JAZZ

[Deena]

Bio: John Coltrane

Few artists have been as influential in jazz music as saxophonist John Coltrane. Each of the several major periods of his career produced classic works that remain to this day models for jazz musicians worldwide.
Born in Hamlet, N.C., on September 23, 1926, Coltrane began performing publicly in 1947, after leaving the military, where he performed in the Navy band. During the next few years Coltrane drifted from band to band, but didn't achieve much fame until the mid-1950s, when he began to refine his sound under the tutelage of jazz legend Miles Davis. In 1955 Coltrane joined the Miles Davis Quintet as tenor saxophonist; he quickly evolved into one of the already formidable group's strongest performers. Unfortunately, in 1957 Coltrane was fired from the Quintet due to his use of heroin. After quitting drugs, Coltrane briefly worked with Thelonious Monk, then formed his own group.

In 1957 Coltrane recorded his first great album (some say his best) as a band leader, Blue Train. The next year he returned to the Miles Davis Quintet, where his fierce "sheets of sound" playing style earned critical raves and, soon enough, a solo deal with Atlantic Records. Coltrane's 1959 solo effort Giant Steps, recorded with a piano-bass-drum accompaniment, certified his place in jazz history. Following the success of Giant Steps, Coltrane left the Miles Davis Quintet to begin a new group consisting of himself, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones.

The John Coltrane Quartet's 1960 masterpiece, My Favorite Things, introduced a new period in Coltrane's career marked by a more minimalist, hypnotic sound and extended, repetitious solos. Though dismissed by some critics as "anti-jazz," Coltrane's new style made waves in the music world.

Not long after the release of 1964's seminal work of reverence, A Love Supreme, John Coltrane began to pursue a more avant-garde direction with his band, which now featured several horn players and a second bassist (and later, a second drummer). Eschewing melody for sonic adventure, Coltrane's music became more improvisational and intense. Tragically, by 1966 his health was beginning to fail; some blamed overwork, as Coltrane was said to practice up to 12 hours a day. He passed away on July 17, 1967 of liver cancer and was buried in Farmingdale, New York.

[Deena]

Bio: B.B. King

B.B. King is considered to be one of the greatest blues guitarists of the late 20th century. His unique style of playing -- integrating single string runs, "bent" chords and left hand vibrato -- has influenced countless musicians after him, including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour and Buddy Guy.
B.B. King was born Riley B. King on September 16, 1925 to a poor family of sharecroppers living on the Mississippi Delta, near the town of Itta Bene, Miss. King's home life was very unstable and as a child he picked cotton to help with the family income. But King's mother brought him to church regularly, where King was first exposed to gospel music; he even learned some basic guitar skills from his preacher. In the 1940s King performed on street corners around nearby Indianola, Miss., worked as a truck driver and played guitar with a five-man chorus called "The Famous St. John's Gospel Singers." In 1947, with $2.50 in his pocket, King left Mississippi for Memphis to seek his fortune as a blues musician.

Arriving in Memphis penniless, King moved in with his cousin, bluesman Bukka White, who spent nearly a year teaching him all the fine points of blues guitar. King's first big break came in 1948 when he performed live on KWEM, a radio station out of West Memphis. The successful radio debut led to a long-term agreement with competitor WDIA (one of the country's first all-black radio stations), where King performed weekly in return for plugging a health tonic called Pepticon. He was soon promoted to DJ, and became known as the Beale Street Blues Boy, later changed to "Blues Boy King" and shortened to B.B. King.

King made his first recordings in 1949 for Bullet Records, but switched to Modern Records (who owned the Kent, Crown and RPM imprints) that summer, signing a 10-year contract. RPM released six B.B. King singles in late 1949, earning him a strong local reputation.

Late that year, a small Arkansas club where King was performing caught fire, and he valiantly rushed inside to save his Gibson guitar. Later King found out the fire started when a lantern was knocked over by two men fighting about a woman called Lucille, and so King named his guitar (and all subsequent guitars) Lucille to commemorate the event.

