CaribPress » Listening Room

SAG Singers to Honor Alan Silvestri

Samantha — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:12:12 +0000

Alan Silvestri has scored over 100 feature films and utilized the talents of Screen Actors Guild singers on numerous films, including “Forrest Gump,” “Beowulf,” “Father of the Bride Part II” and “The Abyss.” Silvestri has earned two Academy Award and two Golden Globe nominations. He has won three Grammy Awards for his work on The Bodyguard, Cast Away and Polar Express. In 2007, he was presented with the Henry Mancini Award by the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) for his outstanding career achievements. This year, Silvestri was the recipient of The Max Steiner Film Achievement Award from the City of Vienna, Austria.

“It is a great honor and privilege to work with the greatest vocal talent in our business, SAG singers,” noted Alan Silvestri. “I commend them on their mission to build bridges between all those involved with music in our industry both on the creative and business side.”

The Screen Actors Guild Singers Committee represents singers who specialize in on-camera and off-camera vocal performances that have enriched and enhanced the scores of countless motion pictures since the Guild’s inception. Meet the Composer events celebrate the achievements of the honored guest and the contributions of the SAG singers community to the art of film and television production, while building bridges between singers and composers, music supervisors, producers and directors.

New album for Soopafly

ljohnson — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 02:28:48 +0000

Long Beach, California emcee/producer, and third member of Tha Dogg Pound, Soopafly, is back with the release of his highly anticipated new studio album “Best Kept Secret”.

The album features collaborations with Daz & Kurupt of Tha Dogg Pound, Goldie Loc, and Deacon of the Chuuch.

With his enigmatic charisma and kinetic flow stamped on every track, Long Beach’s original rapper will release “Best Kept Secret” under his own imprint Fly2k Records on August 30.

B.Taylor fires up the Billboard Chart

ljohnson — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 06:06:00 +0000

Hip hop artist B.Taylor’s single, “Fire In Your Eyes” featuring NCIS star Pauley Perette, reached #2 this week on the Billboard Hot R&B / Hip Hop Sales chart. The song also charted at #4 on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales Chart, and will be included on Taylor’s forthcoming “One Life To Live” which will be distributed by Bungalo Records / Universal Music Group Distribution.

With the release of “Fire In Your Eyes,” Taylor has already generated more than 1,108,200 YouTube views, 116,859 Facebook fans, and close to 40,000 Twitter followers.

Discovered by Motown legend Pete Moore of The Miracles, also the co-executive producer and a co-producer of “One Life To Live,” Moore dubbed B.Taylor as “The Stevie Wonder of Hip Hop” stemming from Taylor’s extensive talents as a writer, producer, performer and musician playing four instruments – piano, drums, bass and guitar. Taylor, a Navy veteran, recently became the first musician to ever shoot a music video aboard the historic USS Midway Aircraft Carrier for his single “One Life To Live.” He also previously released “Let’s Get This Party Started” featuring Ray J.

DW3’s “I got you” hits Top 25 On Billboard’s Smooth Jazz Charts‏

Samantha — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 03:41:47 +0000

DW3

Their new CD, “On the Floor,” blends R&B, soul, and smooth jazz music and includes the hot single, “I Got You,” featuring saxophonist Gerald Albright, which has hit the Top 25 on Billboard’s Smooth Jazz charts. Their latest single, the title track, “On the Floor,” is also gaining popularity on radio play lists around the country.

Each member of DW3 has a distinctive sound – Billy with the Philip Bailey falsetto; Damon with the neo-soul R&B runs; and Eric with the head tones and growls of Stevie Wonder – DW3 has the ability to blend as one voice when singing together.

“We’ve been doing it so long, it’s kind of a natural thing. It’s second nature,” said Billy during a recent interview on the Los Angeles radio station, 94.7 FM The Wave. “We know each other. I know what Eric’s going to do, I know what Damon’s going to do, so together it gels, it works.”

