allstar music news: Lady of Soul Awards
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allstar daily music news
July 25,1997
Edited by Carrie Borzillo
ABRA MOORE MAKES CAMEO IN THE NEWTON BOYS
Singer Kicks Off Tour With Collective Soul July 29
Singer/ songwriter Abra Moore, who's experiencing a nice run with her
single "Four Leaf Clover," will make a cameo appearance in the
forthcoming 20th Century Fox movie, The Newton Boys, which is
tentatively due in spring 1998.
Moore will play a singer performing "Millenburg Joys," made popular by
Jelly Roll Morton, in what was described as a "pseudo pivotal" ballroom
scene. The Richard Linklater-directed movie, which stars Ethan Hawke,
Matthew McConaughey, Vincent D'Onofrio, Skeet Ulrich, Julianna Margulies,
and country star Dwight Yoakam, is based on the true story of two bank
robbing brothers in the 1920s. This marks Moore's second film role. Her
first was in Linklater's Generation X movie, Slacker, in which we had a
telephone booth scene with Frank Orral.
Moore, whose debut album Strangest Places was released on Arista
Austin in May, will appear on four Lilith Fair dates before heading out
on a 12-date tour with Collective Soul on Aug. 7. She recently wrappedup
some dates with Third Eye Blind.
Lilith Fair dates:
July 29, Merriweather Pavilion, Washington D.C.
July 30, Walnut Creek Pavilion, Raleigh, North Carolina
July 31, Blockbuster Pavilion, Charlotte, North Carolina
Collective Soul dates:
Aug. 1, Coca Cola Lakewood, Atlanta
Aug. 7, John Anson Ford Theatre, Los Angeles
Aug. 8, Huntridge Theater, Las Vegas
Aug. 9, Fox Theater, Bakersfield, California
Aug. 11, Crest Theater, Sacramento, California
Aug. 12, The Filmore, San Francisco
Aug. 13, Luther Burbank Center, Santa Rosa, California
Aug. 16, Arnold Hall/USAir Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Aug. 19, Avalon Theater, Grand Junction, Colorado
Aug. 20, Ford Amphitheatre, Vail, Colorado
Aug. 21, Salt Air, Salt Lake City
Aug. 23, La Luna, Portland, Oregon
Aug. 24, Moore Theatre, Seattle
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DELICIOUS VINYL SUES RED ANT
Masters Of Reality Tour & Pharcyde Album Affected
Delicious Vinyl filed a $25 million lawsuit against its joint venture
partner, Red Ant and its founder Al Teller, for breach of contract,
fraud, negligent misrepresenation, and conspiracy on Thursday (July 24) in
Los Angeles Superior Court. The suit comes in the wake of Alliance, which
owns Red Ant, filing for Chapter 11 in the past few weeks and hiring an
investment bank to find a buyer for Red Ant. They will entertain bids
through Aug. 1 and seek court approval for the label's sale on Aug. 13.
"Delicious Vinyl has terminated its deal with Red Ant and is seeking
$25 million for the severe and irreputable harm it's done to our
business," Rick Ross, executive VP of Delicious Vinyl, tells allstar.
"They agreed to provide funding, distribution, promotion, and marketing
and that has come to a grinding halt. They misrepresented their financial
situation to us. We were under the impression from the
beginning that Al Teller had a war chest of $100 million and that we
wouldn't be subject to any corporate c*ck sucking. Once Red Ant got
bought by Alliance, Al Teller was no longer involved and he let it fall
through the cracks. No international deals were made for our records."
Ross says that because Red Ant can't provide tour support for the
Masters Of Reality, the group has been forced to scale their forthcoming
tour from four to five weeks to seven dates in mid- the Midwest and East
Coast in August. The label is currently in negotiations with other record
labels and distributing companies to find distributors for new albums from
the Pharcyde, Whoridas, N'Dea Davenport of Brand New Heavies fame, and Tim
Harrington, former guitarist of Masters Of Reality. Whoridas' Whoridin's
due tenatively in August, Harrington's Shineola in September, and N'Dea
in October.
Delicious was originally planning to release the Pharcyde's Karma as
an EP in September, however, the group is back in the studio recording new
songs to turn the EP into a full-length album, due tentatively in early
1998. Ross says members of Cypress Hill and Ummah will appear on the
album.
