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40 Asquith Ave., Suite 207, Toronto, ON M4W 1J6
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NEWSLETTER

Updated: January 27, 2005

Black History Month is already here starting on Monday!  I'm now forced to face the fact that winter is here for the next few months ... sigghh.  Stay warm out there peoples!

 And KUUMBA begins its long list of special events – take the time to peruse the list of events.  Every year Harbourfront carefully picks these events - there is something for everyone.  Plan to celebrate this historical month also at the Hummingbird Centre with the Soweto Gospel Choir – their performance will resonate with you. 

 No plans to watch the Super Bowl yet? Well, check out the party details below with lots of free food and goodies at Kabin (formerly Jai Bar).   DeeKaye brought his brand of jazz to Top O' The Senator on Sunday night - despite suffering from the flu and the Senator only being able to open their doors one hour before the show due to a power outage.  DeeKaye's band brought the heat - special thanks to Kevin Barrett, Davide Direnzo, George Koller, and Waylen Miki.  See photos in my PHOTO GALLERY.

A little reminder that as far as open mics go, Revival still tops the list.  Kyprios paid us a special visit last week - as usual the Revival Monday night band rocked!  See photos in my PHOTO GALLERY.

 A story of heartbreaking fortitude in the story of Eric Williams of the Toronto Raptors.  Read it.  Many walk in such pain and loss every day and they also seem to be the same people that inspire me. 

 And television lost one of its icons in Johnny Carson last week.  Sad news on the former set of ‘Moesha’ in that Lamont Bentley (Hakeem) was killed in a car crash last week.  Condolences to both families and their friends. 

Check out the rest of the entertainment news below - MUSIC NEWS, FILM NEWS, TV NEWS, OTHER 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::

Super Bowl Party – Sunday, February 6

Do you like to have fun? Do you like to eat free food? Would you like to be apart of an A-list event? Are you going to watch the big game?

If you said YES to all of these questions than you need to join 4th and 1 Events on Sunday, February 6th, 2005 for the Super Bowl Party of the year!! Come down to the new Kabin Club (214 Adelaide St W-formerly Jai Bar) and enjoy the game on a large game screen, 2 Plasma TVs, free catered food, VIP Service and a bikini contest. Enjoy the ultimate sporting experience alongside your host Much Music VJ Matte Babel and the beautiful girls from Molson's.

There will be giveaways ALL night a DJ and after party all for ONLY $10.00 

Admittance to this event is by ticket only.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6
SUPER BOWL PARTY
Kabin Club (formerly Jai Bar)
214 Adelaide St. W.-
For tickets/ Group rates call Benjamin 416-320-5907 or e-mail benji@4thand1events.com

KUUMBA at Harbourfront Centre

(Jan. 18, 2005) KUUMBA means Creativity in Swahili. This year's edition of Kuumba at Harbourfront Centre celebrates African Heritage Month with two jam-packed weekends of music concerts and dance premieres, engaging and provocative readings and panels, a film series curated by the Get Reel Film Festival, a visual arts exhibition premiere and a variety of family activities. Kuumba's full tenth anniversary activities begin on February 5 and February 6 and continue February 12 and February 13, 2005. All events, except where noted, are free admission and appropriate for all ages. Complete Kuumba program below: The Kuumba cultural programme is also part of Harbourfront Centre's Winter exploration of HE. The changing nature of the male identity and shifting notions of man's role in society are embedded as sub-themes in select Kuumba events. For more information the public can call 416-973-4000 or visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com . All Kuumba events are located at Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay West, Toronto).

KUUMBA Dance - Free Events:

Three Canadian premieres of commissioned solo dance works. Created for Kuumba in partnership with Canboulay Dance Theatre and the Kick up your Heels 2005 festival, three choreographers address an aspect of the male persona through dance. All works also embrace Harbourfront Centre's concurrent HE theme based programming. These free admission performances take place Saturday February 5 and Sunday February 6 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Studio Theatre.

Lincoln Shand - Blue (February 5 & 6, 2 p.m.)
A playful look at the job market and the daily life of an office worker. Lincoln Shand's contemporary dance creation combines dance with a theatrical element in this four part adventure of a man dealing with his daily life from morning to night.

Learie McNicolls (February 5 & 6, 3 p.m.).
A character with a double personality - one male, one female. Learie McNicolls' movement in this dance piece is based on different levels of separation from birth by the cutting of the umbilical, to the embracing of death at the end of the life cycle.

Ronald A. Taylor - I n I (February 5 & 6, 4 p.m.)
Ronald A. Taylor interprets Rastafarians “I n I” - the body is the receptacle of time. The key opening to an ever-changing world’s culture is physical, done through organic movement and visualizations.

KUUMBA Music - Ticketed Events:
Tickets available through the Harbourfront Centre Box Office
Call 416-973-4000 or buy on-line at www.harbourfrontcentre.com

Junior Kelly Unplugged with King Turbo
(Saturday February 5, 10:30 p.m., Brigantine Room, $25 admission)  
Reggae luminary Junior Kelly engages in an exclusive and intimate one-on-one session of music and discussion. He will discuss his music, Rastafarianism, the state of Reggae and perform songs from his forthcoming CD. The night also features Foundation Reggae and Studio One Tribute sets by King Turbo (CIUT's Morning Ride) and Natty B and Bigga (CHRY's Zion Train). Trinity Chris and Humble perform a Roots Reggae opening set. Hosted by CKLN Reggaemania’s Ron Nelson.

K’naan Live with Love Movement
(Saturday February 12, 10:30 p.m., Brigantine Room, $10 admission) 
Join this Canadian Urban Music Award winning Somali musician at his first live Toronto concert! K'naan has already toured with Youssou N'Dour and has performed alongside Wyclef Jean, Boy Dylan and Sting. His Soobox video has received much love from MuchMusic and his upcoming debut CD The Dusty Foot Philosopher is set to drop this March. There is also a screening of  Direct Current Media's (Josh Sage/Sol Guy) trip to Nairobi where they and K'naan join activist Salim Mohammed in his quest to empower youth in the largest slum in East Africa. K'naan is joined by the Love Movement and DJ Nana.

KUUMBA Music - Free Events:

Amina Alfred (Sunday February 6, 4 p.m., Lakeside Terrace)
Djembe drumming with this popular multi-disciplinary performance artist and percussionist.

Kobena Acquaa-Harrison (Saturday February 12 and Sunday February 13,  4 p.m., Lakeside Terrace)
Hear the sounds of Kobena, an award-winning multi-instrumentalist and conductor of Jungle Bouti Orchestra.

KUUMBA Talks - Free Events:

Saturday Afternoon Live: Community Think Tank (Saturday February 5, 1:30 p.m., Brigantine Room)
Six great minds weigh in on what the African-Canadian community will look like in 2020 while tackling hot button political and social issues. Hosted by Emily Mills and featuring Norman "Otis" Richmond, Councillor Michael Thompson, Kike Roach, Lisa Skeete, Freedom Time's JJ Campbell and K'naan.

Spoken Word Slam (Saturday February 5, 7 p.m., Brigantine Room)
Ten Toronto poetry slam artists (Leviathan, Motion, Sankofa, Wakefield Brewster, John Akpata, Da Original One, Heron Jonse, Lady Loxx, Shauna Dixon and Raptics) go mind-to-mouth for cash and glory. Hosted by Dwayne Morgan.

Notorious B.I.G. Tribute (Sunday February 6, 2 p.m., Brigantine Room)
The Toronto launch of Chicago-based Vibe Magazine writer Cheo Hodari Coker’s Unbelievable: The Life, Death and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G. The launch includes discussion of B.I.G.’s influence on Rap music and Pop culture as well as DJ’s Muziklee Insane and P-Plus (CKLN’s The Real Frequency) spinning 100% Biggie tunes with CD giveaways. Co-produced by Urban Books and Peace Magazine.

Walk This Way (Saturday February 12, 1:30 p.m., Brigantine Room)
African-Canadian supermodels Stacey Mckenzie (Calvin Klein, Jean Paul Gaultier, MAC) and Lana Ogilvie (first black model to land a CoverGirl cosmetics contract) discuss body image and provide tips on how to break into the fashion world.

T Dot Griots: From The Page To The Stage (Saturday February 12, 7 p.m., Brigantine Room)
The official launch of the spoken word poetry collection T Dot Griot's: An Anthology of Toronto's Black Storytellers with some of Canada’s best African Canadian poets and storytellers reading their excerpts from the book and newer works. Featuring Kamau, Naila Belvett, Al St. Louis, Steven Green and Karen Richardson and an open mic. A funding agency and publishing house representative provide tips on accessing funding and getting works published.

What’s Love Got To Do With It: The State of Black Love in The New Millenium
(Sunday February 13, 2 p.m., Brigantine Room)
Performance artist and Blingles founder Anne-Marie Woods explores the theme of relationships, love and dating patterns in the black community. Also a preview of L.A-based filmmaker Angelina Millare’s Love:Unplugged. Guest poet JD Vishus.

KUUMBA Talks - Ticketed Event:
Someone Sang for Me: Building Community Through Music (featuring Jane Sapp)
(Thursday February 3, 7 p.m., Brigantine Room, $10 admission / $5 for students) 
VIEWPOINTS, a new series of discussions and point-of-view about contemporary culture occurs the first Thursday of each month. Co-produced with York University. This month features Jane Sapp - civil rights activist, musician, artist and educator.  The moderator/interviewer at this session will be activist, advocate and spoken word artist Lillian Allen. 

KUUMBA Visual Arts - Free Event:
Michael Chambers: The Sandbox
(Thursday February 3 through Sunday February 13, Marilyn Brewer Community Space, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.)

Harbourfront Centre presents the premiere of Michael Chambers' photographic installation that explores the idea that race only exists within the context of exclusion and discrimination. The Sandbox narrative allows viewers to investigate the changing perceptions and receptions of his/her own cultural make-up and the new contemporary Canadian family. Children and families can also contribute to the installation with cameras and materials at the exhibit. Activity times are: Friday February 4 and 11 (6 p.m. to 9 p.m.); Saturday February 5 and 12 (noon to 7 p.m.); Sunday Feburary 6 and 13 (noon to 7 p.m.)

KUUMBA Film - Free Screenings:
All screenings are rated AA and occur at The Studio Theatre
Produced by the Get Reel and Iced in Black film festivals

The Murder of Emmett Till (dir. Stanley Nelson, 60 min., 2002)
Saturday February 12 at 1 p.m.
This documentary is about the murder of the 12-year old boy, Emmett Till – his crime: looking at a white woman. This murder and subsequent acquittal of the two men was a major catalyst of the 1950's civil rights movement.

Canadian Shorts: Father's Series (4 films)
Saturday February 12 at 3:30 p.m.

My Father’s Hands (dir. David Sutherland, 27 min., 1999)
English Marcus is a dancer. Don, his father, is a butcher. They haven’t talked in years, but neither know exactly how they got to this space in their lives. Told in a series of flashbacks, we travel from Marcus’ infancy to his adulthood, and learn what makes them tick. Marcus and Don attempt to heal old wounds as well as tend to their new ones, before it’s too late.

When Morning Comes (dir. Charles Officer, 17 min., 2000)
Exploring love, tolerance, abandonment and choices as a father confronts addiction and responsibilities to his six year old son.

In the Shadow of a Saint (dir. Ken Saro-Wiwa)
Ken Saro-Wiwa talks about the benefits, obstacles and challenges of being raised the son of a prominent activist and writer.

Esther, Baby and Me (dir. Louis Taylor 21 min., 2000)
Through intimate revelations, crude confessions, honesty and humour - Taylor reflects on the adventures of first-time fatherhood.

Rebel Music: The Bob Marley Story (dir. Jeremy Marre, 95 min, 2000)
Saturday February 12 at 7:30 p.m.
A video biography of Bob Marley including candid interviews with Bob Marley and live performances.

Black Picket Fence (dir. Sergio Goes, 90 min., 2002)
Sunday February 13 at 1 p.m.
This film depicts the lives of two friends chosing two different routes to achieve the ever-so-elusive American dream and to make it out of the hood! One, Tislam, choses the Rap game. The other, Mel, choses to become a pharmaceutical salesman.

Raising Kane (dir. Alison Duke, 72 min., 2000)
Sunday February 13 at 3:30 p.m.
Alison Duke makes her directorial debut with a gutsy documentary that crackles with energy as it takes you in to the hidden world of independent hip-hop artists. While hip-hop has been embraced by the mainstream, independent artists are struggling for respect from the music industry. The energy is raw and stays real as their dreams collide with the realities of the music biz.

KUUMBA Kids: Free Events

Father’s Tales (Sunday February 6 and February 13,  1 p.m. and 5 p.m., Brigantine Room)
Storyteller George Blake tells the tales of four fathers and sons beginning with a King’s advice to his son the Prince, through to a Grandfather risking his life for the safety of his grandson. This magical journey comes with African and Caribbean drumming!

Shekere Make-and-Take Craft Activity
(Saturday February 5 and 12, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Zoom Room)
Toronto artist Karen Bell (Kebcap Studios) teaches children and families how to make their own Shekere (pronounced shay-kuh-ray). This African beaded gourd rattle percussion instrument is played by musicians around the globe. The activity will use containers and/or papier mache and can also be adorned with beads, string and shells.

ZOOM! Family Programming (Sunday February 6 and February 13,  1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Zoom Room)
A variety of creative and unique activities for parents and kids alike every Sunday. ZOOM! features a diverse line-up of hands-on activities like Popshots - a kid-created exhibition of Polaroid pictures, along with storytelling, gallery tours and more.

KUUMBA Cooks - Free Events:
(2:30 and 5 p.m..on Sunday February 6, Saturday February 12 and Sunday February 13)
Featuring some of Toronto’s best African and Caribbean chefs. Food demonstrations over both weekends. Samples $1.
Chefs include: Ikeila Wright (Leaf of Life Catering); Amadou Seck (Amadou's African Cuisine)
and Aziza Akdem (Ethiopian Village Food and Spice)

KUUMBA Shops:
(Saturday February 5 and 12, 1 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Sunday February 6 and 13, 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.)
Shop for delightful African and Caribbean treasures at this indoor marketplace.

Soweto Gospel Choir’s Toronto Performance - February 17, 2005

Source:  Hummingbird Centre For the Performing Arts

The renowned Soweto Gospel Choir, referred to as the “Voices From Heaven”, will give a one-night Toronto performance at the Hummingbird Centre For the Performing Arts on Thursday, February 17 at 8:00 p.m. as part of their North American premier tour with only two stops in Canada.  Torontonians will experience the exuberance and inspirational performance from the 24-piece ensemble singing their South African spiritual songs as well as other popular songs including Jimmy Cliff’s Many Rivers to Cross.  Founded in 2002, the voices for the Choir were selected from various church choirs as well as from the general public to create this ensemble, which includes traditional African drummers and dancers. 

Under the musical directorship of David Mulovhedzi, the Choir has become renowned for uplifting music, colourful costumes and dance.  The Choir has received many prestigious international awards.  Most recently, Soweto Gospel Choir won Best Choir of the year 2003 at the American Gospel Music Awards and also at the 2003 South African Music Awards.  The Soweto Gospel Choir is an ambassador for the helpless children of Soweto and victims of HIV/Aids.  Proceeds from their concerts support these initiatives through their Charity Nkosi’s Haven/Vukani (meaning to arise, do something!).  Their first CD Voices From Heaven will be introduced on their North American tour.

The Hummingbird Centre For the Performing Arts is Canada’s premier performance venue and an historical and cultural landmark in Toronto.  It is operated for the benefit of the people of Toronto and the continuation of cultural diversity and entertainment excellence in Canada.  The Soweto Gospel Choir concert is presented by The Toronto Star.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17
SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR
Hummingbird Centre For the Performing Arts
1 Front Street East, Toronto.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Tickets: $25, $35, $45 & $55
Tickets can be purchased by phone at 416-872-2262 or on line at www.ticketmaster.ca, by visiting Hummingbird Centre Box Office or any Ticketmaster location.
Groups of 10 + (416) 393-7463
For more information visit www.hummingbirdcentre.com or www.sowetogospelchoir.com

For further information, please contact: Andrea Delvaillé , Andrea Delvaillé & Associates, Telephone: 416-496-8413

Irie Mondays

Monday nights at IRIE continue their tradition.  DJ Carl Allen spins every Monday while Sarah Daye hosts, along with various invited local artists showcased weekly!  Let Irie awaken your senses.  Irie Mondays continue – food – music – culture.

MONDAY, JANUARY 24
MONDAY NIGHT SESSIONS AT IRIE
Irie Food Joint
745 Queen Street W.
10:00 pm

::THOUGHT::

Motivational Note: Do not put yourself down

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - Jewel Diamond Taylor

Whatever you are going through, you can make it.  Do not put yourself down.  Do not count yourself out the game.  Do not dump your anger on others or play the blame game.   Do not shut down, withdraw and isolate yourself.  Help is on the way.   Cancel the pity party.  Get up!   Shake of the stress, doubt and worry.  Focus on solutions.  Pray for discernment, courage and wisdom.  Analyze your options.  Make a decision.  Take action and move forward one step at a time.  You will have a great testimony of your faith, endurance and creative problem solving skills.  You will come through this stronger and wiser.

