Marcus Mitchell Can "Toe Tappy" Us As Much As He Wants!

 

There's so much more to Marcus Mitchell than a rock solid "12 Pack" of abs, killer dance moves, or an incredible smile. He also has a ridiculous sense of humor (for those of you that don't speak "Urban", ridiculous is a good thing *smile*)

We have seen several brilliantly crafted videos by Marcus, but this is the first time that I've heard him speak during one of his clips. By the way ladies...he sounds adorable! Any way ;)

Marcus is has uploaded two really cool videos in response to "Coke Zero's Global Ad Campaign". they're looking for an incredibly talented dancer, who's looking to get a MAJOR break as the star of a nationally run Coke Zero Commercial.....this has Marcus' name written all over it! He just needs us to help him claim the prize!

What do we have to do? It's simple really, click on the link underneath the video clips on this page and it will take you to the "CocaColaZero" page with Marcus' video, you WATCH the video, you "LIKE" the video and then you "SHARE" the video on you Facebook pages and ask your friends to vote for Marcus. It's simple!

So let' show Marcus some love!
~Peace

Coke Zero Seeks Performer With All the Right Moves for Ad Global Campaign

"Corporate, September 27, 2011

Director Jon M. Chu and Legion of Extraordinary Dancers Help Search for the Face of the Coke Zero Dance
ATLANTA, SEPT. 27, 2011 ­- It's every performer's ultimate dream: landing the gig that will showcase their talents for all the world to see. But what if you can't even get your foot in the door to audition? Coke Zero is dedicated to helping determined individuals make it possible, by giving them the opportunity to realize their aspirations through an open casting call.
For the most impressive individual, a starring role in the brand's next global ad campaign awaits. No professional resume or agent required; just passion, artistic drive, and the willingness to express individuality and swagger -- plus the means to upload a video to CokeZero.com/MakeItPossible.
In August, Coke Zero embarked on an adventure with director Jon M. Chu and the dancers from his web series "The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers (LXD)" to discover a fun and infectious dance and the creator behind that move. Hundreds of submissions were uploaded from around the world, and, after sifting through videos from fan favorites like Australia's Eric Morales, Mexico's TeckFlyer, and the United States' M.O.H., a smooth, side-to-side toe-tapping move called the "Toe Tappy" choreographed by Joel "Knucklehead" Turman of the United States, who appeared with the Street Kingdom crew on season six of MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew," was selected. Now, Coke Zero is holding an open audition for performers to submit their own interpretation of the dance for a chance to appear in an international marketing campaign.
"We recognize that some of the best performances can come from the most unexpected places, which is why we're taking our casting call outside of traditional venues and allowing anyone with a gift and ambition to share their vision with us," said Jonathan Mildenhall, VP, Global Content Excellence, The Coca-Cola Company. "We were so inspired by Knucklehead's story -- how he turned to dance as a means to overcome personal tragedy and find joy and purpose in his life -- and we can't wait to find an artist who will embody Knucklehead's journey in their performance so we can share it with a global audience. We are surrounded by tales of possibility every day, and, as a brand, we feel fortunate that we can harness the brilliance that comes from our consumers to highlight the great potential that exists in the world."
"We were blown away by the creativity that dancers at every level brought to us," said Jon M. Chu. "We saw so many amazing moves and enjoyed crowd-sourcing the dance so much that we're raising the stakes to see how people will put their unique spin on the 'Toe Tappy' to take it to the next level. It's such a cool opportunity for someone to score their big break, while being part of a collaborative experience."
An instructional video of the "Toe Tappy," accompanying music and upload instructions can be found at CokeZero.com/MakeItPossible. Auditions will be accepted online through October, and the star of the campaign will be named in early November.
Have two left feet? Don't count yourself out: those who aren't moved to be in front of the camera can still participate in the process by weighing in on the performances that inspire them the most at CokeZero.com/MakeItPossible."



Click this link to go to the Coke Zero page to "LIKE" this video, the more likes, the more votes, the more popular.




Click this link to go to the Coke Zero page to "LIKE" this video, the more likes, the more votes, the more popular.

