramble. The Americans thought the whistle should have blown when Dreyer originally gloved the puck.  Still, the U.S. was graceful in defeat.  "They were a different team but we expected that," said Granato. "This is my eighth world championship and I've seen them win every time when it's on the line."  Finland got some payback for their upset loss to Sweden in the bronze-medal game at the Salt Lake Olympics, taking the bronze yesterday with a hard-fought 3-2 win over the Swedes.

 

 

 

Williams Champ Again  
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 5, 2004) *Serena Williams is at it again. Williams took home the prize at the Nasdaq-100 Open on Saturday, saying she was actually a bit surprised at being a champion so soon after her eight-month layoff since her Wimbledon title.  Williams won the Nasdaq title after rallying back against Elena Demntieva 6-1, 6-1, which was called the most one-sided final in the 20-year history of the tournament.  "I think the rust has definitely worn off," Williams said. Honestly, I didn't expect to win my first tournament back."  Oh yeah, we forgot to mention that she picked up a cool $400,000 dollazs for winning the tournament.

 

 

 

Iverson May Sit Out Rest Of The Season  
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
 (Mar. 31, 2004) *Once upon a time Allen Iverson was the darling of the NBA ... OK, not exactly the darling, but he was doing a whole lot better than he is now.  The former Eastern Conference champion and MVP has been oft-injured and coach embattled this season.   ESPN's Stephen A. Smith reports that Iverson was diagnosed by the New York Giant's team doctor on Monday and needs to rest his knee for 2 to 4 weeks. But the problem is, the Sixers only have eight regular season games left and trail the Celtics by three games for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.    Iverson is the NBA's second-leading scorer at 26.4 points per game. The 76ers are in 10th place in the East playoff race with a 31-43 record.  

 

 

 

FITNESS NEWS

 

 

The Multivitamin—Why Is It Necessary?    
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - by James Andrews  
   
(Apr. 1, 2004) A multivitamin is one of the best preventive medicines at our disposal. Nutrition plays a key role in deterring the onset of a numerous diseases. We recognize that nutrients must be provided by the diet in sufficient amounts otherwise deficiency syndromes will arise.  What has become more obvious is that our body’s nutrient requirements are generally higher than the recommended dietary allowance (“RDA”) because our body has an ever changing ability of accessing nutrients in food and inefficiency in intestinal absorption.    Further, as we age our nutrient requirements change, which lends to the belief that most of us fail to meet our body’s nutritional needs through diet alone. In an effort to meet our body’s requirements multivitamins have emerged as an excellent means of complimenting a good diet to guarantee sufficient  intake of essential nutrients.  In previous articles we have discussed macronutrients at length.  Protein, fats, and carbohydrates are examples of macronutrients. They provide the energy and the protein we need. Most Americans eat a diet that contains more than enough fats and carbohydrates to meet the body’s energy needs. We also have no problem meeting the body’s protein requirements. This is important because there are no body stores for protein and protein has many structural and functional roles.  Whenever the macronutrient requirements of the body are not met there are obvious symptoms. One may begin to experience muscle weakness, fatigue, hunger and weight loss. These symptoms occur rapidly and continue to worsen until nutrients are replenished. However, this is not always the case in a micronutrient deficiency state.     
  