::MUSIC NEWS::

John Legend To Open Alicia Keys "Diary" Tour

Source: John Legend

(Jan. 21, 2005) The critically-acclaimed neo-soul singer/songwriter/performer John Legend, whose debut album is currently among the nation's Top 10 best-sellers, will perform as the show opener on the upcoming Alicia Keys "Diary" Tour, beginning February 23 in Columbia, South Carolina (see full itinerary following). John Legend's association with Alicia Keys goes back to 2003, when he lent his vocal talent to "You Don't Know My Name," the lead single from the multi-platinum Diary Of Alicia Keys. Legend also co-wrote, sang and played on the Kanye West remix of "If I Ain't Got You," from the same album. Released to stores on December 28, 2004, Legend's Get Lifted debuted at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 before bulleting to #4 the following week. The album remains at #4 on the Top 200 while continuing to lock down the #1 spot on the Billboard R&B Album Sales chart for three weeks in a row. Among the artist's television appearances, Legend performed his hit single, "Used To Love U," on the NBC Emmy Award-winning morning talk show "Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Friday, January 14. Legend can be seen performing "Uptight" as Stevie Wonder on "American Dreams," scheduled to air on April 10 on NBC (check your local listings). Produced by platinum rapper Kanye West, Get Lifted has captured the hearts of R&B fans and the music press alike. John Legend has performed with Kanye West on tour and is featured as a vocalist, pianist and co-writer on several tracks on West's 2004 debut album, The College Dropout.

"His brand of soul is mannered, even elegant," wrote Anthony DeCurtis in a four-star review in Rolling Stone (January 11, 2005) while Kelefa Sanneh, writing in The New York Times (January 3, 2005) observed that "John Legend is a lovely crooner…. The hip-hop tracks help keep him tethered to his strikingly handsome songs." Jon Pareles, also writing for the New York Times (December 20, 2004), said that "John Legend's voice is the grabber. It's supple and bold, echoing the gliding, curving lines and impulsive dynamics of Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder, the rasp of Otis Redding and the falsetto of Al Green." "Legend is not a hip-hop artist," claimed Steve Hochman, in an article for the Los Angeles Times. "Rather, he is a classic R&B performer and songwriter in the tradition of Stevie Wonder." "He has crafted an able neo-soul debut that will easily set him apart from his R&B counterparts," wrote Rashaun Hall in Billboard (January 5, 2005). "In Legend's case: believe the hype." John Legend grew up in a household steeped in gospel music. Moving from Springfield, Ohio, to Philadelphia, he fell in love with the sounds of contemporary urban and R&B music filling the local airwaves. He played piano on "Everything Is Everything" on the Grammy-winning The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1998 and, by 2000, had become an integral part of the burgeoning neo-soul movement, performing shows in and around Philadelphia and bringing his music to audiences in New York, Boston, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. After Kanye West attended one of John's shows, the hit-making producer/rapper enlisted John's help for the College Dropout album in 2002. In 2003-2004, John Legend made a number of guest appearances on -- as well as writing for -- projects for artists including Twista, Dilated Peoples, Janet Jackson, Jay-Z, Britney Spears, Eve, Common, the Black-Eyed Peas, and Alicia Keys, among others. Prior to beginning work on his eagerly awaited debut album, Get Lifted in 2004, John Legend ended his nine-year tenure as choir director, pianist and head of the music department at Bethel AME Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

John Legend/Alicia Keys "Diary" Tour Dates

2/23 Columbia, SC - Township Auditorium

3/26 Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre

2/25 Miami, FL - James L. Knight Center

3/27 East Lansing, MI - Soaring Eagle Casino

2/26 Tampa, FL - Carol Morsani PAC

3/30 Toronto, ONT - Rama Casino

2/27 Augusta, GA - Bell Auditorium

4/1 Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre

3/2 Birmingham, AL - Concert Hall

4/2 Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre

3/4 Houston, TX - Rodeo

4/3 Cincinnati, OH - Music Hall

3/5 Dallas, TX - Nokia Live

4/6 Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre

3/6 Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall

4/7 Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre

3/9 Denver, CO - Lecture Hall

4/9 Hampton, VA - Hampton Coliseum

3/11 Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre

4/12 Philadelphia, PA - Academy of Music

3/12 Las Vegas, NV - The Joint

4/13 Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Resort and Casino

3/13 Reno, NV - Events Center

4/14 Boston, MA - Wang Performing Arts Center

3/16 Los Angeles, CA - Kodak Theatre

4/16 Washington DC - Constitution Hall

3/17 Los Angeles, CA - Kodak Theatre

4/17 Washington DC - Constitution Hall

3/19 Oakland, CA - Paramount

4/20 Richmond, VA - Landmark Theatre

3/20 Oakland, CA - Paramount

4/22 New York City - Radio City Music Hall

3/23 St. Louis, MO - Fox Theatre

4/23 New York City - Radio City Music Hall

3/25 Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre

4/24 Newark, NJ - NJPAC Prudential Hall

Take Back the Music

Source: www.Essence.com

We are mothers, sisters, daughters and lovers of hip-hop. We’ve emulated the sexy confidence of Salt-N-Pepa and the toughness of MC Lyte. We’ve wept over Tupac Shakur’s visceral poetry and marveled at the lyrical dexterity of Notorious B.I.G. When Nas said, "The World Is Yours," we believed him. And today we stand at the forefront of popular culture: independent, talented and comfortable with the skin we’re in. We are really feeling ourselves. Perhaps that’s why we’re so alarmed at the imbalance in the depiction of our sexuality and character in music. In videos we are bikini-clad sisters gyrating around fully clothed grinning brothers like Vegas strippers on meth. When we search for ourselves in music lyrics, mixtapes and DVDs and on the pages of hip-hop magazines, we only seem to find our bare breasts and butts. And when we finally get our five minutes at the mic, too many of us waste it on hypersexual braggadocio and profane one-upmanship. The damage of this imbalanced portrayal of Black women is impossible to measure. An entire generation of Black girls are being raised on these narrow images. And as the messages and images are broadcast globally, they have become the lens through which the world now sees us. This cannot continue.

We have debated this topic, often heatedly, at Essence. Some of us are fed up; others don’t see the big deal. But all of us agree that as representatives of the world’s foremost publication for Black women, we need to provide a platform for public discussion. Of course, there is a much broader scope of perspectives to be heard than our own, and in the interest of fostering a conversation, we present a survey of the landscape: Entertainment journalist Ayana Byrd and Essence editor Akiba Solomon interviewed a wide range of key players in the music industry: a video director, a choreographer, a rapper, a psychologist and others. Public dialogue is vital to effecting change. Throughout this year we’ll explore this topic in our pages, and we invite you to tell us how you feel. E-mail us at letters@essence.com. Your opinion is the most important part of this discussion. And so it begins. —the editors

Hip-Hop Artists Salute A Tribe Called Quest

Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Jason Newman

(Jan. 20, 2005) The spirit of A Tribe Called Quest lived on at Joe’s Pub in New York City on Monday (Jan. 17) as hip-hop, neo-soul and jazz artists came together for “Beats, Rhymes and Life” – A Tribute to A Tribe Called Quest. With musician/vocalist Anu-Sun leading the Bohemian Chocolate Café’s jazz sextet, the band laid down classic Tribe songs live as Anu-Sun and others expressed their admiration for the seminal hip-hop group. The tracks varied between faithful renditions of original Tribe songs, original neo-soul Café songs and various MC’s own rhymes interspersed with Tribe verses. While rumours of certain ATCQ members showing up proved to be just that, underground hip-hop luminaries such as Wordsworth, El Da Sensei and Buckshot did show up to give praise to their mentors. Buckshot loyally recreated verses from “Check The Rhime” with vocalist Farrah Burns before later joining El and Words on “Scenario (Remix)”. The band spanned the whole of Tribe’s career, from “Luck of Lucien” off People’s Instinctive to The Love Movement’s “Find a Way.” Using the Black Rock Coalition’s -- a non-profit organization dedicated to further the creative and commercial interests of black musicians -- artist tribute shows as inspiration, the idea for a tribute show was originally conceived by Anu-Sun three months ago. Being both a lover of jazz and hip-hop, A Tribe Called Quest was a logical first choice. “If Tribe had the resources to play live back then,” theorized Anu-Sun, “they would’ve done it.” The success of last night’s event has prompted thoughts of further tributes. While no further tribute shows have been confirmed as of yet, Anu-Sun told AHH he is looking at various eclectic artists and will hopefully turn last night into a regular event in New York.

Tina Turner Promotes New CD in T.O.

Source: Canadian Press

(Jan. 24, 2005) A fit looking Tina Turner brought her pipes and legs to the city on Monday, launching a weeklong promotional blitz for a new compilation CD. The 65-year-old superstar, wearing tight pants and high heels, thrilled about 120 contest winners in a television studio audience, performing four songs for a Canada AM segment airing Tuesday morning. All the Best, a double-CD of new and old material spanning more than four decades, marks a return to the limelight for Turner, who took time off after a 2000 world tour dubbed her final outing. She hinted Monday that she's contemplating doing a few shows here and there, although she's wary about disappointing fans who recall the vivacious, sexpot of the 1960s, '70s and '80s. "I've had a good rest. I'm thinking about the possibility of getting something together," she said using a fan to cool off after a sweaty set, filled with plenty of her trademark shimmying. "It's not easy to do a concert for me now because I don't want to do what I did, and I don't want to be any less than what I was." Between makeup touch-ups and three outfit changes, she had little time to mingle with fans. She nodded here and there, but didn't sign any autographs. She also kept the banter to a minimum, chitchatting about the snowstorm outside. "I love the weather. This is my first snow (of the year)," said the well-travelled Turner, who lives near Zurich, Switzerland. She also gushed about the loyalty of her Canadian fan base and singer Bryan Adams, with whom she had a smash hit, It's Only Love. She said the two get together "from time to time when he's in Switzerland."

The CTV appearance — during which she performed her 1980s mega-hit song Private Dancer as well as her current single Open Arms — was her only one open to fans while in Toronto. Invitations were restricted to media, record store buyers and industry executives for a cocktail reception later in the day at Caban, a trendy furniture shop on Queen Street West. Her limited time with the public didn't stop some "superfans" from trying to get some face time with their idol. Two members of the International Tina Turner Fan Club flew in for the CTV taping, which lasted about a half-an-hour. "We go everywhere Tina is," gushed Debbie Brown, a professor from Ithaca, N.Y., who drove five hours through a snowstorm to get to Toronto in time. "There's nobody like Tina. The woman sweats. She gives you everything." At her side was a 33-year-old man who travelled from Hamburg, Germany. Andreas Schroeder, a rabid fan who brought with him photos taken with Turner outside her home, said the singer's ability to flip between her private and public self is impressive. "When you meet her she's quiet, but on stage she's screaming and shouting," he said through broken English. "She's two persons — she's a professional." The duo plan to shadow Turner's movements this week. They will next fly to Chicago for an Oprah taping on Tuesday, before travelling to New York for Regis and Kelly, and The View. The leggy star with the big, big voice arrived in Toronto on Saturday. She spent time rehearsing with her backup dancers for the week's various high profile TV shows. Born Anna Mae Bullock, Turner started her career as a teenager in 1953. Her marriage to bandleader and guitarist Ike Turner brought the couple fame with duets like River Deep Mountain High, Proud Mary and Nutbush City Limits. She started her solo career in early 1980 after leaving her troubled marriage, made public in the film What's Love Got To Do With It.

Jermaine Dupri Named President Of Virgin Records' Urban Division

Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Kye Stephenson and Nolan Strong

(Jan. 24, 2005) Virgin Records Chairman and CEO Matt Serletic announced today that hip-hop mogul Jermaine Dupri has been hired on as President of their new Urban Music Division. Dupri will oversee the entire division as well as produce for the EMI family of record labels. Under terms of the new deal, Jermaine will also bring his So So Def label over to Virgin. "As the new President of Urban Music for Virgin Records, I'm up for the challenge," Dupri said. "My strengths as a producer and hit-maker were magnified this year with the success of my work with Usher. By joining So So Def and Virgin, I plan to do for Virgin what Russell Simmons did 10 years ago, when he moved Def Jam to Island Records. I will catapult Virgin into a young, hip label with chart-topping success in both R&B and rap music. I also hope to change the whole look of the company so when up-and-coming R&B and hip-hop artists are looking for a home, Virgin will be the first stop." Based in Atlanta and New York, Dupri will report to Virgin Chairman Serletic and COO/GM Larry Mestel. Most recently, Jermaine Dupri received two Grammy nominations for his co-writing credits on Usher's chart topping hits "Burn" and "My Boo." "Jermaine Dupri's outstanding work has extended in every direction since the mid-Nineties: as a producer and songwriter, as an entrepreneur, as a label executive and as a recording artist," Matt Serletic said. "All of us at Virgin are thrilled to welcome Jermaine to the company. We know that his remarkable ability to identify and develop talent will continue to build great careers in the years to come, while bringing innovative and refreshing ideas to well- established acts." Dupri established his So So Def label in 1993, after scoring a five-million-plus seller with Kris Kross' album, Totally Krossed Out.

Dupri had massive success with such acts as Da Brat, Jagged Edge, Bow Wow, J-Kwon and others. He has produced for a who's-who in music, including Mariah Carey, Usher, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, Jay-Z, Chingy, Ludacris, Toni Braxton and many others. Sources told AllHipHop.com that a contributing factor in Dupri taking the helm at Virgin was because of his girlfriend, Janet Jackson. Jackson is also an artist on the Virgin label. "L.A. Reid and Jermaine Dupri obviously go way back," a source close to the deal told AllHipHop.com. "Jermaine and L.A. are both from Atlanta. L.A. wanted Jermaine to stay within the Universal fold, but J.D. wanted to go run the Virgin division and help guide the career of Janet Jackson." Other artists on Virgin include Lenny Kravitz, N.E.R.D., Ben Harper, Gorillaz, Guerilla Black and others.

Mario’s Billboard Rule Continues

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan 15, 2005) *In addition to holding down the top spot on Billboard’s Hot 100, Hot 100 Airplay, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Rhythmic Airplay and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts for a fifth straight week, Mario’s “Let Me Love You” has just reached No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 chart – which establishes an all-time BDS audience record of 185 million. The number surpasses Usher’s previous record last year of 172.8 million for “Yeah!” at its peak.  .   And on top of all that, Mario has just signed a deal with Mathew Knowles’ Music World/Sanctuary Urban Management, which puts him with a roster that includes Knowles’ daughter Beyonce, Nelly; JadaKiss; Mary J. Blige; Eve and more. Knowles says “I am very impressed with Mario and am happy to personally take on the challenge of maximizing all of his potential.  Besides being extremely talented, he has his head and his heart in the right place, plus he’s hungry for success and a long term career.  This is a winning combination that will take us very far together.”  As Mario’s J Records album release “Turning Point” approaches platinum status, the Mario train rolls onto ABC’s "The View" on Jan. 24, and onto Nickelodeon's "Teen Nick" on Feb. 5-6.

“I am very excited about being with MusicWorld/Sanctuary Urban” says Mario.  “I am looking forward to a really great year, and for many great years to come.  Beyond that, I’m leaving it in God’s hands.” Back on the Hot 100, Ciara's "1, 2 Step" featuring Missy Elliott is No. 2 for a fourth week; Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz's "Lovers and Friends" featuring Usher and Ludacris spends a second week at No. 3; Destiny's Child's "Soldier" moves up one to No. 4; Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot" featuring Pharrell drops one to No. 5; 50 Cent goes back to back with his appearance on the Game's "How We Do" at No. 6, and his own "Disco Inferno" at No. 7;  Usher and Alicia Keys' "My Boo" dock at No. 9, while Nelly's "Over and Over" featuring Tim McGraw falls three to No.10.    Meanwhile, Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl" featuring Eve jumps from No. 50 to No. 28;  John Legend's "Ordinary People" moves from No. 65 to 48;  Fantasia's "Truth Is" goes from No. 73 to No. 51 and Trick Daddy's "Sugar (Gimme Some)" featuring Ludacris, Lil' Kim and Cee-Lo rockets from No. 100 to No. 85.  After an almost two-year absence, Mariah Carey returns to the Hot 100 with this week's top debut, "It's Like That," at No. 53. It's her highest-debuting Hot 100 song in almost five years.

MUSIC NOTES:  That little young buck Mario is doing big things.  Not only with his hit song “Let Me Love You,” which has become a mainstay on radio airwaves and atop music charts for the last few weeks – but with a shift in management.  Last night, “The RU Report” learned that music mogul Matthew Knowles will now assume management direction for the Baltimore, Maryland native via his Musicworld/Sanctuary Urban Management firm. “I am looking forward to a really great year, and for many great years to come,” stated the 18-year-old crooner. “Beyond that, I’m leaving it in God’s hands.” Mario will join a roster that includes a bevy of hit-makers in various musical genres;  Beyonce, D12, Jadakiss, Mary J. Blige, Sleepy Brown, Destiny’s Child, EVE, Floetry, Freeway, RJ Helton, Darwin Hobbs, J Young, Mary Mary, Nelly, Angie Stone, Carl Thomas, Ted & Sheri, Trinitee 5:7, and Xzibit, among others. … “American Idol” winner Fantasia has signed on to join a who’s who of gospel music for BET’s presentation of its “Celebration Of Gospel” special, taping at Los Angeles’s Orpheum Theater on January 22. Donnie McClurkin, Yolanda Adams, BeBe Winans, Smokie Norful, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Pastor Shirley Caesar, J. Moss, Dr. Bobby Jones, The Clark Sisters, and Kiki Sheard are also confirmed for the show, which will premiere on February 24.  Fantasia’s label-mate and “American Idol” predecessor Ruben Studdard is also scheduled to perform at the show, which comedian Steve Harvey has been tapped to host once again… Jazzmatazzmic neo-soul wunderkind Kem is also on the comeback trail with his sophomore album, titled “II,” due out on March 22. Fresh from a stint at the Detroit Opera House, Kem’s first track from the set will be “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” which recently arrived to radio programmers.  The video clip was shot live on location at the December 29 concert, which benefited local charities. …The gorgeous Vivian Green will release her second disc, titled “A Love Story,” on May 31.  According to her rep, high powered collaborations from the likes of Scott Storch, James Poyser and Dr. Dre will be featured. The neo-soul singer, who used to back-up sing for Jill Scott, recently appeared in “De-Lovely” – the critically acclaimed Cole Porter biopic starring Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd.

Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs Preparing Making The Band 3, Looking To Purchase Theatres

Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Clover Hope

(Jan. 24, 2005) Sean "P. Diddy" Combs will resume his fascination with shaping young hip-hop hopefuls into stars with the MTV series "Making the Band 3," premiering March 3 at 10 p.m. ET. This time the hip-hop impresario is looking for the next hottest girl group. "Making the Band 3" will follow Combs as he discovers and moulds an all-female pop group into superstars, beginning with a batch of 19 aspirants. The girls reside and compete together in a New York City loft, and are judged on their dancing and vocal skills, as well as star power and "willingness to be part of a group." "I take pride in being a star-maker and having had the chance to work with the biggest and most successful women in the music industry," said Combs in a statement. "But there is nothing like finding and nurturing new talent and watching their rise to fame." Contrary to previous seasons of "Making the Band," the female contestants will have no advance warning as to when they will be cut, nor will they know when Combs will make unexpected visits to the Soho residence. Viewers may recall, the young members of Diddy's former hip-hop group Da Band, who were assembled during the first season of "Making the Band," continually struggled to maintain peace amongst themselves. Diddy ultimately split up the cheesecake-fetching bunch.

"This new season brings us a completely different dynamic, Lois Curren, Executive Vice President of MTV Series Entertainment, said. "The drama is sure to ensue with 19 girls living under one roof and fighting for a chance of a lifetime." Judges beside Combs include Johnny Wright, founder of Wright Entertainment Group (WEG), choreographer Laurie Ann Gibson, Doc Holiday, a songwriter and vocal coach, and Phil Robinson, who has managed Combs for the last four years. More than 40 million viewers tuned in to last season's "Making the Band II," ranked number one in its time interval against basic cable among viewers ages 12-34. In related news, Diddy may be expanding his empire by looking to acquire parts of Andrew Lloyd Webber's theatre group, British publications reported Monday (Jan. 24). Combs' Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment could make a bid on four of RUG's century-old theatres in London, according to newspapers. While Lloyd Webber remained quiet about details of whether Combs approached him, his office confirmed last week in a statement that Lloyd Webber received an inquiry regarding the purchase of parts of his businesses. The process is described as "in developmental stages," with no concrete decisions made yet. Bad Boy issued no comment on the reports. Lloyd Webber is full owner of the Really Useful Group (RUG) and the creator of the musical hits, "Cats," "Evita," and "The Phantom of the Opera."

Carlton Blount - From ‘A Man’s Point Of View’

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - By Deardra Shuler

(Jan. 18, 2005) Some of you may know Carlton Blount as the man who replaced Cuba Gooding of the Main Ingredient as lead vocalist.  Carlton sang with the Main Ingredient for 5 years. Their collaboration produced “Pure Magic” and spawned the single “The Letter.” Blount did a short stint with Otis Williams and the Temptations before concentrating on his solo project.  The result of that project is his new CD “[From] A Man’s Point of View.”  One can only wonder after listening to the soulful styling of Carlton’s CD, what took him so long to tell his viewpoint. When we sat down for this interview, Carlton was lending his talents to a function for underprivileged children. As we talked, I was immediately impressed by the warm manner in which he communicated his feelings about life and about women. While his new CD discusses the various aspects of life it also exudes an ambiance of romance.  It gives a portrait of family from a man’s point of view.  Mr. Blount speaks about women in a positive and loving manner.  Blount’s sound is so versatile that he has been able to attract the attention of a diverse age group of music fans.  His virtuosity and vocal range allows him to shift deftly between the new sounds of R&B and old school.  The CD features twelve tracks that range from funky R&B, rap riffs, soul and a hint of gospel.  The lead track “Acting Like You’re Free” produced by Billy Dubose and Peter Moshay tells the tale of a philandering woman who neglects her home and family to pursue her wanderlust. The song demonstrates the flip side of the coin with the man at home and the woman out roving.  Carlton co-wrote “Just Believe” an inspirational tune featuring his two children on backup vocals.  The talented performer moves into a funk rock explosion with “Every time” and then takes us onto the dance floor with “Do That Thang.” A winner of the variety show, “Showtime at the Apollo,” Blount went on to record his first single, “Right On Loving You.” And, love, seemed to be at the centre of his latest CD, when the performer talked about its origins.  “Yusef H. Shabazz, CEO and President of Magnatar Records, mentioned to me that he would like to do a solo project with me that resulted in “[From] A Man’s Point of View.” The project ended up being a great thing for me,” explained Carlton.  “I am feeling very good about the CD.  I am where I want to be as a solo artist.”  Carlton put a lot of himself into the production of the CD as singer, writer and co-producer.  “I wrote a song called “My Wife.”  This song is a depiction of my ideal woman and wife.  The song is for everyone.  It’s not just about people who want to get married but applies to people who are and have been married as well” said Carlton.  “I also wrote a song called “A Lady Wants A Man.”  That song talks about what I think a lady looks for and wants in a man.  Another song on the CD is called “Just Believe.”  This song is real close and dear to my heart because of my two kids.  I have a little girl and a little boy.  Their names are Corey and Chelsea.  They are singing the background vocals.  Another one is called “Every time” and “Do That Thing.”  I wrote maybe 6 or 7 of the songs on the album.  To me, love has meaning.  In my opinion,” [explained the artist]… “The most important word one could use or expression felt is that of love.  For me, this CD is like the outpouring of my soul and so I let it all hang out musically” claimed the ardent vocalist.  “It’s love.  And, I am trying to be as real as I can about it.  To me, love starts with God.  It’s about respect for other people.  It’s about respect for family and friends.  It all comes back to love and about treating people the way you want to be treated.  In fact, it’s about treating people better than how you want to be treated.”

It is obvious that Carlton’s point of view is very present in his music.  He wrote, did lead and performed the background vocals. “I was on fire.  I tried to do the best that I could and hopefully it will make sense in the end” adds Carlton.  The CD is slated to be released February 22nd.     Track 2, “My Wife,” is expected to go to radio and “Acting Like You’re Free” is already part of the Sirius Satellite Radio’s “Slow Jams” programming.  The set also features contributions from Diane Warren, Toto, Billy “Badass” Dubose, Cedric Solomon and Peter Moshay, etc. Carlton has worked with a number of celebrities over the years and talked about how he first met Patti Labelle. “I got an opportunity to perform with Patti Labelle when one of her background singers took a leave of absence. I was brought in to learn and perform the songs pretty quickly.  I have always loved Patti as a singer but from the moment she walked in the room, within 20 seconds, I felt this lady was one of the best people I had ever met.  She was just so cool!  I really thought the world of her.” Blount has also worked with Al Green as an opening act.  He has collaborated with Roberta Flack, Michael Bolton, and the late Grover Washington, Jr., and shared the stage with Ray Charles and the Four Tops.  People have heard me sing but probably don’t know it.  I sang for Bill Cosby on the Cosby Show.  They had an album called “Music from the Bill Cosby Show” I sang on that.  I sang background vocals and lead vocals for the album.  For the show “Different World,” there were several scenes where I sang in the background.  I sang a song called “Love Made For Two” and another song “No Means No.” Blount is getting his feet wet as an actor and has appeared in various productions and local stage plays in Richmond, Va.   He has done over 200 commercials including commercials for Pepsi, Purina Puppy Chow, Bojangle’s Chicken, Marriot, Mobile Oil and Millers. Blount is a student of life.  “You know life is a big lesson within itself.  I have learned to like something about everybody.  I apply those lessons to my music as well.  I can take a Country Western song and fall in love with it. I do the same with R&B, jazz, pop, blues, gospel and even opera.  I listen to everything and learn from everything.  Naturally, I want my own identity, so I take a little bit from all I hear and mix it into me.  Then, I pray to God when I tape something sung by another performer that when it comes out of me, it comes out with my own interpretation,” states Carlton.  “Many people may not know Arthur Prysock but he is one of the smoothest singers I’ve ever heard.  I’ve listened to the greats.  People like Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, Kenny Rodgers, Luther Vandross, Prince, and Teddy Pendergrass.  Then, I try to figure out what makes all of these people tick.  If they are doing something I can’t do, give me a couple of days and before long I will be doing it, too.  When one listens to vintage Teddy Pendergrass you recognize his power and passion.  The beauty of Teddy was that he gave off so much emotion that even if a note was off key it didn’t matter.  It didn’t matter because you heard his passion and the love he put into his music,” stated the vocalist.  Blount wants his fans to know that his album “[From] A Man’s Point A View” is his true labour of love. Born in Richmond, Virginia, Carlton is still a resident of the state.  Formerly married, Carlton is presently a single man but a family man.  “I am with my son everyday.  I pick him up from school and we do homework together.  And, on the weekends we go to basketball games and movies.  I am determined to be a good father to my children.”  As a youth, Carlton loved sports and played several games including basketball, football and baseball.  He wrestled and even ran track.  “In high school I was an All State athlete,” remarked the soulful singer. “I even coach a junior basketball team right now in between my scheduling. I spend a lot of time with my son. My daughter recently moved out to California and it nearly broke my heart. I miss her a lot but I stay in touch with her as much as possible.  My children mean everything to me.  I think today many men in general are not there as much as they could be with their children.  Men have a responsibility to their families.  It’s the man’s job to protect.  The man should be there to watch the woman’s back to make sure that she is taken care of at all times because her job is so important. I think that if the man can’t be there, he should find a way to be there for his kids.  Kids need that strength a man has to offer” stated the singer.”

The song that expresses Blount’s views about why a man marries a woman begins like an old school gospel, becomes instrumental, utilizes strings, horns, flutes and piano, and eventually builds to a musical crescendo.  “This song is called, “My Wife” and it says everything I feel about a woman and the type of woman I would like to be my wife,” remarked the talented singer. [From] A Man’s Point of View expresses the impassioned way that Blount views the world.  It is obvious from the songs on the CD that Blount is a man who moves to the rhythm of life with the charm of the old school, some blues, a bit of jazz and a lot of heart.

Remy Ma Only Female Rapper Nominated For Grammy

Source: Sindy Gilbert  / Wendy Washington Sindy.Gilbert@sbcglobal.net/ Wendy.Washington@umusic.com

(Jan 15, 2005) New York, NY- Remy Ma, the only female rapper of the group, Terror Squad, has achieved what has suddenly become a rare honour at least in this years hip hop sweepstakes - becoming the only female rapper" to snag a Grammy nod for 2004.  Remy received the nomination with Terror Squad in the Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group" category  for their #1 hit, "Lean Back."   Following in the footsteps of previous female Grammy winners, including Queen Latifah, Lauryn Hill, Eve, Lil Kim, and Missy Elliott, as she readies her soon-to-be-released solo debut, There's Something About Remy: Based On A True Story , scheduled to hit stores this summer.  The Bronx native will re-team with "Lean Back" producer, Scott Storch on the eagerly anticipated album.   Remy first turned heads in 2000 when she was known as the femme fatale, Remy Martin, and featured on the remix to M.O.P.'s hit "Ante Up."  The buzz continued to build around the charismatic rapper after a series of guest performances on some of the hottest DJ mixtapes, culminating with Remys legendary MC battles in which she always crushed her competition.  But, the biggest catalyst of her success has been her association with the acclaimed Terror Squad, topping it off with last summer's monster hit "Lean Back," which had everyone from Bruce Willis to Jennifer Lopez "doing the Roc-Away."  The single from Terror Squad's album True Story, which debuted at #7 on Billboard's Top 200 Album chart, was a #1 single on Billboard's Top 100 Singles Chart, Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks Chart, Hot Rap Track Chart, and Rhythmic Top 40 Chart.  "Lean Back" received heavy radio and video rotation throughout 2004, helping to make Remy Ma a household name. The 23-year old emphasizes that she writes her own rhymes, earning the respect of her peers throughout hip hop for her insightful and tough lyrics.  On Remy's solo debut, There's Something About Remy: Based On A True Story, the verses reflect both her hard and sensitive side.  Besides teaming up with Scott Storch, the album will include production by Rich Harrison (Beyonce- Crazy In Love) and newcomers like Miami's Cool and Dre (Ja-Rule- New York) who have drawn comparisons to The  Neptunes.  With a Grammy nomination under her belt, Remy Ma now steps to the limelight as a   dual threat with both street credibility and mainstream appeal.  This summer's solo venture, There's Something About Remy: Based On A True Story, is sure to seal her role as a major contender - whatever-the-gender - throughout the world of hip-hop and beyond.

Game: Rapper Fights — And Feeds — Hype For Debut

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Lola Ogunnaike, Special To The Star (New York Times)

(Jan. 22, 2005) LOS ANGELES—Narrowly survive being shot by unknown assailants. While recuperating, dedicate your life to rap. When healed, jump on the mix-tape circuit and establish a formidable underground presence. Win the support of hip-hop luminaries like Dr. Dre and Eminem. Produce an album that vividly recounts your hard-knock life. Strut your hard-won street credibility on MTV and BET. Like 50 Cent before him, the rapper Game, Dr. Dre's newest protégé, has followed this successful blueprint to the letter. But for all the similarities, Game — a 25-year-old from Compton, Calif., who was born Jayceon Taylor — says he would not measure himself just against rappers as his debut album, The Documentary, went on sale this week. "I want to do Usher numbers," he said in an interview a few days ago, referring to the R&B crooner. "I want to sell a million albums in my first week. And if I only sell one album the following week, I'm good.'' Whether his album will reach platinum status remains to be seen, though it's widely thought to be a cinch to the No. 1 album in the United States — dethroning Green Day — when sales figures from its debut week are in. In any event, not since Snoop Dogg's emergence more than a decade ago has a West Coast rapper generated so much buzz. Game's first single, "How We Do," featuring 50 Cent, is ubiquitous on urban radio. Even with his debut CD barely out, Game pitches Boost Mobile cell phones for Nextel alongside established artists like Ludacris and Kanye West. He grimaces from a Sean John fashion billboard overlooking L.A.'s Sunset Boulevard. Drive around Los Angeles and you see posters of the album's cover — Game, shirtless in baggy black jeans and Converse sneakers, straddling tires with gleaming gold rims — on walls and billboards. All this attention has as much to do with Game's music as it does his turbulent backstory, which includes being placed in foster care when he was 8 and being nearly killed four years ago in a botched robbery. The Documentary, as the title suggests, offers an unflinching look at this tumultuous life. "I know everybody was expecting gang-bang, 40-ounce, low-rider music, but that's not what I gave them," Game said. "I'm telling a real story, and maybe there are people out there who can relate to my experiences.''

It was the rapper's willingness to delve deeper than his gruff exterior that first intrigued Dr. Dre, who said that Game was a ``diamond in the rough" when he signed him to his Aftermath label. "I really enjoy the way he puts his lyrics together, because they have emotion and feeling," said Dre, who has been grooming Game for the better part of two years. "He's not just getting on the mike and bragging about how much money he has or how many people he's killed.'' A Dr. Dre endorsement goes a long way, according to Erik Parker, music editor at Vibe magazine, which put Game on its cover this month. "Dr. Dre has had a hand in some of the most groundbreaking albums in hip-hop, and if he's co-signing Game, the music world has to take note," Parker said. "Would he be getting this much attention if Dre or 50 wasn't involved? I doubt it.'' A few days before his album was due, Game admitted he felt nervous. "Yeah, I've got some butterflies," he said, in the parking lot of a car wash in Hollywood as his new black Range Rover was buffed spotless. "I'm worried about my first-week numbers, and I'm worried about living up to the hype.'' He has done his best to stack the odds in his favour. Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Snoop and 50 Cent all appear on The Documentary. Other than providing for his year-old son, Harlem, Game says he has one goal in mind: to resurrect West Coast rap, which in recent years has been overshadowed by artists from the East and the South. In person, he is more handsome than he appears in advertisements and not nearly as menacing. He is covered in tattoos — including, on his right forearm, an enormous illustration of his idol, Eazy-E, a founder of NWA.

"Because he died from AIDS, I think people shy away from giving him all the props he deserves," Game said. "But I saw the things he did for Compton when I was growing up. He gave out gifts on Christmas and turkeys on Thanksgiving. He always put on concerts in the 'hood. He was a real role model.'' It is the tattoo of a teardrop under Game's left eye that he is most uncomfortable discussing. "They say when you've got a teardrop you've either murdered someone or done a long stretch in jail," he said. "Let's just say I've never been to jail. "I'm not trying to glorify the things that I've done in the past," Game said. "I think that they were wrong, and now that I'm grown up and have a son, I look at things differently." He declined to answer questions about the matter. By his early teens, Game said, he was dealing drugs and joined a local chapter of the Bloods gang. In 2001, he was ambushed by three rival gang members looking to rob him. He was shot seven times and left for dead. Like in the movies, he said, his life flashed before his eyes. ``I saw everything that had ever happened to me, from my mom teaching me how to ride a bicycle when I was 5 years old to graduating from high school and my grandmother's funeral.'' While recovering, he began listening intently to classic hip-hop albums like Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt. And he taught himself to rap. "I studied those albums like someone who was studying for the bar," he said. Still, the hip-hop industry was slow to embrace Game; Def Jam, Murder Inc., Bad Boy and other labels snubbed him, he said. But nothing was more difficult than working with Dr. Dre, a notorious perfectionist. "It was easier recovering from gunshot wounds," he said, only half jokingly. "To Dre, 99.999 is no good. If it's not 100 per cent, it's wack.'' Two songs into writing his next album, Game is eager to pounce on opportunities outside music. He is working on a clothing line and fielding movie scripts. He has purchased several homes and a liquor store in Compton and wants more property. "I've been buying up real estate like crazy," Game said. ``Forty acres and a mule. I'm going to get mine now, and I'm going to pay for it. No handouts."