Natalia Jimenez, Pairing Up With Ricky Martin For 2 Premios Juventud Nominations

Perfect Combination w/Ricky Martin

"Lo Mejor De Mi Vida Eres Tu"

Catchiest Song

Lo Mejor De Mi Vida Eres Tu"

No stranger to duets, Natalia is a lead singer of the duet group "La 5A Estacion". A member of this group since 2002, Natalia is striking out on her own this year with her first solo album. The first single, "Por Ser Tu Mujer" was release April 19, 2011. The Self titled album is scheduled to drop June 21, 2011. You can pre-order "Natalia Jimenez" on Amazon.com.

We are going to be eagerly awaiting the Premios Juventud awards ceremony on July 21, 2011 on Univision to see if Natalia can score a win. We're wishing you much luck and even more love Natalia!

~Peace

Natalia Jiménez
Tags: Tr3s

Natalia Unleashed

By Ken Rivadeneira

A rite of passage for many lead singers, setting off into a solo career has liberated Natalia Jiménez and unleashed a new, more mature artist.

Natalia Jiménez quickly became a household name during her nine years with the Latin Grammy-winning La Quinta Estación. Her ballads thundered into the hearts of fans from Spain to Mexico, Venezuela and all the way to Argentina, and the group’s elaborate productions turned their live shows into must-see events wherever they toured. But after almost a decade, dozens of awards and accolades, and more than 1.5 million records sold, the enigmatic lead singer branched out to try her luck as a solo artist.

Her long-anticipated self-titled debut album was released in June, bolstered by her successful first single, “Por ser tu mujer.” Infused with an edgier intensity than her previous efforts with La Quinta Estación, the album screams with maturity, signaling Jiménez’s creative growth and her desire to establish a sound that will be familiar to fans who have grown up with her, but at the same time resonate with their own changing tastes.
It’s a calculated risk — one that Jiménez embraces with the same passion she transmits through her music. Her yearlong metamorphosis into a solo artist has given way to a stronger, more independent woman who, much more than a singer with the power to write and perform music, acknowledges her role as a decision maker and a brand, and understands the importance that business savvy plays in the longevity of her career.

On recording as a solo artist instead of as a lead singer
“Honestly, there wasn’t much of a difference. The only thing was I got more involved with the details. I spent more time in the studio, I was there during the production, I chose my own producer — Emilio Estefan, I chose pretty much everything myself. I did that stuff before, but back then I had to talk it over with the rest of the group and see what they thought. It was almost like we all had to get each other’s permission. But I don’t have to ask permission anymore and it’s really great. I’ve pretty much done whatever I wanted!

“I felt very liberated while making this album. In fact, there were songs I recorded that I didn’t like afterwards, so I took them out and replaced them with new songs later. I wrote 15 or 20 songs for this album, but only ended up using about seven or eight of them. The songs on the album that aren’t mine were originally written in English, but I translated them into Spanish, so it’s as if they’re partly mine, too.”


To read more of this article click here

Ricky Martin Gave Us Sexy Music For Our Soul, Wins Seven Premios Juventud Nominations

Ricky Martin has been wooing us with his most recent release, Musica + Alma + Sexo so much so that his fans have vaulted him into a finalist position in seven Premios Juventud categories.

Perfect Combination

w/ Natalia Jimenez "Lo Mejor De Mi Vida Eres Tu"

Catchiest Tune

W/Natalia Jimenez "Lo Mejor De Mi Vida Eres Tu"

Best Moves

(Ricky...I'm sorry you've got killer moves, but Chayanne has this category on LOCK!)

Your Favorite CD

Musica + Alma + Sexo

My Favorite Video

"Lo Mejor De Mi Vida Eres Tu"

My Favorite Pop Artist

Siganme Los Buenos
(Artist who best communicates with its fans through social networking)

Ricky Martin is out with a new album next month - a best of collection called 17: Greatest Hits.

As the title gives away, the package features 17 of the singer's most loved songs - including hits such as She Bangs and Livin' La Vida Loca - as well as two brand new tracks.

The Puerto Rican heart-throb (who has sold over 55 million albums worldwide to date) releases the record on 11th July and the tracklisting is further down the page (below the cover art).

Next month Ricky will also be heading to the UK for a one-off performance in London. He'll be entertaining fans on 12th July at the Hammersmith Apollo - Ricky Martin Tickets are on sale now.