King returned to the studio in 1951 to record his seventh single "Three O'Clock Blues," which became a 1952 radio hit, staying at No. 1 for 15 weeks. King gained a national reputation as an innovative blues guitarist and signed with Universal Artists, who sent him on his first national tour.

In 1955 King began touring full time, buying a bus called "Big Red." In 1958 the bus got into a major accident while King was not on board; though no one was injured, the very weekend that the accident occurred, King was between insurance policies, leaving him with a huge debt.

While he continued to play to large black audiences and was widely respected in blues circles, King did not enjoy the mainstream success of such contemporary black artists as Little Richard, Fats Domino and Chuck Berry. King changed to ABC Records in the early '60s, seeking wider recognition, only to find that ABC did not support his music. Despite being at the peak of his career, King languished in relative obscurity.

Around 1965 things began to change for the blues, as the all-white Butterfield Blues Band brought the music into the mainstream, and B.B. King got some publicity when white musicians began crediting him as an influence. That same year he recorded his definitive live album, Live at the Regal.

In 1966 King wrote what was to become his signature song, "The Thrill is Gone," inspired by his second divorce. The single became a huge crossover hit and changed his career, as King went from playing smaller blues clubs to larger jazz and rock venues, including the Fillmore East. King appeared on the "Tonight Show" in 1969 and "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1971, signaling mainstream acceptance, which was re-enforcedwith an opening slot on the 1969 U.S. Rolling Stones tour.

King became increasingly popular during the '70s and '80s, playing clubs and festivals worldwide at a rate of nearly 300 dates per year. His music has taken him to the former Soviet Union, South America, Australia, Africa and Japan, as well as countless European cities. Irish rockers U2 asked King to record a track, "When Love Comes to Town," for their 1988 album Rattle and Hum. The song became a hit and introduced King to a whole new generation of music lovers.

In a career spanning six decades, King has earned countless honors, including 18 Grammy Awards, enshrinement in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1987), the Presidential Medal of the Arts (1990) and the Kennedy Center Honors (1995).

In the early '90s, King opened his own blues club on Beale Street in Memphis, and in 2000 continued his foray into the world of club ownership by opening the B.B. King Blues Bar and Grill in New York. Now in his 70s, King has barely slowed down, continuing to tour relentlessly as America's "blues ambassador" to the world.

His latest album, the 2000 release Riding With The King, teamed King with fellow guitarist and longtime admirer Eric Clapton.

[Deena]

Bio: Stevie Wonder

R&B star Stevie Wonder was born Steveland Morris on May 13, 1950 in Saginaw, Mich. As a premature infant Wonder was placed in an incubator and accidentally given too muchoxygen, causing him to go blind. While many would consider this a great handicap,the ever-optimistic Wonder later said his blindness was a blessing, allowing him toconcentrate on his sense of hearing. The Morris family moved to Detroit, and by the age of seven Stevie was a vocal and piano prodigy, later learning the drums and harmonica. Discovered by a member of the Miracles, the gifted child was introduced to Motownfounder Berry Gordy, and at the age of 12 had his first record deal. Taking the stagename "Little Stevie Wonder," his first album, 1962's Twelve Year Old Genius,spawned the No. 1 hit "Fingertips (Part 2)." Thanks to his unusual circumstances, energetic live performances and chart-topping hits like "Harmonica Man" and "Contract On Love," Wonder became a nationally recognized musician before the age of 15. Before heturned 20 Wonder was writing nearly all of his songs, and even penned the SmokeyRobinson hit "The Tears of a Clown."
When Wonder turned 21 in 1971, his contract with Motown expired, and he took time off from his recording career to explore other directions. Using his previous earnings, Wonder built his own recording studio and enrolled in USC, where he studied formal music theory to improve his compositional skills. Unhappy with Motown's control overhis career, Wonder recorded two complete albums at his new studio -- Where I'm Coming From and the synth-driven Music of My Mind -- and used themas bargaining chips when renegotiating with Berry Gordy. Wonder became the first Motown artist to break Gordy's renown grip on performers, winning a higher royalty rate and, more importantly, full artistic freedom and publishing rights. His future secure,Wonder turned over his albums to Motown, who released them in early 1972;though they were not huge commercial hits, the cohesive albums were a breakthroughfor soul and R&B, which were traditionally based around manufactured hit singles ratherthan quality full-length records by a self-contained singer-songwriter.

