Dream theatre

Founding members John Myung, Mike Portnoy and John Petrucci in 1986Dream Theater was formed in 1986 by guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung and drummer Mike Portnoy while studying at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Kevin Moore, a high school band-mate of Petrucci's, was recruited to play keyboards and Chris Collins was enlisted as vocalist.

The quintet settled on the name Majesty for their newly-formed group (a name inspired by Portnoy's description of the closing section of "Bastille Day" by Rush), and the three Berklee attendees dropped out to concentrate on the band.

In November 1986, after a few months of writing and performing together, Chris Collins left the band because of creative differences with the other members. After a year of trying to find a replacement, Charlie Dominici, who was far older and more experienced than anyone else in the band, successfully auditioned for the group. With the stability that Dominici's appointment brought to Majesty, they began playing more shows in and around the New York City area, and gained a considerable amount of exposure for a band that had not yet released an album.

Their first major recording project was The Majesty Demos, a collection of ideas and demos that were released in 1987. The initial run of 1,000 sold out within six months, and dubbed copies of the cassette spread like wildfire through the progressive metal scene all over the world.

Manhattan Transfer

It's been nearly 35 years since Tim Hauser paid his bills by working both as a marketing executive and a New York cabbie with dreams of creating a vocal group. One night in 1972, Hauser's taxi fare was an aspiring singer named Laurel Massé, who was familiar with JUKIN', an album Hauser had made with an earlier Manhattan Transfer combo. A few weeks later Hauser met Janis Siegel at a party. Although Siegel was then performing with another folk group, Hauser convinced her and Massé to be part of his nascent group.

At the same time, Alan Paul was stirring hearts on Broadway, appearing in the original production of "Grease". When he met with Hauser, Siegel and Massé, the groundwork was laid for The Manhattan Transfer, which was officially "born" on October 1, 1972.

In its formative years, the group developed a strong cult following while playing such New York clubs as Trude Heller's, Reno Sweeney, and Max's Kansas City. In 1975 they cut their Atlantic debut album, THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER and landed their own highly experimental television show on CBS. They were particularly successful in Europe, where their next two albums, COMING OUT and PASTICHE, brought them a string of top 10 hits. A live album, THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER LIVE, soon followed.

Massé left the group in 1978 after a serious auto accident in December of that year. (She eventually went on to a successful solo career.) Auditions were held to replace her, and a young singer/actress from Mt. Vernon, Washington responded to the call. The group was completely knocked out by her dazzling performance, and Cheryl Bentyne was immediately invited to join the group.

Their next album, EXTENSIONS, earned them their first domestic pop hit: "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone," penned by Alan Paul and Jay Graydon. The album also featured "Birdland," the piece that has since become The Manhattan Transfer's signature tune. Jon Hendricks wrote the lyrics to Joe Zawinul's stirring jazz fusion instrumental, and Siegel arranged the vocals. The most played jazz record of 1980, "Birdland" brought The Transfer their first Grammy award (Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental), and the award for Best Arrangement For Voices, which Janis took home.

In 1981, The Manhattan Transfer made music history by becoming the first group to win Grammy Awards in both pop and jazz categories in the same year. "Boy From New York City," which broke into the top 10 on the pop charts, garnered them the award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and "Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)" earned them a Grammy for Best Jazz Performance, Duo or Group. Both of these appeared on the combo's fifth outing, MECCA FOR MODERNS.

THE BEST OF THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER was released for the holiday season in 1981 and contained the best of their hits from their early Atlantic Records years, 1975-1981. Naturally, the album went Gold.

In 1982, they accepted another Grammy, for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group, for their rendition of the classic ode-to-the-road, "Route 66." The song appeared on the soundtrack to the Burt Reynolds film Sharky's Machine, and surfaced three years later on their BOP DOO-WOPP album. In 1983, prior to "BOP's" release, they repeated their 1982 Grammy win in the same category for the "Why Not!" cut from BODIES AND SOULS.

However, it was the 1985 release of VOCALESE, produced by Tim Hauser, that became known as the group's tour de force effort. Vocalese is the style of music that sets lyrics to previously recorded jazz instrumental pieces. Jon Hendricks, the recognized master of this art, composed all the lyrics for the album. "VOCALESE" included some highly complex material that ably tested the quartet's capabilities -- a challange which they met magnificently. The album became a critically acclaimed artistic triumph.