Greatest Hits Tracklisting:

1. Livin' La Vida Loca
2. María (Pablo Flores Spanglish Radio Edit)
3. She Bangs
4. Shake Your Bon-Bon
5. Nobody Wants To Be Lonely (with Christina Aguilera)
6. The Cup Of Life (La Copa De La Vida) (The Official Song Of The World Cup, France '98)
7. La Bomba
8. I Don't Care (featuring Fat Joe & Amerie)
9. Private Emotion (with Meja)
10. She's All I Ever Had
11. Come To Me
12. The Best Thing About Me Is You (featuring Joss Stone)
13. Spanish Eyes/Lola, Lola (Medley) (Music from "One Night Only" Video)
14. Loaded
15. It's Alright
16. Pegate (MTV Unplugged Version)
17. Mas (Wally Bilingual Remix)

http://www.omgmusic.com/news/ricky-martin-announces-greatest-hits-album-and-one-off-uk-concert

Good luck Ricky, we'll be seeing you at the Premios Juventud Awards!

I'm into you, by J.Lo - Sexy and Hot!

Jennifer Lopez better known as J.Lo just released her new music video “I’m Into You”. Things are going so well for her lately as she releases her new album “Love?”, yes with a question mark. She was asked why the question mark after the word love and according to an interview on Today with Meredith Viera J.Lo answers like this: ““Everybody knows why. It’s funny. Being in such a good place in my life now with babies, with my relationship with Marc [Anthony], I’m able to look at it in a different way and examine it,” Jennifer said. “For me, the question mark is really about always questioning yourself when it comes to that. It’s the one thing we all need, we can’t survive without, every living thing.”

Another question that she is asked is to clarify the rumors about she and her husband doing a Latin version of American Idol. J.lo said” “No, no. We’re doing a show with Simon Fuller who created American Idol, but it’s a different type of show,” Jennifer explained. “We’re going through Latin America to put together a Latin music show where we just scour — it won’t be an auditioning type of show. Not that type of thing.”

The video was directed by Melina Matsoukas, a very talented director who recently did Rihanna’s S&M and Beyonce’s “Move Your Body”. The video was shot in Mexico and it shows the singer on the beach with the hot telenovela heartthrob William Levy. Jennifer Lopez gets very sensual and frisky with Levy, but who can blame her….he is absolutely gorgeous!!! There is a part of the video where J.Lo shakes it solo at the step of the breathtaking Chichen Itza as Lil Wayne raps – but the rapper never appears in the video.

Life can’t get any better for this beautiful 41 year old entertainer. She is happily married to singer Marc Anthony, has two beautiful children (who by the way are already modeling), is a judge in American Idol and was recently named “The Most Beautiful Woman in the World”, by People magazine. Doesn't get any better than that right?

Here is J.Lo’s new song and music video…enjoy!



Peace and Love ;-)

It's Finally here . . . Ricky Martin Mas Video Premiere!

Ricky Martin's Mas video has just been released and I must say that it is out of this world. It features features footage from his performance at one of this concerts in Puerto Rico at the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot and this amazing video was directed by Simon Brand.

The video captures the essence of Martin's superb show with tireless and infectious energy on stage together with his dancers and musicians, accompanied of course by the great Puerto Rican audience which sang, danced, and cheered him on during his four completely sold-out performances this past March.

"Mas" is one of the songs from Ricky;s latest album "Musica + Alma + Sexo" which was released this past January. Ricky has embarked in a massive tour which is now taking place across North America and Europe.

This video captures Ricky's constant and contagios energy on stage along with his amazing dancers and musicians. Ricky opened his tour in Puerto Rico with 4 incredible concerts in his native country. It is there where his people cheered and supported him unconditionally. I can't wait to see which other videos from this outstanding album come out next. One song in particular that I would love for Ricky to come out with a video for is "Basta Ya" (Enough Already). Ricky had mentioned that he truly identifies with this song and when he sings it you can't help but to feel the emotion and liberation in his voice. Ricky, I am looking forward to the "Basta Ya" video it so don't let me down.

And without further due I leave you with the brand new video "Mas". Enjoy it!




Peace and Love ;-)

Phoebe Snow, The Passing Of A Legend

Yesterday I heard news that shattered my heart...Phoebe Snow passed away due to complications from a brain hemorrhage that she had suffered early in 2010...This woman's music changed my life forever, for the better.

