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NEWSLETTER

Updated: November 18, 2004

This week brings us the scoop on UrbanAids featuring Alicia Keys and Keshia Chanté – get your tickets now – details below. And please check out the review of The Kink in My Hair, airing on VisionTV this Tuesday. Please check it out – you won’t be disappointed! Pictures are in my PHOTO GALLERY. And our IRIE is going to be featured in Toronto Life in January 2005!

 There's lots of exciting entertainment news below - lots more MUSIC NEWS, FILM NEWS, TV NEWS, OTHER NEWS,  THEATRE  NEWS and SPORTS NEWS!  Have a read and a scroll!

 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. 

::HOT EVENTS::

Irie Mondays

Carl Cassell’s original art and IRIE itself will be featured in the January 2005 issue of Toronto Life! It’s no surprise to me that Toronto Life has chosen Irie and more specifically, Carl Cassell, in their quest to reveal those restaurants that also offer the unique addition of original art. It so happens that Carl offers us both. Great news just before the date of Carl’s next art showing - Monday, December 13^th – new exciting theme and pieces that are currently very secret!  Let Irie awaken your senses.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22
Irie Food Joint
745 Queen Street W.
10:00 pm

::THOUGHT::

Motivational Note: Your Success Is Your Responsibility

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - By Willie Jolley

One of the keys to success is to understand the power of responsibility...your success is your responsibility. Webster states that responsibility, "it is the act of being responsible and accountable!" I like to say that responsibility means to "respond with your ability!" Unfortunately, most people miss the boat to success because they blame everything and everybody else for their lack of success. In a survey the question was asked. "What keeps you from being more successful?" Some said, "The government, the economy, my age, my sex, my race, my education, negative friends and family members...and so on." One thing that was conspicuously missing from the list was "Myself!" And that was the main answer! The main person who stops us from having greater success is the person we look at everyday in the mirror! If you want greater success in your life, then you must take responsibility for your life, because it is YOUR LIFE!

::SCOOP::

Alicia Keys and Keshia Chanté - UrbanAids - November 29, 2004

When are you going to see talent like this again - together and all in one night - and for such a great cause?  The two soul sisters - Alicia Keys and Keshia Chanté lead the line-up for the UrbanAids concert on November 29th!  Tickets are selling fast for this chance to see award winning Keshia Chanté as she is joined by Grammy award winning Alicia Keys in raising awareness and funds for millions of women and children around the world suffering from HIV/AIDS.  Proceeds from the " UrbanAIDS” concert will be donated to the Stephen Lewis Foundation, The Teresa Group (a local Toronto charity) and one of Alicia Keys’ charities, Keep a Child Alive.  Nelly Furtado, K-OS and Swollen Members will also add special performances to the first annual “UrbanAIDS” concert at the Ricoh Coliseum on November 29, 2004.  Ticket info below.  Get on the soul train!

Monday, November 29, 2004
UrbanAIDS
Ricoh Coliseum, Exhibition Place
100 Princes Blvd.
Doors open 6:30pm
Tickets on sale NOW from $60 to $150CAN at all Ticketmaster outlets.
Order by phone at 416-870-8000 or online at www.ticketmaster.ca

::RECAP::

World Television Premiere - Kink in My Hair - Tuesday, November 23, 10 p.m.

Most of you have heard by now of Da Kink in My Hair, the long-running, award-winning play written by Trey Anthony.  On Monday night, I went to the private screening of the (now-named) Kink in My Hair at the Princess of Wales Theatre.  Starring the ever-glamorous Sheryl Lee Ralph (Moesha, star of Broadway, film and television, founder of the Jamerican Film Festival) and directed by Toronto’s Tonya Lee Williams, the hour-long drama was exciting and funny to watch. 

 If I was channel surfing, I would have actually landed and stayed on this show.  If you want to see a Black Canadian television production that doesn’t have the tag of “looking Canadian”, this is the show to watch.  Please tune in on Tuesday, November 23^rd at 10:00pm and if you like what you see, email VisionTV at audience@visiontv.ca to express your support.  This is extremely important, as there is talk of a series coming out of this production!  Very exciting for the cast, crew and supporters!  CLICK HERE if you want to send a standard email saying that you support the show – all you have to do is write your own heartfelt comments.  But don’t send until it airs - after November 23^rd. 

The play 'da Kink revolved around Novelette, a West Indian hairdresser, and the parade of women that pass through her salon. Through a series of monologues, comedian and playwright Trey Anthony used humour, spoken word, raw emotion and honesty to explore taboo subject matters.  Due to the success of the ‘Da Kink in the Toronto Fringe Festival as well as the New York Fringe Festival, the play has now been turned into a television drama.  This hour-long show is one of the winning projects from VisionTV's Cultural Diversity Drama Competition. 

Annmarie Morais wrote the teleplay for Kink in My Hair. Damion Nurse and Ngozi Paul are the Producers. Trey Anthony is Co-Producer. Joan Jenkinson and Chris Johnson are Executive Producers in Charge of Production for VisionTV.   Tonya Lee Williams, star of the daytime drama The Young and the Restless, is the Executive Producer and Director of Kink in My Hair. The show, created by Trey Anthony and Ngozi Paul, is based on Anthony's hit stage play 'da Kink in my hair.

Of special note, a stage revival of Trey Anthony's 'da Kink in my hair, the original inspiration for this project, will form part of the 2004-2005 Mirvish Productions subscription theatre season in Toronto. Its run begins in January. Get your tickets now for January’s theatre production of Da Kink to begin at The Princess of Wales on January 15, 2005.

The Kink in My Hair team has been selected to participate in the National Screen Institute – Canada 's Totally Television Program, a professional development course for writers and producers who demonstrate the ability to create high-quality Canadian television series.

Background

“My great granny always said, ‘If you want to know a black woman, you touch her hair.' She said that is where we carry everything – all our hopes, our dreams, our pain.”
– Novelette, in Kink in My Hair

For years, Novelette Campbell has worked hard to build her small Toronto hair salon into a successful business. Now, some troubling news threatens to bring it all crashing down. So begins Kink in My Hair, an hour-long drama special that makes its world television premiere on Tuesday, Nov. 23 at 10 p.m. ET on VisionTV. Kink in My Hair is one of the winning projects from VisionTV's Cultural Diversity Drama Competition. This initiative, a first for the network, awarded three independent producers $100,000 each to develop dramas reflecting Canada's diversity of cultures. The action takes place at Novelette's, a popular salon and informal community-meeting place in Toronto's Eglinton Avenue West Caribbean neighbourhood. Sheryl Lee Ralph (Designing Women, Moesha) stars as the formidable Novelette, a strong-willed single mother who presides over an eccentric surrogate family of hairstylists and loyal patrons. Novelette's life is thrown into disarray when she receives word from Jamaica that Cedric, her former lover – and the father of her fiercely independent daughter Michelle (Shakira Harper) – has died. It was the wealthy Cedric who gave Novelette the money to open the shop, and now his daughter Verena (Kim Roberts) is demanding repayment of the “loan.” Novelette must find a way to come up with the money, or risk losing her salon. And she must decide whether to open up to Michelle, who has never known the truth about her father's identity. Smartly acted and directed, Kink in My Hair tells its affecting story with great warmth and humour. Trey Anthony co-stars as Novelette's flighty sister Joy, and Ngozi Paul plays Starr, a feisty young stylist who runs into trouble with a disgruntled client. James Codrington also stars as the handsome and talented barber Dwayne. A soft-spoken man of deep faith, Dwayne is Novelette's most trusted confidant. But he's also wrestling with demons of his own. Richard Chevolleau plays the sexually confused hairstylist Nigel, and Mimi Kuzyk is Iris, a wealthy attorney and one of Novelette's most devoted clients.

Kink in My Hair - The Creative Team

Tonya Lee Williams - Executive Producer/Director: Tonya Lee Williams, who makes her directorial debut on Kink in My Hair, is best known as a star of the daytime drama The Young and the Restless. She has received numerous honours for her work, including NAACP Image Awards for Best Actress on Daytime Television in 2000 and 2002, two Emmy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress in Daytime Television, the TV-Cares-Red Ribbon of Hope award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and a Harry Jerome Award for her work in the Canadian entertainment industry. Since launching her production company, Wilbo Entertainment, in 2000, Williams has enjoyed a burgeoning career behind the camera. She was Executive Producer, contributing writer and star of Tonya Lee Williams: Gospel Jubilee, which aired on CBC-TV in March 2004, and co-produced the short film MAPLE, which won the Black Film & Video Network’s Best Short Film Award in 2001. Williams is also the founder and president of ReelWorld Film Festival and ReelWorld Foundation, a non-profit initiative that supports the work of Canadian filmmakers of colour.

Damion Nurse – Producer: Damion Nurse is President of Defiant Entertainment Inc. In 1996 he joined Alliance Communications as part of the marketing department for Alliance Independent Films. Nurse went on to work in acquisitions and development for Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Production, before leaving in 2002 to launch a career in producing. He has produced videos for Sony Music, and has completed the feature film Sugar, which won the award for best Canadian feature-length narrative or documentary at the 2004 Inside Out Film Festival. Nurse also produced the short film Minor Adjustments, which was picked up by CBC-TV, Showcase and W Network, and has sat on the Board of Directors for the Black Film and Video Network. He recently received funding from Telefilm Canada's Spark Plug program for his television drama production Blackbirds.

Ngozi Paul - Producer/Creator: Ngozi Paul, a producer and artist dedicated to telling universal stories from an Afrocentric perspective, was named one of NOW magazine's top 10 actors of 2003. In addition to spending two years with the Stratford Festival, where she received the prestigious Tyrone Guthrie Award, Paul was an original cast member of 'da Kink in my hair and recently played Young Nelson in the acclaimed Toronto production of In the Freedom of Dreams: The Story of Nelson Mandela. Paul also earned a Best Actress nomination at the International Black Film Festival in the UK for her performance in Banyan, and starred in the award-winning short film, Short Hymn, Silent War, which was featured at the Sundance Film Festival. In addition, Paul is the founder of Ngozika Productions, and served as Creative Developer, Associate Producer and Story Editor on the Gemini Award-nominated series Lord Have Mercy! She also co-produced the CBC-TV special Tonya Lee Williams: Gospel Jubilee.

Trey Anthony - Co-Producer/Creator: Trey Anthony is the playwright of 'da Kink in my hair, a critically acclaimed production that has broken box office records. The Dora Award-nominated play has been published in the anthology Testifyin', edited by Djanet Sears, and will be part of the Mirvish Productions subscription theatre season for 2004-2005. Anthony is a former producer for The Women’s Television Network, and a writer for the Comedy Network and CTV. She is also the producer of Canada's first Urban Womyn's Comedy Festival, ‘dat girl sho is funny!, produced by Plaitform Entertainment. A 2002 Canadian Comedy Award nominee, Anthony is busy working on her first screenplay and producing a documentary film, Kinky Womyn, which documents the theatrical journey of 'da Kink in my hair.

Annmarie Morais – Scriptwriter: Born in the West Indies, Annmarie Morais first applied her writing talents to short stories and plays. She is a graduate of Toronto's York University Film and Video Production program, where she learned the craft of screenwriting and wrote and directed several short films. In 1999, she became the first Canadian ever to receive the prestigious Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship (sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences) for her dramatic script Bleeding. Morais currently has four feature film and television projects slated for development through 2005. She divides her time between Los Angeles and Toronto. For more info: www.visiontv.ca

::MUSIC NEWS::

Pianist Savant Wows Jazz World

Excerpt from The Globe and Mail - By Robert Everett-Green

(Nov. 11, 2004) Toronto — The chandeliered ballroom at the Royal York Hotel is empty except for a grand piano and a small boy running laps on the thick carpet. Matt Savage, who is 12, informs me that he's not yet as fast as he could be, because he's still getting used to his new runners. On the keyboard, however, Matt is plenty fast. We have barely been introduced when he dashes through a breezy off-kilter number called Seven Up, one of the 14 jazz pieces he wrote for his sixth and latest full-length CD (Cutting Loose, on Savage Records). His slender fingers scamper around the tune the way a puppy might frolic with a bone. An urbane, post-bebop puppy, if you can imagine such a thing. "By the way, did you know that before Dave Brubeck made a record called Time Out, nobody had ever done a jazz tune in 5/4, and now everyone has one?" he says, in the clear confident voice of a boy accustomed to making important discoveries. Matt likes irregular meters, being enamoured of numbers in general and certain numbers in particular. For some time he's been having a love affair with 47. "I wrote a piece called 47, because it's such an ordinary number, and ever since then it's been terrifyingly nice to me," he says. "But 12 is usually winning right now. 47 is in a slump." Twelve is the current favourite of Matt's sister Rebecca, his rival in all things, although the rivalry is not so fierce as to prevent him from writing a piece for her birthday called Sneaking Up. Matt usually performs with his own trio, whose adult members (bassist John Funkhouser and drummer Steve Silverstein) have flown to Toronto for tonight's benefit concert for the Geneva Centre for Autism. The New Hampshire lad has inside knowledge of autism, having been diagnosed with the condition when he was 3.

He last played with the Matt Savage Trio for last month's CD launch party at New York's fabled Birdland club. Robert de Niro and Michael Feinstein dropped by, because a talent such as Matt's is one in a million, or maybe one in 120-million, since there are only 50 prodigious savants like him in the world. He began classical studies at Boston's New England Conservatory when he was 7, switching to jazz after he discovered the music of Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane and Bud Powell. The Matt Savage Trio came together 2½ years ago, after jam sessions with Silverstein and Funkhouser convinced them that they had more to say than a casual gig could accommodate. News of Matt's gifts has gone through the jazz world almost as quickly as he can run another lap around the ballroom. Matt has played with the likes of Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath and Bobby Watson. Dave Brubeck called him another Mozart, which is a more exact comparison than you might think. Like the boy wonder of Salzburg, Matt seems to absorb and generate musical ideas without effort. At a recent concert for kids in Ohio, he asked for themes for improvisation. Someone proposed a piece about the first day of school, so Matt improvised a funeral march, although he doesn't feel at all gloomy about his own home-schooling regimen. He practises piano an hour a day and takes lessons once a week, which leaves plenty of time for learning about his favourite subjects: math, geography, science and roller coasters. He's the New Hampshire state geography-bee champion, and startled officials at New York's Lincoln Center recently when he pointed out that their Hall of Nations display was missing the flag of East Timor, which gained independence in 2002. He wasn't always so outgoing. When he entered a special program for autistic children at the age of four, he couldn't communicate easily, or cope with the presence of other children, or withstand noises that would seem only moderately loud to most people.