A micronutrient is defined as a vitamin and/or mineral found in the diet which is essential for normal body function and repair. The body requires a daily supply of these vitamins and minerals. The body is unable to synthesize any mineral and is only able to produce vitamin D and vitamin A in minimal amounts. Thus, most of our essential micronutrients must come from our diet. Fortunately, a portion of the daily requirement for some micronutrients can come from a our body’s stores.  This is fine for those vitamins and minerals which have small daily requirements and relatively large body stores however, when most micronutrient deficiencies begin there are no symptoms until the body’s storage of that nutrient is depleted. An example would be, iron deficiency anaemia which suggests a chronic blood loss somewhere in the body.  However, symptoms do not occur until very late in this process. Another example is a post-menopausal women who may have no symptoms of calcium deficiency prior to experiencing a fracture. This delayed onset of symptoms, for months or even years, has troubled science because we know that micronutrient deficiencies occur in many of the B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Additionally, there are mineral deficiencies of phosphorous, iodine, calcium, magnesium, chromium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, and selenium.    Micronutrient requirements change at particular times in our lives and the body’s ability to absorb micronutrients slows with age, which gives us reason to be concerned with a regular diet’s ability to provide  them adequately.    Further, through research it has been shown that inadequate micronutrients contribute to heart disease, cancer, anaemia, osteoporosis, blindness, neuropathies, and dementia.  The solution to inadequate micronutrient intake is a taking a multivitamin. No matter what your level of fitness or age a multi-vitamin should be an essential part of your balanced diet.  As the prenatal vitamin has become a medical standard of care because it contains the necessary micronutrients pregnant women require, we can do the same thing for all men and women.  Multivitamins supply the adequate vitamins and minerals needed for healthy living and top performance.  A multivitamin does not become a substitute for a healthy diet but it has proven its usefulness in producing healthier lives. If your diet is not “perfect”, you need a multi-vitamin and the fact is that no one follows a perfect diet.   Even if you are a healthy individual who eats well and exercises regularly you should realize that as you age and continue to push the envelope you need to replenish your essential micronutrients. The solution is easy -- take a multivitamin. 

 

 

 

OTHER NEWS

 

 

No More Bodies On Our Streets   
 
Excerpt from www.globeandmail.com - By Jonathan Fowlie 
 
(Apr. 3, 2004) BOSTON -- Swirling the final gulp of free coffee around the bottom of his cup in a rundown hotel lobby near Boston's I-93, a Toronto minister breaks the news to the three Toronto Police officers across from him that a 27-year-old has been shot on the streets of Scarborough.  "It happened again," Rev. Don Meredith says.   Mr. Meredith has collected only sparse details during a call from his wife, but even the few facts she passed on have an unpleasant air of familiarity -- three men, a gun, a senseless argument and flying bullets.  Though news of yet another shooting in one of Toronto's troubled neighbourhoods would usually sap the optimistic glow from Mr. Meredith's deep-brown eyes, today it teases his lips into a wide smile. "Today," he says, "is solution day." After more than a year of planning, the minister of Grace Christian Life Centre in Scarborough and his entourage of almost a dozen have come to Dorchester, Boston's toughest neighbourhood, to hold court with the clergyman who has taken his fight against crime to the cover of Newsweek and beyond.  On Wednesday and Thursday, Mr. Meredith, along with Toronto police officers, social workers and others who deal with violent crime, sat in on the programs Rev. Eugene Rivers has created over the past 14 years, which are now credited with helping to drastically reduce Boston's homicide rate from its near-epidemic levels.  In 1990, during the city's darkest days of gang violence, 152 people out of Boston's then population of 570,000 died in homicides. Mr. Rivers mobilized pastors to compete with gangs for the attention and loyalty of the city's youth and, 10 years later, after he had successfully aligned the police with the black clergy and its surrounding communities, the homicide number was down to 38.  Mr. Meredith and those with him on this trip hope to adopt many of the programs that have diverted young people from gangs and violent crime in Boston and apply them in Toronto, where, police say, gang violence is on a significant rise.  
 
"The new model here is that the churches are going where they have never gone before," Mr. Rivers said on Wednesday evening after stepping off a plane from Los Angeles, where he is trying to establish a similar program.  "We're a cross between Jesuits and Marines," he said, explaining how he has taken his message into the dance clubs and onto the basketball courts of the city's worst neighbourhoods.  At the same time as Mr. Rivers was establishing his pastoral militia, officers from the Boston police gang unit were beginning to compare notes with other police across the city in hopes of assembling a comprehensive look at where the problems were and how they could be brought under control.  What has resulted almost 14 years later is a collection of programs called the Boston Strategy that combines unprecedented levels of information sharing between law-enforcement agencies and social workers with unorthodox approaches by members of the city's religious communities.  In one facet of the strategy, police work closely with corrections and probation officers to determine the people known gang members hang out with while in jail, when they will be let onto the streets and what they are doing once they are free.  In another, members of the district attorney's office, the police gang unit, community workers and others get together every week to discuss recent shootings, arrests and other pieces of information that may help those involved reduce gang violence.  "When I tell people [across the country] that I sit down at a meeting like this, let alone a meeting with the cops, they can't believe it," Matt Machera, a prosecutor with the Suffolk County District Attorney's office, said after a meeting Wednesday morning.  It is a formula that cities across the United States are attempting to emulate, and one that Mr. Meredith is eager to see in action on the streets of Toronto.  
 