Wonder returned to the top of the charts with 1972's Talking Book, a criticallyacclaimed and commercially successful release which spawned two hit singles,"Superstition" and "You Are the Sunshine of My Life." 1973's Innervisions,widely considered his finest work, was another leap forward for Wonder -- besides containing catchy hits like "Living For the City" and the funky "Higher Ground," the album contained political, religious, and social messages previously rare in pop-R&B music, opening the genre up to more outspoken lyrics.

In August 1973 Stevie Wonder was critically injured when a car in which he was being driven to a North Carolina concert was struck by falling timber; after being comatosefor nearly a day, Wonder made a full recovery, though a head injury left him withouta sense of smell. Inspired by his amazing recovery, Wonder released 1974's Fulfillingness' First Finale, an upbeat record which featured the hits "Boogie on Reggae Woman" and the political funk piece "You Haven't Done Nothin'." Between 1972 and 1974 Wonder won more Grammys than any other performer, in nearly every category: Best R&B Artist, Best Song, Best Male Vocalist and Best Album. Afterspending over a year recording, Wonder released the epic double album Songsin the Key of Life in 1976; the sprawling album was mildly criticized for its pretentiousness, yet featured one of his biggest hits, "Sir Duke," and was a huge seller.Strangely, Wonder did not release an immediate follow-up, taking almost three years off to work on a mostly instrumental soundtrack for the obscure, unfinished film Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants. The panned New Age-inspired album contained no major singles yet still reached No. 4 based on Wonder's name alone.

Wonder returned to his original style with 1980's Hotter Than July, a platinum-selling album which contained the No. 1 hit "Master Blaster (Jammin')" and "Happy Birthday," a protest song which lead to the establishment of Martin Luther King Day as a national holiday. In 1982 Wonder collaborated with Paul McCartney on the hit pop single"Ebony and Ivory." Two years later he released his next full album, a soundtrack to theGene Wilder movie The Woman in Red. With the No. 1 pop single "I Just CalledTo Say I Love You," the light-rock album was a big commercial success, yet embarrassedcritics who favored Wonders "serious" '70s R&B material.

Now primarily a fluffy pop star, Wonder scored another hit in 1985 with "Part Time Lover," from the album In Square Circle. Though his album sold more than ever, artistically Wonder was clearly on the decline, evident on 1987's Characters, which featured a duet with Michael Jackson. After a short hiatus Wonder returned in 1991 with a soundtrack to the Spike Lee film Jungle Fever, which broke no new ground. 1995'sConversation Peace, a commercial and critical flop, further alienated fans, thoughit won two Grammys for the single "For Your Love." In 1996 Stevie Wonder receiveda Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; he was also one of the first inductees intothe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

[Deena]

Bio: Branford Marsalis


Saxophonist Brandford Marsalis was born in New Orleans in 1960 to a family of accomplished jazz musicians. After attending the Berklee School of Music in Boston, Marsalis joined the Art Blakely band in 1980 as a bari sax player, later switching to alto. In 1982 Branford joined his younger brother Wynton's band,playing tenor and soprano sax with the group for three years before joining Sting's backup band in 1985. The following year he formed his own jazz quartet, recording a string of albums for Columbia. During the late '80s Marsalis expanded his career to acting, appearing in Throw Momma from the Train(1987) and the Spike Lee film School Daze (1988). He later parlayed his screen experience into the role of bandleader on Jay Leno's "Tonight Show," beginning in 1992. After two years Marsalis left the show, forming the Buckshot LeFonque project that merged jazz with hip-hop, R&B and rock. Marsalis released his most recent jazz album, Dark Keys, in 1996; the second release from Buckshot LeFonque, Music Evolution, was released in 1997.