"He couldn't even sit with another child next to him. . . .," his mother Diane says. "Instead of introducing him into the mainstream by putting him in a classroom, they brought the mainstream to him. They would bring one child down the hall to sit with him for lunch." Patient training and a strict dietary regime (the DAN Protocol, which forbids dairy products, cereal grains and processed sugars, and prescribes daily vitamin supplements) helped him retune his sensory and social perceptions. Playing for a few hundred strangers, or chatting on national talk shows, holds no terrors at all for him. "His weakest point, still, is what most people would call common sense," Diane Savage says. "Being aware of the dangers in the world around him." Just now, Matt's world seems mainly full of opportunity. He recently became the first child to be signed as a Bosendorfer Artist, which means he gets to have one of the world's best grand pianos at home, and wherever he plays in public. He seems a natural for the jazz festivals that dot the continent in summer, and has been invited to play at Birdland around the time of his 13th birthday next May. But these honours seem no greater to him than that of being asked to write a piece for the band at that school in Ohio where he charmed the crowd with a funeral march. "It's called The Shaker Swing, because the school is in Shaker, Ohio," Matt says. "There are 19 parts, or 20 if you count the zither part I threw in as a joke." Just for fun, he thinks up questions about geography and flags, easily stumping the adults in the room. He asks me my birth date, and quickly calculates what day of the week that was. It's a classic savant's feat of memory. I have to consult a universal calendar on the Internet to see if he's right (he is). "Every concert's different, and it keeps getting better and better," he says, summing up the important events on his own recent calendar. It's like an impossible roller-coaster ride in which the only direction is up, and the one at the controls is the boy with the new running shoes. The Matt Savage Trio plays the Imperial Room at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto tonight at 7. For ticket information, call 416-322-7877.

Ol' Dirty Bastard Dead

Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Nolan Strong

(Nov. 12, 2004) Wu-Tang Clan member Ol’ Dirty Bastard passed away today (November 13). While details are sketchy, sources told AllHipHop.com that the rapper collapsed and died in a Manhattan recording studio. Ol' Dirty had complained of chest pains, but the cause of death was not immediately known. The rapper was two days shy of reaching his 36th birthday. An autopsy will be conducted Sunday officials said. Jones was in 36 Records when he said he was having trouble breathing and collapsed. An ambulance was summoned to the 5th floor where Jones had collapsed near a pool table. Paramedics tried, but could not resuscitate the rapper. "This evening I received a phone call that is every mothers worst dream. My son Russell Jones passed away," ODB's mother Cherry Jones said. "To the public he was known as Ol Dirty Bastard but to me he was known as Rusty." Mrs. Jones labelled her son the most generous soul on earth and expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support. "Russell was more then a rapper he was a loving father, brother, uncle and most of all son," Mrs. Jones added. "All of us in the Roc-A-Fella family are shocked and saddened by the sudden and tragic death of our brother and friend, Russell Jones, Ol' Dirty Bastard," Roc-A-Fella CEO Dame Dash said. "Russell inspired all of us with his spirit, wit, and tremendous heart. He will be missed dearly, and our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences go out to his wonderful family. The world has lost a great talent, but we mourn the loss of our friend." The eight other members of the veteran rap group appeared at The Theater at the Continental Airlines Arena for their first joint East Coast appearance in five years, where Ol' Dirty was scheduled to perform. Sources said the rapper failed to appear for unknown reasons. One of the founding members of the Wu-Tang Clan, the 35-year-old helped lay down the foundation for some of the most influential Hip-Hop in history. He brought an air of humour to the macho world of rap, yet maintained enough integrity to be taken serious amongst a fickle Hip-Hop audience.

The Brooklyn born rapper was featured on Wu-Tang’s groundbreaking album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Shortly afterwards, he was shot in the stomach by another rapper during an argument on the street in Brooklyn. He recovered and released the classic Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, which spawned the hit singles "Brooklyn Zoo" and "Shimmy Shimmy Ya," which powered the album to gold status. In 1998 the rapper further solidified his place in Hip-Hop history. That year, he rushed out of a recording studio to help save the life of a four-year-old girl who had been hit by a car and was trapped underneath. The next day he appeared at the Grammy Awards and rushed the stage during Shawn Colvin’s acceptance speech for her Grammy Award winning song “Sunny.” Dressed in a red suit, the rapper told the crowd that Wu-Tang shouldn’t have lost their Grammy to Sean “P. Diddy” Combs and then uttered the now famous words: “Wu-Tang is for the children.” In 1998 he was shot again in Brownsville, Brooklyn, after two robbers pushed their way into his girlfriend's apartment. The bandits stole money and jewellery and shot ODB once. The bullet entered his back and went through his body, all superficial wounds. After being treated in a New York emergency room, he ignored doctor’s warnings and left the hospital. He was arrested several more times the following year for various charges, including threatening bouncers at the House of Blues in Los Angeles and for lounging on his balcony in the nude in Berlin, Germany. No charges were filed in that case. Later that year, he was arrested and charged with attempted murder, after police claimed he jumped out of his car and started shooting at them. Those charges were dismissed when the police failed to present credible evidence. In October of 2000, the rapper was almost finished a stint in rehab when he made a run for it, spending a month as a fugitive, during which time he performed at the Hammerstein Ballroom in front of hundreds of stunned fans.

He left the premise that evening but was captured a short time later in Philadelphia, singing autographs in a McDonald's parking lot. He was extradited to New York, where he stood trial. In April of 2001, he received a sentence of two to four years in state prison. After emerging triumphantly from jail and rehab, the rapper inked a deal with Roc-A-Fella Records in May of 2003. I'm happy to be here,” Ol' Dirty said at the press conference. “I thought I wasn't gonna be able to touch another microphone. I'm happy my eyes are still open." The rapper also had launched his own clothing line, Dirty Wear. The news comes as Hip-Hop community was mourning the passing of another rapper, Mac Dre, who was shot to death in Kansas City.

Stars Remember ODB

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 16, 2004) *While musical artists were busy the past two nights collecting AMA and Vibe awards, thoughts of ODB and his death on Saturday were in the thoughts of the rapper's many friends and colleagues. Big Baby Jesus, one of ODB's numerous monikers, collapsed and died in a Manhattan recording studio, days before his 36th birthday. Snoop Dogg, who recently collaborated on a track for ODB's upcoming album, told MTV: "He was a brother. …We sad about it. We troubled because that was one of our brothers. It touches right at home. But at the same time, God has a plan. And we know he's in a better place and we pray for his family." Pharrell Williams, who produced ODB’s biggest hit “Got Your Money” and was working on his upcoming Dirt McGirt album, described ODB's death as "a shame,” telling the network: “He was a genius, and he was a great guy." Fugees star Wyclef Jean said, "He was one of those that put a sparkle to hip-hop." “He was one of my favourite rappers of all time,” added Kanye West, ODB’s labelmate at Roc-A-Fella Records "His voice was unmatched. There was a time, when I was trying to get into hip-hop, when I would have cut off a piece of my finger to have his voice."

Fantasia ‘Free’ For Takeoff

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 11, 2004) *More details have been announced regarding Fantasia’s debut album, “Free Yourself,” due Nov. 23 via J19 Records. A whirlwind of activity surrounding the album begins with the set’s first single “Truth Is.”  Produced by Soulshock & Carlin, the song will be shipped to urban radio on Nov. 15, and Top 40 radio on Nov. 29.  "Fantasia is the real deal, an artist who is instantly identifiable and very much her own person. She will have a long and illustrious career," said album producer Clive Davis, Chairman and CEO, BMG North America - who signed Fantasia to J Records in association with “American Idol” creator Simon Fuller's 19 Recordings Ltd."   As previously reported, “Free Yourself” also features production from, Rodney Jerkins, The Underdogs, Jazze Pha, and Jermaine Dupri, among others. "Working with Fantasia was fun because she's so into what she does and she understands that she's one hit record away from being not only the biggest American Idol, but one of the biggest stars in the world," said Jermaine Dupri. Missy Elliott served as producer and co-writer for: "Selfish (I Want U 2 Myself)" (featuring Missy), the album title tune "Free Yourself" and "Good Lovin'." Among the album's other highlights: The Underdogs produced "Ain't Gon' Beg You" and "You Were Always On My Mind" made famous by Willie Nelson, "Baby Mama" (co-written and produced by Harold Lilly), "Don't Act Right" (with Jazze Pha), "It's All Good" (with Rodney Jerkins), "This Is Me" (The Underdogs), and "Got Me Waiting" (produced by Jermaine Dupri).

The North Carolina native’s forthcoming media assault includes stops at the “American Music Awards,” “Good Morning America,” “20/20,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Ellen,” “Live with Regis & Kelly,” and CBS’ “Early Show.” Fantasia will also make a guest appearance on NBC's “American Dreams” Sunday as her idol, Aretha Franklin; and she will perform on the “American Idol Christmas” special (with Kelly Clarkson and Ruben Studdard) airing Nov. 24 on Fox.

Boney James -- Winning Awards and Music Gold

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - By Deardra Shuler

(Nov. 11, 2004) Renowned as one of the best-selling instrumental artists of our time, Boney James has recently released his latest CD entitled “Pure” distributed by Warner Bros.  The Pure album placed at #2 when it debuted on Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz charts.  It also debuted on the Billboard’s Top R&B and Hip Hop Album chart where it earned “Hot Shot Debut” status as the highest debuting album of the week at #9. Bilal who was featured on Boney’s Urban AC single, offered up a testament to eternal love with his smooth vocals on the single “Better With Time.”  The single was featured recently as the #1 Most Added Track at Urban Adult Contemporary (UAC) radio, breaking into the Top 15.  Also, the instrumental single on the Pure CD, “Here She Comes” bolted up to #2 on Smooth Jazz radio.  This prompted WWIN Baltimore Program Manager Tim C. Watts to say: “Boney is a class act all the way, and Better With Time is a solid hit with my audience.” James got the moniker ‘Boney” when playing with the Randy Crawford Band in 1986. “I was getting about $30 per diem for food and other living expenses. We were in Norway quite a bit.  Anyway, Norway was very expensive and I saw I was running out of per diem.  I mentioned to the other band members I might have to go without eating for a few days and one of the band members said: “Well, we will have to start calling you Boney.”  And, after that the name just caught on.  The name stuck with me and ended up being my name,” recalls James. Boney James grew up in New Rochelle, New York but presently lives in California.  “My family moved out to California when I was in high school.  I went to UCLA and studied history but I had been honing my skills in music by playing around in bands.  But at the time, it was mostly a hobby.  Half way through college I decided I wanted to become a musician so I now have this degree that is basically collecting dust in my studio” remarked the gifted artist.  “I started on clarinet when I was 8 years old and then switched to saxophone when I was 10.  My teacher actually forced me into it because he had too many clarinet players and not enough saxophone players in the class. It was really by chance that I ended up with the saxophone but I am glad I did because I really love it.”

Boney also plays flute and keyboard.  In fact, he plays much of the keyboard on the “Pure” record.  “I got my start on keyboards actually by playing with Morris Day. Morris was my first gig professionally after college.  Then I played with Ray Parker, Jr., and then Randy Crawford, Tina Marie, The Shirelles, Isley Brothers, Bobby Caldwell and lot of others.  I made my living as a side man for awhile before I got my record deal,” explained Boney. Boney who attracts a predominately African American audience has had over a dozen number #1 Smooth Jazz singles, nearly ten Top 5 Urban AC singles and four straight No. #1 contemporary jazz albums. His last four albums have all gone Gold.  He was nominated for a Grammy for his album entitled “Ride.” He is a Soul Train Award winner, an NAACP Image Award Nominee, won the National Smooth Jazz Awards including “Best Saxophonist” and won “Male Artist of the Year.”  Also, the last time he played the Apollo it was to a sold out audience. “Luckily, these days, I am being played on R&B radio, too.  And that is kind of a cool thing because that is definitely music that I love,” states Boney.  “I am very fortunate to have some soul singers as guest singers on my “Pure” album.  My plan all along was to try and mix things up so that all the genres were on this album - jazz, Hip Hop and R&B.  From the very beginning I saw my music as instrumental R&B and then by my 4th or 5th record, I started collaborating with vocalist. In the past, I worked with Dave Hollister, Jaheim and Shy and people like that. “On my album “Pure,” I have the songs and the singers that made everything click,” stated the instrumentalist.  “I come from a real soul music background.  That is the music I listened to and ended up playing.  That is the school I come from and I think people mostly identify me from that school,” says Boney of his musical background. “When I played the Apollo, I loved it.  I had a real blast.  I really put on a show.  I didn’t think of it as a concert.  For me, it was more like a party and I had a really good time but I always have a good time.” Boney recently worked on a charity event with Seal and Macy Gray for the Orangewood Children Foundation at the Anaheim Pond in California to raise money for homeless children.  He is also headlining at the Greek Theatre with Brian McKnight in Los Angeles.  Presently, James is on a 15-day regional tour. “I think New York is the 6th or 7th stop on the tour.  I hope New Yorkers will come out and see me at the Beacon on October 30th.  I plan on putting on a great show. Additional information on Boney James can be found on his website at www.BoneyJames.com

Is It A Blues Act Or Just Acting Blue?