Nap Musiq Coming Hot For 2005

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan. 24, 2005) Last year, the Nap Music label scored big on the local and overseas reggae charts with its production of Da’Ville’s In Heaven (a cover of the Bryan Adams original).  The song placed the label into the spotlight. With offices set up on the local front, Nap Music which has been around for a few years now, is the latest in number of labels which have set up operations locally.  In Heaven which scored big on reggae charts in London, New York and South Florida, was included on VP Records’ top selling various artistes compilation album, Strictly The Best 32 album. Founder and CEO of Nap Musiq label, Neville Palmer has not only limited himself to the production side of the music business.  He has dabbled in the songwriting and artiste management side of things. The most recent project for the label was the single done by DaVille titled The One For Me.  The single is reportedly generating some buzz on the overseas circuit and looks set to break into the reggae charts. Nap Musiq has now signed upcoming reggae/dancehall artiste Major Chris. The Montego Bay-based artiste is determined to put a modern spin on music with Hot Gal Anthem, his single on the Badderation rhythm. Other projects out of the Nap Musiq stables include the Wash Pan rhythm, which features contributions from the likes of Elephant Man, Danny English, Zum-J, Determine, DaVille, Hollow Point Major Chris. ‘We are about originality, creativity, versatility and making the fans happy. Our motto is above and beyond which is self-explanatory’, said Mr. Palmer. He added ‘This is what we aim for positivity, growth and to strengthen our musical culture that others have already laid for us’.

Mariah's 'Mimi' Bumped To April

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

(Jan. 25, 2005) Mariah Carey's next Island Def Jam studio album, "The Emancipation of Mimi," has been bumped to April 12 from its originally scheduled March 22 release date. As exclusively revealed here in November, Carey handled the bulk of the writing on the set and also produced the power ballad "Mine Again." The Jermaine Dupri-produced first single "It's Like That" was last week's top debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 53, netting Carey her highest-debuting song on that chart in almost five years. The song also opened at No. 58 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks roundup. As a featured artist, Carey was in the R&B top 10 as recently as three weeks ago when "U Make Me Wanna" by Jadakiss featuring Carey peaked at No. 8. A video for "It's Like That" will be shot next week by film director Brett Ratner ("Red Dragon," "Rush Hour"). The new album also features contributions from producers Kanye West and the Neptunes as well as rappers Nelly, Snoop Dogg 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.

U2 North American Tour To Touch Down In Vancouver

Excerpt from The Globe and Mail

(Jan. 25, 2005) Toronto -- U2 is ready to take How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb on the road. The group yesterday announced the first leg of a tour, beginning March 28 in San Diego. There is only one Canadian date set so far; Vancouver on April 28. The Irish band, which has sold more than 8.5 million copies worldwide of its current CD, will visit 13 cities in North America between March and May. It will then travel to Brussels on June 10 for the first of 24 scheduled European performances. Fans are buzzing about the upcoming tour. At http://www.u2tours.com, a fan site, rumour pages are filled with enthusiasts guessing at more dates. One such rumour puts the band in Toronto on Sept. 17. CP

Faith Evans Preps Capitol Debut

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

(Jan. 25, 2005) R&B vocalist Faith Evans will release her Capitol debut, "The First Lady," on March 29. The album sports a number of high-profile collaborators, including the Neptunes' Pharrell Williams the Clipse's Pusha on the Neptunes-produced "Goin' Out," Jermaine Dupri and Mario Winans. "I am trying to show a real range of emotions," says Evans, who was formerly signed to Bad Boy and married to late rapper Notorious B.I.G. "I've been through so much. I lost a husband, a label, I've gained weight, lost weight. These are all things that are a part of my life and of my music, but I'm able to take the good and the bad and grow." In-demand director Chris Robinson will shoot a video for first single "Again," which will arrive next month at U.S. radio outlets for airplay consideration. Robinson recently directed a clip for Twista's contribution to Capitol's "Coach Carter" soundtrack, "Hope," on which Evans guests. "The First Lady" will be Evans' first new album since 2001's "Faithfully," her final release for Bad Boy. That set debuted at No. 14 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 832,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The artist can also be heard guesting on the debut album from rapper the Game, "The Documentary," released earlier this month by Aftermath/G-Unit.

::CD RELEASES::

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Buck Sixty Five, Cruise Control Mixtape, Vol. 1, Nature Sounds
Chingy/Without Warning, Naturally Crooked, Aries Music
Chingy/Without Warning, Tha Dogg Pound Gangsta LP, Gangsta Advisory
Chingy/Without Warning, Will Rap for Food, Freshchest
Dionne Warwick, Remembrance, Kingdom4life
Eminem, Livin' Life Like Lumberjacks, Koch
Genesis, Happiness in Magazines [Bonus Track], Astralwerks
Geto Boys, Dramatize [Chopped and Screwed], Rap Hustlaz
Gwen Stefani, All Rise, Everloving
Gwen Stefani, Close Ups, 702
Gwen Stefani, When Goodbye Means Forever, Good Life
JOHNNY GILL Love Songs (Motown)
Lou Rawls, Moonlight Kiss, Collectables
NAT KING COLE The World Of Nat King Cole (Capitol)
Pete Rock, All About the Funk [Bonus Tracks], Pony Canyon
Pete Rock, Last of the Flowheecanz, Black Armor
Pete Rock, Who Put Sac on the Map, Vol. 2, Black Armor
Ray Charles, Soul Troubadours, Fuel 2000
RPM, Sean Smith, Plain
Sister Sledge, Naturally, Daptone
Vanessa Williams, Early Soul, Acrobat
VARIOUS ARTISTS Grammy Nominees 2005 (Capitol)
Various Artists, Best in Gansta Hip Hop, ZYX
Various Artists, R&B Years 1949, Boulevard UK
Young Dru, Take It Back, Take It On, Take It Over!, USA Side 1 Dummy

Tuesday, February 1, 2005

BEENIE MAN Greatest Hits (Virgin)
DIONNE WARWICK Love Songs (BMG Heritage)
GLADYS KNIGHT Love Songs (BMG Heritage)
HARRY BELAFONTE Love Songs (BMG Heritage)
LENA HORNE Love Songs (BMG Heritage)
NINA SIMONE Love Songs (BMG Heritage)
SEAL Acoustic (Warner)
TINA TURNER All The Best (EMI)
VARIOUS ARTISTS 2005 Grammy Nominees (EMI)
YOUNGBLOODZ Datz Me (Zomba)

::FILM NEWS::

Script Writer Stood Her Ground

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Ashante Infantry, Entertainment Reporter

(Jan. 25, 2005) Let's say you're a York University film school grad looking for a break. You go through a series of wearisome jobs — letter carrier, personal assistant, temp — that pay the bills and give you time to work on scripts. In 1998, you're a finalist for the prestigious Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship (sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences), but don't make the cut. However, being a well-mannered Canadian and crack networker, you pop into the Academy's Beverly Hills headquarters to say thank you and goodbye to the staff and organizers. The receptionist takes you aside: "I was listening (to the judges' final discussions) and you were really close, you should enter again," she says. Then, in an apparently unprecedented move, one of the judges, a brilliant, highly respected director, sends you 10 typed pages of well-thought-out suggestions to strengthen your script. So, you re-enter Bleeding, your story about two sisters and their secrets. Of course, you've implemented the noted director's recommendations? Or at the very least, you've made some changes to the script, right? Not if you're Annmarie Morais. The Jamaica-born, Brantford-raised, Toronto-schooled screenwriter submitted the identical 116-page script — and won. When her script was one of five chosen from 4,500 entries, she became the first Canadian to win the Nicholl Fellowship and the $25,000 (U.S.) prize. "It's the running joke: that this Academy Award-winning director sent me notes and I just didn't believe that he was right," said Morais, 32, in a phone interview from L.A. "He was very kind. He really liked the script and wanted it to go on and do well, even though the competition was over. But I just didn't think that direction was right. In the end, you just have to do what you think is right for the story." Now Bleeding is a hot property, with the up-and-coming son of a famous director in negotiations to possibly direct it. But that doesn't mean it's coming soon to theatres near you.

"You can be in development here for ever and ever," said Morais, who splits her time between L.A. and Toronto. "I have friends who've had films in development four or five years. The one thing about Canada is that we do make films in a respectable amount of time." Ironically, Morais, who started spending more time in L.A. four years ago because she couldn't find work here, is now up to her wrists with Canadian film and TV projects. She's reworking the script for director Clement Virgo's Step, about the competitive world of step dancing, and she wrote Hotel Babylon, which airs on VisionTV tonight at 10 p.m. The show is the last of the winners in the station's Cultural Diversity Drama Competition, which awarded three independent producers $100,000 each to develop drama programs reflecting Canada's diversity of cultures. The other dramas are rerunning next month: St. Jamestown (Feb. 14) and Kink in My Hair (Feb. 7), which is based on Trey Anthony's play.

Hotel Babylon is about a Winnipeg hotel staffed by immigrants, who were skilled professionals in their homelands. For instance, the head chambermaid was an engineer and the handyman used to be a police inspector. As drama unfolds, they put their old talents to the test. "I think that's one of the intriguing things about the concept," said Morais, who adapted the one-hour show from the original proposal. "We really don't know the lives of the people we encounter every day. You make presumptions about who they are and their intellect and experience based on their position." She'd also adapted the script for Kink in My Hair, which may yet be developed into a series. "The landscape in Canadian and American television is pretty one-dimensional," said Morais. "As a writer, I try not to focus on that. You're just trying to create great characters who happen to be African American, East Indian ... great characters and great stories are always paramount. At the end of the day, people want something that's going to hook them or grab their heart in some way."

And she doesn't just write black stories. "Kink and Step are the first two pieces that were very culturally specific for me. I write whatever I feel. I wrote (a script for) an Irish historical drama, because the story moved me." It makes a difference which side of the border a scriptwriter is working, she says. "Canadians really pay attention to Canadian culture, their projects always have a specific Canadian identity; but when Americans approach me it's usually more concept-driven — some universal story." These days Morais spends as much times in meetings as she does writing. "You listen to people pitch you on books and ideas, that's the big thing. There's not a lot of original material out now. The trend is: buy a book, get a short story, get an L.A. Times or Vanity Fair article and snatch up the rights." She's the youngest of four children of a retired factory worker and health-care aide. "They're kind of watching this a little unsure, but they're very proud and supportive and encouraging," she said of her family. Initially, she wanted to be a director. "I still like directing, but writing allows you to have more of a life. As a director you may be with one film for three or four years. That doesn't allow you a lot of freedom." She says Step is the 11th film script she's written. "Some will never see the light of day, but you just keep writing."

The Film Vet And The War Vet In Rwanda

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Geoff Pevere, Movie Critic

(Jan. 22, 2005) Along with the rest of the world, Peter Raymont wasn't paying attention. "Like most people," says the director of Shake Hands With the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire, "I missed the Rwanda genocide. I'm embarrassed to say that and ashamed to say that. But it was true. I was watching the O.J. Simpson trial or my mind was elsewhere and it didn't register for me. It was this vague news story about tribal warfare in Rwanda but that was about it." That changed when Raymont actually went to Rwanda. It was 1995, a year after nearly one million Tutsis and Hutu moderates were slaughtered by machete-wielding Hutu extremists in a 100-day holocaust. A veteran Canadian documentary filmmaker (Magic in the Sky, The World is Watching) who had been asked to make a film about the genocide, Raymont quickly awoke not only to the scale of what had happened in the tiny African country, but the fact that he hadn't been alone in his ignorance. "And when I came back," he recalls over lunch at a Queen St. W. restaurant, "I was determined to find Roméo Dallaire and see if I could make a film with him." Everywhere Raymont went in Rwanda for the making of Rwanda: In Search of Hope, he heard about Dallaire: how the Montreal-raised former head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda had tried to prevent and stop the slaughter in the spring of 1994, and how all his efforts had come to naught. How the futile struggle to alert the world and mobilize the UN had traumatized the Montreal-born career military man, and how his efforts had made him something of a national hero in Rwanda. The memory of Dallaire hung over the events like a plaintive echo, and Raymont was determined to track him down and make a movie of his story. Eventually, that movie would be made. And it would be the only major Canadian feature invited to the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, where Raymont and Dallaire will be presenting it next week. But Raymont's first inspiration to make the film came long before any of that. Before the Marlboro Man-handsome lieutenant-general had emerged from his own psychic struggle with post-traumatic stress, before he'd penned his best-selling memoir, Shake Hands With the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda, and before a character modeled on Dallaire came to be played by Nick Nolte in a critically acclaimed fictional account of the horror, Hotel Rwanda. And Raymont couldn't get near him. "I tried every way I could to get through to him," the 54-year-old filmmaker recalls. "Through the military, through his lawyer, through his agent, through everybody. And I didn't get any replies. Because he was going through this serious psychological stuff, therapy for post-traumatic stress. And he was starting to try to write his book, so he wasn't ready to talk to a filmmaker."

And when he was, it wasn't Raymont. It was Steven Silver, whose 2002 documentary The Last Just Man made Raymont think he'd missed his chance. But he hadn't. When he saw the film, he heard Dallaire say something that made him realize there was not only another movie to make, but a movie with the potential to do something Dallaire had now devoted his life to: alerting the world to what had happened in Rwanda so that it might never happen again. "He did make The Last Just Man," Raymont says, "which is a good film, but it ends with him saying, `You know, all I really want to do is go back to Rwanda.' That's the last thing he says. "So I was a little disappointed that I'd missed the boat and someone else had made that film, but the film I always wanted to make with Roméo Dallaire was to go back to Rwanda. Because I knew he had to go back for all sorts of psychological reasons." Raymont redoubled his efforts to reach the general. In the meantime, the book came out and Dallaire was everywhere: being interviewed, giving speeches, making personal appearances at signings. It was at one of these that Raymont made first contact. He approached Dallaire after a speech at the Royal Ontario Museum, and introduced himself while Dallaire was signing books. "He's a very impressive guy," Raymont recalls. "He had these eyes that are so arresting. They've seen so much. You can tell a lot about people through their eyes and this man's eyes are very deep set, a very deep blue, and you just see all suffering and the pain that he's been through in those eyes. Yet they're magnetic." At the signing, Raymont asked the general if he might have breakfast with him to talk over the possibility of making a movie, and Dallaire was interested. He said he'd meet Raymont the next morning. Later that night, Dallaire's agent called Raymont to tell him the breakfast was off. Apparently, nobody booked time with Dallaire without going through the agent, and this appointment was therefore void.

Shortly after that, the director stepped into an elevator at Pearson International Airport and found himself looking straight into those arresting blue eyes. The general remembered him. They had coffee and, as Raymont — whose own father was a high-ranking career Canadian military officer — says, "we hit it off." The path to what would become The Journey of Roméo Dallaire had finally opened. The deadline was tight. Raymont knew that Dallaire was preparing to return to Rwanda for the first time since the genocide in April 2004. He was going to mark the 10th anniversary of the bloodshed, and he was going to testify at the international war crimes trial in Tanzania. Departure was weeks away. Raymont, along with his production manager, Patrick Reed, started poring over Dallaire's book, looking for anecdotes, incidents, people and locations that might figure in the film. He assembled a crew, spent hours discussing the 12-day trip to Rwanda, and prayed. Prayed that everything would come together technically, financially and legally, and prayed that Dallaire was truly up to the task of returning. "Yeah, we talked about that," Raymont says between sips of coffee. "I was very worried about his psychological health because in a way I felt I was leading this journey, and I certainly didn't want to lead him into another depression." From the moment Raymont and his small crew landed in Kigali, he was amazed — again — by Dallaire. Although the general had brought along his wife Elizabeth for emotional support, the general struck the filmmaker as astonishingly strong, both emotionally and physically. "It must be the military training." Dallaire would rise early in the morning, join the crew for the long drive to the chosen location, and let himself be followed, filmed and interviewed until the day was over. More often than not, the settings were places that had haunted Dallaire for the entire decade since he had last seen them. "He's very open about that stuff," Raymont says. "One of his great contributions is that he's allowed other military people who have suffered from post-traumatic stress, and many do, to come out of the closet about it, be open about it, and seek psychological help." Raymont wanted Dallaire's contact with these haunted places to be as immediate and honest as possible, and to that end he refused to do so much as to ask his subject to walk through a door for a second time. Whatever happened happened, and whatever happened he shot. And, "If you didn't shoot it," Raymont says, quoting the late NFB filmmaker Donald Brittain, "it didn't happen." His crew was accordingly instructed to stay on their toes. "You have to be ready to shoot," Raymont snaps his fingers, "like that! Instantly, at any time, from the moment you meet him in the morning to the moment you say goodnight. So that takes a lot of organization to have that ability to shoot instantly."

"He would sit there and he'd often just stare out the window, lost in thought. And I didn't want to disturb him. And then occasionally he'd just reach over and tap (cameraman) John Westheuser on the shoulder, which meant `turn on the camera, I've got a thought.' It worked really well." Dallaire became prone to yelling "Stop the car!" when he saw a particular spot that triggered one of the memories he describes in the film as "digitally clear and in slow motion." Then he'd jump out and start talking, with Raymont and crew scrambling right behind, trying to get everything on tape. As for Dallaire, the primary order was "No posing." He was willing to go almost anywhere, but he was flatly unwilling to do anything that seemed false or rehearsed. According to Raymont, there was nothing in Dallaire's vocabulary quite as profane as "phoney." "The thing that strikes you about when you meet him," Raymont adds, "is how humble he is, how unassuming. He's a working-class kid from Montreal. That's what he is. And I think that's one the reasons everything about him has been so successful since Rwanda — the book, the film and his ability to communicate with people. "Sure there were those odd moments of frustration, but he knew this was for a greater purpose. Not to tell people about Roméo Dallaire, but to help people understand what the hell happened so that the film can play some role in hoping that this won't happen again."