There have been very few musical artists that I could say to you have been there for me through the good and the bad times in my life, Phoebe is one of those few.

The funny thing about Phoebe is that if you ask people, "Who is Phoebe Snow?" most of them will tell you that they've never heard of her....but the ones that have....love her.

Phoebe was a musical artist, but she was a dedicated, loving mother first and foremost. At the peak of her career, she dropped out of site to take care of her daughter, Valerie Rose, who was born severely brain damaged. Some reports will say that this was a poor decision, they have said that during this time she made some poor business choices "to say solvent". What I say was that she was a mother, the way God intended mothers to be. Fearless guardians and protectors of the ones that we love, knowing that there is nothing more important, no great task that we have been called to, than the calling to care for those that we love.

Phoebe's physical body may be gone, but her indomitable, creative, loving , beautiful spirit remains forever in her music, her testament of love that she left behind.

You can read more at ABC News Entertainment

I'm going to leave you with the song Phoebe was mos know for, and one of my personal favorites, "Poetry Man".

Rest in peace Phoebe....have fun seeing your daughter again in paradise...sending you love and light...

~Peace

Poetry Man

Ooooo, ya, ya, ya, ya
Ooooo, ya

You make me laugh

'Cause your eyes they light the night
They look right through me, la, la, la
 

You bashful boy
You're hiding something sweet
Please give it to me, yeah, to me, ya
To me
 

Ooh, oh, talk to me some more
You don't have to go
You're the Poetry Man
You make things all right, ya, ya

Ooooo, ya, ya, ya, ya
Ooooo, ya
 

You are a genie
 

And all I ask for is your smile
Each time I rub the lamp, la, la, la
 

When I am with you
I have a giggling teen-age crush
Then I'm a sultry vamp, ya, ya
 

Talk to me some more
You don't have to go
You're the Poetry Man
You make things all right, ya, ya

Oooooh, ya, ya, ya
Oooooh, ya

[Musical Interlude]

Talk to me some more
You don't have to go
You're the Poetry Man
You make things all right
 

Ooooo, ya, ya, ya, ya
Ooooo, ya

So once again
It's time to say so long
And so recall the call of life, la, la, la
 

You're going home now
Home's that place somewhere you go each day
To see your wife, ya, ya, ya
To see your wife
Wooo, oooh

Talk to me some more
You don't have to go
You're the Poetry Man
You make things all right, ya
 

Wooo, oooh

Talk to me some more
You don't have to go
You're the Poetry Man
You make things all right

Alex Cuba, Some of The Best Latin Music You May Have Never Heard

 

 It's often funny how sort f fall into things, you know what I mean,"I was flipping through the TV stations and I "happened" to catch this really great movie", or as in this case, I was checking out who the nominees were for the 2011 Grammy's in the Latin Categories, I came across the name "Alex Cuba". Now mind you, I don't pretend to know every Latin artist that's out there, but the name Alex Cuba, rang no bells what so ever.

So of course I do what we all do when we need to know a quick answer...I Googled it! LOL! Much to my surprise I found out that Alex had been nominated and won a 2010 Latin Grammy for "Best New Artist". I'll be honest, you know what really had me curious about Alex's music? His Amazing Afro-Bush! I needed to know what kind of music a man who had the self awareness about  himself to wear, not just a huge afro-bush, but one of the most beautifully round afro's that I've seen since Sly of "Sly and the Family Stone".

Alex Cuba (left), Sylvester (Sly Stone) Stewart (right)

For the most part that's where the similarities end. Sly Stone was more R&B funk, while Alex, even though he has some of that "throw back" late 70's groove thing going on, is considered Latin Pop. (That just makes me wonder if there is a Latin equivalent to R&B? If any of you out there know the answer please pass it on to me.)

2010

Alex Cuba

Alex Cuba

2009

Agua del Pozo

Alex Cuba

2004

Humo de Tabaco [Shell]

Alex Cuba Band

An Interview with Latin Musician Alex Cuba

So if you happen to stumble upon this article and think to yourself, "Who is this guy?" apparently you made it down this fat in the article, you owe it to yourself to check out Alex Cuba....you just might think he's some of the best Latin Music that you have found.