Excerpt from The Globe and Mail - By Brad Wheeler

(Nov. 17, 2004) Columbus, Ohio — The blues are on sale here, and the buyers are white. Sitting up against an entertainment district that sprouted around the city's new hockey arena is Blues Station, a theme club of sorts, complete with Southern cuisine and false walls of corrugated tin and weathered wooden planks. Another wall features a mural-sized map of the Mississippi Delta. If the room is fake, the performer certainly has bona fide credentials. He is David (Honeyboy) Edwards, born in 1917 in Greenwood, Miss., the audience is told. (Edwards, who appears in Antoine Fuqua's new concert film Lightning in a Bottle, was actually born in 1915, and in Shaw, not Greenwood.) Making the introduction is the club's owner -- a Morgan Freeman look-alike with a penchant for beginning every third sentence with the words "But in the meantime." "But in the meantime, y'all ready for some old blues?" After the predominantly white audience indicates with applause and some whooping that it is, Honeyboy begins to play. A weathered, dark man dressed in pinstriped slacks and shirts, with a vest and ball cap, he performs acoustic blues, lonesome stuff. "Don't say I don't love you darlin', just because I stay out all night long," he sings, in a choked, soft voice. "I'm a country man, country man, country man, and I just don't know right from wrong." And on like that, all night long -- Sweet Home Chicago, Catfish Blues, numbers he's played for decades. Numbers he may have learned from the great Robert Johnson, a running mate of Edwards in the 1930s. It's what the buyers want. A passage from his autobiography, The World Don't Owe Me Nothing, illustrates that nothing has changed in that regard, not for 70 years. "I'd play anything anybody asked for because sometimes you had to get on both sides of the street, play whatever the people want to hear. Because they'll give you that money! I'd hear one of those old records on the [jukebox], listen to it about twice, all them old different old blues . . . then if people say, 'Play that and I'll give you a quarter,' I could play it, I could make that quarter."

The audience for acoustic blues is far smaller now than it was in the early 1900s, particularly in black communities. An acoustic blues artist in Harlem could probably still get that quarter, but not much more, and only if he promised to shoo over to the other side of street before he played. Under these depressed conditions, Guy Davis, age 42, continues his campaign to reunite black audiences with a music he cherishes. Legacy, the title of his new album, refers to a mission to help fellow blacks reclaim their acoustic-blues birthright. "The music is too beautiful," the musician says, over the phone from a Belgian hotel, "it's too much of a treasure." It is a tricky undertaking. To stem the growing tide of lack of interest in acoustic blues would be one thing, to turn it would be another. According to Davis, in the early part of the 1900s, blues was a curiosity, an interesting and beautiful way of doing music, but the perception didn't last. "Black folks, since slave times, have had no place to look but forward to tomorrow, to the future, and acoustic blues music represents the past. It looks back into times of pain, times of sorrow, times of hurt." White audiences, as part of the folk-music resurgence of the 1960s, rediscovered black acoustic players long forgotten. Men like Edwards, Son House, Skip James and Sleepy John Estes were seen as some sort of historical museum artifacts. But Davis wants to go even further than a similar revival today -- he desires that blacks not only wake up to acoustic blues, but to "reclaim" the idiom. "Black folks have to say 'this is ours, it is a record of our history, it is a part of our blood, part of our DNA.' " One dilemma, according to blues writer and musician Elijah Wald, author of Escaping the Delta, is the issue of venues. "The problem is not that black people don't like acoustic blues, but that they are very rarely played in rooms where one normally finds many black people." As well, Wald finds the presentation of the music a roadblock. "Middle-class black people who would applaud, say, Wynton Marsalis, would probably be more interested in acoustic blues if it did not come dressed in overalls. There is nothing wrong with rural life, music or dress, but black Americans left the rural South for very good reasons." So, Davis might have erred in choosing his album art -- an illustration of the musician in country garb with an acoustic guitar. Moreover, the portrait of Davis as a country bluesman is somewhat deceptive -- the son of the noted actors, directors and activists Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee was born and raised in New York. Upon seeing the performer for the first time, Wald was struck by the fact that nothing Davis said or sung hinted at his New York roots. "It seemed like a very effective one-man show about a rural blues singer, rather than a concert by a contemporary musician from Manhattan."

A contemporary musician from Manhattan who writes lines in his songs like "Hitch up my buggy/ Saddle my black mare," Davis, an actor as well as a musician, is elusive when asked about the role of theatre in his blues shows. "Let's just say I'm a mystery," he responds. "Folks will just have to come and decide for themselves." Honeyboy Edwards played Toronto's Rivoli club in the early 1980s, and musician Paul Reddick remembers. "Between sets, people crowded around him, asking him about Robert Johnson. Honeyboy wasn't interested in talking about it, and he got up to leave." Sensing that Edwards would take more pride in his own automobile than any association with Johnson, Reddick inquired as to the car Honeyboy was driving. "A Cadillac!" was the boastful reply. Together, they walked to another room, Reddick following Edwards, who shuffled hunched-over and slowly. As soon as they passed from view, Edwards straightened up and quickened his pace. "He was giving them what they wanted," Reddick says. "He was playing the old bluesman." Later, when Edwards walked back among the audience, in his exaggerated doddering gait, he turned to Reddick and winked. Guy Davis plays Toronto's Hugh's Room this evening, with other Ontario dates to follow: Port Dover, tomorrow; Sudbury, Nov. 19; Greenbank, Nov. 20; Stella, Nov. 21.

Let's Get Scenius

Excerpt from The Globe and Mail - By Carl Wilson

(Nov. 12, 2004) What is pop without a pop star? In a culture that craves celebrity the way a fishing village depends on boats, the vocabulary strains to cope with creativity that springs from a conglomeration rather than a charismatic leader. We know what to do with movements, if they come complete with enemy lists, manifestos and identifying haircuts. But what can be said about loose circles of the like-minded? Yet collectivization is the shiny, happy, dirty little secret of art. Songs that make the charts are usually not brainchildren of untrammelled artistes, but the aggregate spawn of producers, singers, writers, studio musicians, the past musicians and peers whose styles they're biting, and a mess of marketing maestros. Sampling makes the method so explicit as to trigger legal action, and much of the public is still choking down that lesson in how sausages are made, but it's only a mechanized version of a folk process as ancient as song itself -- as old, in fact, as thinking. (Consider those thieving dogs Homer and Shakespeare.)

A couple of Toronto events this week illuminate what clown-prince pop subversive Brian Eno calls "scenius" -- the "intelligence and intuition of a whole cultural scene," rather than some lone Great Man of history. For a grand example, think of the Enlightenment, or more minutely, the simultaneous blooming of be-bop, abstract expressionism and beat poetry in 1950s New York. These days, perhaps look to present-day Munich, home of the German label Morr Music, which has become a gathering point for an incestuous crowd that wants to make techno music more sensitive to the nuances of human feeling. Founded by record collector Thomas Morr in 1999, the label has released about 40 recordings by two dozen different artists, hailing mostly from Germany but from as far afield as right here (Toronto synth enthusiast Solvent has a disc on Morr). Fresh from the label's fifth-birthday party back home, Morr has sent an old-fashioned package tour North America's way: It arrives in Toronto tomorrow and includes Duo 505, Styrofoam, The Go Find and label standouts Lali Puna, featuring the querulous coo of Korean-born, Portugal-bred singer Valerie Trebeljahr.

Besides frequent crossover in personnel, albums on Morr tend to share a sound: They're layered with airy electronic beats, filaments carved out of the fat drum-machine sound of dance music as if with a crystal scalpel. But they also have lyrical melodies, sometimes computerized and sometimes on conventional instruments. When there are vocals, they are not the whooping exaltations of rave anthems but half-whispered verses of loneliness and romance that wouldn't be out of place in indie rock, although generally delivered with a cooler Teutonic distance. Some fans and foes call Morr's style "indietronica," but "computer pop" might be less off-putting. The label's early definitive compilation was jokingly titled Putting the Morr Back in Morrissey, but a more apt parallel can be found on a later sampler that included a full disc of Morr artists covering songs by Slowdive, the long-forgotten British "shoegazer" guitar band, peers of My Bloody Valentine. The Morr mob translates the lush droning strings and mumbled vocals of that brief moment in pre-Britpop to computers, but staves off monotony using the broad sonic palette from 1990s techno, ambient and avant-electronics. They're far from the only players in that game, but they're among the most richly reliable. For less pre-programmed pleasures, this weekend also offers the 416 Toronto Creative Improvisers Festival, which has become an annual highlight from the fringe of the city's jazz and improv action. It began Wednesday and continues through tomorrow. Some of the ensembles are ongoing concerns, others are one-offs, but either way the music is conceived on the spot. Don't expect pop from the trio with guitar, drums and trombone, much less the one featuring piano, "heat sink" and cookie tins. But they're decidedly collective creations. Toronto improv circa 2004 hasn't evolved a signature style, but it tends to be marked by Canadian restraint: The musicians trade gestures without trampling on each other's space. The raw material may be "noise" more than rhythm or melody, but with a gentle touch. It seldom becomes a barrage (except when it does). There will be electricity in the air at the 416 too; the series climaxes tomorrow with Powerbuch, a quartet featuring the laptop and synth of local composer John Kameel Farah (a techno fan himself) alongside drums, trumpet and sax. It may not attain "scenius," but it's a celebration of sociable ingenuity, and that's the first foothold on the way to the heights.

The Morr Music Tour is at Lee's Palace tomorrow, starting with the band The Go Find at (roughly) 10 p.m.; Styrofoam performs at 11 p.m. and Lali Panu at midnight. $15 in advance. 529 Bloor St. W., 416- 532-1598. The 416 Festival is at the Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave., 9:30 tonight and 8:30 p.m. tomorrow. $5 suggested donation.

Meli’sa Morgan To Recreate Sparks For Upcoming Album

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - By Kevin Jackson, Contributor

(Nov. 12, 2004) Rhythm and blues singer Meli’sa Morgan is preparing to drop a new album in time for Valentine’s Day 2005.  Best known for her gospel tinged revamping of Prince’s “Do Me Baby,” Morgan has a new record deal, but she isn’t quick to reveal which label is handling her affairs. “I have a new record deal and I am working with the same people that I worked with on my first album,” she says coyly. “I can’t tell you which label it is, because we are keeping it a secret. Hopefully the record will be out in time for Valentine’s Day next year.” Morgan rode the Billboard R&B Singles charts in the mid 1980’s straight into the early 1990’s with 11 entries - among them, “Do You Still Love Me,” “Fool’s Paradise,” “Deeper Love,” “If You Can Do it: I Can Too,” “Love Changes (with Kashif),” “Here Comes the Night,” “Can You Give Me What I Want,” “Still in Love With You,” “Through the Tears” and “I’m Gonna be Your Lover (Tonight).” The Queens, New York native got her start in the business while singing with a church gospel choir. “I began singing in the church with a gospel choir called the Starlets of Corona, New York, she said. “We traveled all over the metropolitan areas of Washington. There was a music director who taught me how to harmonize and how to develop phrases.  I learnt a lot from her.” Morgan was a member of a vocal trio called High Fashion, which also included singers Alyson Williams and Erick McClinton. Her association with that studio outfit came about as the result of a session she did with the group Change.   “The producer was forming a group called High Fashion and he asked me to join,” she said. “We really did one gig and that was basically it.”   High Fashion scored a chart hit with “Feelin’ Lucky Lately,” which peaked at number 32 on the R&B chart. Meli’sa would later on sing background for artists including Chaka Khan, and Whitney Houston for her debut album.  Morgan’s big break came in 1985 when the then President of Capitol Records wanted a female singer to cover the Prince classic “Do Me Baby.”  “I was really complying with the label boss’ request to sing the song,” said Morgan. “I felt no pressure at all in doing the song. Actually I heard the song maybe once or twice before. We got the lyrics and I just went and did the recording.  I wanted the song to have more of a gospel feel to it, sorta putting my own spin on the song.” Her version of “Do Me Baby” shot to the top of the R&B charts where it stayed for three weeks. The single peaked at number 46 on the pop charts and catapulted Morgan into the spotlight.

With four albums to her credit, she says the industry has helped to shape her in a number of ways. “For starters the industry has made me a little bit more wiser and smarter,” she said. “I really enjoy being a female singer and the accolades and the response from the audience is really tremendous. I try to be the best I can no matter what.” Morgan will perform tonight at an event held by Gay Men of African Decent (GMAD), a non profit organization championing the quality of life for the black gay community. The invitational affair, to be held at New York’s Brooklyn Museum of Art, will honour the legacy of GMAD founder Charles Angel during its annual Angel Award Ceremony. A pre and post reception, silent auction and musical excerpts from the hit Broadway play “The Lion King” will be featured in addition to a live performance by Morgan. “Í feel blessed to perform for GMAD,” Morgan said. “With all the separatism in this world, its heart-warming to know that an organization exists like GMAD which offers gay men a place to go where they are encouraged to embrace what they are about. If nothing else, that is a wonderful thing.”

U-God, Cuban Link Hook Up With Don King

Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Nolan Strong

(Nov. 9, 2004) New tracks by Wu-Tang Clan member U-God and Bronx bred rapper Cuban Link will be featured on a 30 minute preview show produced by Don King, in anticipation of a highly anticipated boxing card this weekend. King is promoting the card this weekend at Madison Square Garden in New York. WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz will face Andrew Golota, IBF champion Chris Byrd will defend his crown against Jameel McCline; Hasim Rahman will take on Kali Meehan and Evander Holyfield will take on Larry Donald. The preview show features the two current and two former world heavyweight champions that will slug it out Saturday (November 13th). The music will be combined with the “strife of heavyweight champions” the preview show seeks to capture. “I love to see talent, promote it and watch it blossom,” Don King said. “A wise Chinese man once said 'to see things in the seed, that is genius.' This is great promotion for the artists and good marketing for the fighters and I'm pleased and proud that Don King Productions is now producing these shows and taking more active control of how our fighters are promoted and building a fan base for these tremendously talented warriors, athletes and musicians all of whom are fighters from the womb to the tomb." Just as Don King is taking control of his business, U-God is doing the same with the launch of a new record label. "This allows me to express my music,” U-God said. “I have my own style which I want to bring to the Hip Hop community. Independence is the only way I can control my own destiny. I don't need anyone's approval for any moves I want to make. I can make a decision and roll."

Cuban Link expressed his pleasure being involved with the fight and expressed that he had a deeper connection to the evening’s event. "I'm a big fan of John Ruiz," Cuban Link said. "I saw him when he took the belt from [Evander] Holyfield to become the first Latino world heavyweight champion-and that was history. Writing for boxing is easy for me because from the age of 17 to 21, I wanted to be a boxer and me and Pun would always talk about that. When I spit my lyrics, I think I'm going into the ring. I wrote that song for Ruiz and that's for him for forever." Also featured on the preview show will be Tomeka, a New Orleans native signed to Evander Holyfield’s Real Deal Records.