Tax Credit To Put B.C. Film Industry Back In The Game

Excerpt from The Globe and Mail - By Caroline Alphonso, With a report from Canadian Press

(Jan. 22, 2005) TORONTO -- British Columbia's move to offer better incentives to its $1-billion film industry will go far in levelling the playing field with other Canadian provinces, Ontario's Finance Minister said yesterday. "I'm not surprised that they are back in the market with credits that emulate Ontario's," Greg Sorbara said before entering a cabinet meeting. "I think that's healthy." The changes to the film tax credit in British Columbia will be introduced as part of the budget next month and would raise the province's tax incentives for both domestic and foreign film productions to the same level as Ontario's, B.C. Finance Minister Colin Hansen said this week. The B.C. government had promised to put measures in place to bolster its film industry and prevent film and television productions from moving east because of better incentives in Ontario and Quebec. Last month, Mr. Sorbara increased the tax credit for domestic and foreign productions. Quebec has also recently boosted its film tax credits. The B.C. legislation would increase the production services tax credit, available to foreign productions, to 18 per cent from 11 per cent. The basic film incentive tax credit for domestic productions would climb to 30 per cent from 20 per cent.

The Motion Picture Production Industry Association of British Columbia welcomed the government's announcement, saying it was good news for the industry and the 30,000 people in the province it employs. "This increase, matching Ontario's, means the B.C. film industry will be able to remain competitive with its Canadian counterparts as well as the rest of the world," Crawford Hawkins, vice-chair of the MPPIA, said in a release. "This news will immediately trigger up to $200-million of work in British Columbia and will provide stability to the industry in 2005." Mr. Hansen said it doesn't do the country any good to have provinces competing for film and television productions, a statement echoed by Mr. Sorbara yesterday. "I said two months ago that we don't want to get into a bidding war," Mr. Sorbara said. “I think we're in pretty good shape, and I expect good news from the industry."

Famous Players Announces Lower Ticket Prices Across Ontario

Source: Canadian Press

(Jan. 25, 2005) Toronto — Famous Players is temporarily lowering its movie admission prices to $9.95 from a maximum of $13.95 at all of its Ontario theatres, beginning Friday. The move follows a similar price break introduced in the company's main multiplexes in Calgary and Vancouver last year and in Winnipeg before that. "The opening up of the options has really been a lesson for us," says corporate affairs vice-president Nuria Bronfman. "That's why we really want to bring it into the GTA (Greater Toronto Area)." Weekend matinees will also drop to $9.95 from $11.50 and child and senior prices will remain at $8.50, but it will spell the end of so-called cheap Tuesdays, where a ticket fee will climb slightly from the current $9.25 to $9.95. But Bronfman stresses that the difference is nominal and in fact opens up options for theatre-goers who found weekend and Tuesday showtimes inconvenient. "What we're trying to do is allow for that kind of value every day of the week, so it's not just a Tuesday that you can go to a movie at this kind of value." The chain says the new price plan is being offered for a limited time only. Bronfman says the re-pricing has been successful in other markets but wants to see if it will have the same effect at 17 of Famous Players' first-run locations in Ontario. At 15 other theatres, prices are already lower — from $7.00 to $9.95 and will stay that way. Snack concession prices — where theatres traditionally make most of their profits — will also remain the same for now. Asked if she anticipates a matching price decline from rival Cineplex Galaxie cinemas, Bronfman said only: "I guess we'll see." But Pat Marshall, vice-president of communications for Cineplex Galaxie LP — which operates both Galaxie and Cineplex Odeon cinema brands — says the chain has already slashed prices in various communities substantially below those announced Wednesday by Famous Players. "So this is news for them. It's not news for us," she says, adding that there is by no means a price war looming. Famous Players, a division of Viacom Canada, Inc., has the largest market share in the industry, operating 84 locations across the country, comprising nearly 800 screens.

Ice Cube Goes Along To Get Along

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

(Jan. 20, 2005) Rapper-cum-Hollywood hotshot Ice Cube is a man after my own heart.   The founder of the seminal rap group NWA continues to take Tinsel Town by storm with more power moves … and possibly more bankable box office.   For his latest foray onto celluloid, “Are We There Yet?,” opening at theatres this weekend,  the 35-year-old hip-hop veteran tests his acting mettle with the role of Nick Persons, a smooth talking playboy who sets his sights on a young, attractive hottie named Suzanne, played by the beatific Nia Long.    The only catch – the gorgeous event planner is the mother of two kids --Two bad-ass kids!   Set in what Mr. Cube calls the “wet, Pacific Northwest” city of Portland, Oregon, the major studio film is a physical comedy, for the most part, that turns out to be great family fun.  He delivers as the romantic lead that gets tangled in a web of deception spawned by the mischievous adolescents, played by Philip Daniel Bolden and Aleisha Allen, respectively.   “I wouldn’t say that it was like a big ambition of mine,” Mr. Cube said of his latest role – a departure from his previous, more adult works.  “But I got four kids so I see a lot of kid movies and some of them I can sit through like the best ones and some of them I sleep through.   “I just thought it was, with this script coming up, a perfect opportunity to do one,” he continued.  “With doing the ‘Friday’ movies, which are R –rated comedies, to the ‘Barbershop’ [series], this was kind of testing the boundaries, taking it to PG… something that everybody can see.”

Not a bad stretch for the Black Man legally known as O’Shea Jackson.   “Are We There Yet?” is directed by Brian Levant, who hit pay dirt in 2002 with Disney’s blockbuster “Snow Dogs,” and served as a long-time producer of TV series such as “Happy Days,” “Mork and Mindy” and “The Bad News Bears.”   The film also stars comic actor Jay Mohr, television pioneer Nichelle Nichols and the voice of “Saturday Night Live” alum Tracey Morgan. With a run time of 89 minutes, the first and funniest comedy of the year’s a storyline is not that unfamiliar to people who must to endure unruly kids.   Acted with such expertise by the chosen actors, the youngsters in the film will make one reconsider parenting.   Mr. Cube, a father of three sons (ages 4, 13 and 18) and one ten-year-old daughter, says he has no such problems with his brood.   “I got good kids,” he assured.   His key?  “I think you have to establish discipline at a very young age and it goes a long way. What I see with a lot of parents is that they laugh at what their little kids do that’s inappropriate but cute. You know what I’m saying?  I never was that kind.  You’re out of line; there ain’t no room to be cute around me.  Be cute around your friends.”   Okay Mister Cosby.

“Just by being there and knowing that I’m that rock and that I’m that figure  that is not really tolerating too much foolishness, they growing up to be good kids. I ain’t have a lot of problems out of them, everything has been minor.”   And what else?   “I don’t forget how it is to be their ages. And that’s what a lot of people forget. They forget how they felt at 10; they forget what they were trying to do at 13 and what they were trying to get away with at 18.  I never forget so it helps me.  You know with kids they think if they thought of something, it’s the first time that it’s been thought of.  So I tell me kids, ‘Look, I’ve been 13 before, you ain't never been 35 so I done seen this before, I done tried this before’ so they respect that.  Nothing can defeat the truth so to speak. When you come real with them and you're so true with them, whatever little lies or whatever they try to do, it just won’t hold up.  Not only with kids, but with adults, anybody. The truth stands alone and it’s powerful. So that’s what I try to push on them.”   His latest film fare is something else he’s also pushing – on the movie ticket buying masses, that is.  Backed by the huge Hollywood machinery of Joe Roth’s Revolution Studios, Mr. Cube and the crew just completed a 9-city media tour for the film, making stops in cities such as Philadelphia, Seattle, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Los Angeles and The Big Apple. He’s hopeful about the project, which his company Cube Vision produced. “Are We There Yet?,” budgeted at $35 million, will play in approximately 2500 screens this weekend.

That’s a big deal. Mr. Cube has come a long way since making his big screen debut  playing Doughboy in the groundbreaking John Singleton-directed “Boyz N The Hood” in 1991.  He says he’s patterning his burgeoning movie making career after one of the greats.   “I look at Steven Spielberg doing all of these popcorn movies before he had the chance to do the ‘Schindler’s List’ and the movies that he really wanted to do,” he said. “He did it that way because when he wanted to do those movies, he wanted the studios to be totally behind him and believe in him and give him the money he needs so he could make it right.  And that’s kind of where I’m headed.”   Well playing a romantic lead in a big budget movie who gets tackled by a truckload of tykes while filling in for a clown, going toe to toe with a rabid deer and riding a horse down railroad tracks seems like the direction to be headed in.   In just three months, he’ll get another shot at big studio box office fare with the lead role in “XXX: State of the Union,” described as a loosely based sequel to 2002's “XXX.”

Russell Simmons Releasing DVD Series On African-Americans

Excerpt from www.allhiphop.com - By Coby Kindles

(Jan. 21, 2005) Black History month starts in February and Hip-Hop mogul Russell Simmons will release a new DVD series that focuses on various African-American trailblazers. The DVD's, titled "The History Makers: Faith," "The History Makers: Courage" and "The History Makers: Success," detail inspiring success stories of African American luminaries who refused the lot handed out by an oppressive society, and pursued something greater. Developed in collaboration with The History Makers, the largest national non-profit organization dedicated to recording and preserving the personal histories of influential African Americans, Simmons Lathan Media Group (SLMG) teamed with new Def Filmmaker Nancy Oey to write, direct and co-produce the series. The series is a comprehensive collection of first hand accounts and archival footage of contemporary African American dignitaries. Offering a groundbreaking look at triumph over prejudice, illness, self-doubt, and poverty, it is an inspirational testament to the possibilities inherent in keeping dreams alive on the way to overcoming obstacles. Delivering a positive message are all of who share a belief in themselves, their community, and the betterment of humanity. Living legends such as Isaac Hayes, Gordon Parks and Harry Belafonte illustrate the power of unshakeable faith and courage in a world full of harsh realities. Pacesetters Maxine Waters, Terry McMillan and Vernon Jordon speak candidly about the stumbling blocks they overcame, and give compelling interviews that create an insightful, compassionate, and sympathetic perspective on surrounding issues that still exist.

Highlighting the courage it took to make the dreams of these artists and visionaries come true, audiences should experience the importance of standing up for one's beliefs, and fighting for a voice in the face of any opposition. Simmons continues to emphasize the importance of education, perseverance, and hard work in the face of the adversity and racial barriers in the United States with this compelling new DVD series. "The History Makers" DVD series hits stores in February.

Oscar Calls For Canadian: Screenwriter Gets First Nomination

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Martin Knelman

(Jan. 26, 2005) All Paul Haggis wanted was a good night's sleep. "I warned everybody not to call me before 8," the Canadian screenwriter said yesterday in a phone interview from his Los Angeles office, after garnering his first Oscar nomination, for writing Million Dollar Baby. "I figured if I wasn't nominated, I could at least have 2 1/2 hours more sleep. And if I was nominated, I'd still enjoy hearing about it when I woke up at 8." Oscar nominations were announced yesterday at 5:30 a.m. Pacific time, as they are every year. And what's convenient for millions of movie fans catching the bulletin on the Today show or Good Morning America can be hard on Hollywood pros. A lot of hopefuls in Los Angeles are up early, biting their fingernails, watching TV or waiting for the phone to ring. Haggis, the screenwriter from London, Ont., was having none of it this time. After all, when the Golden Globe nominations were announced weeks earlier, a colleague thoughtfully phoned him at 5 a.m. to inform him he had not been nominated. All the same, the executive producer of Million Dollar Baby could not quite restrain himself yesterday. He waited until the civilized hour of 6:15 a.m. to phone Haggis at his Santa Monica home to tell him he had been nominated in the category of Best Adapted Screenplay. And Haggis is also the movie's producer, so he has a share of its nomination in the category of Best Picture. When the call came, the first thing Haggis wanted to know was what other nominations Million Dollar Baby got. There were seven in all. Hilary Swank was tapped in the Best Actress category, and Haggis was especially pleased to hear that director/star Clint Eastwood was honoured not only with a nomination as director but also for his work as leading actor. Indeed, the Clint and Paul show is turning into a continuing saga, as they work on three more projected future movies. "I just grab on to his coattails and ride them as long and hard as I can," Haggis says cheerily. A year ago, the two didn't even know one another. After years as a successful TV writer (winning awards for writing Due South and thirtysomething), Haggis, then approaching his 50th birthday, decided to make the leap to the big screen. With a partner, he wrote a movie called Crash — not the David Cronenberg film — and had a deal to direct it.

By the time the cameras rolled on Crash, Haggis had written another movie script. Based on a short story by little-known writer F.X. Toole, it was about a waitress who wants to be a boxer and a veteran coach she persuades to help her. He sent the script to Eastwood. "I had every intention of directing the movie myself, and I was hoping Clint might be interested in being the star." To Haggis's surprise, Eastwood called right away. "Clint not only wanted to play the part; he wanted to direct the movie. At the time, I was in my second week of directing Crash. I thought about it for about two minutes before saying yes." Haggis assumed the script was a first draft and waited for Eastwood to ask for a lot of changes. "I asked him for notes," Haggis says. "He said, `I don't have any.' And hardly a word of the draft was changed." The movie was shot over the summer in L.A., and Haggis was told he was welcome to visit the set. "Clint had no place for anyone to sit, but he embraced me on the set. He'd wave me over and invite me to look at the shot on his monitor." Did Haggis have any regrets about not directing the movie? "Not for a second," he says. "Hey, he's Clint. I'm so lucky to be working with him." Almost as soon as they'd made the deal on Million Dollar Baby, Eastwood asked Haggis to write another script. It's a World War II picture called Flags of Our Father, to be produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Eastwood. It depicts the war with Japan, and Eastwood wants to simultaneously shoot another movie telling the same story from the Japanese perspective. (Crash had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival four months ago. Lions Gate Films paid $4 million for distribution rights and plans to release it in May.) And just the other day, Eastwood and Haggis talked about another movie they plan to do together, about the torment experienced by U.S. soldiers sent to Iraq. Haggis will soon begin writing the script, based on an article in Playboy. But won't politics get in the way? Haggis is, to put it mildly, not pro-Bush, whereas Eastwood is a conservative. "Our politics may be quite different," Haggis says, "but Clint is a great lover of the truth. And this is a hard truth to tell."

DiCaprio Movie Leads Oscar Nominations

Excerpt from The Globe and Mail

(Jan. 25, 2005) Following up on its Golden Globe triumph, The Aviator scored 11 Academy Award nominations Tuesday, including six of the most important. Finding Neverland and Million Dollar Baby each scored seven. The latter picked up six of its nominations in the most highly regarded categories. Shut out completely from the most prestigious categories was the wildly successful Passion of the Christ. And Fahrenheit 9/11, which earned millions and divided opinion sharply, garnered no nominations at all. A Canadian, London-born Paul Haggis, picked up a best-adapted-screenplay for his work on Million Dollar Baby. Nominations in the 10 most important Oscar categories were announced from California by former winner Adrien Brody and Academy president Frank Pierson. Mr. Pierson first offered a short tribute to Johnny Carson, the former host of The Tonight Show who died a few days ago. The two then announced the nominations for the most-sought categories. The remainder were simultaneously released to the media. Best-picture nominations went to The Aviator, Finding Neverland , Million Dollar Baby, Ray and Sideways. Four of the same movies showed up on the best-director list. Marc Foster's Finding Neverland was the exception, its spot taken by Mike Leigh's Vera Drake.

Nominations for lead acting by a male were secured by:

Don Cheadle ( Hotel Rwanda); Johnny Depp ( Finding Neverland); Leonardo DiCaprio ( The Aviator); Clint Eastwood ( Million Dollar Baby); and Jamie Foxx ( Ray). Best-actress nominations went to: Annette Bening ( Being Julia); Catalina Sandino Moreno ( Maria Full of Grace); Imelda Staunton ( Vera Drake); Hilary Swank ( Million Dollar Baby)and Kate Winslet ( Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind).

Top Nominations

Unlike last year, when the third instalment of the popular and critically acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy swept 11 of the categories on Oscar night, there is no movie expected to dominate at the awards show next month. Although the Golden Globes are usually considered a reasonable predictor, pundits have noted that the field remains fairly wide open this year. The awards show will be broadcast Feb. 27 from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. The show will be hosted by Chris Rock, the first time in nearly a decade that neither Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg nor Steve Martin has been at the reins. Nominees in typically chosen by the branch of the Academy related to that category; for example, directors, actors or writers. The full membership of the academy, close to 6,000 in total, is eligible to vote in all categories for the Oscars themselves.