♫ Paz

 

Official Biography
Singer-songwriter Alex*Cuba hails from Artemisa, Cuba (1 hour west of Havana) and resides in Smithers, B.C. (14 hours north of Vancouver). Musically, he lives everywhere in between. His trademark sugarcane-sweet melodies, pop-soul hooks and rock chords subtly subvert commonly held notions of what Cuban music is. Alex is on the vanguard, crafting a cross-cultural sound that mirrors his geographical journey. Not tied to tradition, this Cuban-Canadian prefers his vintage Gibson over el sencerro (cowbell) anytime. Forgoing conventional stereotypes that typify much of the Latin music landscape, Alex is instead defining his own “Latin Soul” genre. Like the handful of unique, genre-defying artists before him, Alex’ uncompromising “go your own road” approach was difficult and lonely at first, but is now beginning to pay dividends. He has won two JUNO Awards (2006 and 2008) and a SOCAN Award (2009) in Canada, a Latin Grammy Award (2010) for Best New Artist and is nominated for a 2011 Grammy Award in the Best Latin Pop Album category.

From his earliest years in Artemisa, he was immersed in music. Alex's first stage appearance on national TV was at the tender age of four, playing claves (a percussion instrument) in a group directed by his music instructor father. Alex went on to study guitar, tres, percussion and bass, practicing eight hours a day during his teens.

After a stint with his twin brother Adonis to record Morumba Cubana, as The Puentes Brothers, Alex departed from Cuban music norms to follow his own path. His debut CD with the Alex Cuba Band, “Humo De Tabaco”, earned him a Juno award for World Music Album in 2006, with the single “Lo Mismo Que Yo”, featuring Ron Sexsmith charting in the Top 20 at BBC Radio 2. For “Humo”, Alex took UK producer Martin Terefe to Cuba to record the album’s funk infused horns and percussion, a sound that got under Terefe’s skin. By extension, that “Alex*Cuba sound” is now evident on Terefe’s productions for Craig David, Ron Sexsmith and Jason Mraz. (To read more of Alex's wonderful bio please visit his website at http://www.alexcuba.com/ )

Sade Is Coming Back Strong! The Ultimate Collection Release

Alright you Sade fans...you know who you are...mark this date on your calendar May 3, 2011, Sade will be releasing a 29-track, two-disc album will include four new, never-before heard songs including a remix to “The Moon And The Sky” (featuring Jay-Z). The Ultimate Collection also features 15 tracks that were not included on Sade’s 1994 “Best Of” album. Here for the first time, fans can find all of their favorite Sade classics including songs Lover’s Rock and Soldier Of Love.

It also includes the track "Still In Love With You", which is one of the four never released songs. You can give it a listen below. I'll have to tell you, and yes this is purely my opinion, there are VERY few artists out there that you can just pop on their album and know that every song you hear is going to be amazing! There's only one other song that I'm waiting for Sade to make, and that song is a duet *WINK*....I can wait...I'm very patient.

So while waiting for Sade to record that special duet (me being hopeful),  she's touring all summer with John Legend, who is an amazing musician in his own rite. So you can check her out live at the concert nearest you. If you miss Sade live you might not ever forgive yourself.

Sade is back and she's back strong!  
Sé fuerte, vivo fuerte, fuerte amor, canta fuerte!




You can order Sade "The Ultimate Collection" from Amazon.com (it's already available for pre-order)
The CD is not yet available on iTunes, but of course we'll keep you posted.
You can also order the CD directly from Sade.com. Official Music Store. If you pre-order the album will ship on or before May 3, 2011.

Disc 1
Your Love Is King
Smooth Operator
Hang On To Your Love
The Sweetest Taboo
Is It A Crime
Never As Good As The First Time
Jezebel
Love Is Stronger Than Pride
Paradise
Nothing Can Come Between Us
No Ordinary Love
Kiss Of Life
Feel No Pain+
Bullet Proof Soul+


Disc 2

Cherish The Day
Pearls
By Your Side+
Immigrant+
Flow+
King Of Sorrow+
The Sweetest Gift+
Solider Of Love+
The Moon And The Sky+
Babyfather+
Still In Love With You**
Love Is Found**
I Would Never Have Guessed**
The Moon And The Sky (Remix Featuring Jay-Z)**
By Your Side (Neptunes Remix)+