We Remember Lenny Mayes Of The Dramatics

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 12, 2004) *Lenny Mayes, who in 1973 joined The Dramatics replacing the group’s founder, died Monday at Southfield’s Providence Hospital after a long battle with lung cancer. He was 53. Born Leonard Cornell Mayes in Detroit on April 5, 1951, the singer took the place of Elbert "Al" Wilkins in the legendary R&B group, singing second tenor, baritone and alternate lead.  He joined members L.J. Reynolds, Ron Banks, Willie Ford and later, Winzell Kelly. Lenny’s first album as a Dramatic was “A Dramatic Experience.” Other classic albums would soon follow, featuring his distinctive vocals on such songs as “The Very Heart of Me,” “Me and Mrs. Jones,” “You’re Fooling You,” “I’m Going by the Stars in Your Eyes,” and “I Cried All The Way Home.” A public viewing was held yesterday in Detroit. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. today in Southfield, MI. For more on Lenny Mayes, read Steven Ivory's column from earlier this week.

Raphael Rocks

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 16, 2004) Caught a performance last week of Raphael Saadiq’s Ray Ray tour at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Va.  The former Tony! Toni! Tone! and Lucy Pearl front man was backed by a full band dressed in garb ranging from a nun’s uniform to a detective.  Even the background singers had on military uniforms. After a long musical prelude, Saadiq took the stage and looked dapper in a bluish-grey pinstripe suit, with pink shirt, multi-colored necktie and a cream fedora.  While strumming his guitar, he breezed through several cuts from both Ray Ray and the Grammy nominated Instant Vintage album, including “Faithful.” More hits followed as Saadiq captivated with songs like “Me & You,” and the Tony! Toni! Tone! classics “(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow,” “Anniversary” and “It Never Rains in Southern California.”  That only reminded me that my college roommate Winston Hilton hadn’t returned my “Greatest Hits” CD from like six years ago…but I digress.     Saadiq continued the musical experience with more numbers from Ray Ray, including the first single “Rifle Love,” and his tribute to Curtis Mayfield.  Most of the crowd, which consisted of Chic member Sylver Logan Sharp, stuck around for the encore.  But before it was over, Saadiq asked, “Have you seen BET lately?  Doesn’t it look horrible?  Well, except for late at night.” He continued:  “Well, you may not see my videos on BET, but I am Black entertainment and that’s why I’m bringing my live show to a city near you.”  Saadiq’s intimate club tour is certainly entertaining indeed. By the way, Saadiq has been joined on his Ray Ray tour by newcomer Teedra Moses.  Saadiq is featured on Moses’ debut album Complex Simplicity, and she, in turn, appeared on his CD, Ray Ray.  The tour was in Atlanta and New Orleans this past weekend and will hit Sacramento, Calif., Hollywood, Calif. and Anaheim, Calif. in the coming days.  Moses was previously on the Seagram’s Gin Live tour with Tweet and Cee-Lo.

Damita Jo Is Organization’s ‘Role Model’

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 11, 2004) *In the eyes of “100 Black Men,” an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for African Americans and other minorities, Janet Jackson ranks up there with Oprah Winfrey and Secretary of State Colin Powell as worthy of the group’s African American Role Model title. Chosen for her charity work, Miss Jackson will appear in person tonight to accept the honour from the org’s New York Chapter. The 38-year-old is now in the company of past recipients Winfrey and Powell, despite the wardrobe malfunction that flung her right breast into millions of homes during MTV’s SuperBowl half-time show.  “An individual's worth can't be judged by a single moment in that person's life,” 100 Black Men president Paul Williams told the “New York Daily News” of the boob flash. He added: "I hope we don't have any surprises." Jackson will be in Los Angeles Monday to attend the American Music Awards, which will air live at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. She’s nominated for Favourite Female Artist.

Mario Spreads 'Love' On Sophomore Album

Excerpt from www.billboard.com - Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

(Nov. 11, 2004) Eighteen-year-old R&B artist Mario will release his sophomore album, "Turning Point," Dec. 7 via J Records. The Scott Storch-produced single "Let Me Love You" has already hit 10 different Billboard charts, reaching new peaks this week of No. 9 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks tally and No. 15 on the Hot 100. "Turning Point" features production by Lil Jon, the Underdogs and Harold Lilly, the latter of whom has worked with Mario's J labelmates Luther Vandross and Monica. The album is the follow-up to Mario's self-titled 2002 debut, which reached No. 3 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and has sold nearly 596,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It featured the smash single "Just a Friend 2002," which peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts. Mario will make his feature film debut in the upcoming movie "Destination Fame" and is pursuing additional acting opportunities.

Ashanti’s Phantom Fury

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 12, 2004) Start bracing yourselves now for an Ashanti assault to the senses that should remain thick through Jan. 2005. Her video “Only U” premiered Wednesday on MTV, her new album “Concrete Rose” drops Dec. 7 via the Inc./Def Jam, and on Jan. 14, she makes her feature film debut alongside Samuel L. Jackson in “Coach Carter.” To support all of this, the Glen Clove, NY native will hit the talk show circuit following an appearance on Sunday’s American Music Awards. Tuesday, she’ll visit “Good Morning America,” and later in the month, she’ll throw a “custom concert” on the Oxygen channel, during which fans will be able to choose the set list.   As previously reported, Ashanti will also play Dorothy in an ABC production of "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz," scheduled to run in May.

M.A.C Crafts Shades For Fantasia

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 12, 2004) *November 23 marks the release date of one debut album and two new shades of M.A.C Lipglasses from "American Idol" winner Fantasia. The day before “Free Yourself” hits retail outlets across the U.S., M.A.C stores will begin selling its Fantasia-inspired lipglasses: Fantabulous 1, described as “a smoldering copper,” and Fantabulous 2, “a full-on reddened bronze.” "After watching Fantasia's winning performances on "American Idol," we knew she possessed a star quality and synergy that resonates with a diverse audience. The two Lipglasses were created for her and the fans who love her," says M.A.C President John Demsey. The singer will make a personal appearance at the M.A.C Harlem store from 3 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 22 to meet and greet fans. The Fantabulous lipsticks have a suggested retail of $13.50 each.

Shaq Starts Label, Taps, Kayslay, Makes NBA History

Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Nolan Strong

(Nov. 11, 2004) Miami Heat basketball star Shaquille O’Neal is financing a new record label, which recently landed a distribution deal with KOCH Records. KOCH will handle the marketing and distribution for the label, DEJA34 Records. Mark Stevens, a long-time friend of Shaq is the CEO, while mixtape king DJ Kayslay has been named head A&R of the venture. “It’s easy to finance a company that you believe in,” O'Neal said. Stevens also expressed enthusiasm in working with KOCH, noting the company’s dominant position as an independent record label. The first release will be a new full-length by DJ Kayslay, slated for release in April 2005. Several months ago, O’Neal returned to rap, aiming mixtape insults at former L.A. Laker Kobe Bryant and Virigina rapper Skillz. The label news comes as O’Neal reaches another milestone in his professional basketball career, his 22,000 point, becoming the 20th player in NBA history to achieve the mark.

Timbaland Puts Custom Built Studio To Use

Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Nolan Strong

(Nov. 11, 2004) Super producer Timbaland recently finished the construction of a 5,000 square foot recording studio, based in his hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Timbaland Studios is the producer’s private full-service audio production facility that was created with his long time engineer, Jimmy Douglas. The state of the art facility was designed specifically to Timbaland’s production needs and includes several offices and lounges. The studio’s architectural structure was built by the Walters-Storyk Design Group (WSDG), the company responsible for designing studios for Clive Davis, Stevie Wonder, Todd Rundgren, Rick Ruben, Bob Marley and Shaquille O’Neal. Timbaland is putting the recording his new home to use, having recently finished up production on Jennifer Lopez’s untitled new album, slated for 2005. The Virginia reared producer also produced material for Fat Joe’s new album Things Of That Nature, Ray J’s Raydiation and contributed two songs to Ludacris’ new album The Red Light District.

Rev Run To Turn 40 In Style

Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Nolan Strong

(Nov. 10, 2004) On Sunday November 14th, Reverend Run of Run-DMC will celebrate a milestone in his life, his 40th birthday. The retired rapper-turned Reverend said he will spend the entire day praising the lord. “It really is an important milestone. It’s my 40th, I’m excited because it falls on a Sunday. I can spend all day in church praising God,” Run told AllHipHop.com. When finished praising, Rev. Run said he would treat himself to a half-a-million dollar birthday present. “Instead of throwing some big ol’ party, I am going to go pick up a platinum Phantom Rolls-Royce, 2005,” Run said. Run, born Joseph Simmons, heads up Run Athletics. The company has sold over $100 million dollars worth of Phat Farm sneakers and clothing apparel, which Run attributes to his positive outlook on life and his focus on God. The company hopes to duplicate the success of their previous footwear lines with the launch of their latest sneaker, named after African-American tennis legend, Arthur Ashe. “At the end of the day, it’s all about celebrating life and prosperity,” Run said of turning 40. “You are always becoming that which you are conscious of being.”

Hip-Hop Good To Nelly And Country Star Tim McGraw

Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Nolan Strong

(Nov. 10, 2004) Hip-Hop star Nelly has helped country artist Tim McGraw to history, as McGraw has become the first country artist to hold the #1 position on Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 chart. The duo’s collaboration, “Over and Over” also went from #7 to #1, tying Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey’s record for quickest ascent to #1. The single also ties Nelly with such prestigious company as Avril Lavigne, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera and Alanis Morrisette, each of whom have placed four #1’s in the Mainstream Top 40 Chart. McGraw, along with country acts Big & Rich, have helped expose rap to an eager, brand new listening audience. McGraw frequently performs a duet with Cowboy Troy, a 6-5 cowboy boot and Stetson hat wearing African-American rapper. Last night (November 9th), Big and Rich performed at the 38th annual Country Music Association Awards, held at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. Cowboy Troy shared the stage with the two in what many considered highlight performance of the evening.

Sly and Robbie Tour of North America Currently in Progress

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - By Kervin Jackson / MYfeedback@eurweb.com

(Nov. 11, 2004) The legendary rhythm twins, producers and musicians Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare (Sly and Robbie) are currently in the middle of their North American tour. The tour is commemoration of their 25 years in the music industry.  The Grammy-winning drum & bass duo get some assistance on their tour with performances from the likes of Half Pint and Tony Rebel, BluFox and other musical celebrity guests.    Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare’s musical endeavours have been recognized by the international music fraternity and fans worldwide.  These lovers of music are Jamaica’s first duo to be nominated for an “R&B" Grammy and a Best Reggae Album Grammy winner for their "Friends" CD release in 1998. The Sly and Robbie 25th anniversary tour began on October 24 and runs until November 16. Among the places the tour will be making stops are British Columbia (Canada), Washington, New York, Oregon, Utah, Kansas, Chicago, St. Louis, Philadelphia and California.  For more details log on to www.slyandrobbietour.com

MTV Base To Launch In Africa

Excerpt from www.billboard.com - Diane Coetzer, Johannesburg and Emmanuel Legrand, London

(Nov. 15, 2004) MTV Networks is planning a February launch for an African version of its urban music service, MTV Base. According to MTV Europe, the 24-hour, English-language music TV channel "will reflect the tastes and interests of African youth" via a combination of African and international music videos and locally produced content. MTV's U.K. and U.S. programs such as "Cribs" and "Making the Video" will also be aired. African music is also set to gain a platform on the channel, which will showcase genres such as kwaito, hip-life, mbalax and zouk. American R&B artists Alicia Keys and Jay-Z, reggae dancehall act Sean Paul and French rappers IAM, Passi and Saian Supa Crew will be among the acts highlighted on MTV Base. Strong HIV/AIDS messaging from MTV Networks International's "Staying Alive" series will also form part of the content. The advertiser-supported channel will initially be broadcast via satellite to 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa via multi-channel operators DStv, Trend TV, CTNL and FSTV. DStv is a pay satellite service that currently offers the music channels MTV Europe and Channel O. At launch, MTV Base expects to reach approximately 1.3 million households.

Mariah 'Emancipated' On New Album

Source: www.billboard.com - Michael Paoletta, N.Y.

(Nov. 16, 2004) Mariah Carey returns to her pop and R&B roots on her new album, "The Emancipation of Mimi," albeit with major dollops of hip-hop. On several tracks previewed for Billboard.com, Carey offers less vocal acrobatics then on recent efforts, proving that less can indeed be more. Due March 29 via Island Def Jam, the new set will be preceded by the single "Say Something," produced by the Neptunes and featuring Snoop Dogg. Due to hit U.S. radio outlets in January, the slinky, sensual hip-hop jam sports intermittent machine gun-styled beats, A longtime supporter of club remixes, Carey has commissioned David Morales, Peter Rauhofer and former Pound Boys member David C. to remix "Say Something." Other album tracks previewed for Billboard.com include the Jermaine Dupri-produced "Get Your Number," a feel-good, dancefloor-primed R&B number that smartly references Imagination's early-'80s top 30 R&B hit, "Just an Illusion." It spotlights the vocals of Dupri, who also helmed the track "Shake You Off." Carey handled the bulk of the writing on "The Emancipation of Mimi" and also produced the power ballad "Mine Again." Less adult contemporary and more Gladys Knight, the old-school song is signature Carey. The album also features contributions from producer Kanye West and rappers Nelly and Twista. It's the follow-up to 2002's "Charmbracelet," which debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 and has sold more than 1.1 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

::CD RELEASES::

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

DESTINY'S CHILD new album (Sony)
JENNIFER LOPEZ new album (Sony)
LAURYN HILL new album (Sony)
SHAKIRA new album (Sony)

::FILM NEWS::

Hot-Button Movies Iced For Top Golden Globe

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Borys Kit, Hollywood Reporter, With Star Wire Services

(Nov. 11, 2004) Two of this year's most-talked-about films have hit snags on the road to awards season, specifically in their quest to secure nominations for the Golden Globes. It was announced this week that Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 will not be eligible in any Globes categories because it is a documentary. The rules of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which administers the Globes, state that documentaries are ineligible for consideration in the top film award categories. "As for Fahrenheit, we felt it would be unfair to tell other documentarians that Fahrenheit qualified and yours didn't," HFPA president Lorenzo Soria said. "We follow our rules and it did not qualify. It would be unfair to make an exception." The Golden Globes, which will be handed out on Jan. 16, are often touted as a barometer for the Oscars, nominations for which will be announced Jan. 25. Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ cannot compete for best picture drama because it is considered a foreign-language film. The HFPA considers any feature with a non-English dialogue track to be a foreign-language film. The organization's rules reserve the best picture awards for movies in English. Passion, in which much of the dialogue is spoken in Aramaic, can be considered for best foreign-language film and under the rules can compete in all other categories. Nominations for the 62nd annual Golden Globe Awards will be out Dec. 13. Soria says Gibson's Passion does qualify for the awards' foreign language section as it was filmed in the ancient languages of Aramaic and Latin. "We know Aramaic is not a spoken language and, yes, we know the film doesn't have a country of origin, but our bylaws state that when a film is in a language that is preponderantly non-English, it's a foreign-language film," he said. Passion tells the gory story of the last days of the life of Jesus Christ and was at the centre of major controversy after accusations that it was anti-Semitic and overly violent. But the film, which was privately financed by the devoutly Catholic Gibson, was a huge success with audiences.