[Deena]

Bio: Dinah Washington


Singer Dinah Washington performed in many settings, but never as well as when singing jazz material.
Born Ruth Lee Jones in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Aug. 29, 1924, Washington sang as part of a Chicago gospel group, the Sara Martin Singers, while still a teenager. She won an amateur singing contest, and began working in Chicago nightclubs during the early 1940s. From there she went on to work with Lionel Hampton (1943-'46). Around this time she also started making her own records.

Washington developed a style equally suited to r&b as well as jazz, but it was the jazz material, principally that recorded during the mid '50s with jazz artists such as Clifford Brown, Max Roach and Clark Terry, that marked her as a definitive jazz singer. Many vocalists, whether singing jazz, blues, r&b or gospel, have been influenced by her unique phrasing and expression. Unfortunately, her stormy personal life cut her career too short. Washington died on Dec. 14, 1963.

Recordings include The Bessie Smith Songbook (EmArcy, 1958); Dinah Jams (EmArcy, 1954); The Complete Dinah Washington On Mercury (Mercury); Mellow Mama (Delmark, 1945); Sings Standards (Verve); The Fats Waller Songbook (Verve); and What A Difference A Day Makes (Mercury).

[Deena]

Bio: Django Reinhardt


Guitarist Django Reinhardt parlayed a Gypsy heritage to become Europe's first acclaimed jazz musician. Born on Jan. 23, 1910, in Liverchies, Belgium, Reinhardt grew up in a Gypsy camp outside Paris. He first studied violin, then proceeded to a banjo-guitar.
By 13, he was good enough to play in funky Parisian dance halls, and in 1922 he began professional work. But in 1928, a caravan fire mutilated the first two fingers of his left hand. Despite the limitation, Reinhardt rehabilitated himself and developed a revolutionary two-finger technique.

By 1930, Reinhardt returned to playing, this time in Montemarte cafes while absorbing jazz from American records by Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Joe Venuti and American guitarist Eddie Lang. Soon he teamed up with singer Jean Sablon. In 1934, he met violinist Stephane Grappelli, with whom he founded the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. The group achieved international acclaim within a year and recorded some 200 sides, including American pop and jazz standards "Dinah," "Tiger Rag," "Lady Be Good," "Stardust" and "St. Louis Blues" and Reinhardt-Grappelli collaborations, such as "Djangology," "Minor Swing," "Bricktop," "Swing 39" and the international hit, "Nuages." Critics dismissed the work at the time but now consider them classics.

Many Americans who came to Europe played with Reinhardt, who dressed like a Gypsy prince and carried himself with air of distinction. He was also given to bouts of flakiness, missing gigs while he was off dining with Gypsy "cousins." Still, Reinhardt quickly became Europe's first crowned king of jazz, a fact that flustered a good many American players.

Reinhardt played with the Quintet until 1939, when Grappelli moved to London to escape World War II. Reinhardt traveled around Europe and Africa to evade the Germans, experimented with big bands and formed a new quintet with clarinetist Hubert Rostaing. He also composed symphonic works and arranged the musical soundtrack for the 1946 movie Le Village De La Colere.

Reinhardt toured the United States with Ellington in 1946, where he played an amplified guitar for the first time, but critics dismissed his work. Reinhardt returned to Europe, disillusioned with the United States, and turned his interest to bebop. He spent his remaining years based in Samois, France, playing an electric guitar, and touring and recording with a new quintet, occasionally with Grappelli. In all, Reinhardt will be remembered for developing a unique solo voice that was steeped in Gypsy roots and combined melodic resourcefulness and romantic flair. Reinhardt died from a stroke at 43 on May 16, 1953 in Fontainebleau, France.

In 1971, Reinhardt was elected by the Critics into the Down Beat Hall of Fame.

[Deena]

Festivalul International de Jazz de la Garana

A noua editie a Festivalului International de Jazz de la Garana se va desfasura in perioada 12-14 august 2005. Garana este o localitate situata in Muntii Banatului, langa statiunea Semenic, la 45 de minute de Resita.