+ Not on Best Of
** Never Released Before

To order The Ultimate Collection, visit Sade.com

Sade and John Legend Summer Tour Dates:

(Newly announced dates are noted by *)

6/16 Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena

6/18 Pittsburgh, PA - Consol Energy Center*

6/19 Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center

6/21 Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum

6/22 Washington, DC - Verizon Center

6/24 East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center

6/25 Newark, NJ - Prudential Center

6/28 Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre

6/30 Montreal, QC - Bell Centre

7/03 Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena*

7/06 Boston, MT - TD Garden

7/08 Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse*

7/09 Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena*

7/10 Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center*

7/12 Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena

7/13 Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena*

7/15 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - BankAtlantic Center

7/16 Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena*

For additional tour dates from August thru September, please see Sade.com

Rain and Good Music Go Hand In Hand

I don't really know what it is about gray rainy days that make you just want to curl up with a rally warm blanket, pour yourself a cup of your favorite war, beverage, turn on your favorite tunes and just contemplate life....to let your mind just wander.

For some reason, day like that make you want to slow things down a bit...life can at times be like a runaway train and we're just doing our best to hang on...... For today, I decided to leave you with two of my faves and a newbie. Chayanne (of course). Alejandro Sanz, and newbie Alex Cuba.

"I Learned To Love The Rain"

I love the music of the morning
as rain drops
beat out their rhythms
on my bedroom window panes.

I have heard that beat before
under tin roofs
in faraway jungles,
where lonesome young warriors,
not understanding
the rhythms of the rain,
nor life,
cried to that beat
of that falling rain.

Now, that I am laying here
next to you,
I have no fears.
No anger.
No worries about bombs
or tomorrows.

I have learned to love
that rhythm of the rain.
I have learned to love you.
I have learned to love me.

So, I am satisfied
just sleeping here with you,
while listening to the falling rain
and the beating of your heart.

I have learned to love both.
as if somehow,
they were only one,
and not separate hearts."

Author Rev. Bill McDonald 

So with that said, I'm leaving you today with some of my rainy day music pics for today....

~ Peace

















And of course none other than......

Ken Watanabi Asks For Continued Support and Prayer For The People of Japan

The video was sent to me by an incredible Chayanne fan, I've introduced you to her before, but just in case you missed that one, her name is Bailarinajp. What makes her so incredible is that she is a die hard, active Chayanne fan that lives in Japan. Her Chayanne fan site is "Corazon-Nadeshiko" 

When the recent tragedy first occurred, I was deeply saddened and worried for the people of Japan as thousands of people around the world were, and still are.....but I was very concerned about Bailarinajp. It was like a weight lifted off me when she left a message on Twitter that she was alright.

The other day Bailarinajp sent the link to this video of Ken Watanabi that has been posted on Youtube, and it would be remiss of me not to pass it on. Please take a few minutes to watch this video, remember the beautiful and strong people of Japan, that still need our support and our prayers.

Like I've said before, even if you have no money to spare, good thoughts and prayers are free......
~Peace




Ken Watanabe was born on October 21, 1959 in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. In 1978, he moved to Tokyo to pursue his career as an actor. He drew attention of the critics when Yukio Ninagawa, a famous Japanese director, chose him for the lead role in one of his plays even though he was still an acting student. He made his first TV appearance in 1982 but his real career breakthrough came when he was chosen to play the lead in the Japanese national TV drama series called "Dokugan ryu Masamune"; he played a samurai leader hero, that made him a household name in Japan. In 1989 when he was shooting a movie in Canada, he collapsed because of Leukemia. He made a miraculous comeback and in 2003 "_The Last Samurai_" where he co-starred with Tom Cruise pushed him to a center stage of Hollywood. "The Last Samurai" is his 15th movie. He is a fanatic fan of Hanshin Tigers (Japanese professional baseball team) and Kobe Steel rugby team.

For more information on Ken Watanabi click the link http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800049752/bio

Mad Alchemy Going On With "The L.A.B."

al·che·my

/ˈælkəmi/ Show Spelled[al-kuh-mee] Show IPA

–noun, plural -mies for 2.

1.

a form of chemistry and speculative philosophy practiced in the Middle Ages and the renaissance and concerned principally with discovering methods for transmuting baser metals into gold and with finding a universal solvent and an elixir of life.