The organizers of Hollywood's top prize, the Oscars, refused to consider Passion for a best foreign language film award as those entries are submitted by overseas countries, not by producers. The North American distributors of Moore's film, which became the first documentary to win the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film festival in May, have issued a statement saying they are disappointed by the HFPA's decision. "We are immensely proud of Fahrenheit 9/11 — one of the year's most significant feature films," Lion's Gate Films president Tom Ortenberg said. "We anticipate great success in the coming awards season." Some HFPA members had proposed a special award for Moore, who is hoping that Fahrenheit will be eligible for a best picture Oscar. However, Daily Variety reported that the motion was defeated at a meeting last week. Gibson's film was equally as successful — $370 million (U.S.) generated domestically — and as controversial as Moore's for its widely perceived anti-Semitism. This has been a tough week for both filmmakers. Moore was widely criticized for inadvertently helping the U.S. president win re-election with his inflammatory film, and Gibson was bothered by a stalker who followed him to his Malibu home and even to his church.

Cheadle Opens In ‘After The Sunset’

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 12, 2004) Don Cheadle will most certainly give Jamie Foxx a run for his money in the Best Actor Oscar race for his starring role in “Hotel Rwanda,” opening Christmas day. The intense film recounts the compelling story of Rwandan hotel manager Paul Ruseabagina, who secretly used his position to shelter over a thousand refugees during the genocide crisis. The film marks the last of three Cheadle projects to be released this holiday season. The first is today’s opening of “After the Sunset,” opposite Pierce Brosnan and Selma Hayek as master thieves who have trouble remaining retired in a tropical paradise. Cheadle, who turns 40 on Nov. 29, portrays Kingpin, a suave gangster who entices Brosnan’s Max into another heist in order to financially “help” the poor people on the island.  “Pierce is a classy guy, real team player,” Cheadle told us yesterday during an interview at the St. Regis Hotel in Los Angeles. “It’s great to do these movies and kind of create these little satellite families that are all out there,” which is exactly what happened during the filming of “Ocean’s Eleven,” and its sequel “Ocean’s Twelve,” opening Dec 10.    “When the cameras aren’t rolling, it’s not much different than when the cameras are rolling, it’s just fun,” Cheadle says of his A-list co-stars George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, Andy Garcia, Bernie Mac and Catherine Zeta Jones. “Really, [director] Steven [Soderbergh] had to do all of the heavy lifting in order to keep those knuckleheads in line. “I think the film is better than ‘Ocean’s Eleven’,” he adds. “It’s a lot more cinematic, it’s a lot more Technicolor, the music is more exciting – everything about it is just more.  We went all over the world, so you’re really getting to see all the different views and geographical locations, and they’re all incorporated very well into the story.  Steven did a great job, I don’t know how he did it. Everyday on the set, we were like, ‘Does he really know what he’s doing?’ But you gotta believe in Steven, because he always brings it. Always.” On Dec 1, Cheadle will be honoured with the Gotham Actor Award for his body of work in New York, as previously reported. If this is the first time you’ve heard of the Gotham Awards, even though it’s currently celebrating its 14th year, you’re not alone. 

“Given that I hadn’t heard of a Gotham Award until a couple of months ago, I think it’s good because I wasn’t gassed up,” he laughs, when asked his feelings about receiving the honour. “I was like, oh, well that’s fantastic. I love that someone wants to recognize my – quote/unquote – body of work.” He continues: “I was talking to my dad and he was like, ‘Can you have a body of work at 40? That seems like a dead guy award, but go get it.’”

Canadian Cinema Is Better Than He Thinks

Excerpt from The Globe and Mail - By David Weaver

(Nov. 13, 2004) Quick: Name as many world-class feature filmmakers still working in Canada as you can. I count five: Denys Arcand, David Cronenberg, Atom Egoyan, François Girard, Guy Maddin. And then there are those who have either created masterpieces (such as Bruce McDonald with Hard Core Logo) or emerging filmmakers who positively reek of promise (say Gary Burns or Andrea Dorfman or Denis Villeneuve, to mention just three). Not a bad list. Next, name as many Australian directors of comparable ability still working in their native land. Or German. Or even British. No fair counting those filmmakers whose best work is 20 years behind them, or those who have vanished into obscurity, or those who have long since decamped to Hollywood. And no counting the dead. Not an easy thing to do, it turns out.

Now explain to me why Canadian cinema is so frequently considered a failure. That last question is the most difficult -- and the most perplexing. Over the course of the past 15 years, Canadians have painstakingly built an independent cinema while standing next to the marketing and promotional tornado that is Hollywood. The existence of any filmmaking in the face of such an onslaught would be an incredible success. Yet reading George Melnyk's survey of Canadian film, you come away with the sour taste of dissatisfaction, complaint and no small amount of that perennial Canadian favourite, self-loathing. If you open this book hoping that Melnyk, a cultural historian who teaches Canadian film at the University of Alberta, might take arms against this litany of unhappiness, you'll be sorely disappointed. This quickly becomes evident when he recounts the career of Nell Shipman. Shipman not only acted in and directed several early silent films but even managed to make money doing it. But the note struck by Melnyk is that her career ended in disappointment and obscurity -- not that she was a proto-feminist icon for a brilliant new art form, not to mention for a new nation. This may be the conventional wisdom, but surely the conventional wisdom can stand a challenge. It's not that Canadians have no cinematic triumphs to call upon, but that we obstinately refuse to name them as triumphs. After all, D. W. Griffith ended up dying forgotten and alone in a tiny hotel room off Sunset Boulevard, but no one believes that appropriately summarizes his contribution to American filmmaking. The idea is frankly ludicrous. That's because we've been taught to understand American culture as a relentless march forward, and Canadian culture as perpetually mired in dissolution and disarray. We seem, as a nation, to lack the mythologizing gene. It's no exaggeration to say of Melnyk's book that every single era of our film culture is judged and found wanting: the thirties because Canadians failed to institute the quotas that benefited the British film industry; the forties and fifties because the National Film Board held sway and feature films were discouraged; the sixties and seventies because the filmmaking enterprise was so intermittent and popularity (at least in contrast to Hollywood) so seemingly unattainable. The trend is set early, in other words, and all that remains is to play it out.

More disconcerting still, Melnyk's own interest seems to waver at times. There are odd errors (Bruce McDonald's infamous Picture Claire is identified as Claire's Hat, a title that was dispensed with because, in fact, Claire never wears a hat during the film) and even stranger omissions (François Girard, in many ways a signature Canadian filmmaker because he has achieved both critical and commercial success, barely rates a mention). Most of Melnyk's conclusions about early Canadian cinema are drawn from Peter Morris's seminal study, Embattled Shadows: A History of Canadian Cinema, 1895-1939, which simply means most of its negative suppositions are embraced as well. For the growth period of Canadian nationalism, Peter Harcourt, the prolific and esteemed critic of filmmakers such as Allan King and Jean Pierre Lefebvre, serves a similar role, with a similar delimiting of perspective. A survey is one thing, a mere reiteration quite another. Opportunities are missed, most notably when Melnyk discusses how our national self-loathing has transformed itself into public policy. The most pointed example of this came directly after the Second World War, when the government reached an agreement to allow the Hollywood studios unlimited access to the Canadian screens in an effort at redressing the wartime debt. From then on, Canada would figure as part of the domestic American box office in their calculations, an unfettered access that persists to this day. Melnyk barely ventures to suggest what it might do to a nation's imaginative facilities when it is, quite literally, colonized by multinational corporations. So let us play analyst. My suggestion would be that when government policy all but surrenders domain over a cultural sector, it results in a severe reaction in the opposite direction. In this case, anything that smacked of Hollywood filmmaking -- namely, genre, stars and even conventional story structure -- became suspect. Canadian filmmaking was defined as whatever Hollywood was not. No art form can be defined by a negative for very long and hope to flourish. Of course, stars and genre are not the only attributes associated with Hollywood; box-office success is its most cherished feature. Which leads to the real canker on the Canadian psyche: Why are our films not more successful in the marketplace? Specifically, why is there no Canadian The Full Monty? Certainly it was this perception that led to Heritage Canada's extraordinary decision to link feature-film financing to a policy of achieving 5 per cent of the domestic box office. Were any other cultural sector held to such a ludicrously arbitrary figure there would be immediate howls, but our self-loathing is so internalized, barely a peep was heard. This is the uncertain moment at which Melnyk's history concludes.

There was a period of extraordinary box-office success for Canadian film, and it's known as the tax-shelter years. Or as Melnyk quite rightly reminds us, "a national disgrace," because the films were so unrelentingly abysmal the entire country was shamed. The fact is, Canadian filmmakers create hit films on a regular basis -- they just create them for Hollywood. My Big Fat Greek Wedding serves as the most recent example: a movie written by and starring a Canadian, shot in Canada, but financed by Americans. Before the hand-wringing starts up again, however, it's important to remember that The Full Monty was a film created by and starring Brits, but entirely financed by Americans. Perhaps what Hollywood can truly teach us is that success or failure is purely a matter of perception, or at least a little good PR. And perhaps the lesson of George Melnyk's book is that it's time to start rewriting the history of Canadian cinema as a celebration, rather than a wake. David Weaver is a Toronto filmmaker. His latest feature, Siblings, had its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival.

T.I. Shooting 'Dope Boyz' Flick

Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Nolan Strong

(Nov. 12, 2004) After serving a bit of jail time which erupted into a nationwide prison controversy, T.I. is preparing to return to his roots of rap, with a new album Urban Legend, slated for a November 30th release date. "It is a very diverse album with everything on it," T.I. told AllHipHop.com. "I am serious; I got more current things on it like my situation and the things that went on in my life." And the past year of his life has seen career threatening turbulence. The Atlanta rapper surrendered to authorities last March, to serve time for violating his probation due to a 1998 drug conviction. Shortly afterwards, T.I. became involved in a major prison scandal in Fulton County, Georgia, after an inmate escaped from jail as he shot an unauthorized video. When the smoke cleared, one guard was fired and three more were suspended. In addition to the above drama, T.I. took on two lyrical feuds, one with Houston Texas' Lil' Flip, the other with fellow Atlanta native, Ludacris. In order to give listeners a more intimate look at his life, the Atlanta rapper is working on a movie, "Dope Boyz" named after the popular song on his 2001 debut, I'm Serious. "It's basically about where my people come from, how we got started, the life we lead and the life we live now," T.I. said of the film. The Dope Boyz movie has no release date and is still in production. T.I.'s Urban Legend is being released as part of Atlantic's "Joint Chiefs" promotion, in which the label is releasing albums by Trick Daddy, Twista, Fabolous and Fat Joe. "We all played a different part in making sure Atlantic covers the whole country," T.I. said. "We all bring different styles, audience and markets to the table and it is something for everybody."

Toronto Studio Woos U.S. Work With 78-Cent Dollar

Excerpt from The Globe and Mail - By James Adams

(Nov. 11, 2004) With the appreciating Canadian dollar hovering near 84 cents (U.S.), one of the country's leading film studios has decided to peg the rate it charges foreign producers to use its facilities at 78 cents. Toronto Film Studios announced the discount yesterday, and it's anticipated other such facilities across the country will follow suit in an effort to "remove the barriers to having American TV and movie makers come up here," according to TFS president Ken Ferguson. Until recently, the soft dollar was a major incentive to shoot movies-of-the-week, series, feature films and miniseries in Canada, mainly in British Columbia and Ontario. Ontario studios and craft unions in particular were hoping for a bounce-back in activity this year after suffering from the effects of last year's SARS outbreak and the start of the second Gulf war. However, increased competition by U.S. studios coupled with the Canadian dollar's rise have not contributed to a hike in location shoots. Ferguson said he would hold its rate at 78 cents "as long as it's necessary, unless the dollar goes completely out of control." Ferguson said his studio is expecting to earn about as much this year as it did last from U.S. productions, about $3-million, thanks largely to its participation in the new Ron Howard feature Cinderella Man starring Russell Crowe. "We've been lucky . . . but what's worrying me most is our orders going forward." December through to early spring is traditionally a slow time for local studios, but if a rising dollar indicates a greater slowdown, "I'd like to nip it in the bud," he said.

Whistler Film Fest Getting Bigger And Bolder

Excerpt from The Globe and Mail - By Alexandra Gill

(Nov. 11, 2004) Vancouver -- The Whistler Film Festival is nearly doubling its size this year, screening 93 films, including nine world premieres, six of which are Canadian films in competition for the inaugural $10,000 Phillip Borsos Award. The four-day festival opens on Dec. 2, with the British Columbia premiere of Crazy Canucks, Randy Bradshaw's dramatic story of the legendary kamikaze-like Canadian men's downhill ski team who rose to fame in the late 1970s. The films competing for the Phillip Borsos Award, honouring the late Canadian filmmaker, are Reg Harkema's Better Off in Bed, James Head's Cable Beach, Richard Bell's Eighteen, Kenny Hotz's Papal Chase, Rick Alyea's Part of the Game, and Guaray Seth's Pink Ludoos. This year also promises more parties, celebrities and movies in the snow on a giant, outdoor inflatable screen.