"VOCALESE" received 12 Grammy nominations -- at the time making it second only to Michael Jackson's "THRILLER" as the most nominated single album ever. The Transfer's opus won in two categories: Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group, and Best Arrangement for Voices for Cheryl Bentyne and Bobby McFerrin for "Another Night In Tunisia".

"VOCALESE" also saw the group venturing out into the world of music video. The group made five videos to the album, which were available commercially and also shown on Cinemax. Also, when The Manhattan Transfer toured Japan for the Vocalese tour, a recording was made of the shows and the group's second live album, LIVE, was released in 1987. An accompanying video of the live show was available commercially as well.

Then came BRASIL, their 1987 recording, a ground-breaking re-contextualization of Brazilian music that pre-dated efforts by American artists such as David Byrne and Paul Simon. The group worked with some of today's most gifted songwriters, including Ivan Lins, Milton Nascimento, Djavan and Atlantic recording artist Gilberto Gil. The pieces were re-arranged, and then re-fitted with English lyrics which made them strikingly relevant, distinctly American, and "Transfer-esque" -- while still preserving their Brazilian flavor.

"BRASIL" became one of the group's greatest achievements to date, and one which they remain particularly proud of. It also became their first entire album to win the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

In 1991, The Manhattan Transfer moved to Columbia Records for a two-album stint. The first, THE OFFBEAT OF AVENUES, was produced by Tim Hauser and marked the first time the majority of songs where either written or co-written by Transfer members. They walked away with a Best Contemporary Jazz Performance Grammy for "Sassy," a piece boasting lyrics by Janis Siegel and Cheryl Bentyne and music by Siegel and Bill Bodine.

In 1992, Rhino Records released a 2-CD set of the group's work over their 20 year career. THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER ANTHOLOGY: DOWN IN BIRDLAND is an excellent compilation of the group's work up to that time.

In the winter of 1992, the gift that millions of Manhattan Transfer fans had eagerly awaited for finally arrived -- THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM. Destined to be a holiday classic, this album was co-produced by Tim Hauser and Johnny Mandel, who also did all the orchestrations. The group's soulful harmonies on such traditional favorites as "The Christmas Song" (with Tony Bennett) and "Silent Night," as well as the sweetly touching Lennon & McCartney classic "Goodnight," resound with sonic purity.

In 1994, Rhino Records released THE VERY BEST OF THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER. Why another "Best Of"? Well, the "ANTHOLOGY" package was a bit expensive for some, and the first "BEST OF" album came out 13 years earlier and thus missed many hits such as "Ray's Rockhouse," "Soul Food To Go," "Spice Of Life," and "Route 66." Plus, the newer CD format allowed for a much longer album than Atlantic Records' 1981 collection.

Also in 1994 the group released an album that was an enticing departure from anything they had done previously. THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER MEETS TUBBY THE TUBA, the group's first children's recording, was hailed by USA Today as a "charming rendition" of the 1945 Paul Tripp/George Kleinsinger classic. Accompanied by the Naples Philharmonic, the group humanized instruments (such as Peepo the Piccolo and Captain Bugle) to deliver the story's important message: "Be yourself, you can't be anybody else." Commented the Los Angeles Times of the project, "One of the world's great jazz quartets turns a children's classic into a rediscovered treasure."

Their 1995 studio album, TONIN', marked the triumphant return of The Manhattan Transfer -- contemporary music's premiere vocal ensemble -- to the Atlantic Records' fold. "TONIN'" finds Cheryl Bentyne, Tim Hauser, Alan Paul and Janis Siegel embarking on a project as ambitious as any of their past work, while retaining a distinct sense of fun. "Tonin' is a term associated with the vocal groups of the '50s and early '60s," notes Paul. "It conjures up images of a few guys standing in a tiled bathroom or on a street corner, just belting it out in harmony -- they're tonin'. This album consists of songs we grew up on, music that really sparked us as teenagers."

The list of guest performance sitting in on the "TONIN'" sessions would spark any music fan, as it includes: Phil Collins, Bette Midler, Ben E. King, Ruth Brown, Felix Cavaliere of the Rascals, Frankie Valli, Smokey Robinson, Laura Nyro, Chaka Khan, B.B. King and James Taylor.