"We have to make this work in Toronto," he said. "I do not want to see any more bodies on our streets." It is a familiar message, and one the 40-year-old father of two has repeatedly delivered in the past year at community meetings, anti-violence rallies and anywhere else people will listen.  "I give you my word," he said during an impromptu speech at the funeral of a 29-year-old black man, Elliot Reid-Thomas, last month. "My name is Don Meredith and you will hear me speak loud and clear that I will not stand for the violence any more." As some in the church wept, others began nodding their heads and exclaiming, "Amen."   "When segregation took place in the United States, it took a pastor, Martin Luther King, to stand up and say enough is enough," he continued. "I will be that voice."  Mr. Meredith clarified this week that while he does not consider himself to hold the same stature as Dr. King, he does strongly believe there are similarities between the two struggles.  He says he wants to work toward mobilizing the community, partly because he feels a need to give back to those who helped him when he was young.  At the age of 12, Mr. Meredith emigrated from his native Jamaica to move in with his father on Tobermory Drive near Jane Street and Finch Avenue.  While he says he was a motivated child with aspirations of becoming an engineer or a businessman, Mr. Meredith hands almost full credit for his success to a small church on Brownlee Avenue, and specifically to a pastor named Rev. F. W. McKenzie.  "Having a pastor that cared about my direction, who would encourage me to read, encourage me to stay in school and to achieve my goals -- without having that stability in my life, I don't think I would be where I am today," he said.  Pointing out that 22 of the 31 people killed in shootings in Toronto last year were black -- more than 70 per cent -- Mr. Meredith said it is time for churches to begin moving that feeling of stability into the high-risk communities of Toronto.  "We're at a crossroads," said Mr. Meredith's good friend and ally, Staff Inspector James Sneep, who is in charge of community programs with the Toronto Police. "If we don't venture down an appropriate path and take some decisive action and work on this problem from all sectors," he says, things are going to get much worse.  Though Mr. Meredith's passion to end the violence in Toronto makes him a likely candidate to lead the faith community into a new way of thinking about their congregation, it is his relationship with the police that makes him best suited to begin following the trail in Toronto that Mr. Rivers has established in Boston.  Mr. Meredith "is passionate for all the right reasons," Chief Julian Fantino said during a break this week at a Toronto conference about violence in the community. "Tremendous energy there, tremendous goodwill, he's non-judgmental and all he wants to do is stop the violence and direct his energy towards the youth."  
 
While many other black community leaders in February, 2003, were lashing out at police the day a Police Services Board-commissioned report refuted allegations of systemic racial profiling made a few months earlier by the Toronto Star, Mr. Meredith was holding the first meeting of his GTA Christian Alliance -- a collection of 40 churches committed to moving beyond their pulpits and into communities to reach young people who, he says, will never enter the church on their own.  Though some in his community overtly criticize his closeness to the police, Mr. Meredith maintains there is no other way he can deal with the problem of violence in the city.  "We will always have a Toronto Police force and we will always have a black community," he said. "So we've got to find things that bind us together rather than looking at the things that divide us."  He says Chief Fantino has "given his word emphatically" that he will not tolerate racism on the force. "That's what he states," Mr. Meredith says. "Now if he shows me another card, I will have to call him on it."  Based on his record in the community so far, that is sure to be exactly what the outspoken minister will do. Mr. Meredith has repeatedly shown his willingness to stand up and speak out. After an emotional city councillor, Michael Thompson, told a news conference this year of a new coalition of black community groups he had helped form, it was Mr. Meredith who stood up and demanded details.  "What action specifically will be geared toward addressing this critical problem?" he asked, having heard only a string of generalizations during the 90-minute news conference.  Of course, it will take more than a few eloquent speeches to replicate what Mr. Rivers has achieved in Boston.  "This involves eight days a week, 25 hours a day," Mr. Rivers warned Mr. Meredith and his group this week. Staff Insp. Sneep said he thinks that the challenge lies in the hands of community leaders such as Mr. Meredith to make a plan like the Boston Strategy work in Toronto.  "It can't just be left to the police," Chief Fantino said in Toronto, "and people like Don Meredith realize that full well."    
 