Cheadle’s ‘Hotel Rwanda’ Wins AFI Award

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 16, 2004) *“Hotel Rwanda,” starring Don Cheadle, a stark film about the genocide that killed millions of Hutu and Tutsi Rwandans during the mid-nineties, won the audience choice award for feature film Sunday night at the AFI/Los Angeles Intl. Film Festival.  The 18th annual 10-day fest opened Nov. 4 with events held at the ArcLight and Grauman's Chinese Theater. Other films screening at the festival included the U.S. premiere of Kevin Spacey's "Beyond the Sea" as well as Pedro Almodovar's latest picture, "Bad Education"; Zhang Yimou's "House of Flying Daggers"; and Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "A Very Long Engagement." Jury members included director Xan Cassavetes, film critic Wade Major and actress Shohreh Aghdashloo.

Snoop in ‘Tenants’; Pras producing ‘Pimp’

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 16, 2004) *Snoop Dogg has just wrapped production on the film “The Tenants,” an adaptation of the 1971 Bernard Malamud novel that follows two men living in an abandoned apartment building in New York City.  Dylan McDermott co-stars as Harry Lesser, a writer struggling to finish a novel he’s been working on for 10 years.  Then here comes Willie Spearmint (Snoop), a raise-your-fist militant and aspiring writer who moves into another part of the building to work on his own book. The two must confront issues of racism, anti-Semitism and artistic rivalry, reports “Variety.”

*Pras of the Fugees is the latest to take a stab at bringing to the big screen Robert “Iceberg Slim” Beck’s classic 1969 novel "Pimp: The Story of My Life." According to the trades, Bill Duke was at one point set to direct and produce the project at Fine Line with Ice Cube in the title role. Cube was also on board as a co-producer, along with Quincy Jones and Joel Simon.  The project, however, was put into turnaround, with Fox Searchlight reportedly interested at one time. Pras, who soon will reunite with Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean for another Fugees album, is now attached to produce the "Pimp" adaptation after picking up rights from Holloway House Publishing Co. through his reps at ICM and Blue Train Entertainment.

::TV NEWS::

B. Mac Show Delayed Extra Week

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 11, 2004) *It has taken longer than expected for Bernie Mac to recover from a summer full of non-stop activity. According to “Variety,” production on his Fox sitcom “Bernie Mac Show” has been delayed one more week to allow the actor/comedian to fully bounce back from the effects of fatigue and pneumonia. He was scheduled to return to work on Monday, but Bernie and his producers decided that his health couldn’t handle a full workload just yet. Insiders at Fox and producers Regency TV and 20th Century Fox TV now expect to restart production next week. Prep work that had already begun has now been halted, and the crew has been sent home until the show resumes.  As previously reported, production on "Bernie Mac" has been down since mid-October, when Mac was given a four-week break by the studio and the network.  His pneumonia came about as a result of his back-to-back summer work schedule, which included shooting the features "Ocean's Twelve" and "Guess Who," promoting the release of "Mr. 3000" and jumping immediately back into the "Bernie Mac Show" without any time off. As of now, Mac is scheduled to attend a press junket next weekend in Palm Springs to promote “Ocean’s Twelve.” Fox still intends to bring back "Bernie Mac" in January, reports “Variety.”

Meanwhile, Mac discussed his condition, as well as his fascination with guns and his practical-joking “Oceans Twelve” co-star George Clooney in the new December issue of “Playboy,” on newsstands this Friday. Here are some excerpts: On his recent bout of pneumonia: “I’d never been sick in my life before.  Forty-six years of playing sports, humbugging, football, baseball, basketball, never had nothing broken.  Never was in the hospital.  I was hospitalized…and after some chest X-rays, they told me I got pneumonia.” On George Clooney: “He’s a practical joker. You’ve got to watch yourself at all times.  You open a door, you better make sure a bucket of water don’t fall on you.  George’ll put gum in your drink after he’s chewed on it.  You better watch when you sit down, make sure the chair don’t fold up on you and there ain’t no tacks on it.” On his gun collection: “I have Glocks, .45s, Berettas, over-unders, Remingtons.  I like the marksmanship and the discipline that it takes to be a gun owner.  I like the machinery, breaking it down.  Being able to take it out, clean it and put the spring back in is even more fascinating than having the gun.” Kanye West, Nas and his dad Olu Dara are also profiled in “Playboy’s” holiday issue.

Actress Terri J. Vaughn Steals The Spotlight As She Goes

Source: The Baltimore Times - www.btimes.com

(Nov. 12, 2004) Sometimes actors/actress and comedians go from co-star to superstar because of their personality that always seems to come through each character or punchlines. From Jamie Foxx, Will Smith, Steve Harvey, Mo'Nique Parker to Martin Lawrence, all have that talent of letting their personalities shine through their characters. Actress Terri J. Vaughn is the same as evident in her roles as Lovita Alizay Jenkins on WB's The Steve Harvey Show and her current role as Jonelle Abrams on the UPN series All Of Us. "That's the only way to make it, truly," Terri says. "Always put a part of yourself into your character. In Lovita and Jonelle there is lot of similarities and differences." Terri J. Vaughn came to Los Angeles 11 years ago from her native home of San Francisco to pursue her acting career full time. "My first role was maybe a year later. A little role on Living Single," Vaughn says. "I had one line, but I was so excited. I had another role a week later. Two gigs made me said, 'this is what God wants me to do.'  The Steve Harvey Show was my first series, which came five years later." Terri says in the five years between her first role and her first series she had many other small roles, studied acting and did theatre. Her other small credits included roles on Showtime's Soul Food, ER and Girlfriends. Her film credits include Don't Be A Menace To South Central and Friday. Vaughn was also awarded three NAACP Image Awards. Terri J. Vaughn certainly has the talent to have her own series ones day and to star in her own film. In my opinion, I have no doubt that she will. "My goal 'is' to have my own television series," Terri agrees with me. "I'm pursuing a couple (offers). I'm very excited. I've written a feature film script and it's being shopped." Terri is married and has a son that's three-years old. She has also established a non-profit foundation, Take Wings, which provides scholarships, mentoring and job training opportunities for young women living in public housing in the San Francisco Bay area.  You can find out more on her Take Wings Foundation at www.takewings.org and more on Terri at www.terrijvaughn.com. Advice she gives to other aspiring actors/actresses is, "Take it very seriously, it's not a fluke, it's your life. Commit fully. Surround yourself around people that are doing (the same)."

UPN Picks UP TLC Reality Series

Source: www.billboard.com - Nellie Andreeva, The Hollywood Reporter

(Nov. 16, 2004) UPN has given the go-ahead for a reality series starring the surviving members of TLC, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. Titled "R U the Girl With T-Boz & Chilli," the project is aimed at resurrecting the R&B trio that was struck by tragedy in 2002 when member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes died in a car crash. Watkins and Thomas will put a group of aspiring female performers through weeks of rigorous challenges, narrowing the field to a winner who will join them for a concert and a recording session. "We want to find someone with the right chemistry and magic to work with us," Watkins and Thomas say. "We have been blessed with great success, and this is a chance for our fans to join us as we give someone a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fulfill their dream." Casting is expected to begin shortly. UPN has ordered eight episodes, but has not decided if "R U the Girl" will premiere in midseason or the summer. "It's a very emotional story," UPN entertainment president Dawn Ostroff said. "I think our viewers, which are the 18- to 34-year-old group, have a very strong connection to TLC. T-Boz and Chilli's emotional journey over the past two years, since Left Eye died, has been very public. Trying to get past that and [take the next step] has been on their minds, and doing it in a public way, including their audience and their very devoted fans [in the process], made so much sense to us." Meanwhile, top reality producer Mark Burnett is working with UPN's sister network, CBS, on a similar project that features aspiring musicians competing for the chance to become the new lead singer of Australian rock band INXS. Original frontman Michael Hutchence died in 1997. Announced in June, the series is slated to launch in the summer. The two projects, which were developed at the same time, will have different sensibilities and will appeal to different audiences, Ostroff said. "[The INXS] show is much more geared toward the rock'n'roll world," Ostroff said. "I think T-Boz and Chilli's story will appeal to our audience, women 18-34 in particular; I think they are very relatable to our young viewers." Four-time Grammy-winning TLC, formed in Atlanta in 1991, is one of the biggest-selling female R&B groups of all time with 33 million albums sold worldwide. Along with success, the trio's tumultuous decade of existence was also marked by intragroup squabbles, high-profile romances, arson, rehab and bankruptcy. The group notched nine top 10 singles on Billboard's Hot 100, including the No. 1 hits "Waterfalls," "Creep" and "No Scrubs." Three out of TLC's four LaFace studio albums reached the top 10 albums on The Billboard 200, with 1999's "Fanmail" going to No. 1.

The View's Star Jones (Finally) Weds

Excerpt from The Toronto Star

(Nov. 15, 2004) NEW YORK (AP) — Star Jones, co-host of ABC's The View, married banker Al Reynolds in a star-studded Park Avenue bash. Notables ranging from Spike Lee to Hillary Clinton packed into St. Bartholomew's Church on Saturday to watch Jones, 42, who wore a designer strapless wedding dress with an eight-metre train, exchange vows with Reynolds. "The train was so long it took about seven people to carry it," said friend and guest Valerie Simpson, songwriter and half of the R&B duo Ashford and Simpson. With songstress Patti LaBelle performing and a bridal party including Natalie Cole, Vivica A. Fox and Holly Robinson Peete, the storybook wedding lasted until 8 p.m. before moving to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel for an equally celebrity-heavy reception. "I smiled a lot," said Jones's The View co-host Barbara Walters. "I was happy for her. She had the biggest smile I've ever seen."

Kwame Jackson In CNN Pilot

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 16, 2004) *Now that the CNNfn financial-news channel is history, the network is looking to increase its business programming on the main flagship station. Enter Kwame Jackson, former stockbroker, first-season runner up on “The Apprentice” and a bonafide ratings grabber. CNN has hired him to host a pilot of a show that has been dubbed by insiders as “Inside the Actor’s Studio for CEOs,” according to “Broadcasting & Cable.”  It will feature Jackson interviewing business leaders and pop culture figures about their road to the top.   Rumours, however, are rampant that Jackson’s lack of journalism has incurred a shower of haterade among the network's old-school financial reporters. We'll keep you posted.

::THEATRE NEWS::

Actors Applaud Tax Ruling

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Richard Ouzounian, Theatre Critic

(Nov. 12, 2004) If you ask most artists in this country what role they'd like to play, the answer would be "self-employed." Yesterday their wish came true. A Canada Revenue Agency ruling has allowed an appeal against its decision in the case of Thunder Bay's Magnus Theatre, which stated that actors on even a short-term contract were still "employees" of the organization. Performing artists have had the tax status of independent contractors for many years in Canada. In recent years, however, the CRA had changed their interpretations of some statutes and concluded that artists were, in fact, employees. While such a move would have given artists some immediate benefits such as EI, it also would have deprived them of numerous long-term deductions that allow them to make ends meet. If performers were employees, they would no longer be able to write off any transportation, housing or other expenses that they incurred while trying to make a living across this geographically vast country. They would also have been denied the ability to make deductions for physical training or professional coaching. The arts organizations also would have also faced crippling additional costs to implement this system. The Thunder Bay decision not only impacted negatively on Magnus, but it also nearly resulted in the bankruptcy of that city's orchestra. Martin Bragg, artistic producer of CanStage, Toronto's largest not-for-profit theatre, estimated his personnel costs would rise by more than 30 per cent had the decision stays. "The old adage is `If it's not broke, why fix it?'" said Bragg yesterday. "Well, the situation in the arts today is not broken ... to change the way we've been doing business all these years without a financial safety net would have been sheer folly." It's no wonder, then, that both the creative and the managerial sides of the creative world were delighted with the decision. "This is a wonderful day for artists. Hopefully now we can open a dialogue with the CRA and help them understand what it is to be an artist in Canada," said Henry Gauthier, president of the Canadian Actors Equity Association.

Meet The Browns – Tyler Perry’s Newest Play

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - Review by John D. Goodman II

(Nov. 11, 2004) Playwright, and now screenplay writer, Tyler Perry, has done it again with his newest offering, "Meet The Browns." Showcasing the talents of husband and wife singing sensations, David and Tamala Mann (of Kirk Franklin & the Family fame), this hilarious, spiritual, touching, roller coaster ride is full of non-stop laughs and powerfully moving musical performances. David Mann pulls out all the stops and shines as brightly as his garish outfits as he plays the popular Deacon Brown. The story picks up where "Madea's Class Reunion" left off when Cora (Tamala) found that long-time neighbour Mr. Brown is actually her father and continues to explore this newfound relationship as she discovers the family she never knew when Brown's father dies. She also finds a second chance at love as this offbeat family gathers for the funeral. Madea (Perry) makes a hilarious cameo appearance by phone but this outing is all about Brown and his extended family as Perry's writing deals with family mourning, forgiveness from infidelity and abuse, love, and the belief in God that ties and binds all these things together. All of the performers in this production shine in their own right but it is David Mann who steals the show in an unforgettable funeral scene that every viewer is sure to relate to. At one point, Mann "ad libed" so much, wife Tamala and other cast members literally ran off stage laughing. Clearly Perry has another hit on his hands with this funny yet powerful look at the importance of God when maintaining a strong family unit. Visit www.tylerperry.com for tour schedules and information.