The Manhattan Transfer's third live album is called MAN-TORA! LIVE IN TOKYO. "On the 1983 Bodies And Souls tour, the singers peformed 22 dates in 11 major Japanese cities, including Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Sapporo, and Hiroshima... The set contained here (released on Rhino Records in April 1996) was recorded by FM Tokyo radio on November 22 and 23 at Tokyo's Nakano Sun Plaza theater and later broadcast stateside on the Westwood One Startrack radio program. The MT's enthusiasm in their performance is inescapable, and the set list as diverse as their repertoire." --from the liner notes by Curt Gathje.

The Manhattan Transfer's next studio album was released in 1997. SWING has its emphasis in 1930s era swing music. The thirteen tracks contain some of the most classic songs of the Twentieth Century. "Sing Moten's Swing," "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," and "Java Jive" were recorded with Asleep At The Wheel. "Sing A Study In Brown," "Topsy," and "Clouds" were recorded with The Rosenberg Trio. "Clouds" (adapted from "Nuages") also features Stephane Grappelli. Ricky Scaggs is featured on "Skyliner" and "It's Good Enough To Keep (Air Mail Special)". Mark O'Connor is featured on "I Know Why (And So Do You)," "It's Good Enough To Keep," and "Choo Choo Ch' Boogie." About half of the tracks feature lyrics by Jon Hendricks. SWING was produced by Tim Hauser. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard Jazz Chart and stayed in the top spot for nine weeks, and on the chart for over a year.

In October 2000, The Manhattan Transfer's released, THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS. This album is a spirited interpretation of the music of one of the greatest musical figures of the 20th century, Louis Armstrong. Produced by Craig Street, THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS captures the vocal group at its best, with strong individual and group performances wrapped around evocative arrangements that are both a nostalgic pastiche from the 1920s to the 1950s, and a completely modern take on Louis. This is a loving homage to a unique voice in musical history.


In 2003, COULDN'T BE HOTTER became The Manhattan Transfer's first album on the Telarc label, and their fourth live album. 1930s and '40s swing music with a jazz twist is what The Manhattan Transfer do best, and COULDN'T BE HOTTER features some of their best hits. The sixteen songs chosen for this special live recording convey the depth of the group's talent and variety of their music. Classic favorites such as "Sing Moten's Swing," "Clouds" and "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," recorded while on tour in Japan, capture the essence of The Manhattan Transfer, and their enthusiasm is evident in these performances. From boogie-woogie to bop to vocalese, COULDN'T BE HOTTER spotlights The Manhattan Transfer's dynamic, big band harmonies in a live setting.

VIBRATE is The Manhattan Transfer's second album on the Telarc label. Since the early 1970s, The Manhattan Transfer have been pushing and redefining the boundaries of vocal music in the context of jazz, pop and numerous other styles. Along the way, the collective efforts of vocalists Cheryl Bentyne, Tim Hauser, Alan Paul and Janis Siegel have earned The Transfer a healthy collection of Grammy Awards and a loyal fan base that spans the entire globe. The latest chapter in the quartet's exploratory trajectory is VIBRATE, released on September 28, 2004. Throughout the album's eleven tracks, The Transfer explore both the traditional and progressive sides of jazz, plus various shades of Latin, world and pop music... and showcase their unparalleled vocal tradition. Three decades into their illustrious career, The Manhattan Transfer sound better than ever!

What's next for The Manhattan Transfer? Even though they have been together for more than 30 years, they aren't slowing down! They are often asked to appear at many special functions such as The Essence Awards, the Goodwill Games, the Society of Singers Ella Awards honoring Tony Bennett, and a special Christmas performance for the Pope. They continue to tour, delighting audiences worldwide with their music. The singers also have many other solo and collaborative interests, but their focus invariably comes back to making beautiful music together.

Nuttin But Stringz

Nuttin' But Stringz, also known as N.B.S., consists of brothers Damien and Tourie Escobar who both play violin. The young musicians from Jamaica, Queens play a blend of classical music, hip-hop,[1] jazz and R&B.


a local talent contest at the legendary Apollo Theatre and won. As a result of the media attention surrounding the event, they have appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, The Today Show with Katie Couric, Carnegie Hall and The White House.

