Tag Archives: R&B

According to Shadow and Act, Spike Lee spent years trying to get his Jackie Robinson project financed and produced (unsuccessfully), only to eventually watch Legendary Pictures and Brian Helgeland launch their own Jackie Robinson picture with Chadwick Boseman. (You can read our post on the movie “42″ here).

Tom Hanks is making his Broadway debut this season in Nora Ephron’s final play “Lucky Guy.”  Bette Midler is even returning to the “Great White Way” for a one-woman-show in “I’ll Eat You Last,” where she’ll depict the life of Hollywood agent Sue Mengers.  Although shows with Tom and Bette are exciting, after a 30-year absence, acclaimed actress Cicely Tyson returns to the stage for “The Trip to Bountiful” – that’s entertainment!

Now I don’t typically write about music at the museum, but there are some artists that I just love and I get really excited when they release new music. So I had to put this info out to the people! There seems to be a lot going on in what I would call the “real” music category right now…

Satoshi was born in Japan in 1967. In 1992, he began work in a video production company working as a designer. In 1996, he began to take on work as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer.

My mouth literally gaped open just now when I read the headline that television icon Don Cornelius was dead.  It then opened wider when I read that he had shot himself!!!  “Soul Train” hit the air in 1970 in Chicago, going national in 1971, I was eight.  It was uplifting programming, seeing people of color dancing and enjoying themselves while some of the greatest talent in music performed.

It has been a while since we last checked in on the maybe/maybe not biopic about the life of fallen Supreme Florence Ballard, but film blog Shadow and Act spotted something curious on the flick’s IMDB profile.

 
 
The TIME has released some new music! One of the best bands of the past 30 years, their re-entry to music is a welcome presence. People always want to FUNK! They say the third TIME’s a charm.

The Museum Of UnCut Funk spent the evening of July 22, 2009 celebrating George Clinton’s 68th birthday with him and the P-Funk crew at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey.

 
Sly Stone has been reported to be homeless. Living out of a van in Crenshaw, here’s a report from the L-A Times: Sly Stone is homeless and living in a camper-van in L.A., the world learned Sunday, thanks to the director of a documentary about Sly and the Family Stone who co-wrote a story for the New York Post.

Nick Ashford, one-half of the legendary Motown songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson that penned elegant, soulful classics for Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye, has died at the age of 69 from throat cancer.

 
Since she appeared on the music scene back at the turn of the century, Jill Scott has released 5 top-selling albums and appeared in 4 major motion pictures. She’s also appeared on several television shows and even in her own TV series, “The #1 Ladies’ Detective Agency,” in which she starred on HBO.

It’s been awhile since friends and lovers of Van Hunt and D’Angelo have heard new music from them. Two of R&B’s best talents to come to prominence in the past twenty years, I find myself craving new music from these two musician/ singer/ songwriters.

My second phoner with Mr. Pendergrass we discussed the success of his last release, his book, his Christmas album – his greatest hits album – he was ecstatic to be one among the many in entertainment to even have a greatest hits. He was happy that a new generation of people were going to be able to hear a collection of music from the 70s that would hopefully enrich them.

 
Aretha Franklin was accompanied by Jesse Jackson at the Detroit Pistons game on Friday night. The Pistons were hosting the Miami Heat at what turned out to be Franklin’s first public appearance since being hospitalized in December. According to the Detroit News Franklin said: “I’m feeling really great.” — “Loving the game, loving the game.”

 
 
Prince took the stage at Madison Square Garden last night for the fourth time amidst his Welcome 2 America Tour. “I’ll be back New York,” he yelled, “I love it here,” he exclaimed during the latter part of the show. His Highness vowed that he would return before TOO long, saying it had been awhile since he had done a major show in the Big Apple.

 
 
According to his publicist Press Here Publicity, Raphael Saadiq has announced dates for his upcoming US tour. Kicking off this spring, the tour will include performances at this year’s Coachella Music and Arts Festival and Austin’s SXSW Music + Film Interactive Festival before wrapping in Tampa, Florida, Memorial Day weekend.

Teddy Pendergrass was unquestionably one of the greatest male vocalists in the genre of R&B. Initially the drummer for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, his voice is featured on their hits “Bad Luck,” “Where Are All My Friends,” “Be For Real” and “Wake Up Everybody.

I actually had the fortune to have met Al Green, the first time I interviewed him. As it was in the latter 90s when I conducted it, the living legend was already extremely accomplished by that time. He reflected on his beginnings in music and spoke of his early days in the studio with Willie Mitchell.