Daniel Sunjata: One Hell Of A Brother

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - By Karu F. Daniels (New York, NY)

(Nov. 11, 2004) The old adage tells us that ‘good things come to those who wait.’ And getting some talk time with Tony Award nominated actor Daniel Sunjata was a living testament that the saying rings true. I’ve been in hot pursuit of the actor since I first saw him bare his all on the Broadway transfer of the critically acclaimed play, “Take Me Out.”  But because of some unsavoury tactics from a flak working the controversial Richard Greenberg-directed show, nothing materialized. A year later, the 32-year Mr., Sunjata has morphed into a TV star and has a much lauded movie project hitting theatres across the nation.  So I couldn’t have had better timing. (I’m sticking my tongue out to that evil doer.) In the Rodney Evans-helmed cinematic gem, “Brother To Brother,” the Champaign-Urbana, Il-reared Mr. Sunjata plays the legendary literary great Langston Hughes.  For several flashback sequences in the impassioned film, Mr. Sunjata is at one with the lens in a dynamic performance that can make any thespian take notice. “I love it and I think it’s a really, really important film,” Mr. Sunjata told “The RU Report.” “I think Rodney did a great job writing it and then directing it and it was obviously a labour of love for him and continues to be. He’s got a great group of people together and it was a great experience.”

“Brother…” is a feature-length drama channelling the glory days of the Harlem Renaissance through the memories of Bruce Nugent, who co-founded the revolutionary literary journal “Fire!!” with Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston and Wallace Thurman. As an elderly man, Mr. Nugent meets a young Black gay artist, played by the impeccable Anthony Mackie, struggling to find his voice and together they embark on a dreamlike narrative expedition through his inspiring past. It’s many things.  While screening the film, I had to walk away from it because it was too intense. With flashes of genius, the movie has been garnering high marks from the critics and winning a string of coveted awards and honours, including the 2004 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize. “The feedback … has been nice to hear,” offered Mr. Sunjata.  “I think the movie as a whole was very, very tight.” Many TV fans first took notice of the dashing Florida A&M alum when he played a randy sailor trying to sweep Carrie Bradshaw off of her feet a couple of years ago on HBO’s hit series “Sex & The City.”  But the Tisch School of the Arts graduate has an impressive body of work including the television adaptation of Anne Rice’s “Feast Of All Saints,” and more “smart” TV fare such as “Law & Order” and “Ed.” “I’ve had to do some fluff,” Mr. Sunjata admitted, “but I’ve been very fortunate to do some pieces that I feel that are important to people today.” He’s referring to work like “Take Me Out,” in which he starred as Darren Lemming, a multi-racial baseball superstar who reveals to the world that he’s gay. For his critically acclaim turn –in which he appeared full-frontal nude in a few homoerotic scenes (leaving hundreds of theatre goers hot and bothered), he garnered a Tony nod, and a handful of theatre awards including the Lucielle Lortel Award. Socially relevancy, he said, draws him to the roles he goes after.

And about the nudity, which was bandied about in the New York media for weeks, he said: “You know it’s not an easy thing to be either physically or emotionally naked in front of people but with the physical nudity, I felt was more supported by the thematic underpinnings of the piece.” Indeed. I guess it helps when you look good doing it, too. So with “Take Me Out” and “Brother To Brother,” the heterosexual bachelor has somewhat of a penchant for playing “gay” quite convincingly.  And he’s earned his stripes a gay icon, to some degree.  He takes it all in stride. “As an actor, I don’t have any trepidation about representing 360 degrees of humanity, and various sexual orientations are a part of that and I think that’s great, and wonderful and beautiful and it should be celebrated and not shunned away from.” And as secure as he is, he’s cautious about typecasting. He admitted that he and his management team had to “pump the breaks slightly” with the gay roles; too many too soon.  “Very often the casting community sees you as the last thing that you’ve done…and I think its important for me, if I want to be able to show my range as an actor, I don’t want it to be every time they need a gay guy, they want to call Sunjata. I think I’d rather much show other aspects to my ability and maybe return to that later on.” Mr. Sunjata is of German, Irish and African American lineage. He revealed to us that he was adopted when he was two-months old after his biological mother abandoned him.  His adoptive mother, a world history professor who died in 1996, gave him the middle name Sunjata, which he uses as his professional surname. “It literally means ‘hungry lion’ and it’s Malian for named for the  king who founded the empire of Mali in about 1100 A.D.” Named one of People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” last year, Mr. Sunjata has two other films due out this year; Woody Allen’s “Melinda and Melinda” and “Noel,” starring Robin Williams, Penelope Cruz and Paul Walker. He can also be seen weekly as Franco Rivera on FX’s “Rescue Me” centring on New York City firefighters who are dealing with post-traumatic stress post- 9/11. The second season of the show, starring Denis Leary as the lead, has been picked up and filming resumes in New York in February.

And then he’s in final negotiations to star as the lead in the forthcoming biopic on late, great soul music maestro Marvin Gaye. “What can I say?  The man was such a fixture for both the sacred and the profane but at the same time, he made such a significant contribution to music in general, to music period.  He’s just a really important musical personality whose life has yet to be depicted cinematically. I think it’s a wonderful opportunity and I hope I can do him justice,” he concluded. Considering all of the other great work Daniel Sunjata has done, there’s not a doubt in our mind that he can pull of this one.

Lane To London Saves Producers

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Jill Lawless, Associated Press

(Nov. 11, 2004) LONDON—After a rough Atlantic crossing, The Producers has landed on British shores with tides of laughter and a wave of relief. London critics yesterday hailed the Mel Brooks musical — the story of an unscrupulous showman trying to mount a sure-fire flop — as a tonic for a gloomy West End, weighed down by overwrought musicals and shadowed by recent flops. "To say that it unleashes an epidemic of bliss would be too mealy-mouthed," said the Independent's Paul Taylor in one of a slew of breathless reviews. "From the opening number," wrote Charles Spencer in the Daily Telegraph, "the audience rides a tidal wave of pleasure and after three delirious hours one is left stunned by a combination of unstoppable laughter and sheer happiness." The reviews will be a relief to producers after the show's choppy journey from Broadway, where it opened in 2001 and went on to win 12 Tonys. Richard Dreyfuss, the Oscar-winning actor lined up for the central role of unscrupulous showman Max Bialystock, left the West End production on Oct. 18, four days before the start of previews. The musical's producers said Dreyfuss, 57, was forced to abandon the physically demanding role because of complications from back surgery and a recurring shoulder injury. But the actor hinted at other reasons when he told a British newspaper shortly before his departure that "I sing like a seal and dance like your Uncle Leo."

London critics were united in praise of his replacement: Nathan Lane, Tony-winning star of The Producers' original Broadway production. The Guardian's Michael Billington praised Lane's "incomparable Max," while Spencer hailed his "incandescent" performance. "Nobody but the reincarnation of Zero Mostel, Max Bialystock in the film, could bring more fizz and fun to the role of that sly impresario than Nathan Lane," wrote Benedict Nightingale in the Times. It has been a tough autumn for London's West End, with many shows, even hits like Jerry Springer: The Opera, now struggling to fill seats and others, like Andrew Lloyd-Webber's gothic Woman In White, garnering mixed reviews. "What a relief it is to go to a musical and find that you are allowed to laugh again," wrote Spencer. "It is a lesson Andrew Lloyd Webber needs to learn." "After years of quasi-operatic musicals that have turned poverty and oppression into a showbiz spectacle, we are at last allowed to laugh," said The Guardian's Billington. At Nazis, he could have added. While the show's roots in vaudeville and the Great White Way may be foreign to British audiences, its comic centrepiece — a kitschy Nazi musical called Springtime For Hitler — hit the spot. Six decades after the end of World War II, the image of the strutting Nazi remains a durable comic stereotype in Britain. Just last month, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer accused the British media of portraying Germany as the land of the "Prussian goose-step." Spencer approvingly noted that the show was "constantly rising to new heights of tastelessness." Nightingale called Brooks the ``arch-priest of political incorrectness." If critics sounded one caveat, it was that Lane is due to perform only until Jan. 8. A replacement has not yet been announced.

::OTHER NEWS::

Munro Grabs Another Giller

Excerpt from The Globe and Mail

(Nov. 12, 2004) For the second year in a row, the glitzy Giller Prize graces a repeat winner. Alice Munro received the coveted $25,000 literary award for her collection of short stories, Runaway, during a gala ceremony Thursday night at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto. The eight short stories in Runaway — the 12th book by the 73-year-old author — are tales of women in different stages of their lives, filled with moments of quiet daily epiphanies, both humorous and mournful. The title story follows Carla as she thwarts her own escape from an unfulfilled marriage; a trio of pieces centres on the legacy of a romance awakening and then failing; the final story, Powers, travels through 50 years and across the country and features four characters, including a woman whose strange ability to predict the future sparks a re-evaluation of the past. Munro first won a Giller Prize in 1998 for The Love of a Good Woman, but her history with the prize doesn't end there. She was a judge, with Mordecai Richler and David Staines, on the very first jury in 1994. One of the country's most celebrated writers, Munro has also won three Governor-General's Awards and the U.S. PEN-Malamud Award for her fiction. A jury comprising authors Charlotte Gray, Alistair MacLeod and two-time Giller recipient, M. G. Vassanji chose Runaway from a field that included Shauna Singh Baldwin's The Tiger Claw Wayson Choy's All That Matters, Pauline Holdstock's Beyond Measure, Paul Quarrington's Galveston and Miriam Toews's A Complicated Kindness. The six novels on the shortlist had been whittled down from 94 books submitted by 35 publishers from every region of the country. Runaway is also short-listed for a Governor-General's Literary Award, along with Ms. Toews's, and the winner of that prize will be announced Tuesday in Ottawa. The Giller Prize, for the best novel or short-story collection published in English in Canada, is widely considered one of the most prestigious awards in the country. The winner receives a bronze sculpture by internationally renowned artist Yehouda Chaki along with the $25,000 in prize money. The award was established in 1994 by Toronto businessman Jack Rabinovitch in honour of his late wife, literary journalist Doris Giller. Previous winners of the prize include Margaret Atwood, Mordecai Richler, Michael Ondaatje, Bonnie Burnard and Richard B. Wright.

Common To Promote HIV Testing

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 16, 2004) *In its attempt to connect with young people, Viacom and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation has teamed up with Chicago rapper Common to launch a new set of public service advertisements promoting HIV testing as part of their public education initiative. The television, radio, and outdoor messages mark the second wave of the "Knowing is Beautiful" series that launched in June, which aims to altar how young people think about HIV testing and to eliminate the associated stigma. The television spots showcase the importance of getting tested through original spoken word poetry written and performed by Common for the campaign. As the narrator, Common describes the scenes of four different characters who find themselves in their own respective moments of contemplation. All of the spots reveal the characters wearing a small adhesive bandage that signifies an HIV test, while Common's poetry reflects the personal satisfaction of having been tested for the disease. In addition to Common, radio messages were also recorded by spoken word artists Black Ice and Bassey Ikipi. The outdoor billboards highlight the self-confidence of knowing one's HIV status by displaying Common wearing a small adhesive bandage himself.   All of the PSAs are tagged with the KNOW HIV/AIDS website (http://www.knowhivaids.org) to allow viewers to find a local testing center or more information.

Amos To Spend Thanksgiving With Troops

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 11, 2004) *John Amos and one-time “Days of our Lives” actor James Reynolds will break bread this Thanksgiving with Guantanamo Bay-stationed U.S. troops during a USO/AFE tour Nov. 22-27. Amos and Reynolds are veterans of the armed forces, and participated in a USO/AFE tour last year, spending Christmas with troops stationed in Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Dubai.  They will be joined by Kyle Lowder and Arianne Zuker, both stars of "Days of Our Lives," to meet-and-greet troops, pose for pictures and visit a variety of job posts.

Roc-A-Fella’s Pro-Keds

Excerpt from www.billboard.com -- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.

(Nov. 11, 2004) Commemorating the upcoming 10th anniversary of Roc-A-Fella Records, the label has teamed up with PRO-Keds to develop a limited-edition sneaker. Due to hit stores Jan. 29, the premium leather shoe will be limited to a run of 2,500 pairs. "It's a sneaker that's been around for years and stands the test of time and trends," says Damon Dash, who founded Roc-A-Fella with Kareem "Biggs" Burke and Jay-Z in 1995. "I am a sneaker fanatic myself, and the possibility of combining a sneaker brand with what I am already doing got me truly excited." In addition to the recording label, Roc-A-Fella Enterprises includes the Rocawear clothing line, Dash Films, Armadale Vodka and America Magazine, among other ventures.

Serena On Fashion Career

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 12, 2004) *"I'm an unbelievable designer. I don't know how I know and just do these things," Serena Williams told AP, the day before she rallied from a set and two service breaks down to beat French Open champion Anastasia Myskina 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the WTA Championships in Los Angeles Wednesday. But enough about that.  "I just start sketching and then I just know the colors and I always know the forecast,” she says about her designing skills. “I know green and purple are going to be hot. I was born to be a designer. I worked hard to be a tennis player, I don't work hard to be a designer." As previously reported, the tennis star has her own line of designer clothing called Aneres — her first name spelled backward — that she plans to sell in boutiques in Miami and Los Angeles. "I love tennis more than designing because it's actually easier and I don't get nearly as nervous. I'm so nervous when I'm designing," she told AP.   Serena made her feature film debut as an FBI agent in last month’s “Hair Show.” Will she make time for other film opportunities? "I've had a lot of different offers, interesting offers from TV shows," she said. "If I wasn't playing tennis, I would have something to do every day, but unfortunately, I don't have time for it right now."

::SPORTS NEWS::

Argonauts Upset Alouettes 26-18 After Calvillo Injured To Earn Grey Cup Berth

Source: Canadian Press – by Bill Beacon

(Nov. 14, 2004) MONTREAL (CP) - The Toronto Argonauts took revenge on the Montreal Alouettes and now they're headed to the Grey Cup game. The Argonauts knocked quarterback Anthony Calvillo out of the game early in the second half and picked off back-up Ted White three times in a 26-18 upset of Montreal in the CFL East Division final before 51,296 spectators at Olympic Stadium on Sunday night. Toronto, which reached the championship game for the first time since winning back-to-back Grey Cups in 1996 and 1997, will play the West Division champion B.C. Lions next Sunday in Ottawa. "It feels awesome," said defensive back Orlando Steinauer, who blocked a Mark Mariscal punt to set up a field goal and picked off a pass. "With what this organization has been through, from bankruptcy to new owners, going to the Grey Cup is outstanding. "But our goal was not just to beat Montreal, it was to go to the Grey Cup." Arland Bruce returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown and caught a TD pass from 41-year-old quarterback Damon Allen. John Avery also ran in a TD and Noel Prefontaine kicked for eight points for Toronto. Jonas Lewis ran in a TD for Montreal, which had beaten Toronto in the last two East finals, knocking the Argos' starting quarterbacks out with injuries each time. This time, that misfortune fell on Calvillo, who injured his right shoulder was he was sacked and fell upon by Eric England on Montreal's first possession of the second half. The candidate for a second straight Outstanding Player Award was unable to return and will have an MRI exam on Monday to determine if it is separated or sprained. "It was unfortunate to fall on your shoulder and be out of the game," Cavillo said in a quiet Montreal locker room. "The thing about the quarterback situation here is that the back-up doesn't get a lot of reps (in practice). But I thought Ted came in and played well."