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PORTISHEAD'S NEW YORK RETURN A QUALIFIED SUCCESS
The 1994-95 success of Portishead's debut album, Dummy, was the signal
flare for American acceptance of the Bristol, England trip- hop sound,
which also claims Tricky and Massive Attack as part of its scene. Thursday
night (July 24), Portishead returned to the U.S. for a packed show at New
York's Roseland Ballroom, with qualified success.
This grandiose affair, which showcased Portishead's forthcoming
eponymous album, was taped for an upcoming home video. The band didn't
play on the stage, but rather in the center of the dance floor, giving the
performance an intimate "unplugged" feel. Complete with director's chairs,
booms, jibs, and a scurrying crew, the setting was technically impressive,
although it had its drawbacks: bright studio lights disrupted the mood of
the music; a couple of booms interfered with lines of sight; there was an
unexpected intermission while audio tapes were changed; and one severe
vocal mishap warranted a take two. Sonically, however, the performance was
a credit to Portishead's fine musicianship, energetic arrangements and
inspiring use of the beat.
When singer Beth Gibbons' angelic vocals sit atop stark, electrifying
bursts of horns and haunting string textures, they're as dainty as they
are lusty. Accented with Geoff Barrow's squeaking old- school
scratching, Portishead's songs are bastions of post- modernism,
combining classical arrangements with electronica's cool beats. And
Thursday night, the duo redefined and heightened their sense of
gentility with the inclusion of an orchestra. It added refined luxury to
Barrow's spastic scratching and drum- machine rhythms, beautifying --
though significantly altering -- Portishead's sound.
The richness provided by the orchestra -- coupled with the room's
makeshift studio sound -- made for beautifully urbane, though quite
unexpected music. A show shouldn't mimic the album exactly, and
Portishead's didn't. But while their songs sounded musically identical,
the shift was in the feel of the songs, not the sound. By replacing
harrowing dissonance with fullness and warmth, the orchestra -- and
similarly Gibbons' unaffected vocals -- added opulence to the music, but
in doing so forfeited the eeriness found on the albums.
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ERYKAH BADU, TONI BRAXTON, AND 702 LEAD LADY OF SOUL NOMINATIONS
Erykah Badu leads the 1997 Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards with five
nominates in nine categories, while Toni Braxton and 702 were each
nominated for three awards. The ceremony, which will be hosted by Badu,
Chaka Khan, and Bill Bellamy, will be held Sept. 5 at the Santa Monica
Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California. Janet Jackson, Queen
Latifah, Monica, En Vogue, and Me'Shell Ndegeocello are also up for
awards.
Badu is up for Best R&B/Soul Album for her debut, Baduizsm on
Kedar/Universal; Best R&B/Soul Single, Solo and Best R&B/Soul Song of the
Year for "On & On" and Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist; and her second
single, "Next Lifetime," has been nominated for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music
Video.
Arista's Braxton and Motown's 702 are not far behind with three
nominations each. Braxton's album Secrets is up for Best R&B/Soul Album,
Solo, while her single "Un-Break My Heart" was nominated for Best R&B/Soul
Single, Solo, and Best R&B/Soul Song of the Year. 702's album No Doubt has
been nominated for Best R&B/Soul Album, Group, Band, or Duo, while their
song, "Get It Together," is up for Best R&B/Soul Single, Solo and Best
R&B/Soul Song of the Year, and Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist.
In addition, Janet Jackson and Queen Latifah are being honored with
special presentation. Jackson will receive the Lena Horne Award for
outstanding career achievements and Latifah will be honored with the
Aretha Franklin Award as Entertainer of the Year.