TOP NOMINATIONS

Best Picture	Art direction
The Aviator	The Aviator
Finding Neverland	Finding Neverland
Million Dollar Baby	Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Ray	The Phantom of the Opera
Sideways	A Very Long Engagement
Documentary feature	Music (song)
Born into Brothels	Accidentally In Love — Shrek 2
The Story of the Weeping Camel	Al Otro Lado Del R'o — The Motorcycle Diaries
Super Size Me	Believe — The Polar Express
Tupac: Resurrection	Learn To Be Lonely — The Phantom of the Opera
Twist of Faith	Look To Your Path (Vois Sur Ton Chemin) — The Chorus
Actor in a leading role	Cinematography
Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda	The Aviator
Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland	House of Flying Daggers
Leonardo DiCaprio, the Aviator	The Passion of the Christ
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby	The Phantom of the Opera
Jamie Foxx, Ray	A Very Long Engagement
Documentary short subject	Short film (animated)
Autism is a World	Birthday Boy
The Children of Leningradsky	Gopher Broke
Hardwood	Guard Dog
Mighty Times: The Children's March	Lorenzo
Sister Rose's Passion	Ryan
Actor in a supporting role	Costume design
Alan Alda, The Aviator	The Aviator
Thomas Haden Church, Sideways	Finding Neverland
Jamie Foxx, Collateral	Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby	Ray
Clive Owen, Closer	Troy
Film editing	Short film (live action)
The Aviator	Everything in this Country Must
Collateral	Little Terrorist
Finding Neverland	7:35 in the Morning
Million Dollar Baby	Two Cars, One Night
ray	Wasp
Actress in a leading role	Directing
Annette Bening, Being Julia	The Aviator
Catalina Sandino Moreno, Maria Full of Grace	Million Dollar Baby
Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake	Ray
Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby	Sideways
Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind	Vera Drake
Foreign-language film	Sound editing
As It Is in Heaven	The Incredibles
The Chorus	The Polar Express
Downfall	Spider-Man 2
The Sea Inside	Sound mixing
Yesterday	The Aviator
Actress in a supporting role	The Incredibles
Cate Blanchett, The Aviator	The Polar Express
Laura Linney, Kinsey	Ray
Virginia Madsen, Sideways	Spider-man 2
Sophie Okonedo, Hotel Rwanda	Writing (adapted screenplay)
Natalie Portman, Closer	Before Sunset
Makeup	Finding Neverland
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events	Million Dollar Baby
The Passion of the Christ	The Motorcycle Diaries
The Sea Inside	Sideways
Animated feature film	Visual effects
The Incredibles	Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Shark Tale	I, Robot
Shrek 2	Spider-Man 2
Music (score)	Writing (original screenplay)
Finding Neverland	The Aviator
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban	Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events	Hotel Rwanda
The Passion of the Christ	The Incredibles
The Village	Vera Drake

Foxx, Cheadle Get Oscar Nods

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

*The inevitable is now official – Jamie Foxx picked up a Best Actor Academy Award nomination early this morning for his star-making turn in “Ray,” and a Best Supporting Actor nod for his role as a distressed cab driver opposite Tom Cruise in “Collateral.”  Don Cheadle also received a Best Actor nomination for his role as Paul Rusesabagina in the harrowing film “Hotel Rwanda,” which marks the fourth time in Oscar history that African American performers have competed against each other in acting categories. Foxx and Cheadle will face fellow Best Actor nominees Johnny Depp of “Finding Neverland,” “Million Dollar Baby’s” Clint Eastwood and Leonardo DiCaprio of “The Aviator,” which led all Oscar nominations with 11. Foxx will compete against “Million Dollar Baby” star Morgan Freeman in the Best Supporting Actor category, as well as Thomas Haden Church from “Sideways,” Golden Globe winner Clive Owen for “Closer” and surprise nominee Alan Alda for “The Aviator.” “Ray” was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director for Taylor Hackford, costume design, sound mixing and film editing, giving the film a total of six nods. In the Best Picture category, “Ray” will face competition from “The Aviator,” “Finding Neverland,” “Million Dollar Baby” and “Sideways.”  “Hotel Rwanda” picked up extra nods in the Supporting Actress category for Sophie Okonedo – mesmerizing in her performance as Rusesabagina’s wife – and Writing (Original Screenplay). “Tupac: Resurrection,” a film chronicling the story of the rapper’s life in his own words, received a nomination in the Documentary Feature category against “Born into Brothels,” “The Story of the Weeping Camel,” “Super Size Me” and “Twist of Faith.”

A wonderful surprise in the Best Actress category is newcomer Catalina Sandino Moreno as a Colombian woman imperilled when she signs on to smuggle heroin in "Maria Full of Grace." She faces Annette Benning (“Being Julia”), Kate Winslet (“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”) and front-runner Imelda Staunton (“Vera Drake”) in the category. Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” received a total of three nods, for Makeup, Music (Score) and Cinematography. Michael Moore's decision to hold his hit film "Fahrenheit 9/11" out of the documentary category — to boost its best-picture prospects — backfired, as the anti-Bush film was shut out across the board. This Oscar go-round is the best year ever for black performers, who have five of the 20 acting nominations. The most previously was three, including the 2001 Oscars when Halle Berry and Denzel Washington both won the lead acting prizes. Before this year’s Foxx vs. Cheadle showdown, African Americans have faced each other in acting categories only three other times: Diana Ross and Cicely Tyson in 1972; Margaret Avery and Oprah Winfrey in 1985; and Will Smith and Denzel Washington in 2002.  ABC will broadcast the Oscars live Feb. 27 from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. Chris Rock is the show's host, the first time since 1996 that either Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg or Steve Martin has not been master of ceremonies.

NFB Shorts Invited To Oscar Party

Source: Canadian Press

(Jan. 25, 2005) Canada is going to the Oscars this year, thanks to a pair of short films co-produced by the National Film Board. Ryan is writer-director Chris Landreth's innovative use of digital animation to look at the career and tragic decline of Ryan Larkin, a brilliant former NFB animator who ended up a panhandler on the streets of Montreal. Landreth was also nominated for an Academy Award in 1996 for his animation short, The End. Hardwood, written and directed by Hubert Davis, was nominated in the documentary short category. Making his directorial debut, Davis, son of former Harlem Globetrotter Mel Davis, uses interviews, archival and home movies to explore his father's relationship with his family. "It is a great honour to be recognized for this film — it was a labour of love for almost four years," said Landreth. "An Oscar nomination is a wonderful validation — it was an incredible experience the first time and I look forward to returning." Ryan has already won more than 30 international awards, from Cannes to Canada. Other Canadian connections to Oscar in 2005 include the Robert Lantos-produced Being Julia, for which Annette Bening nabbed a best actress nod. Also, Paul Haggis of London, Ont., made it into the best-adapted screenplay category for his script for Million Dollar Baby.

Halle Berry Admits Oscar Buzz Dies Away Fast

Source: Associated Press

(Jan. 24, 2005) Los Angeles — Winning the Academy Award doesn't mean you're suddenly bombarded with offers for great movie roles, says Halle Berry. The best thing to happen to her in the week after winning the best actress award was a phone call from Oprah Winfrey, asking her to play a part in Their Eyes Were Watching God. The movie, a Winfrey production, appears on ABC this spring. “The struggle for a woman of colour to find good material is still very present, and it's a struggle I fight every day,” Berry told reporters Sunday. “I think women have a hard time finding good material, in general, be you black, white or sky blue, pink.” Developing her own projects or personally acquiring the movie rights to books she likes is probably the best way to develop these roles. Berry said she has four in the works right now. “I just sort of sift through the other stuff that comes my way and try to make the best out of what comes to me, but it's going to be about making my own reality, really,” she said.

Hollywood Unions Reach 3-Year Deal

Source: Associated Press

(Jan 21, 2005) Los Angeles — Hollywood's two major actors unions announced late Thursday they have agreed to a new contract with film and TV producers worth $200 million (U.S.) over three years. The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists had been immersed in negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers since Dec. 6. The unions have nearly 200,000 members nationwide. Under the agreement, which still needs final approval, actors will get a nine per cent minimum pay raise over three years, increased money for the unions' health and pension plans and greater protections for stunt actors and extras, SAG said in a statement. However, actors did not get a larger share of DVD residuals, which unions representing writers and directors had tried unsuccessfully for in their recent contract negotiations. "I am proud of what we accomplished in this agreement," AFTRA President John Connolly said. "We made gains in nearly every priority area." He described the fight for increased money from DVD sales as "an uphill battle from the start, and the next round would have been a lockout or a strike." There was no immediate comment from the producer’s alliance. The joint board of SAG and AFTRA will consider the agreement Jan. 29, after which the contract must be approved by union members. That vote has not been scheduled.

NAACP Drops Seven Nods On ‘Ray’

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan. 20, 2005) *Darn near the whole cast of Universal’s biopic ‘Ray’ received a nomination from the NAACP Image Awards on Wednesday, including Jamie Foxx for best actor, supporting nods for C.J. Sanders, Clifton Powell, Regina King and Sharon Warren, and the film itself for best motion picture. Other best movie nominees include another Foxx picture, "Collateral," along with "Fahrenheit 9/11," "Hotel Rwanda" and "Man on Fire." Usher led the music category five nominations, including best male artist, best song ("Yeah") and best album ("Confessions"). UPN received the most television nods with 14, including best drama for "Kevin Hill," and best actor for its star Taye Diggs. More than 1,200 nominations were received, which the NAACP said was a record. Winners are determined by a vote of NAACP members.   The Image Awards ceremony will be held March 19 in Los Angeles, and is scheduled for a March 25 broadcast on Fox.

Latifah Cast Opposite Emma Thompson

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan. 25, 2005) *How’s this for an unlikely trio – British thespian Emma Thompson, American goof Will Ferrell and hip hop royalty Queen Latifah. All three will star in "Stranger Than Fiction," director Marc Forster's follow-up to "Finding Neverland." Ferrell plays an obsessive/compulsive IRS auditor who begins to hear a voice that turns out to be an author who is writing a novel in which Ferrell is the ill-fated protagonist, says the “Hollywood Reporter.” The auditor heeds the narrator's advice and turns his life around. Thompson is in final talks to play the author hampered with writer's block, while Latifah would play a book-company employee whose job is to unblock writers.    Maggie Gyllenhaal, star of the current Sundance opener "Happy Endings," just signed on to play Ferrell's unlikely love interest, a baker with anarchist leanings. Production is slated to begin in April.

Wayans Target Kids With ‘Thugaboo’

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan. 25, 2005) *Shawn, Marlon and Keenen Ivory Wayans on Monday announced plans to launch a children's lifestyle property Thugaboo, a character-based entity that follows the goings on of nine very different kids growing up in the inner city. Through a series of misadventures these children learn valuable lessons: everything from the importance of friendship to never giving up on one's dreams.    "We were inspired by some of our favourite cartoons as kids, like 'Charlie Brown' and 'Fat Albert', and wanted to bring something special to a new generation," says Shawn of the material, drawn from the family’s own childhood.    Marlon adds: “We identify with youth culture and strive to tap into their funny bone by creating characters they can relate to while entertaining their parents at the same time."   The Wayans will support the property by producing, writing and lending their voices to a direct-to-video series that is already underway. In addition, they have signed on Playmates for master toy, The Betesh Group for softlines, and Scholastic for publishing. Product will follow the launch of the video series, targeted for Christmas 2005.

John Singleton: Sundance Super Sale

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - By Mr. Jawn Murray

(Jan. 25, 2005) There’s big news for film producer John Singleton of Boyz n the Hood and 2 Fast 2 Furious fame.  Singleton made a groundbreaking deal to sell his independent film, Hustle & Flow, to Paramount Pictures at the film festival Sundance.  Singleton’s film was sold to Paramount for a whopping $9 million. The deal Singleton struck is a lot better than it looks too.  Paramount, who will distribute the film through its MTV Films, paid specifically $9 million to acquire Hustle & Flow and another $7 million for Singleton to develop two other movies at the studio.  Coincidentally, Singleton is also shooting the film Four Brothers, starring Mark Walhberg, Andre 3000, Tyrese and Garrett Hedlund, for Paramount as well. I caught up with Singleton yesterday who, in typical fashion, was pretty modest about the deal.  “I’m just trying to keep it real,” he said.  Singleton has always believed in Hustle & Flow even when none of the studios would touch it.  The award-winning Singleton took his own money to help fund the project, which was directed by newcomer Craig Brewer. One of the things that had Singleton so psyched about the project, when I visited the set in Memphis, Tenn. last summer, was the fact it was actor Terrence Howard’s first leading role.  Howard has co-starred in more than 30 films, including The Best Man, Ray and Big Mama’s House, but has never starred in his own movie.  Singleton always said that this would be the film that would make Hollywood take notice of Howard. Hustle & Flow’s cast also includes Elise Neal, Anthony Anderson, Taraji P. Henson, Ludacris, Taryn Manning, DJ Qualls and Isaac Hayes. Let’s hope Vivica A. Fox’s The Salon has similar success when it’s screened at Sundance.  I’ll keep you posted on that one.

Spike Lee, Samuel l. On ‘Best Oscar Losers’ Poll

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan. 25, 2005) *Spike Lee ranked seventh in a poll of the best filmmakers never to have received an Academy Award.  British movie viewers were polled for the survey, which placed Alfred Hitchcock at No. 1, followed by Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott, Tim Burton and Ingmar Bergman in two through six respectively.  Samuel L. Jackson, who received an Oscar nomination for 1994's "Pulp Fiction," edged out Steve McQueen for the best actor never to win an Oscar. Richard Burton was third, followed by Tom Cruise (4), Brad Pitt (5), Bruce Willis (6), John Travolta (7), Cary Grant (8), Hugh Grant (9) and Kirk Douglas (10). 

Cheadle, Foxx Win IPA Awards: Regina King Finally Gets A Win, Too

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan. 26, 2005) *Before the Oscar accolades were announced Tuesday for “Ray” and “Hotel Rwanda,” the films picked up several awards at the International Press Academy Awards dinner held at the Beverly Hills Hotel. "Hotel Rwanda" won best drama, star Don Cheadle won best dramatic actor and Wyclef Jean won for best original song, "Million Voices," in the film about a hotel worker’s effort to shelter refugees during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Jamie Foxx won best actor in a comedy or musical for "Ray," as well as best actor in a mini-series or movie made for TV for FX's "Redemption: The Story of Stan Tookie Williams." Regina King, who played the fiery singer Margie Hendrix in the Ray Charles biopic, won best supporting actress, while the film won best original screenplay. “Ray” director Taylor Hackford lost in the directing category to Mel Gibson for “The Passion of the Christ.” The category also included Martin Scorsese for "The Aviator," Alexander Payne for "Sideways," Joshua Marston for "Maria Full of Grace" and Bill Condon for "Kinsey." The awards were handed out by the 200-member international group of film reviewers, who also honoured Jerry Lewis and Susan Sarandon at the black-tie dinner.

::TV NEWS::

We Remember Lamont Bentley: ‘Moesha’ Star Killed In Car Accident

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan. 20, 2005) *Milwaukee radio station V-100 reported late Wednesday that actor Lamont Bentley, who starred on UPN’s long-running show “Moesha,” has died in a car accident in Los Angeles.  He was 31. Bentley died Tuesday night when his vehicle plunged off the San Diego Freeway. He was returning from a screening for an independent short film entitled "Shards" when he was killed. The Milwaukee native starred as Hakeem Campbell, the best friend and always-ready-for-a-meal neighbour of Moesha Mitchell in the UPN series.     Bentley moved to Los Angeles with his mom, who was an aspiring singer.  He was bitten by the acting bug after realizing he could make people laugh during his mother’s auditions.    Bentley's television credits include a role in the acclaimed series "South Central," as well as guest starring roles in such projects as "The Sentinel;" "Courthouse;" "Family Matters"; "The Client"; "What About Your Friends"; "Equal Justice"; and "Reasonable Doubts." Bentley has a day named in his honour in Milwaukee. He was also commissioned as an Ambassador of Good Will by the Governor of Arkansas, was awarded the Watts Community Image award for being a role model in Los Angeles and was named among the Top Twenty Sexiest Black Men by “Sisters in Style” magazine.

Johnny Carson, TV’s King Of Late-Night Comedy, Dies At 79

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Richard Ouzounian, Entertainment Reporter

(Jan. 24, 2005) Johnny Carson may never have played Toronto, but the people of this city welcomed him into their homes for 30 years. The long-time host of The Tonight Show died of emphysema yesterday morning in his Malibu home at the age of 79. "This is the end of an era," said comic Joan Rivers, who credited her 1965 appearance on Carson's show with launching her career. "If you had his blessing, the whole world knew you were funny." From 1962 through 1992, he held late-night North American television audiences enthralled. Many challengers tried to unseat the king from his throne, but no one even came close. Yesterday in Los Angeles, Oprah Winfrey shared her feelings with Toronto Star TV columnist Rob Salem. "He was one of the greats. He defined the original talk show. And being (a guest) on his show defined, `You've made it.' There is not a person who has watched him over the years — let alone those of us who had the privilege of sitting next to him — who doesn't appreciate what an enormous loss this is." On the surface, the show looked deceptively simple. After a peppy, showbizzy theme song (written by Ottawa-born Paul Anka), Carson's long-time sidekick, Ed McMahon, would swoop into his famous introduction, "Heeeeeere's Johnny!" Then, a slight, dapper man with a perpetually bemused look on his face would slip through the multi-coloured curtains, bow with mock solemnity and start his nightly monologue. After that, he'd retreat to his desk, only to emerge if he was doing one of the sketches of "The Mighty Carson Art Players," or playing one of his unique comic creations, such as Carnac the Magnificent. But most of the time, he would sit, walled in as safely as any medieval monarch in his fortress, granting audiences to the great, the near-great and the just plain crazy in his never-ending quest to amuse us. The ukulele-strumming Tiny Tim married Miss Vicki on Carson's show to record audiences in 1969, while the saxophone-playing Bill Clinton watched his popularity soar during the 1992 election after he showed up to play "Summertime." From Don Rickles to Carl Sagan, from Robert Blake to Margaret Mead, Carson welcomed them all.