On January 8, 2006, the Escobars performed their song Thunder at the debut of the redesigned Cadillac CTS at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Nuttin' But Stringz performed after a classical string quartet. General Motors Corp. executives said Nuttin' But Stringz shows that what used to be good enough (the quartet) needs to be reinvigorated (N.B.S).[citation needed] A video for Thunder is also featured on the website for Jack's Big Music Show on Noggin.

Nuttin' But Stringz was featured in the first of five commercials featuring local artists on New York's local news channel, NY1.

In March 2007, NBS had their music featured in 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Highlights on CSTV (owned CBS), featuring a variation on their hit song Thunder.

Thunder is also featured in commercials on television for MSG, NY, a show about everything that is happening in or around Madison Square Garden.

In the pilot episode of the television series The Black Donnellys, the song Thunder was played. In the season finale, the song Broken Sorrow was also played.

Their music was featured during a montage at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The brothers auditioned for the third season of NBC's America's Got Talent in New York City and received a unanimous yes from all three judges thus advancing to Las Vegas. They were subsequently named to the Top 40, advancing to Hollywood.[2] They made it through subsequent rounds and were one of the five acts to make it to the finals. The duo ultimately placed third behind Eli Mattson and Neal E. Boyd.[3]

N.B.S. announced on their MySpace page that they will be going on tour in 2009, but the cities have not been chosen yet. [4]

A new N.B.S. album is currently in the works and will be released in spring 2009. [5]

The Escobars also appeared in the movie Step Up as violinists.

Naturally 7

Naturally 7 is an American a cappella music group. They sing primarily R&B with extensive beat-boxing. Band members are Garfield Buckley, Rod Eldridge, Warren Thomas, Jamal Reed, Roger Thomas, Dwight Stewart, Armand "Hops" Hutton. They spawned two Hit-Singles, a cover of Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight" which was an international Top-Twenty song (France, Italy) and "Music Is the Key" which hit the number 1 in Germany and the Top-Ten in Switzerland, Poland and Austria. On the 12^th of July 2007, they performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival, together with artists like Al Jarreau and George Benson. They are now touring with Michael Buble on his "Call Me Irresponsible" Live European Tour. Discography Albums · 2006: Non-Fiction · 2006: Ready II Fly · 2006: Christmas... It's A Love Story · 2003: What Is It?

IZ

"Bruddah Iz" was a beloved figure in Hawaiian music during the 1990s. His pure, light tenor was as famous as his sumo-sized physique; at one point he weighed over 750 pounds. Kamakawiwo'ole co-founded the popular musical group the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau with his brother Skippy, who died of a heart attack in 1982. Israel began a solo career in 1993, and his 1996 album 'N Dis Life won Hawaiian music awards for album of the year, island contemporary album of the year and best male vocalist. Kamakawiwo'ole's popularity in Hawaii was such that after his death, his body lay in the state capitol building.

Kamakawiwo'ole and his wife Marlene had one daughter, Ceslieanne, known as "Wehi" (b. 1982)... His version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," a tune first made famous by Judy Garland, became particularly famous after his death.

Duffy

Aimé Ann Duffy (born 23 June 1984 in Bangor, Gwynedd), known professionally as Duffy, is a Grammy-nominated Welsh singer-songwriter. Her debut album Rockferry was the best selling album in the United Kingdom in 2008 She has been nominated for three Grammy Awards.

Regina Spektor

A veteran of New York's anti-folk scene, Regina Spektor makes quirky, highly eclectic, but always personal music. Born and raised in Moscow until age nine, Spektor listened to her father's bootleg tapes of Western pop and rock as a young child and also learned to play piano. She and her family moved from Russia to the Bronx, where she was immersed in American culture (at the time, hers was the first Russian family in the borough in 20 years). Eventually, Spektor and her family became part of a community that balanced her Russian Jewish roots with her new home's culture. She continued to practice piano anywhere she could, including at her synagogue, until her family got a piano of their own. Spektor further developed her classical piano training by attending the SUNY Purchase Music Conservatory. During her studies, she was exposed to blues and jazz artists, including Billie Holiday, for the first time; these sounds made such an impact on Spektor that they became a big part of her self-released 2001 debut album, 11:11. At the same time, she was also playing gigs anywhere she could in the city, in venues ranging from basements to parties to comedy clubs. With her frequent performances and another self-released album, 2002's Songs, Spektor developed a following that included Alan Bezozi, They Might Be Giants' drummer; he introduced Spektor to the Strokes' producer, Gordon Raphael. Raphael and Bezozi worked with Spektor on her third album, Soviet Kitsch, in New York and London (where she collaborated with the band Kill Kenada). Soviet Kitsch was initially self-released like her other work, but it eventually found a wider release with Sire Records. Tours with the Strokes, Kings of Leon, Mates of State, and the Moldy Peaches' Kimya Dawson further raised Spektor's profile. Tours of the U.K. and the success of "Us" as a single there led to the release of the CD/DVD retrospective Mary Ann Meets the Gravediggers and Other Short Stories early in 2006; that summer, Begin to Hope, her first album of original material for Sire, arrived.