When asked about the Boston Strategy this week, Mayor David Miller said he was supportive but "would like to learn more about it." Mr. Meredith said he plans to fly Mr. Rivers to Toronto this summer to meet with leaders such as the mayor and other government officials.  In the meantime, he will continue working with pastors and other community leaders from across the city on his Toronto Strategy committee -- a group established more than a year ago with the intention of bringing the Boston model to Toronto -- as well as with members of the GTA Christian Alliance, all in an effort to change the way the community deals with the problem of gang violence.  To help do that, he says he will reach out to those in his community and will hold rallies such as one planned today in Scarborough's Malvern area -- one of the places in particular Mr. Miller has said needs solutions to gun violence -- and much larger ones slated for Scarborough and Rexdale in the summer.  "We cannot sit back and just allow it to continue," he said. "I will not rest until something is put together."  
 
The Boston Strategy  
 
Some of the tenets of Rev. Eugene Rivers' strategy:  
 
Establish "Adopt-A-Gang" programs, in which churches focus on the communities directly around them, serving as drop-in centres and sanctuaries for troubled youth.  
 
Commission missionaries to serve as advocates and ombudsmen for black and Latino juveniles in the courts.    
 
Establish links between suburban and downtown churches and ministries to provide spiritual and material support.    
 
Initiate and support neighbourhood crime watch programs within local church neighbourhoods.    
 
Establish working relationships between local churches and community-based health centres to provide pastoral counselling for families during times of crisis.

 

 

 

BET Revamps Comedy Line-Up  
  
Excerpt from www.eurweb.com    
  
(Apr. 2, 2004) *BET is planning a new season of laughs with a jump-start to their comedy line-up. They've had major success with "Comic View," but now the show will take on a new name and be accompanied by an HBO style one-man stand.  The new season will feature "Club Comic View Presents" and "Club Comic View." In addition, plans are underway to audition the next batch of comedic hopefuls for "Coming To The Stage," the network's comedy competition series.  "Club Comic View Presents" is a series of one-hour specials that will feature one stand-out African-American comedian. From monologues to skits, the comics will be in rare form and viewers are promised a full hour of fun. The upcoming roster of comedians include Rickey Smiley, Michael Colyar, Phyllis Stickney, Franklyn Ajaye, Joe Torry, Alex Thomas, G-Thang and Teddy Carpenter.  "The success of 'Comic View' and our viewers' growing desire to 'get their laugh on' has not gone unnoticed," said Gina Holland, Executive Producer and BET Senior Vice President of Production. "No other network matches our commitment to cultivating the urban comedy audience, and to maintain that distinction we are hard at work developing fresh new concepts that will broaden this dynamic genre."  "Coming To The Stage," is the first spin-off from the "Comic View" series which debuted last Fall, is now the most-watched 'series telecast' season-to-date on BET, and the most-watched 'entertainment series' telecast in network history, according to BET.  Amateur comedians looking to break into the business can send in their audition tapes to Coming To The Stage, PO BOX 1746, Studio City, CA 91614-0746 or do your comedic thing on stage in one of seven cities where BET talent executives will evaluate aspiring comics during an upcoming audition tour this summer.  For more information on tape submission criteria and auditions, visit www.bet.com/comingtothestage.