On the surface, he was always scrupulously polite — the well-bred Midwestern boy — but he could let his millions of friends watching at home know what he really thought of a guest by just raising one eyebrow as he glanced at the camera. Critic Kenneth Tynan commented on that ironic edge in a 1978 New Yorker profile of Carson. "He prevents us from being bored by making his own boredom funny — a daring feat of comic one-upmanship ... He is a grand master of the one show business art that leads nowhere. He has painted himself not into a corner but on to the top of a mountain." Carson was to remain king of that particular mountain for three decades, but the journey that took him there began 47 years earlier on the flat American prairie. He was born John William Carson in Corning, Iowa, on Oct. 23, 1925. His father, Homer, was a lineman for the Iowa-Nebraska Light and Power Company and during the first years of Carson's life, the family moved constantly. When he was eight, they settled in Norfolk, Neb. The family was quiet and reserved, qualities Carson maintained even as he surrounded himself with flamboyant personalities later in his career. By all accounts, the life-changing event in Carson's youth occurred when he was 12 and borrowed a friend's copy of Hoffman's Book of Magic. "Don't ask me why," he was to say on the air years later, "but I immediately decided that's what I had to do." He sent away for a Junior Magician's Kit, practised endlessly, tried his act out on his mother's bridge club and finally made his professional debut at the age of 14. He called himself "The Great Carsoni" and earned $3. Carson served as a navy ensign during World War II. After being discharged in 1946, he majored in English at the University of Nebraska and continued to work as a magician. He hired an assistant, Jody Wolcott. He married her in 1948 and before they divorced in 1963, they had three sons: Chris, Ricky and Cory. (Ricky was killed in a car accident in 1991.) After working in radio, Carson soon talked his way into a weekly comedy show called Carson's Cellar. It became a cult favourite with comics such as Fred Allen, Jack Benny and Red Skelton, who finally asked Carson to become one of his writers.

But Los Angeles didn't seem to know what to do with Carson and so he went to New York, doing guest shots for Jack Paar on The Tonight Show and finally landing the host's job in 1957 on the ABC daytime series Who Do You Trust? For the next five years, Carson and McMahon became known for fast and funny repartee. When Jack Paar finally decided to stop hosting The Tonight Show, NBC turned to Carson. He made his debut on Oct. 1, 1962, and his first guest was comedy legend Groucho Marx. At the height of the show's fame, Carson had 15 million viewers nightly, generated 17 per cent of NBC's profit and was the single most lucrative show in the network's history. The format survived a move to the west coast in 1972, Carson's frequent guest hosts and vacations and a gradually shrinking amount of time spent on the air. Freddie de Cordova was Carson's producer for 20 years. The Star's Jim Bawden interviewed de Cordova in 1983 and recalls him describing Carson's particular genius as being able to look "right past the TV camera and talk to you at home to create a special identification ... that requires a special genius." Bawden also opened the door to Carson's dark side by revealing that the star fired his long-time friend and colleague de Cordova in 1992. "He finally clashed with Carson when he gave the `time is up' finger while Carson was eulogizing his dead son on camera. Carson stormed off in a fury and the reign of Freddie de Cordova was over." Indeed, although Carson seemed to be all tranquility on the surface, underneath it was far from the case. His long-time agent Irving Lazar characterized him as "a mixture of extreme ego and extreme cowardice." He also described Carson in the years before he went on the wagon in the 1970s as "a blackout drunk ... he could get very hostile."

Carson's romantic life was also less than idyllic. He was married four times (Wolcott, Joanne Copeland, Joanna Holland and Alexis Maas) and divorced three. When Carson finally decided to leave The Tonight Show in 1992, it triggered a bitter battle to succeed him between Jay Leno and David Letterman. Leno finally won and has been Carson's replacement since, but it was Letterman who offered a gracious comment on the star's passing yesterday: "All of us who came after are pretenders. We will not see the likes of him again ... He was the best, a star and a gentleman." But to give Carson the last word, here's the way he ended his final broadcast on May 22, 1992: "I am one of the lucky people in the world. I have found something I liked to do, and I have enjoyed every single minute of it. I bid you a very heartfelt goodnight."

Lindo, Glover Star In ‘The Exonerated’

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan. 26, 2005) *Being blamed for something you didn’t do is one thing. Being sentenced to death for a crime you didn’t commit is quite another.  The true stories of six innocent people who spent years on death row before being set free are recounted by a star-studded cast in the Court TV original film “The Exonerated,” an adaptation of the award-winning off-Broadway play premiering tomorrow at 9 p.m. Danny Glover plays David Keaton, a man who finds himself on death row at 18 after being intimidated into confessing to a murder he didn’t commit. Released after nearly nine years, David is still having trouble readjusting to life on the outside. Delroy Lindo stars as Delbert Tibbs, a former seminary student and poet convicted of rape and murder on virtually no evidence.  His fate was decided by an all-white jury. Directed by actor Bob Balaban, (“Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind”) the film uses documentary material, including interviews, letters, transcripts, case files and the public record, to expose the fallibility of the American criminal justice system without commenting directly on the imperfection of death row sentences. “The stories of these individuals speak extremely eloquently just to that point, so I don’t think the film has to say that, per se, because quite simply the content of the words and the stories of these individuals say that far more eloquently and it doesn’t proselytize,” says Lindo. “It just is what it is and that’s far more eloquent than any kind of waving a banner saying abolish the death penalty.”  

Newcomer David Brown, Jr. plays Robert, an African-American horse groomer who is convicted of the rape and murder of a white woman.  In the film, he and his wife combine humour and skepticism as they relate how he spent years in prison before evidence – a lock of light-coloured hair found in the victim’s hand – pointed to another suspect. Susan Sarandon stars in the film as Sunny Jacobs, a young mother who spent 16 years on death row along with her husband after they were falsely accused of shooting a police officer. But by the time evidence came to light of their innocence, Jacobs’ husband had already been brutally executed with a malfunctioning electric chair, much like the execution depicted in the movie “The Green Mile.” These stories, as well as the ordeals of three other exonerated death row inmates played by Brian Dennehy and Aidan Quinn, have underscored the actors’ own stance against capital punishment.  “It is something that I think, like abortion, very often people have a very instantaneous gut feeling in their system of how the world works and what they feel for it,” says Sarandon. “But when you start to see the specifics of it, and that’s why this show is important, when you start to hear stories that are specific about what’s actually happening, you understand that it is arbitrary and capricious and it isn’t able to be applied in a just fashion.” 

UPN Announces New TLC Reality Series

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com - By Tanya Kersey

(Jan. 25, 2005) Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas and Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins, the  two remaining members of TLC, one of the biggest-selling female groups of all  time, have decided that they need to start the next phase of their career and  what better way to do that than a nationwide search to find a female performer  to join them in concert and in the studio to record a track for TLC’s  “Greatest Hits” album.  Dawn Ostroff, President, Entertainment for UPN  announced the new reality series, “R U The Girl with T-Boz & Chili,” today  during the TV critics winter press tour. Following the tragic  death of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes in April 2002 in a car accident in Honduras,  T-Boz and Chilli said TLC would never be the same and Lopes would never be  replaced.   Ostroff says the duo had been in a “holding pattern for  several years” but are now ready to move forward and go on with the next phase  of their career.  “I think this is going to be a very emotional show.   This is a very personal journey for these girls,” Ostroff  added. Amidst reports that T-Boz and Chilli were looking for a  replacement for Lopes, Ostroff says “I think they’re really looking for that  person to help them go on and figure out what they are reinvesting.   There’s no guarantee that the person that they find will be the person  forever, but I think that their intention is that this could be somebody who  really could work with them for a long time.  But there are no  guarantees.”  The winner of the competition gets to join T-Boz and Chili  in an upcoming concert and record with them in the studio. For  eight weeks, UPN will be there as T-Boz and Chilli put the aspiring performers  through a rigorous series of challenges where they will be testing, judging  and eliminating the potential artists to find the one who might just be the  perfect fit. Open casting calls for “R U The Girl With T-Boz  & Chilli” will be held in Los Angeles (Jan 29), New York (Feb 5), Chicago  (Feb 8), Dallas (Feb 12), Washington DC (Feb 15), Atlanta (Feb 19) and Miami  (Feb 26).  Visit www.upn.com for audition  information. Tanya Kersey is a regular contributor to EUR.   She can be reached at tanya@tanyakersey.com.

Oprah headed for ‘Image Award’ Hall of Fame

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan. 20, 2005) *Meanwhile, Oprah Winfrey has been chosen for induction into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame, an honour given to an individual who is a pioneer in their field and whose influence will shape the profession for generations to come.    “We cannot fully express what an honour it is that she is joining us so we can celebrate her remarkable life and accomplishments,” said Image Awards chairperson, Clayola Brown. Julian Bond, Chairman, National NAACP Board of Directors, added: “Oprah Winfrey has set the standard for achievement - as a television icon, actress, producer, broadcast pioneer and successful entrepreneur - she is the model for others. We are proud to salute her.”

Oprah’s ‘Berkus’ Episode Biggest Of Season

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan 15, 2005) *Over 15 million people tuned in to watch home-makeover king Nate Berkus give his emotional first-hand account of the tsunami tragedy on Monday’s “Oprah Winfrey Show,” giving the host her biggest audience of the season. The Chicago-based interior designer, who has been a regular on the talk show, was vacationing with his partner, photographer Fernando Bengoechea, at a Sri Lankan resort when the tsunami struck. Bengoechea is still missing and presumed dead. This particular show had been anticipated almost from the moment it was announced that one of Winfrey’s producers was dispatched to Sri Lanka within about a week of the disaster to gather footage.

Haysbert Back On ‘24’

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan. 20, 2005) *President David Palmer may have decided not to seek re-election on the real-time Fox thriller “24,” but he’ll be back for the show’s last six episodes this season, the network announced Tuesday. For the last three seasons, Dennis Haysbert has starred opposite Kiefer Sutherland as the soft-spoken senator-turned-president, and will now be worked into this season’s terrorist storyline. Haysbert has also been cast in Sam Mendes' upcoming U.S. Marines feature "Jarhead" for Universal Pictures. He will next be seen in ABC's limited series "Empire."

Tyra Talk Show Set For Fall Debut

Excerpt from www.eurweb.com

(Jan. 26, 2005) *Tyra Banks walks the catwalk from prime time television to daytime with the forthcoming fall launch of her new program, “The Tyra Banks Show.” Its syndicator, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, announced Tuesday that the talker will debut on 19 Fox-owned TV stations in such major markets as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Dallas and Washington.   "Tyra will give a fresh voice to daytime TV for a new generation of women," he told reporters at a news conference. "This is a targeted long-term play for us." While there will be famous guests, Banks said, "I don't want it to be extremely celebrity heavy. I want the focus to be on real issues affecting women today."     The addition of the Fox stations to such previously announced markets as Denver and San Diego means the series is cleared in more than 70% of the country. Banks’ UPN series “America’s Next Top Model” premieres its fourth season – or cycle as producers like to call it – in March.

::THEATRE NEWS::

CanStage Banks On Jackie Again

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Richard Ouzounian, Entertainment Reporter

(Jan. 24, 2005) Those party-loving folks down at CanStage are planning on misbehavin' for 12 non-stop weeks. The final production of this current subscription season, the Fats Waller tribute musical Ain't Misbehavin' hasn't even opened yet, but artistic producer Martin Bragg is expected to announce today that will run the show a minimum of three months — from March 31 through June 25. There are two people giving him the confidence (and ability) to make such a bold move. The first is Jackie Richardson, who will be starring in the show. She's undoubtedly one of the most beloved and popular performers in this city and her last CanStage appearance in Cookin' at the Cookery was one of the theatre's all-time hits. The second presence to reckon with is Aubrey Dan of Dancap Private Equity, Inc. He made his theatrical producing debut with last summer's CanStage production of Urinetown and, even though the musical didn't play to the packed houses everyone hoped for, it still made it through to Labour Day, while other shows were folding around it. It's no wonder that with these two on board and the toe-tapping, soul-stirring music of Fats Waller to stoke the engine, Bragg is willing to bet his company will go the distance. Get ready for the walls of the Bluma Appel Theatre to start pulsating with the sheer joy of it all on March 31.

Invading Blue Men Give T.O. A Taste

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Richard Ouzounian, Theatre Critic

(Jan. 20, 2005) Blue is the new gold. That's the message Clear Channel Theatrical Entertainment was sending out yesterday at a media event to announce the imminent arrival in Toronto of that phenomenon known as the Blue Man Group. The certifiably demented happening, in which three blue-faced performers create their own unique brand of theatrical havoc, now generates annual revenues in excess of $125 million (Canadian) and has been running since 1991. It's currently on view in five cities around the world. Starting this summer, you can add Toronto this list. "We always wanted to play here," Matt Goldman, one of the original Blue Men said yesterday. "We just had to wait until the time was right." Goldman, together with his co-creators Phil Stanton and Chris Wink, actually checked out the New Yorker Theatre on Yonge St. in the mid 1990s, during the successful run of Forever Plaid. "We thought, `Man, this is the place!' It had the right neighbourhood, the right vibe, everything." What it didn't have was the right technical requirements to house a show that is seemingly simple but incredibly complex. The Blue Man Group needed a refurbished theatre and now Clear Channel is forking out a reported $15 million to make it happen. As previously reported, Panasonic is coming up with a multi-million-dollar sponsorship deal to have its name on the renovated facility and all systems are go for an opening early in June. Goldman, Stanton and Wink were street performers (shades of Cirque du Soleil) who developed their "search for a community through art," in Stanton's words, in places as bizarre as the sidewalk outside of Manhattan's once-grand Copacabana nightclub. In 1991, they set up shop at the seedy Astor Place Theatre on the Lower East Side. The critics raved, the crowds came and the show has been running ever since. Boston followed in 1995, Chicago in 1997, Las Vegas in 2000 and Berlin in 2004. It's still playing to packed houses in those locations. No wonder everyone involved is bullish that this will be the vehicle with broad enough appeal to turn around the perception that tourist audiences have abandoned Toronto since the SARS epidemic of 2003. In Wink's words, "We'd like to think that some indie-techno-pop-musician would take his 7-year-old niece to see us and bring along his grandparents as well." The 15-minute excerpt of Blue Man magic that was offered to the press had all the usual ingredients: flashing lights, splashing paint, a four-piece day-glo band and the Blue Men themselves — fierce, loveable, inquisitive pieces of human dada. At yesterday's session, they were played by Michael Dahlen, Randall James and Milton's Matthew Banks. The roles in the Toronto production have not been cast, but a group of more than 100 protesters showed up outside the Phoenix for an "informational picket" on behalf of Canadian Actors' Equity, protesting the fact that Blue Man Group is not a signatory to any union. The two sides are meeting this Friday to try and work things out, but as a token of good faith, the Clear Channel organization sent out coffee to warm the demonstrators shivering in the sub-zero temperatures. Obviously, no one wanted the cold to lead to some other kind of Blue Men.

She'll Cross-Dress Across The Border

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Robert Crew And Richard Ouzounian, Theatre Critics

(Jan. 25, 2005) Canadian Kelli Fox will play the title role in Hamlet at the Geva Theatre Center, Rochester, this spring. Fox, a leading actress at the Shaw Festival for nine seasons and sister of Michael J. Fox, is the latest in a long line of distinguished actresses from Sarah Bernhardt to Fiona Shaw to try the role of the Danish Prince. "Though it was not my original intention to cast a woman as the young prince, I never thought twice about it after Kelli agreed to consider the role," said director Mark Cuddy. "She is simply the best actor for Hamlet at this time." Fox said that Cuddy approached her this summer immediately after seeing her critically acclaimed performance in Rutherford and Son to offer her the part. "I prefer to think of myself as an actor playing a role," said Fox, "and not a woman playing a man. The character is a mass of contradictions, which is how most of us feel, walking around in our lives." The production runs from April 6 to May 15 at the Geva, the most attended regional theatre in the state of New York.

::SPORTS NEWS::

Eric Williams: 'Through misery comes wisdom...'

Excerpt from The Toronto Star - Jennifer Quinn, Sports Reporter

(Jan. 23, 2005) Where does it start? Does Eric Williams' story begin on the 10th floor of the Hayes Home projects, a 7-year-old off to school as the Newark Police took away his big brother on a murder charge? Is he the product of those pretty girls who taunted him as he walked the school hallways, mocking his crooked teeth, his big hands? Was his life changed when he picked up a basketball for the first time as a gangly, 6-foot-6 teen? Or did he become the man he is when he sat his son down to tell the child his mother had been shot to death? "You are what your experiences are," Williams, 32, says back in Toronto. "I understand that. I used to read the scriptures, and the prophets would say that through misery comes wisdom. And I've had my share." Newark's projects can provide all the misery one person needs, but Williams got more. Today, 17th and Boyd Streets is a modern townhouse complex with brightly painted doors and the scent of suburbia. But when Williams lived on that corner, two looming 12-storey brick towers were the homes of people who woke up every day a step behind the rest of America. "It was the 'hood," says Newark police officer Tyrone Singletary, who grew up a few floors below Williams and his family at 88 Boyd St. "You couldn't be a softie. You had to earn your spot. "You knew each other's family. You knew whose brother that was, whose son that was. It was pretty tight, but if you crossed the line, you'd get your head handed to you." Cops working the police station less than 50 metres from the projects didn't venture in alone. Those new townhouses look nice, but even now they're surrounded by blocks of public housing with protective shutters over the windows. Look for an inner-city stereotype and there's not much need to move your feet. Faces peep out of buildings scheduled for demolition. Young men hold down the corners. Liquor stores do a brisk business well before noon. Williams didn't have a whole lot of advantages to begin with. He had "crooked, cranked up" teeth, and that made him self-conscious and shy. A birth defect left his ears clogged, so he couldn't hear very well and as a result his speech was garbled. His dad wasn't around a whole lot; his mom worked two jobs to keep the family going; his brother was incarcerated because of that murder rap.