2.

any magical power or process of transmuting a common substance, usually of little value, into a substance of great value.

These three scientist of musicology and rapoligy are bringing hip hop alchemy out of the dark ages and revolutionizing it. Mind you, their brand of hip hop is not for the faint of heart, but if you dare to take the journey you won't be disappointed. 

The L.A.B. stands for "The Last Aliens Breathing", but it also represents where the members of the group are from Louisiana, Atlanta, and the Bay Area. But just who are the three? They are Brandon Barton, Kevin Konflick Onetwenty Fisher, and Tyrell Trellz Washington.

Brandon "BLove" Barton

Tyrell Trellz Washington

Kevin Konflik Onetwenty Fisher

Currently the L.A.B. has five songs out that you can listen to on "Sound Cloud", "Super Model", "Super Model Remix", "Sonz", "Hands Up", and "Fame".   If you want to keep up with all the magic that's coming out of "the L.A.B", you can access their Facebook page,and You Tube Music Channel.  If you want to chat the fellas up you can hit them up on Twitter! Brandon Barton (@bbartoncuzz), Tyrell Trellz Washington (@Trellzmix), Kevin Konflik Onetwenty Fisher (@LABBOY120). 


So with that said.....keep your eyes to the skies and keep your hands up....because you never know what beast is going to break out of "the L.A.B."!


~Peace

"the LAB"           

                                                                      

A crew of professional performers from the entertainment industry who came together to create great music. L.A.B. stands for Louisiana, Atlanta and Bay Area as well as LAST ALIENS BREATHING.  Collectively the crews' credits for performing are outstanding and definitely solidifies that they are not unfamiliar with entertainment. "the LAB" (Kevin Fisher, Brandon Barton, and Tyrell Washington) are born entertainers with movies under their belt, dancing for top major artists, choreographing some of television's hottest shows and videos, touring across the world, and possessing star quality with the image & skills to match. Talent stems from them always. Recording is in the process along with producing some of their own music. Some of their influences are The Fugees, M.I.A., N.E.R.D., Missy Elliott, Black Eyed Peas, Outkast, Kanye West, and TLC. 

The credits and names of the Super Stars that each member of "the LAB" have worked with are endless!! Some of those names include: Beyonce, Rihanna, Whitney Houston, Missy Elliott, Cheryl Cole, Jennifer Lopez, Eve, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Queen Latifah, Chris Brown, Usher, Janet Jackson, Brandy, Tom Cruise, TLC, Sisqo, Nsync, Justin Timberlake, Kylie Minogue, Omarion, Jay Z, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Hudson, Miley Cyrus, Pussycat Dolls, Hilary Duff, Ciara, and Gnarles Barkley to name a few. They have collectively appeared in numerous commercials (AT&T, DR. PEPPER, NIKE, KSWISS, GAP HOLIDAY, IPOD, RADIO SHACK, BURGER KING, DIRECT TV, and PEPSI), television shows ("Nip Tuck", "Just Jordan", "Oprah", "Good Morning America", "The Today Show", "MTV VMA'S", "BET Awards", "American Music Awards", "NAACP Awards", "The Grammy's", "BillBoard Awards", "MTV Russia Awards", "MTV Aisa Awards", "MTV European Music Awards", "The View", "Dick Clark New Years Eve Special", "Fashion Rocks", "Much Music Awards", "Super Bowl", "NBA Allstar Game", "MTV's Taking The Stage", "BET Played By Fame", "Saturday Night Live", "MOBO Awards", "Brit Awards", "Top of The Pops", "CD UK", "David Letterman Show", "Jay Leno Show", "Ellen Show", "So You Think You Can Dance", "Dancing With The Stars", "Kathy & Regis Live", "106 & Park", "TRL", "Teen Choice Awards", "Jimmy Kimmel", "Craig Ferguson", "American Idol", "Bones", "Hannah Montana", and "VH1 Hip Hop Honors"), movies ("Dream Girls", "Norbit", "Dance Flick", "Hannah Montana", "Hair Spray", "Malibu's Most Wanted", "Blades of Glory", "Alvin and The Chipmunks", "Step Up 3-D", "Stomp The Yard 1 & 2", "You Got Served", "Barber Shop 1 & 2" and "Footloose"), and have appeared on countless concert tours and music videos.