La editia din acest an vor sustine recitaluri artisti de mare marca ai jazzului mondial cum sunt Mike Stern si Stanley Jordan, precum si importanti artisti din Suedia, Germania, Ungaria, Cehia, Austria si Romania.


Programul previzionat al celor trei zile este urmatorul:

Vineri, 12 august 2005

Horea Crisovan & Cristina Padurariu
Mike Stern Band
Mike Stern - chitara
Bob Franceschini ??€� sax
Lincoln Goines ??€� electric bass
Lionel Gordew ??€� tobe
Nicolas Simion Trio
Nicolas Simion ??€� sax, clarinet
Catalin Rotaru ??€� bas
Gyorgy Jeszenszky - tobe
Bohem Ragtime Jazz Band
Tam??s Ittz?©s ??€� pian, vioara, vocal, leader
Mikl??s L??z??r ??€� vioara, vocal
J??zsef Lebanov ??€� trompeta
Zolt??n M??trai ??€� clarinet, tenor sax
Attila Korb ??€� trombon, pian, vioara, vocal
Gy?¶rgy M??trai ??€� banjo, chitara
J??zsef T?¶r?¶k ??€� tuba, bass
Alfr?©d Falusi ??€� tobe

Sambata, 13 august 2005

Aura Urziceanu
Luviu Butoi Quartet
Liviu Butoi ??€� flaut, saxofon
Mircea Tiberian ??€� pian
Tony Kuhn ??€� chitara
Sonya Tomeckova & Caramel Band
Krauser Project
Stefan Incszedy ??€� keyboards
Dixi Krauser ??€� bass
Leo Schlichtling ??€� sax

Duminica, 14 august 2005

Mindchange
Dan Alex Bozo Mitrofan - chitara
Arthur Balogh ??€� contrabas
Tavi Scurtu ??€� tobe
Sasha Bota ??€� vioara
Sebastian Spanache ??€� pian
Utu Pascu ??€� bas
Petrica Ionutescu ??€� trompeta
DJ Leizaboy
Stanley Jordan
Teodora Enache
Bega Blues Band
Kamocsa Bela ??€� chitara, voce
Lica Dolga ??€� tobe
Victor Miclaus ??€� bass
Gyarfas Istvan ??€� chitara
Beatrix Imre - voce ??€� special guest star
David Wilczewki??€�s ??€??Who Knew???€? feat. Doru Apreotesei
David Wilczewski ??€� saxofon
Max Schultz ??€� chitara
Torbjorn Zetterberg ??€� bass
Ricard Nettermalm ??€� tobe
Doru Apreotesei - pian

Programul poate fi modificat in sensul ca pot aparea si alte grupuri.

Festivalul este produs si organizat de Marius Giura si Fundatia Culturala Jazz Banat, cu sprijinul Ministerului Culturii si Cultelor din Romania, al Consiliului Judetean Caras-Severin si al Consiliului Judetean Timis.

Institutul Cultural Roman, Centrul Ceh, Centrul Cultural al Republicii Ungare si Pro Helvetia sunt parteneri ai acestui festival.

In perioada celor trei zile vor avea loc lansari de carte, lansari de CDuri ale unor mari artisti romani de gen, expozitii de pictura si de afise.

Toate informatiile necesare, precum si date despre artisti, se gasesc pe :


www.garana-jazz.ro

[Deena]

Quincy Jones On Board To Score 'Get Rich or Die Tryin''
By Nolan Strong
Date: 8/3/2005 10:20 am

Producer and musical genius Quincy Jones has been tapped to score ??€?Get Rich or Die Tryin??€�,??€? the semi-autobiographical account of rapper 50 Cent??€�s life.

Jones will be teamed with the other composers of the film to create original music. The legendary producer will work directly with 50 Cent, Gavin Friday, Maurice Seezer and director Jim Sheridan.