Corinne Bailey Rae

IT BECOMES SELF-EVIDENT THE MOMENT you hear her sing the very first note of her very first EP. It's called 'Like A Star', and it's a slice of sublime Billie Holiday blues delivered with a voice that pins you, in the softest but most persuasive of ways, to the wall; a voice that floats up effortlessly, full of caress, subtlety and the very purest quality. It is wonderful, this voice, and surely a discovery to treasure, but it belongs to a young woman not from somewhere musically exotic - say, Mississippi or even Manhattan - but just east of the M1: Leeds. Her name is Corinne Bailey Rae, and she was born to do this.

"I started off singing in church, I suppose, but people think it must have been a gospel church because of the whole, you know, black assumption," she says in reference to her mixed-race background. "But it wasn't gospel at all, it was just your regular brethren church, very middle-class, where we would sing these harmonies every Sunday. It was always my favourite part of the service, the singing."

A move to a down-at-heel Baptist church followed, where the choir alternated between traditional hymns and the slightly less orthodox Primal Scream wig-outs. "We changed the words though," explains Corinne. "We didn't want to offend the regular churchgoers, now did we?" Singing in this way every week led to a broadening of Corinne's tastes and when her youth leader offered to buy her an electric guitar she grabbed the opportunity, quite literally, with both hands. So began her love affair with making music, and she soon developed a healthy appetite for one of the most innovative bands that rock and roll had to offer, namely, Led Zeppelin.

"I loved that band during my teens," she says. "I wanted, somehow, to follow in their footsteps, and to create music of my own."

This she has duly done. Via a faltering indie band, an English literature degree and a determination that simply would not wane, she has now arrived fully-formed, and with a musical poise that sets her head and shoulders above pretty much anybody you could call her peer. Her forthcoming debut album is sublime, full of tiptoeing delicacy and wraparound warmth, and one that merges the spirit of the aforementioned Billie Holiday with the statuesque soul of Erykah Badu. Even a cursory listen will tell you that its creator is something rather special.

Corinne Bailey Rae was born and raised in Leeds, the oldest of three daughters to a West Indian father and a Yorkshire mother. At school, she studied classical violin to a high standard, but any ambitions to take this to a higher level were quickly scotched when the afore-mentioned Zeppelin adoration took hold. By the time she turned 15, Corinne was also obsessing over female-led, indie noiseniks like Veruca Salt and L7, and wanted to start her own band. And so she did. Its name was Helen.

Helen? "I know, I know," she says in defence. "What can I say? We were 15 years old, and thought that Helen was a cheeky, indie kind of thing to do. It seemed clever at the time." She smiles. "Admittedly, it seems less so now."

Uninspiring name notwithstanding, Helen began attracting considerable local attention. Good enough to elicit an offer of a deal from the home to all manner of guitar abusers, Roadrunner Records, all was going well until the bassist fell pregnant, and the band fragmented.

"Disappointed? I was gutted," Corinne says now. "I had no idea what to do next."

And so she went off to Leeds University where she studied English literature and spent evenings working as a modern-day hatcheck girl in a local jazz club. Every now and then she was allowed to sing with the band, and from those evenings new ideas began to form. By now, Corinne was writing songs that she wanted to perform solo, and was moving away from all things indie into more soulful territory. By the time EMI signed her in the spring of last year, she had 10 years of experience tucked neatly under her belt, knew exactly what she wanted and just how to get it.

"I am a fan of jazz, but not the muso kind," she says. "I hate all the noodling, which is why I love classic songs: because they are so pure and succinct. That's what I tried to do with my own songs. They are short and sweet, to the point. I like the idea of leaving people wanting more, not less, you know?"