The talented trio are gifted musicians and songwriters in their own right and are attracting plenty of attention both nationally and internationally.

Let it Flo’ A Book of Poems, Reasonings and ‘Tings

mgant — Fri, 27 May 2011 22:25:21 +0000

Let it Flo’ A Book of Poems, Reasonings and ‘Tings is a beautiful, fiery, emotionally charged collection of 52 poems written by Sister A’Salma Vtait. These poetic works include expressions of her love for her children in “Babies Have The Right To Be” and “Priceless Masterpiece” as well as poems expressing her love for Mama Africa in “Africa My Home” and “Africa I Belong”. In addition to the poetry there are several “Reasonings” giving background information on many of the poems which provide a window into the mind of the writer and her thoughts behind many of her poems. This is a culturally and emotionally stimulating book that will touch the heart and awaken the minds of readers. Go out and get yourself a copy and stimulate your mind!!!!!!!!!!

Strictly The Best 43 release of VP records

mgant — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 01:58:20 +0000

Strictly The Best 43. Dec 2010 release of VP records 43rd volume of Strictly the best will bring that heavy hitting dancehall bashment vibes into your life. A 16 track mix that will keep your party cracking all night long featuring tracks from Vybz Kartel, Mavado, Damian Marley and Nas ft. Dennis Brown, Busy Signal, Bounty Killer and many more.

With the artist lineup on this album VP Records delivers its album series namesake “Strictly the Best”. A definite hit and must have for your collection.

Jr. Toots – Reggae Got Soul (Crown of Fire Records, 2010)

ljohnson — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 05:01:08 +0000

Jr Toots Reggae Got Soul

Reggae Got Soul, and so does Junior Toots.

For those who have been watching this talent evolve, this is a testament to musical maturity. As an artists his skills as a writer, singer, and performer have only improved over time.

Reggae Got Soul is proof that Junior Toots is honing his skills, but he is yet to reach his full potential, a listener’s joy that is sure to come. Tracks such as “Up Ye Mighty Race,” “Jah is the King of Host,” and “Jah bless the World,” stay true to reggae and the message of Rastafari, while on songs such as “Make A Move,” and “Look How You’re Round” he adds some R&B and Reggaeton flavors that demonstrate his diversity of influence.

This album well demonstrates that Junior Toots will not allow himself to be boxed into one genre or style of music. Junior Toots may be the son of reggae living legend Toots Hibbert but this album shows that he is on his own musical journey and not riding any coat tails.

For more information on Junior Toots, lease be sure to ckeck his website at www.juniortoots.com.

Album Reviews: September

mgant — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:48:30 +0000

Ernie Smith- The Best of Ernie Smith: Original Masters (VP Records 2010)
Federal Records has a released a greatest hits album of long time Jamaican recording artist Ernie Smith. This greatest hits album features both his well-known baritone voice and his song writing talents. Included in this CD are his self written hits like “Pitta Patta,” “One Dream,” “Ride On Sammy,” and “Bend Down.” Also on this album are his covers of American songs, which were more popularized in the island by him than by their original singers. Such hits include, “Everything I Own,” and Help Me Make It Through the Night.” If you like classic Jamaican music, or are an islander who wants to reminisce of the good ole days, back in the day…this album is for you.

Poetical Works Of Marcus Garvey is a beautiful collection of Poems and Hymns written by the Right and Honorable Marcus Garvey. For those who are followers of Garvey this book brings the same themes of Repatriation, Redemption and Black Self reliance that Marcus always focused on but with an artistic twist. Covering everything from his love for his wife in “The Love Aime” to focusing on the same ideas he championed in his speeches in
“The Tragedy of White Injustice” this book is truly a gem. For those of you who wish they could have known Marcus his own words and artistic creations in this book will give you an idea of who Marcus really is. Displaying everything from personal feelings of love and faith to courageous rallying cries of unity for all Africans at home and abroad to “Hail the United States of Africa” this book is a must read.