Jones has produced some of the most legendary recorded albums, including Michael Jackson??€�s Off The Wall, Thriller (Best selling album worldwide of all time) and Bad.

Jones was born in 1933 and his career in the music business spans over 60-years, from bebop to hip-hop.

Jones started in the music business playing the trumpet for such legendary musicians as Count Basie, Theolonius Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday and others.

By 1964, Jones had risen to Vice President of Mercury Records and by 1965, Jones was scoring films. He contributed to such major flicks as ??€?In the Heat of the Night,??€? ??€?The Wiz??€? and the original version of ??€?The Italian Job.??€?

"Get Rich or Die Tryin??€�" will be Jones??€� 34th film score and his first since scoring Steven Speilberg's land mark 1985 movie "The Color Purple," that starred Oprah Winfrey.

Jones??€� music has been sampled countless times by a wide range of musicians, from hip-hop and other genres.

Jones??€� ??€?Soul Bossa Nova??€? has been used in the Austin Powers movie franchise and was recently re-worked into Ludacris??€� hit single ??€?Number One Spot,??€? taken from his album The Red Light District, which is certified platinum.

A keen eye can spot Jones in various rap videos and early on he embraced rap on his albums The Dude (1981 ??€� the title track features a rap) Back on the Block (1989) and Q's Jook Joint (1996).

Jones was also the co-producer of Will Smith??€�s ??€?Fresh Prince of Bel Air??€? and LL Cool J??€�s ??€?In the House.??€?

[sunrah]

Aura Urziceanu

[Rimu?‚?]

am un fel de compilatie de jazz din anii 20-30...daca sunteti interesati anuntati-ma...

[GANi]

Poti s-o upload-ezi pe rapidshare.de sau yousendit si sa postezi link-ul aici? Sounds very interesting...

[Deena]

Rimu Multumim anticipat!......asteptam...asteptam....cu mare nerabdareee

[arigo]

RIP IBRAHIM FERRER



(AP) Ibrahim Ferrer, a leading voice with the hugely popular Buena Vista Social Club of vintage Cuban performers, died Saturday, his representative in Cuba said. He was 78.

The Montuno production company did not give a cause of death, but Ferrer's colleagues said he suffered from emphysema and was feeling ill earlier in the week.

Known for his trademark cap and graying mustache, Ferrer was a wiry, animated figure who clearly enjoyed performing Cuba's traditional "son" music of the 1940s and 1950s for new generations of fans.

Among a group of older Cuban performers recruited by U.S. musician Ry Cooder, Ferrer performed on the "Buena Vista Social Club album" that won a Grammy in 1999, and was among those appearing in the film of the same name.

"I felt like he was my brother," said fellow Buena Vista performer, the guitarist Manuel Galban. "He was a great musician and a great companion."

Also in 1999, Ferrer was featured in one of a string of albums that followed, "Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer," and won a Latin Grammy for best new artist in 2000.

Two other well-known members of the original Buena Vista group, singer Compay Segundo and pianist Ruben Gonzalez, died in 2003.

Originally from Cuba's eastern city of Santiago, Ferrer was born on Feb. 20, 1927, during a dance at a social club after his mother unexpectedly went into labor.

Ferrer was still a boy when he began singing professional with Santiago groups in 1941. By the late 1950s, he was a well-known singer performing regularly with the late, great bandleader Pacho Alonso.

He also made guest appearances with other legendary names, including Benny More and Orquesta de Chepin.

Alonso's group moved to Havana in 1959, and Ferrer came along, remaining with the group for more than two decades. By the early 1980s, Ferrer had left the musical scene, but came out of retirement to perform with the Buena Vista group.

[Deena]

R.I.P.