And so, inspired as much by Bj�and Massive Attack as, say, Jill Scott, she went into the studio and came up with her debut album. It is in Corinne's own words, "a little bit of everything: it's chilled out, acoustic, kooky, atmospheric and soulful. I'd also be tempted to say it comes from a very organic place, but that would sound pretentious, so I won't."

And if she writes about the staple of all great soul songs - love - then she does so with less emphasis on its pink fluffiness than its unwritten complexities and multiple challenges. "I'm interested in the things that no one ever tells you about in relationships, about how love works in terms of expectation versus reality."

Because of this, songs like 'Till It Happens To You', 'Like A Star' and 'Choux Pastry Heart' are unusually intimate, each sparkling with a storytelling honestly that her peers can only dream of.

"The response so far has been amazing," she says, "and that has been very satisfying, because all this feels so right to me. Writing songs - playing music - is, I know, precisely what I should be doing with my life."

Her name is Corinne Bailey Rae. She is 26 years old, talented and, by the by, very cute as well. She also has a firm handshake, and that's always a good sign, isn't it?

'Like A Star' is released on November 7th on EMI Records / Good Groove.

Lights

Lights (born Valerie Poxleitner in 1987) – a Canadian synth pop singer-songwriter, best known for her songs "February Air", "White", "Drive My Soul", and "The Last Thing On Your Mind", featured in 2008 Old Navy video commercials.

Her live band comprises:

Adam Weaver on synthesizers,
Maurie Kaufmann (ex-BOY, ex-the 6ixty8ights) on drums.
Lights is managed by Canadian musician and radio personality Jian Ghomeshi.

Compared to Vanessa Carlton for her high-toned, soft voice, Lights is one of several new female singers coming to fore in the late 2000s. This list includes the likes of Kate Voegele, Katy Perry and Tristan Prettyman. All of them, Lights included, style themselves after the 1980s New Wave singers and 1990s feminist singer-songwriters, therefore setting the stage for the return in force and by popular choice of melodious pop music, in place of the hip-hop or rap, which has largely monopolized the pop landscape so far this century.

Behind the scenes, Lights has been hired to write songs and texts for the television series Instant Star, together with other skilled songwriters and musicians. They work as a team. Lights and Luke McMaster are credited with composing "Perfect", sung in the role of Jude Harrison on the show by Alexz Johnson. The song is a not-so-subtle musical allusion to "Penny Lane", written by Paul McCartney for The Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band as a counterpoint to John Lennon's "Strawberry Fields Forever", but withheld, and actually only released on the Magical Mystery Tour album. Luke McMaster's and Valerie Poxleitner's "Perfect" (she is credited like so on the soundtrack CD, and it is she, who sings it on this issue, not Alexz Johnson) also borrows rhythmically from the familiar Welcome Back, Kotter TV theme. So much borrowing in one song gives a new meaning to "synth" in "synth pop", but Lights says she knows what she's doing, relying on her "pretty intense cheese-o-meter" to walk the path true and narrow.

Renee Olstead

By the age of 14, Reneé Olstead had already amassed a list of credits that could prompt an envious reaction from nearly any adult. Her appearances in hit films and television programs along with a major-label music debut have practically made her a veteran in the entertainment world. Born in Houston, Olstead developed a great love for music at an early age and honed her voice by singing along with the radio. Before long she was entering talent contests and appearing in local musical productions. Her aspirations for stardom were documented on video and became the subject of two E! television documentaries, "The Making of a Child Star" and "The Journey Continues." The exposure helped to win her roles in the 1999 films The Insider (Russell Crowe) and End of Days (Arnold Schwarzenegger), as well as 2000's Space Cowboys (Clint Eastwood).

Although she attempted to start a music career with two country-flavored albums, it was acting that continued to keep her employed, and in 2002 she landed a co-starring role in the hit CBS television series Still Standing. With what little time she had to spare, Olstead began performing with a local jazz/swing band around Hollywood, singing an array of standards with a voice that sounded far more mature than her age. It wasn't long before her musicality caught the attention of famed producer David Foster (Celine Dion, Natalie Cole), and a major-label record deal soon followed. Olstead released her self-titled collection of jazz and pop standards in May 2004, while continuing her work on Still Standing. In 2005, Olstead performed at the Live 8 festival in Berlin, and the following year her sophomore album, Skylark, came out.