So as you can see, it was inevitable that these 3 young men would eventually move to being the ones that are front and center. The sky is the limit for "the LAB". Make sure you stay tuned to see what these 3 ALIENS have cooking in the kitchen. Just make sure you bring your plate and cutlery!!!!

Remember, LL AA BB BABY!!!!!"

 

Esperanza Spalding, A Young Woman With An Old Soul

 Grammy Award Nominee for "Best New Artist"

You have to have respect for a young artist in this day and age of overnight celebrity being garnered from the likes of You Tube, or shows like "American Idol", who choose to introduce themselves to an audience that is typically outside the scope of their particular craft in their own way and their own time. I usually find that these are the artists that will not only rise to the top of their genre, but will at the right moment be seen and accepted by music lovers of other genres and to do it in their way in their time.

This is an excerpt of an article by the Associated Press:

"Esperanza Spalding is getting the wider audience she had sought, but her terms."
From the time Esperanza Spalding appeared on the scene in 2005, the dynamic singer, bassist, composer and arranger has been heralded as jazz’s next big thing. Her impressive musicianship has won her White House recital dates, praise from the likes of Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock, and critical acclaim.

But last year, as she prepared to perform in front of a hug mainstream audience at a tribute to musical mentor Prince at the BET Awards, she started to think about how the moment could catapult her into pop stardom.
“I was really on this mission, kind of in my mind, to figure out how I was going to take my music to turn it accessible to the pop world. ‘How am I going to turn this into like an Alicia Keys thing?’” she recalled thinking.

But when she got to rehearsals with her famous counterparts – including her idol Keys – she decided fame had somehow warped the purity of their artistry, and she didn’t want that happening to her."

To read the rest

All About Esperanza
 
If “esperanza” is the Spanish word for hope, then bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding could not have been given a more fitting name at birth. Blessed with uncanny instrumental chops, a multi-lingual voice that is part angel and part siren, and a natural beauty that borders on the hypnotic, the 25-year-old prodigy-turned-pro might well be the hope for the future of jazz and instrumental music.

Spalding was born in 1984 and raised on what she calls “the other side of the tracks” in a multi-lingual household and neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. Growing up in a single-parent home amid economically adverse circumstances, she learned early lessons in the meaning of perseverance and moral character from the role model whom she holds in the highest regard to this day – her mother.

But even with a rock-solid role model, school did not come easy to Spalding, although not for any lack of intellectual acumen. She was both blessed and cursed with a highly intuitive learning style that often put her at odds with the traditional education system. On top of that, she was shut in by a lengthy illness as a child, and as a result, was home-schooled for a significant portion of her elementary school years. In the end, she never quite adjusted to learning by rote in the conventional school setting.

“It was just hard for me to fit into a setting where I was expected to sit in a room and swallow everything that was being fed to me,” she recalls. “Once I figured out what it was like to be home-schooled and basically self-taught, I couldn’t fit back into the traditional environment.”

However, the one pursuit that made sense to Spalding from a very early age was music. At age four, after watching classical cellist Yo Yo Ma perform on an episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the roadmap was suddenly very clear. “That was when I realized that I wanted to do something musical,” she says. “It was definitely the thing that hipped me to the whole idea of music as a creative pursuit.”

Within a year, she had essentially taught herself to play the violin well enough to land a spot in The Chamber Music Society of Oregon, a community orchestra that was open to both children and adult musicians. She stayed with the group for ten years, and by age 15, she had been elevated to a concertmaster position.
But by then, she had also discovered the bass, and all of the non-classical avenues that the instrument could open for her. Suddenly, playing classical music in a community orchestra wasn’t enough for this young teenager anymore. Before long she was playing blues, funk, hip-hop and a variety of other styles on the local club circuit. “The funny thing was, I was the songwriter, but I had never experienced love before. Being the lyricist and the lead singer, I was making up songs about red wagons, toys and other childish interests. No one knew what I was singing about, but they liked the sound of it and they just ate it up.”

To read more of Esperanza's bio click here

Discography

Junio 

Release Date 2006

Label Ayva

Esperanza

Release Date 2008

Label Heads Up Records

Chamber Music Society

Release Date 2010

Lable Tel Arc Jazz

Esperanza's Music can be found on iTunes.