[Deena]

Bio:Molly Johnson

Another Day is Molly's second solo album and it exceeds the high standards set by her self-titled debut released in 2000. This time the album shimmers with the spontaneous energy of a live performance - a goal achieved through the use of the exceptional musicians Molly has recruited as her touring quartet (multi-instrumentalist and background vocals Colleen Allen; Andrew Craig, piano and vocals; Mike Downes, bass; Mark McLean, drums) and the speed in which it was recorded. Another Day came to life in just 8 short days at Reaction Studios in Toronto, helmed by veterans Craig Street (producer: Cassandra Wilson, Norah Jones) and Kevin Killen (engineer: U2, Elvis Costello). The first single is the album's title track - a tart, tongue-in-cheek meditation on "a day in my life" - with a video directed by Margaret Malandruccolo.



Molly Johnson has earned her reputation as one of Canada's greatest voices. Her accomplishments in blues, jazz and rock have moved audiences across the country. Her talents have led to collaborations, as both singer and songwriter, with internationally acclaimed artists such as k.d lang, Stephane Grappelli, Rush's Alex Lifeson, Blue Rodeo, Tom Cochrane and guitarist Craig Ross (Lenny Kravitz). From 1996-2000 (despite the fact she had not released new material) Johnson was selected Best Vocalist in the NOW Magazine (Toronto's Village Voice/LA Weekly) annual Reader's Poll.

Molly has rocked standing-room only audiences in nightclubs and bars from coast-to-coast as a pop artist, seduced the patrons of salons and lounges with her luscious interpretations of jazz and blues standards and even regaled royalty during a private command performance aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia before the Prince and late Princess of Wales. She has been the subject of numerous feature stories in various media, such as Adrienne Clarkson Presents, Toronto Life, Chatelaine, Flare, June Callwood's National Treasures, CBC's Opening Night and Bravo's Live At The Rehearsal Hall and, at one time or another (for her charitable work if not her music), in virtually every daily and weekly newspaper in the country.

Molly Johnson, the debut album, showcases Molly's treasured talent and incorporates all the musical styles that the singer has mastered over her storied career. It was co-written with Juno-winning producer/arranger Steven MacKinnon (Natalie Cole, Marc Jordan) and recorded almost entirely in his home studio. Two exceptions were a memorable session with the legendary jazz violinist Stephane Grapelli and another that required more room than his home could offer - 25 string musicians were required to embellish the lush, romantic ballad, "It's Only Love (And I Believed You)." The album featured the hit single and video "Diamond In My Hand."

Molly's career began as a child performer. She received formal training at the National Ballet School of Canada and the Banff School of Fine Arts. Her informal training has continued by way of performances in numerous saloons, concert halls and recording studios across North America. The youngest member of the talented Johnson family, she shares her creative genes with her brother, actor/director Clark (NBC's Homicide: Life On The Streets, The Shield), and her sister Taborah, who also sings and appears regularly on CBC Television.

Molly formed the art/rock band Alta Moda in the 80s, eventually releasing an album on Sony Records. In the early 90's she was lead singer for the Juno Award-winning band Infidels and signed an international deal with IRS Records. The self-titled album was released to glowing acclaim, and will be re-issued by EMI early in 2003.

Throughout her rock career, Johnson had always found the occasional escape into jazz and blues both rewarding and creatively rejuvenating. Over the years she developed into one of the country's finest jazz vocalists, starting in the tiny backroom of the bohemian Cameron Public House in downtown Toronto and ultimately appearing in the city's premier venues, including the Royal York Hotel's Imperial Room and both Massey and Roy Thompson Halls. With a repertoire that embraced Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Billie Holiday as well as original material, Johnson has delighted audiences opening for greats such as Ray Charles and B.B. King.

In addition to her accomplishments as both singer and songwriter, Molly is well known for her commitment to numerous charitable causes. Most specifically she is the founder and driving force behind the Kumbaya Foundation. The Kumbaya Foundation was established in 1992 and, since then, has raised close to one million dollars for the care of people living with AIDS and HIV. What began as a gathering of Molly's friends from the Canadian music business grew into an annual festival of music, art, education and compassion. The Kumbaya Festival is broadcast live across the country by MuchMusic and features some of Canada's best musical talent.
Clipul piesei "Melody"
http://www.emidigitalmedia.com/jukebox/ ... Position=0

Enjoy!