So Williams turned to the streets. He rarely ventured outside the family's apartment — made cozy by his mother's hands; Patricia Williams sewed the curtains, did her own upholstery — until he was 10 or so. Once he did get outside, he embraced the lifestyle. "I used to get positive reinforcement from my friends around the projects, and a lot of the time it was a lot of negative stuff," he says. "I was getting positive reinforcement from the negative things I did." There was good in the 'hood, but you had to know where to look. Williams found a niche in baseball, his affection for the game growing because it was played in an environment entirely unlike his neighbourhood. "I like the sand, the outdoors. The smell of the grass," Williams says. "At home, everything was concrete. Baseball was so open. And it was an individual sport. I was really quiet, so therefore the individuality of that sport allowed me to stay to myself." But the worst part of baseball was getting to the field — buses and subways meant he'd often get back to Boyd St. late at night, hours after the game had ended — and the fact that he had to clomp through Newark's toughest streets in stirrups and cleats. "No one was making fun of me or making jokes about it, but I was standing out," Williams says. "I was wearing tights, a baseball uniform, and that was just not cool in the 'hood. Basketball and football, they were something. But baseball? I was the only one who played." So he gave it up during his sophomore year in high school, despite pleading from his coach and a letter inviting him to the San Diego Padres' double-A training camp. What did he want with spring training? He'd never been much out of Jersey, so Arizona was a non-starter. Then the pain in his legs started. Doctors reassured Patricia Williams that they were only growing pains, but they were agony and they kept her son inside all summer. By the time Williams was finally able to leave the family's apartment and go to Malcolm X Shabazz High School for his junior year, he was suddenly a 6-foot-6 man who towered over his classmates. People he hadn't seen over the summer didn't recognize him. But Lou Grimsley, the head basketball coach at the school, did. He recognized a physique built to play ball. During his first year in the game, Williams was all-state, an accomplishment in cut-throat New Jersey basketball. Grimsley got a state champions banner to hang on the gym wall, and, when he turns on the television and sees Williams playing in the NBA, a reminder that he's a damn fine coach.

"He still does the same things I taught him," Grimsley says, arms outstretched, playing defence against an imaginary opponent. "Off-the-ball help. He's still pointing his guns — one eye on the ball, the other on your man." "I didn't know what basketball was all about," Williams smiles, recalling the lessons he learned in Shabazz's cozy gym. "I didn't know where the three-point line was, what the paint was. I was totally resistant to basketball." And if he didn't know the rules of the game, how in the world would he know about things like college scholarships or free rides? So after he enrolled in a local junior college, he took his financial aid and, as he said, "applied it to the streets." "I always knew I had a good heart. I always knew I was good at heart and I wasn't in it for the long haul. It was my environment. It was around, and it was an easy way to make some money. I could stand on the corner and make $500 whether I was working it or not, you know what I'm saying?" Williams and some friends set up business in a Newark home, and one summer day, it was raided by police who were looking for drugs. Luckily, Williams wasn't there. "They got locked up," Williams said of his friends. "I was ... home just doing the street thing, trying to make money, as much as I possibly could, not doing anything that was going to be hazardous to someone else — killing someone, or robbing someone — it was just, I just did it because we needed the cash." Dwayne Williams, the older brother who spent his formative years in jail on that accessory to murder charge, is now 39 years old and has been out of prison for longer than he was in. The author of six books, he's now the spiritual centre of the family, but back then he saw his younger brother only on weekend visits, and remembers hearing about the police raid. "When he told me how close it was — he had just left. Just left!" Dwayne Williams recalls. "Once he saw how close it was, that moment was the point his life changed."

Eric Williams still tells the story, more than 14 years later, with an incredulous shake of his head. He still doesn't believe it. He's convinced divine intervention played a role, and maybe he's right. So this is how it went: The day after his friends got thrown in jail, a shaken Williams played in a pro-am basketball tournament. His team from the 'hood beat a bunch of pros, including former Knick Anthony Mason and Anthony Avent, an NBA journeyman and another Shabazz graduate. After the game, Avent pulled Williams aside and asked what he was doing with his life; Williams' answer — not much — did not impress the pro. He said he'd make a few calls. Yeah, right, Williams thought, expecting nothing. There are all kinds of empty promises rattling around that neighbourhood, but in the afternoon, the telephone rang at the family home. "I went back home and my mom had just got off the phone," he recalled. Patricia Williams had spoken with the coach of Vincennes University, a two-year college out in Indiana. He told her he might have a scholarship for her son, a kid the coach had never seen but whom Avent thought had something. Indiana. Williams was scared. Indiana was as foreign to him as India. Patricia Williams wanted him to go; his long-time girlfriend, Rayshon Holmes, did, too. And helping him make up his mind was the worry that the next knock on the door would be the police. Williams was frightened. But he also had gifts — those big hands, that lanky frame, his good heart — that might help him get out of Newark before Newark got him. "A lot of the time, that's our way out, through athletics," Grimsley says. "That's how we get our scholarships. That's how I got mine. And that's how Eric got his." "I'd never been to Indiana, never been out of New Jersey by myself," Williams says. "I went from the concrete jungle to everyone just being nice. At home, everyone was uptight, you know? There's a chip on your shoulder you must have so you don't feel like you're weak. And it took me a while to make the adjustment. "I was really happy to be away from Newark, because of the situation that I was in," Williams adds. But Indiana took some getting used to. "It was a culture shock. Everyone was friendly. I mean, everyone was friendly. And the only contact I'd had with white people was with the police. I can remember when I used to go to downtown Newark. I would rarely make eye contact. It was non-existent. And then to be put in a situation where everyone was friendly and smiling?" He stayed at Vincennes for two years straight, except for one trip home to Newark for a week. It was in Indiana that Williams was able to relax, to put his guard down. He played ball and went to class, and he started smiling back. When he was done at Vincennes, he had NCAA eligibility left. Williams wanted to get back to the Big East, one of basketball's most competitive conferences, but there was still a shy kid with bad teeth trying to fly under the radar. He wanted to go somewhere he could just play, but his mom wanted him to go somewhere he'd get a degree.

Providence College was the school they decided on. Its location meant that Holmes was able to go to Rhode Island to visit her sweetheart, and it was while Williams was in college there that their son, Raquiesh, was conceived. With Williams in uniform on a strong team, Providence went to the Big East championship game for the first time, and they won it. Flying under the radar got hard. Williams was being mentioned as a possible NBA lottery draft pick, and when Larry Bird walked by him at a pre-draft workout, he said, "I've got my eye on you." But it was other people that Williams, now his family's first college graduate, was worried about. Those guys from the house in Newark were on trial now, and Williams remained concerned about the law showing up to take him away in handcuffs. So he skipped the NBA draft and the chance to stand on stage in Toronto — this was 1995, the year the event was held at SkyDome — with David Stern. On draft night he was at his mom's home in Newark with Holmes and their son. "My name got called. Fourteenth pick for the Celtics, and the first time the doorbell rang, I was nervous," Williams said. "But it was just my friends. I stayed in the house the whole night, didn't go out to celebrate, and then the Celtics called me. That's when I knew it was happening." The fact Boston chose Williams was great. But it hurt, too. Williams' best friend, Shawn Jones, was the only guy in the 'hood who had been a Celtics fan. In Newark, you cheered for Philly, because of Dr. J., or you put on the purple and gold of the Lakers to honour Magic Johnson. You didn't care about Bird and Kevin McHale. But Jones was down with Boston. "He was the only one who was a Celtics fan," Williams says. "And then right before I got drafted, he got murdered. Being the good Samaritan. Just trying to break up a fight. So he got murdered, and then that summer I get drafted by the Celtics." Williams moved to Boston and it was there, as an NBA player, that his life took another turn. He and Holmes had been growing apart, and it was during his first years as a Celtic that they finally broke up. They stayed friends, though, the way they'd always been, and they were permanently joined because of their love for their son, who everyone called Lil' E. Williams was making his name as a reliable player, someone who brought maturity to the locker room and defence to the floor. He moved around a bit — from Boston to the Denver Nuggets and then back to Boston — and was happily making a life for himself and his family. Patricia Williams is now out of Newark and living in Toms River, a pretty Jersey shore town. Dwayne Williams is writing and doing community work, and looking after some of his brother's interests in Newark. The family is "blessed," Dwayne Williams says, despite all they've been through.

In the summer of 2003, Lil' E was 8, and had gone to Boston to stay with his dad, now an NBA veteran. Holmes, a college graduate herself, was still living in New Jersey. But that August, with her son away, she had turned her attention to helping a friend in trouble. Holmes and her friend, a woman named Shani Baraka, had gone to Baraka's sister's house to get some clothes. Baraka's sister and her husband were breaking up, the man had become violent, and the woman was frightened. But her friend's sister needed some of her things, and because Holmes had a truck, she offered to help. That night at the house, Baraka's sister's estranged husband came across the two women. After the confrontation, they were dead — and Williams had to explain to Lil' E what happened to his mother. "I never thought I'd have to tell him when he's 8 years old that his mother had passed," Williams says. "I don't even have the words to say it right now. I can't explain it. I've never had that experience, so I'm learning about it from him. Every day, I'm learning from him, because if he can move on from that, then there's nothing that will stop him." Williams was suddenly a full-time dad. It wasn't just the summers and vacations anymore. He thought about quitting the NBA to be there full-time for Lil' E, but eventually decided instead to take a job with the New Jersey Nets. He turned down some money, he says, from the Cleveland Cavaliers — to whom he'd been traded in December 2003, just after he got Lil' E settled in school in Boston — so he could be close to his family in Jersey. Good plan. It all went awry when Raptors general manager Rob Babcock decided Williams would be the centrepiece of a deal that expelled Vince Carter from Toronto. Williams could have retired. He doesn't need the money. But he decided to be professional about the situation, and packed up and came to Toronto, where he smiled for the media and lived for more than a month in a hotel room. "It was tough. I know my business. It's a snaky business. It's big business, and when big business is involved, a situation is going to happen," Williams says. "Toronto is cool, you know what I mean? It's just the off-the-court stuff that's hard." Dwayne Williams doesn't disagree with that. He thinks, though, that his brother might be in a better place, despite the fact that Lil' E is living with Patricia Williams and that father misses son terribly. "This has given him time to think," Dwayne, pensive in his Newark office, says. "He's been through a lot, with a lot of people that were very close to him.

"He's better off in Toronto. Trust me. If he wasn't, it never would have happened."

::OTHER NEWS::

Crazy In Love

Source: www.Essence.com

In Hollywood, marriages can fizzle fast, but Will and Jada Pinkett Smith have stayed strong for seven years. Here’s how they keep their family grounded and their relationship fresh. On a rainy Los Angeles evening, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith stroll into a cozy, out-of-the-way Italian restaurant. They laugh together about having been asked to pay the parking valet—when Will, in fact, parked their big black SUV himself. The chuckles between the couple are good-natured, and though Will is more than a foot taller than his wife—even in her buttery high-heeled boots—the pair look and move like team-mates who’ve been winning together for a long time. Will and Jada do have an argument, though, Abbott and Costello–style, right at one of Ca’ Del Sole’s most secluded tables. The sudden little debate is all about when exactly their first kiss happened. Will, in a joking way, starts it by stating a vague time and place. Jada says, “Are you talking about that time?” “That wasn’t the time.” “You don’t know what time I’m talking about,” she says with a giggle. “I know just what you’re talking about,” Will says, “and we’re talking about the same time, but different times.” “Oh,” Jada says, smiling at the memory, and pushing at his big shoulder. “But still, it was the first time.” “Look,” he says, turning back to face his wife, “you were already in love just by the passion you put into that first kiss.” Now it’s Jada’s turn to clarify. “I knew at that moment,” she says earnestly. “He put a little…force into the kiss.”

Force?!? “I like kissing. I like to put a little exploration into the kiss.” Jada’s eyes go gently euphoric. “Will,” she says, “he held my arm behind my back.” What? Our Jada and Will? Getting down like that? Yes. Jada Koren Pinkett Smith, sensible, determined daughter of a nurse and a contractor, a former Miss Maryland (1988), movie star (The Nutty Professor, Collateral), gets a dreamy, slinky tone in her voice. “I was like, mmmmmm… people don’t really know about the Fresh Prince,” Jada says. “He got some stuff. They don’t know about this Will.”

To read the entire article, "Crazy in Love," pick up the February issue of ESSENCE.

::FITNESS NEWS::

Fit For Life: 5 Stages!

By Michael Stefano, Special for eFitness

(Jan 24, 2005) We've made our resolutions. Improving your physical condition and appearance usually ranks at number 1 or 2 on most people's pecking order of priorities. But whether beginning a new diet and exercise program, or attempting any type of behavioural modification, most of us progress through several stages before successfully making real change. According to the Transtheoretical Model (developed by James O. Prochaska and Carlos C. DiClemente) there are five specific cycles an individual normally goes through. Identifying what Behavioural Stage of Change you're currently in can help you determine the best strategy to assist in advancing to the next stage, and ultimately to stage five.

Stage Strategies

1. Pre-contemplation Stage: not intending to make changes

2. Contemplation Stage: considering a change

3. Preparation Stage: small changes, ready to change soon

4. Action Stage: actively engaging in the new behaviour

5. Maintenance Stage: sticking with the behaviour change

If you feel you're at Stage 3 or above, check out this great workout.

Pre-contemplation Stage

If you're at this point in your quest for a lean and healthy body, you need to learn more about the importance of incorporating exercise into your life. Make a list of the pros of physical activity. Talk about exercising with your friends and family members. Get all the facts -- the more research you do, the more you'll learn of the profoundly positive benefits of exercise.

Contemplation Stage

Increase your chances by addressing your personal love (or at least like) of a certain type of exercise, and stressing the benefits those exercises will provide specifically for you. This is where your subconscious mind connects the dots. Say to yourself, "If I perform activity A, I will experience effect B." Once you realize how powerful this simple process can be, you’re ready to move on to the next stage.

Preparation Stage

Create a plan for your exercise program and set a target date to start. Again, focus on the pros of exercise and how they will directly affect you. Go out and find resources that may assist you. Seek out professional help if necessary. If your Start Date comes and goes, reschedule, but don't let it set you back.

Action Stage

If you do your homework in the first 3 stages, stage 4 should be a breeze. Most initial dropouts are the result of unrealistic expectations and trying to do too much, too soon. Over-training can be prevented by starting slow, progressing at a sensible rate, getting adequate rest and recovery, and incorporating proper nutrition and hydration into your program. Results will follow. Those who make it through the first few weeks usually fall prey to boredom and lack of variety that effectively challenges them. Disinterest and boredom are much more complex issues that need to be overcome by the seasoned vet as well as the exercise novice. Research, knowledge and imagination are the keys to keeping yourself on track here. Become familiar with multiple exercise modalities instead of always sticking with the same old thing.

Maintenance Stage

No more than 10 percent of those who begin a fitness program make it through the first six weeks. That's a depressing statistic that needs to be gotten past if you're going to make exercise (and its profound effect on you) an enjoyable part of your life. Here are a few tips to keep you working out over the long haul.

Maintenance Stage Tips

· Shift your focus from the outcome to the process. Instead of setting long-term goals that relate to outcomes such as weight loss, set goals that relate to participation.

· Set a clear goal for each exercise session. Don't be vague or you're likely to focus on boredom, discomfort or other negative experiences.

· Practice your concentration during exercise. Mental strategies can help you experience flow, an optimal psychological state characterized by intense absorption in your workout, a clear sense of your goals and a feeling of letting go.

· Tune into feedback. Take time after your workout session to note how your body felt and what you thought about.

· Take note of where you are, and where you've been. Appreciate what exercise has done for you, and its endless application in your life. What usually starts of as a goal of weight loss, turns into a lifelong pursuit of a trim, fully functional and healthy body.

Identify how ready you are to actually start a new exercise program, and apply the specific strategy that fits your current scenario. Progress through each Behavioural Stage at your own pace, as no amount of pushing before you're ready will do any good. Ultimately, learning to enjoy the process is what makes a fitness or weight loss program stick.

EVENTS –JANUARY 27 – FEBRUARY 6, 2005

SATURDAY, JANUARY 29
THE A-TEAM
The Orbit Room
College Street
10:30 pm
$8.00

EVENT PROFILE: Featuring Wade O. Brown, Shamakah Ali, Rich Brown, Adrian Eccleston, David Williams.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 30
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, JANUARY 31
IRIE MONDAY NIGIHT SESSIONS
Irie Food Joint
745 Queen Street W.
10:00 pm

EVENT PROFILE: Monday nights at IRIE continue their tradition. 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 Carl Cassell, in their quest to reveal those restaurants that also offer the unique addition of original art. Let Irie awaken your senses. Irie Mondays continue – food – music – culture.

MONDAY, JANUARY 31
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.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5
THE A-TEAM
The Orbit Room
College Street
10:30 pm
$8.00

EVENT PROFILE: Featuring Wade O. Brown, Shamakah Ali, Rich Brown, Adrian Eccleston, David Williams.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6
SUPER BOWL PARTY
Kabin Club (formerly Jai Bar)
214 Adelaide St. W.-
For tickets/ Group rates call Benjamin 416-320-5907 or e-mail benji@4thand1events.com

EVENT PROFILE: Do you like to have fun? Do you like to eat free food? Would you like to be apart of an A-list event? Are you going to watch the big game? If you said YES to all of these questions than you need to join 4th and 1 Events on Sunday, February 6th, 2005 for the Super Bowl Party of the year!! Come down to the new Kabin Club (214 Adelaide St W-formerly Jai Bar) and enjoy the game on a large game screen, 2 Plasma TVs, free catered food, VIP Service and a bikini contest. Enjoy the ultimate sporting experience alongside your host Much Music VJ Matte Babel and the beautiful girls from Molson's. There will be giveaways ALL night a DJ and after party all for ONLY $10.00  Admittance to this event is by ticket only.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6
SOULAR
College Street Bar
574 College Street (at Manning)
10:30 pm
$5.00

EVENT PROFILE: Featuring Dione Taylor, Sandy Mamane, Davide Direnzo, Justin Abedin, Dafydd Hughes and David French

Have a great week!


Dawn Langfield
Langfield Entertainment
www.langfieldentertainment.com