England said: "I knew he was hurt and tried to get off him as quickly as possible. I never try to hurt anybody. It was a clean rush and a clean hit." The Argonauts have enjoyed resurgence in popularity since they were taken over the league last season and finally rescued by new owners David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski late last season. A trip to the Grey Cup confirms their rebirth. "To make it to the Grey Cup is so significant for this organization," said head coach Michael (Pinball) Clemons. "It's a bit bittersweet when you go up against the best team in the East and you beat them. "You want to go to the Grey Cup through the front door, but right now, we'll take the back door." The Alouettes also lost receiver Kwame Cavil (concussion), linebacker Timothy Strickland (knee), defensive back Reggie Durden (bruised thigh) and rush end Khari Samuel (unspecified) during the game. The Calvillo injury helped to slow one of the CFL's top offensive clubs and let Toronto play to its strengths - defence and special teams. But White had his moments. He came off the bench and completed a 42-yard pass to Jeremaine Copeland to set up a Matt Kellett field goal at 7:01 of the third quarter that briefly gave Montreal a 10-9 lead, although his fluttering passes were intercepted three times thereafter. After two of his interceptions were turned into Toronto TDs - a 7-yard pass to Bruce and a 25-yard run by Avery in the fourth quarter - White completed a 57-yard pass to Sylvain Girard that set up Eric Lapointe's one-yard TD run with 1:18 left to play. A two-point convert left the home side only eight point short. But a short kick didn't work and Toronto held on for the win. "It's frustrating,"' said White. "I feel I could have played a lot better to help us win."

"It's a very empty feeling," said Montreal coach Don Matthews, who missed a chance to try for a record sixth Grey Cup victory. "I'm proud of the way we battled after losing a lot of players. But the Argos deserve credit. They played smart, controlled football." Toronto took the lead for good after Steinauer blocked a Mariscal punt and Michael Fletcher recovered on the Montreal 10 to set up Allen's seven-yard TD pass to Bruce 1:10 into the fourth quarter. An Antonious Bonner interception set up Avery's 25-yard TD run at 13:11. Toronto's struggling offence had produced only one touchdown in last week's 24-6 win the East semifinal over Hamilton, with the rest of the scoring coming from the defence and special teams. White's interceptions sent the dejected crowd to the exits. Armed with Thunderstix, they had maintained a deafening noise in the concrete 54,00-seat dome through most of the match. It ended Toronto's four-game losing run to Montreal and was the Argos' first playoff win in Montreal since 1946. The Argonauts led 8-7 in a first half marked by tight defence and missed opportunities on both sides. Toronto struck first with a single on a punt that Prefontaine hoped to kick out of bounds 5:48 into the game. Montreal marched back, using 10 plays to take the ball to the Toronto three, where Lewis ran in up the middle for the score at 10:17. On the ensuing kickoff, Bruce broke a tackle and found an opening on the right side, blazing 97 yards for a touchdown. The final play of the first quarter saw Argo receiver R. Jay Soward get behind his cover with only daylight to the end zone, but drop a perfectly thrown pass from Allen. The Alouettes took the ball to the Toronto 10 late in the half, but Calvillo fumbled a snap and the Argos' Jonathan Brown recovered to end the threat.

Clemons Dodges Kudos

Source: Torstar News Service

Being the first black head coach in the 92-year history of the Grey Cup hasn’t changed Michael Clemons. In the typically self-effacing manner that has endeared him to so many CFL fans, the man known across the country simply as Pinball sees it as a tribute to his adopted country more so than a place in football history for himself. "I don’t see myself as black or white," he said yesterday as his Argonauts arrived in the nation’s capital for Sunday’s clash with the West Division champion B.C. Lions. "I just see myself as a coach. Even the title of head coach is highly overrated. "I see this as more of a tribute to this country (to which he and his wife Diane have applied to become citizens). We have a much more colourless society here. "We’re the most diverse city in the world. We have so many different cultures, restaurants, food that you can buy, and festivals and concerts that you can attend." The ever-modest Clemons can deflect credit for his groundbreaking achievement, but others are not so inclined. Especially considering that Clemons’ feat is a first not just in the CFL but in the NFL as well. No black head coach has ever taken his team to a Super Bowl. "Nothing surprises me about the accomplishments of Mike Clemons, on or off the field," CFL commissioner Tom Wright said yesterday. "This will not be the last achievement or standard that he will achieve or set." Clemons is a product of the CFL’s long tradition of giving opportunities to blacks that they couldn’t get elsewhere. In 1978, when Rose Bowl MVP Warren Moon could not get a shot in the NFL as a quarterback, he signed with the Edmonton Eskimos, becoming one of a number of black QBs to head north. (Currently six starting quarterbacks in the CFL are black.) Moon ultimately returned to the NFL and became a star. In 1980, Willie Wood became the first black head coach in professional football when he succeeded Forrest Gregg with the Argonauts.

Danny Barrett, a former CFL quarterback, became the league’s second black head coach four years ago when he was hired by Saskatchewan Roughriders GM Roy Shivers, who is also black. Clemons joined Barrett on the sidelines later that year when, while still a player, he was asked by then-owner Sherwood Schwarz to salvage what had become a disaster under John Huard. Out of double blue loyalty, he reluctantly accepted and remained in the job through 2001 before turning the reins over to Gary Etcheverry and becoming the team’s president. But, again, midway through the following season he found himself changing from a shirt and tie back to a T-shirt and sweatpants when he replaced Etcheverry. He turned around a 4-8 team, won four of his final six games and took the Boatmen all the way to the East Division final before losing to Montreal. Last year, after going 9-9 in the regular season, the Argos again reached the East final against Montreal and missed a berth to the Grey Cup on a controversial non-call on an Alouettes touchdown. There was no denying Clemons’ team this year, however, as they scored a 26-18 victory over the Als and earned Clemons his spot in CFL history. But Clemons is more thrilled about returning to the Grey Cup than he his about breaking any coaching colour barrier, partly because he has good memories from his three Grey Cup victories as a player. Clemons said the Argos’ win in 1991 was special for the thrill of bringing home the Cup for owners Bruce McNall, Wayne Gretzky and John Candy. That McNall was later convicted of corporate crimes and served time in jail doesn’t detract from Clemons’ fondness for him. "Bruce McNall’s personality was infectious," he said. "He was a living lesson in how to treat people. He treated you the same whether you were a Hollywood star, an athlete or a business associate. When he addressed you he made you feel like you were an important person."

Toronto’s win in 1996 was memorable to Clemons in that the Argos had gone through a five-year skid after the McNall, Gretzky and Candy era had abruptly ended and gone 4-14 the previous season. "When we won (the Cup) that year, I gained a greater level of appreciation of how tough it was to remain on top," he said. "We had everything going for us with Doug Flutie at quarterback." The following year, Flutie took his talents to Buffalo and the struggles in Argoland began anew. Until this year, that is, when Clemons finally got to step once again into the CFL record book. Barrett said during the season that he and Clemons wanted to face each other in the Grey Cup so there would be two black head coaches in the title game. "The two of us going to the Grey Cup, that would be historical, too, because one of us is going to win," said Barrett. Perhaps next year.

Bonds Wins Seventh MVP

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Nov. 16, 2004) *San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds – at age 40 – earned his record seventh National League MVP title, receiving 24 first-place votes Monday in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Bonds is now the oldest player to receive the honour, for his fourth straight season. He’s also the only player with more than three MVP awards and the only one to win more than two in a row. Willie Stargell was previously the oldest to win it, sharing the 1979 NL award with Keith Hernandez at 39 1/2. "I don't know if one is better than the other. They're all overwhelming," Bonds told the Associated Press. In relation to superstars in the four major North American professional sports, Bonds’ seven MVPs trails only the NHL's Wayne Gretzky, who won nine. In the NBA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leads with six. Bonds earned a $500,000 bonus for winning the award, and Beltre, Edmonds, Pujols and Rolen earned bonuses of $50,000 each.

::FITNESS NEWS::

Walk Your Way To Fitness

By Michael Stefano, Special for eFitness

(Nov. 11, 2004) Smaller than a cell phone, a pedometer is a simple device that can change your life. Simply attach it to your belt or waistband, and it will do the rest. Digitalized pedometers record not only steps taken, but convert those steps to miles. Some even include a stopwatch and an estimate of caloric expenditure. Pedometers work really well for those who don't have the time to invest in a formal cardiovascular exercise program. Experts approximate about 10,000 steps as the equivalent of the Surgeon General’s recommendation of 30 minutes of daily exercise. Remember that this is an eventual target. For more ways to burns lots of calories, click here.

Benefits Of Walking

Number of Steps
8K to 10K = Improve health and prevent disease
12K to 15K = Achieve sustained weight loss
3K fast pace* = Improve aerobic fitness
*Refer to information on Target Heart Rate

Two thousand steps add up to approximately one mile. Throughout the course of one full day most healthy adults cover about two miles, or four thousand steps. For walking to function effectively as cardiovascular exercise you’ll have to generate an extra three or four thousand steps per day. When it comes to adding steps, remember that a little bit here and there can have a huge impact on results. Park at the far end of the lot, take the stairs, choose the scenic versus the fastest route, walk your children to school, leave the car at home whenever possible. For individuals forced to sit at a desk all day, or who are otherwise sedentary, set short term goals that are somewhat easier to reach. But, be sure to add a few steps whenever possible. Log your steps nightly, and attempt to make gradual increases.

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

For two full weeks, just fix the pedometer to your waistband and note your daily steps, while keeping as close as possible to your normal daily routine. Be sure to follow the rules on pedometer protocol. Keep an exercise log next to your bed and enter your steps traveled at the end of every day. Upon conclusion of the two-week period, take a look at how many steps you are taking each day while performing your NDR. Next, take the greatest number of steps walked on any given day, or the average number of steps for the two-week period plus 500, and use that number of steps as your initial daily step goal (DSG). Feel free to work more conservatively and select a lower number of steps as your try to determine your best possible DSG. Strive to reach your goal every day for the next two weeks. Before bedtime each night, be sure to log in the number of steps you actually took then reset your pedometer for the next day. At the end of the second two-week period, review your logbook and decide if you are ready to add another 500 steps to your DSG. For example, if your DSG was originally 3,000 steps, your new goal would be 3,500. For more information please review the section below on Pedometer Protocol. Progress until you reach 10,000 steps per day, more if your personal goals dictate (see comparison chart). It takes about six months to crystallize a new behavior. Sticking with a program for six months dramatically increases your likelihood of lifetime compliance. If you skip a few days due to illness, work or other obligations, get back into the groove as soon as possible. The more days you miss, the more likely you are to abandon your program altogether.

Pedometer Protocol

· Firmly clip your new pedometer to your belt or waistband. It needs to be positioned above your hipbone and directly in line with the pant crease. Attach it firmly, and be sure the device is level for accurate recording. Another point worth noting; be careful to not drop your new toy down the toilet.

· Pedometers work best when walking on regular terrain. They lose some accuracy with most gym equipment (like elliptical or step machines), remain reasonably accurate on a treadmill, and are completely useless on a bicycle.

· To avoid overuse injuries, work up to your goals slowly. If you have any concerns about joint health (back, ankles, knees or hips), discuss your exercise plans with a physician. As a rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to always discuss a new exercise program with your family doctor.

· You’ll need a good pair of sneakers or walking shoes that provide adequate comfort and support, but at the rate of 10,000 steps per day, don’t expect more than six months from even the most expensive brands. Taking 8,000 daily steps with improper or worn out footwear could do more harm than good, and not only damage your feet, but create structural imbalances that show up as overuse injuries. If you experience pain or discomfort anywhere on your body, first check your footwear.

· If any incurred pain persists more than two or three days or is severe (even briefly), check with your physician before proceeding. Also, if you experience any pain or tightness in the chest, or have difficulty breathing while exercising, STOP what you're doing and seek immediate medical attention. Call 911 if necessary. Getting a physical prior to exercise, and progressing gradually is the safe way to go.

Also remember walking limitations. A walking program addresses cardiovascular fitness and weight loss, but does little to improve muscle tone and functional strength. To experience full body health and fitness, a personalized resistance and flexibility program are absolutely necessary.

EVENTS –NOVEMBER 18 - 28, 2004

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21
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, NOVEMBER 22
Irie Food Joint
745 Queen Street W.
10:00 pm

EVENT PROFILE: Carl Cassell continues to offer us the best in food, music and culture.  Also, save the advance date of Monday, December 13^th for Carl’s next art showing – new exciting theme and pieces that are currently very secret!  Come and visit IRIE – rain or shine, the Irie vibe continues …

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22
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.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28
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, NOVEMBER 29
UrbanAIDS
Ricoh Coliseum, Exhibition Place
100 Princes Blvd.
Doors open 6:30pm
Tickets on sale NOW from $60 to $150CAN at all Ticketmaster outlets.
Order by phone at 416-870-8000 or online at www.ticketmaster.ca

EVENT PROFILE: A 3-hour extravaganza at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto Ontario, attracting 10,000 spectators and over 100 exhibitors. Emphasizing artists with political and humanitarian awareness, the evening will be filled with the beats and rhythms of urban music from around the globe. Some of Canada's Entertainment companies, artists, associations manufacturers and retailers have come together to show their solidarity against the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa.

Have a great week!


Dawn Langfield
Langfield Entertainment
www.langfieldentertainment.com