 

 

CD RELEASES

 

 

 

 Tuesday, April 6, 2004     
   
CHRISTINA AGUILERA Stripped... Live In The U.K. (DVD Video) (RCA)     
J-KWON Hood-Hop (Arista)     
TAMIA More (Elektra)     
VARIOUS ARTISTS Part 1: African Prayer (Warner Strategic Marketing)

 

 

 

EVENTS –APRIL 8 – 18, 2004

 

 

FRIDAY, APRIL 9 
IRIE GOOD FRIDAY PARTY 
745 Queen Street W. 
10:00 pm   
 
EVENT PROFILE: Yes, we realize that this is GOOD FRIDAY and are not trying to be irreverent of this Christian holiday but … let’s celebrate the first long weekend since the beginning of the year!  Carl Cassell has decided to throw a party on Friday night for his patrons and friends.  The restaurant will be closed all day but he’ll be cracking open the doors on Friday night around 10:00 pm.  Irie will be serving up their usual magic with tasty tidbits and the DJ stylings of Carl Allen.  If you can’t make this one, check out details for Monday’s Official Patio Opening party!

 

 

 

SUNDAY, APRIL 11 
SOULAR 
College Street Bar 
574 College Street (at Manning) 
10:30 pm 
$5.00 
 
EVENT PROFILE: Featuring Dione Taylor, Sandy Mamane, Davide Direnzo, Justin Abedin, Dafydd Hughes and David French.

 

 

 

MONDAY, APRIL 12 
Irie Patio Opening Party 
745 Queen Street W. 
9:00 pm MONDAY, APRIL 12 
Irie Patio Opening Party 
745 Queen Street W. 
9:00 pm 
     
EVENT PROFILE: Irie Mondays are back!!  Come out and join the Irie crew as we celebrate the opening of the patio (don’t worry – if it’s still chilly, we will still be enclosed).  Irie will be serving up their usual magic with tasty tidbits, live performances from local artists and the DJ stylings of Carl Allen.  Ring in the good weather with us on Monday, April 12th!

 

 

 

MONDAY, APRIL 12 
VIP JAM WITH SPECIAL GUESTS 
Revival Bar 
783 College Street (at Shaw) 
10:00 pm 
NO COVER 
 
EVENT PROFILE: Featuring Rich Brown, Joel Joseph and Shamakah Ali with various local artists. 

 

 

 

TUESDAY, APRIL 13 
JAM SESSION 
Lava Lounge 
507 College Street (west of Bathurst) 
10:30 pm 
NO COVER 
 
EVENT PROFILE: Featuring prolific Canadian talent, Calvin Beale, Michael Shand, Joe Bowden, Thomas Reynolds and various local artists.

 

 

 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14  
SYREETA NEAL CD RELEASE  
With performances by Jeen O’Brien and Joel Parisien    
Healey’s    
178 Bathurst (at Queen)  
Doors open:  8:00 pm; Show starts 8:30 pm  
$15 with purchase of CD; $5 without 
 
EVENT PROFILE:  The long-anticipated CD release for Toronto’s luminous Syreeta Neal is finally here!  This contemporary soul and blues infused CD entitled STAND TALL marks Syreeta’s first solo venture.  And as an added bonus, a very special guest joins Syreeta this night for an exceptional performance - her father, Grammy nominated blues legend, Kenny Neal.  A union which will showcase the profound influence of musical heritage.  Come and witness one of Canada’s unique soulful talents, Syreeta Neal, on Wednesday, April 14th at Healey’s.   

   

 

 

SUNDAY, APRIL 18 
SOULAR 
College Street Bar 
574 College Street (at Manning) 
10:30 pm 
$5.00 
 
EVENT PROFILE: Featuring Dione Taylor, Sandy Mamane, Davide Direnzo, Justin Abedin, Dafydd Hughes and David French

 

 

 

Have a great week! 
 
Dawn Langfield   
Langfield Entertainment 
www.langfieldentertainment.com