Moldy Peaches

Working long hours in a Chelsea dance rehearsal space learning routines, was hard, but it paid off when their single, and favorite song, "Who's got the crack?" hit the top of the UK indie charts. With the help of master choreographer David Scheid, who had worked with such greats as Mike Watt and J Mascis and whose top selling home video, "D.S.'s Breaking and Popping" came out 3 months before Alfonso's from Silver Spoons did in 1984, they learned how to really backlight their strengths. After a long and successful tour with The Strokes in arenas across Europe and America Eldar, passed the baton to Juliet "you do the math" Joslin, and now it looks like The Moldy Peaches are unstoppable.

Their newest single, "county fair/rainbows" was released in April, they just finished an acoustic tour with Tenacious D, and a six week European tour with Joie

Dead Blonde Girlfriend will kick off an exciting summer. Word has it that even a music video has been made. Yay Peaches!

Be sure to keep abreast of all six Moldy Peaches' other projects as well by checking out their individual pages on the website!


There monster hit Anything But You was release as a single in the hit movie JUNO.

Paramore

While their spunky blend of emo-pop and anthemic rock would eventually make them stars on both sides of the Atlantic, Paramore began humbly enough in Franklin, TN, where lead singer Hayley Williams met brothers Josh and Zac Farro (guitar and drums, respectively) after moving to town from Mississippi. The two Farros had a young band that the burgeoning singer was asked to join. After the brothers opened Williams' 13-year-old eyes to the likes of U2, the Cure, Sparta, and Failure, the teenagers began performing together under the name Paramore following the addition of Jason Bynum on rhythm guitar and Jeremy Davis on bass. Local hangouts and a school talent show helped the young bandmembers hone their chops before graduating to higher-level gigs at area rock clubs.

The quintet's sweet melodies and earnest charisma -- not to mention Williams' powerhouse vocals -- eventually caught the attention of Florida's Fueled by Ramen label, which signed the band in April 2005. Working with James Wisner (Dashboard Confessional, Underoath) and Mike Green (Yellowcard, the Black Maria), Paramore recorded their full-length debut, All We Know Is Falling. The album was issued in late July 2005, and Paramore jumped quickly into their van to support it. In addition to a spot on New Jersey's Bamboozle Festival and multiple Warped Tour dates, they also played shows with such bands as Simple Plan and Straylight Run. Hunter Lamb replaced Bynum on guitar in December 2005, and time was spent in the early part of the next year on tour dates with Halifax, So They Say, and Bayside. Similar to many of their musical peers, Paramore then spent the summer of 2006 on the annual Warped Tour circuit. Lamb parted ways with the group in early 2007 to get married, and Paramore continued onward as a quartet.


They also made two songs for the block buster hit TWILIGHT (2008).

Jully Black!

Jully Black doesn't believe in holding back. And she never wants to. Whether it's singing her heart out on her upcoming debut album This Is Me, broadening her talents in the theatre production of Da Kink In My Hair, adding Destiny's Child and Nas to her songwriting credits, expanding her social consciousness in Bangladesh or overcoming the heartache of professional setbacks, there's an apparent fearlessness to Jully that's both admired and awarded. She's received four Juno Award nominations, four MuchMusic Video Award nominations and Fashion Magazine recently recognized her ambitious nature by naming her one of the most alluring Canadians. To explain her forward-thinking drive, Jully says: "My mom always said if you fall down, you can't go further than the ground. So if I fall, I know I'll just get right back up.".

The youngest of nine and the only singer in a family of visual artists, Jully grew up in the rough Jane and Finch neighbourhood of Toronto. She discovered her voice in church at the age of seven but as her vocal ability developed, so did the self-consciousness about her powerful alto range. "It was hard to deal with because the perception is if you sing high, you sing better," Jully recalls. Nevertheless, she persevered by going against the norm and strengthening her lower register. "Now I'd say my voice is gritty with smooth textures and I've learnt to love my rasp because that's my difference."

Her signature rasp and soul-stirring voice captured the ears of rappers like Choclair, Kardinal Offishall and Baby Blue Soundcrew, who recruited Jully to sing and write on their singles. Her association with Canada's hip-hop elite became a launching pad and rigorous training ground, teaching her how to write melodies and lyrics on the spot, appear in music videos, carry live shows and prepare for the spotlight.