1997 Soul Train Lady of Soul Award Nominations:
Best R&B/Soul Single, Solo
Erykah Badu, "On & On"
Toni Braxton, "Un-Break My Heart"
Monica, "For You I Will" (From Space Jam )
Ann Nesby, "I'm Still Wearing Your Name"
Best R&B/Soul Single, Group, Band or Duo
702, "Get It Together"
Brandy, Tamia, Chaka Khan, and Gladys Knight, "Missing You" (From Set It
Off)
En Vogue, "Don't Let Go (Love)" (From Set It Off)
SWV, "Can We"
Best R&B/Soul Album, Solo
Aaliyah, One In A Million
Erykah Badu, Baduizm
Toni Braxton, Secrets
Me'Shell, Ndegeocello, Peace Beyond Passion
Best R&B/Soul Album, Group, Band or Duo
702, No Doubt
The Braxtons, So Many Ways
For Real, Free
SWV, New Beginning
R&B/Soul Song of the Year
Erykah Badu, "On & On"
Toni Braxton, "Un-Break My Heart"
En Vogue, "Don't Let Go (Love)".(From Set It Off )
Monica, "For You I Will" (From Space Jam )
Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist
702, "Get It Together"
Erykah Badu, "On & On"
Foxy Brown Featuring Jay-Z, "I'll Be"
Lil' Kim Featuring Lil' Cease, "Crush On You"
Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video
Erykah Badu, "Next Lifetime"
Foxy Brown Featuring Jay-Z, "I'll Be"
Lil' Kim Featuring Lil' Cease, "Crush On You"
MC Lyte, "Cold Rock A Party"
Best Jazz Album
Betty Carter, I'm Yours, You're Mine
Nnenna Freelon, Shaking Free
Shirley Horn, Loving You
Dianne Reeves, The Grand Encounter
Best Gospel Album
Yolanda Adams, In Washington D.C
Kurt Carr Singers, No One Else
Lashun Pace, A Wealthy Place
The Williams Sisters, Live On The East Coast
-Tina Johnson
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allstar WINS MUSIC JOURNALISM AWARD FOR DAILY NEWS
Allstar was honored with the Online Media award for our daily music
news at the 3rd Annual Music Journalism Awards, held Thursday (July 24)
night at Slim's Nightclub in San Francisco. Thomas "She Blinded Me With
Science" Dolby presented the award to allstar News Editor Carrie
Borzillo.
In addition to winning in the Online Media, Feature Story category,
allstar was also a finalist for Music Journalist of the Year for
Borzillo; Graphic Design for Print, Online, and Video Media; and Online
Media- Criticism or Review, Columnist, Commentary for Mara Schwartz's
review of Cake's Fashion Nugget. We are also proud to congratulate two of
our regular freelancers, Gillian G. Gaar and Steve Duda for their MJAs.
Gaar won in the Regional Periodicals- Criticism or Review category for
"Come As You Are," which ran in The Rocket, and Duda won in the Regional
Periodicals- Columnist/ Commentary for "All Access Now," which also ran in
The Rocket.
allstar's team also includes Editor John Bitzer, Staff Writer Tina
Johnson, and Technical Producer Jonathan Kopp. The production and design
team, which worked on the magazine during the eligibility period for these
awards, was comprised of Rob Lord, Victor Bornia, Michele Comas, and Denny
Moore.
For a complete list of this year's MJA winners, go to
www.mediamanager.com/html/mja.html.
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CHAT WITH SHERYL CROW, RON SEXSMITH, AND LOS LOBOS ON ROCKTROPOLIS
Sheryl Crow and Los Lobos are the latest to join fans in Rocktropolis'
Buzz Cafe for a live chat from the Another Roadside Attraction tour. The
tour, which also features The Tragically Hip, Wilco, Ashley MacIsaac, Ron
Sexsmith, the Mutton Birds, Change of Heart, and Van Allen Belt, kicked
off July 17 in Vancouver and wraps up Aug. 2 in Barrie, Ontario.
allstar's sister site, Rocktropolis (www.rocktropolis.com) is the
exclusive chat venue for the tour and also has a dedicated area for fans
to chat amongst themselves. The ichat software needed for the chats can be
downloaded from the site.
ARA chat schedule (all times are EDT):
Saturday, July 26, from Highgate
Ashley MacIsaac, 4:15 p.m.
Wilco, 5 p.m.
Monday, July 28, from Ottawa
Los Lobos, 3:30 p.m.
Ron Sexsmith, 4:15 p.m.
Marry Jane Lamond, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, July 30, from Buffalo
Sheryl Crow, 4 p.m
The Tragically Hip, 5 p.m
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GOSSIP
Rappin' 4-Tay was quite the character at Thursday (July 24) night's
Music Journalism Awards, held at Slim's Nightclub in San Francisco. The
recently jailed rapper was accepting the Daily Newspapers- Interview award
for music scribe Billy Jam who wrote the article "4-Tay Has A Lot Riding
On His Next Release" for the San Francisco Chronicle. 4-Tay praised Jam
for having the balls to interview the rapper at San Quentin correctional
facility outside of San Francisco and urged writers to "Keep it real."...
- Miss Truth
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This week in allstar Interviews:
Ben Lee
The London Suede
Featured this week in allstar reviews:
Lee "Scratch" Perry - Arkology
Elvis Costello - Imperial Bedroom / King of America gold discs
In today's daily allstar reviews:
Various Artists - 187 Original Soundtrack
u-Ziq - Lunatic Harness
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