Hey Rosetta

Hey Rosetta! surges forward with Into Your Lungs (And Around In Your Heart And Through Your Blood).

Based in St. John’s, NL, the six-piece group is comprised of Tim Baker (vocals/piano/guitar), Adam Hogan (guitar), Josh Ward (bass), Phil Maloney (drums), Kinley Dowling (violin), and Romesh Thavanathan (cello).

Recorded in the dead of winter in two East Coast harbor towns with producer and acclaimed singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman, Into Your Lungs began with a beautiful naivety and confidence. An "off the stage" feel and vigor that is reminiscent of the band's powerful live performances rooted the recording sessions and everything was bred from and expanded from there. Conceptually, the new record is a shift from Tim's earlier compositions often written in isolation within his bedroom, to a new depth and space that comes from experiencing life on the road as a touring band. The new record packs more grit while allowing the bands infectious energy and vulnerability to flow freely.

Aselin Debison

At the age of 13, Aselin Debison was already a singer who is a part of history. Only five years have passed since Aselin galvanized a coal miners' protest in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. She sang the local anthem, "The Island," with such touching simplicity that thousands of angry striking miners wept, joined hands and sang along. Word of the young singer's dramatic performance and haunting voice spread quickly, and she became a sensation in Nova Scotia and throughout Canada. From the cheering crowds at the 2000 Canada Day celebration in Ottawa to the release of a Christmas recording the next year, Aselin has emerged as perhaps the fastest-rising star in Canadian music. Now with the release of her Sony International recording Aselin has been introduced to an international audience.

Crash Parallel

Tim Edwardsvocals - Guitar, Piano
Danny Saitua - Lead Guitar
Gary Rugala - Bass
John Vitellaro - Drums
Rob Bezanson - Piano




“In life I find we work really hard to get our lives on a parallel. It is my belief, that when we get close, a crash occurs to keep life both challenging and emotionally driven. The crash is where I found a lot of my inspiration for writing the songs on this record. - Tim Edwards on naming the band

Drawing inspirations from their musical influences Pearl Jam, David Gray, Coldplay and Counting Crows, Crash Parallel's major label debut World We Know features 11 tracks that flow through melody and rock to create a promising release for SONY BMG MUSIC CANADA INC. on May 6th, 2008.

Camille

The award-winning French singer/strange-sound-maker is back! At last! Two new songs from her forthcoming 'Music Hole' album are now available on her website. To prepare you for an eventual Irish concert (you hope), watch her performing her biggest hit a capella. Shy and quiet she isn't.

Melody UnWinding

Dream of Light and Sound" is a journey. A melodic, harmony-filled trip through the different stages of one's dream state. This effort has secured national distribution in Canada through PHD. 2007 saw them return to the studio, The Hive, in Burnaby. with Jesse Karr (Lights Below, Jakartah, A Textbook Tragedy) at the helm, eleven new songs, including the new single, "When you are Near", were born.

Mixed by (twice Juno-nominated) Sheldon Zaharko (Salteens, Smugglers, New Pornographers, Barney Bentall, Ridley Bent), at Vancouver's legendary Factory Studios, their music truly came to life. Once Mastered by (Juno-nominated) Joao Carvalho (Hedley, Alexisonfire, Protest the Hero, David Usher, Matthew Good, Holly McNarland) in Toronto, their "Dream of Light and Sound" became reality.

Say Hi to Adele

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (born 5 May 1988 in Enfield, North London), known professionally as Adele, is an English jazz singer. Adele has described her musical style as "heartbroken soul". She is the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice, which was given to artists who, at the time, had yet to release an album. She debuted at number one with her Mercury Prize nominated debut album 19 in the UK album chart and has since then been certificated platinum with sales over 500,000 copies.

My favorite album, of hers would have to be "19". I could listen to "chasing Pavements" and "Hometown Glory" every day. This girl has got STYLE!

Hi, to start off

In my life, music is the thing that keeps it all together. It doesn't matter in the form which it is presented, as long as I hear it.

It's almost like a waterfall. The smooth notes start the song, and then they fall into mezzo piano. All of a sudden, the crash of the chorus.

Music has changed my life, and in this blog, I will introduce you to off beat, and really good musicians with true heart. ENJOY!