ENTERTAINMENT: LATEST RELEASES,  GOSSIPS AND NEWS

FAMSPA HONORS PATRICE FERRIS, BRUCE MORROW "Cousin Brucie", DR. TRUDY PITTS AND ANTOINETTE MONTAGUE...

All on the cover of Volume V of the World Who's Who in Jazz, Cabaret, Music and Entertainment Continued from Part 1

Patrice Ferris, 2007 Best Trio singer. She graced the cover of "Best Musicians, Singers, Albums and Entertainment Personalities of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries." Volume V of the World Who's Who in Jazz, Cabaret, Music and Entertainment.

New York- The Federation of American Musicians, Singers and Performing Artists (FAMSPA) announced today in New York City the final selection of the music and entertainment personalities who grace the cover of volume V “Best Musicians, Singers, Albums and Entertainment Personalities of the19th, 20^th and 21^st Centuries”,  (970 photos!!) and one of the tomes of the massive 20 volume set of the World Who’s Who in Jazz, Cabaret, Music and Entertainment.” The honorees are: Washington-based Satin Doll Trio vocalist Patrice Ferris; Sirius Radio Satellite, the legendary Bruce Morrow, a.k.a. Cousin Brucie; award-winning educator, vocalist, musician and composer, Dr. Trudy Pitts; and  Blues singer Antoinette Montague.

IT’S A GREAT HONOR!

To be on the cover of an encyclopedia or a Who’s Who is indeed a great honor, and one in a lifetime opportunity. Usually, the most accomplished individuals in a given field are selected and honored in such a manner. In science, the brightest scientists and inventors are featured on science magazines covers. In literature, laureates, award-winning writers, and bestselling authors appear on the front page of a literary publication. So it goes for showbiz and music. FAMSPA stated that only those who made the most significant contributions to the world of music, showbiz and entertainment are eligible to be on the covers of the 20 volumes of the World Who’s Who in Jazz, Cabaret, Music and Entertainment. For volume V “Best Musicians, Singers, Albums and Entertainment Personalities of the 19^th, 20^th and 21^st Centuries (Coming in June 30^th, 2007), four distinguished individuals were chosen. Each one of them brings a wealth of knowledge, unmatched talent, authorship and remarkable accomplishments.

 THE HONOREES

The four honorees are outstanding members of the entertainment industry. FAMSPA selected them to grace the cover of Volume V.

1-PATRICE FERRIS: Satin Doll Trio vocalist Patrice Ferris was born in Honolulu Hawaii. She began her musical career by studying piano and flute at a young age but always loved to just sing. During her teen years she studied performing arts and began singing in choirs, musicals, and various vocal ensembles. While attending college at American University she studied with her most influential teacher, the renowned opera voice teacher Ms. Lois Darling. Her interest in the vocal styles of artists like Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughan, and Carmen McCray led her to the Elliston School for Jazz Studies where she studied with jazz vocalist Ronnie Wells. Patrice developed her distinctively smooth singing style while performing five nights a week in Washington D.C. area nightclubs. One club owner commented that there weren't enough "O's" in the word "SMOOTH" to describe her vocal styles, pointing out that she seamlessly combines the sultriness of a singer like Julie London, with the soul of a singer like Billy Holiday. Patrice's greatest strength lies in her innate ability to connect with her material and communicate that intimacy with the listener. As vocalist for the Satin Doll Trio Patrice has appeared on the stages of the John F. Kennedy Centers’ KC Jazz Club, the Corcoran Gallery's Armand Hammer Auditorium, Washington’s prestigious Cosmos Club, and has made television appearances on the BET Jazz programs "Jazz Central", "Impressions", and on News Channel 8 WJLA Washington D.C. Patrice was recently featured on the cover of Washington Flyer magazine as the magazines pick for "Best In Show" in the Washington D.C. area. Press quotes: In a review of Patrice’s singing on the Satin Doll Trio’s second release, "I'm Glad There Is You", the Washington Post wrote that, "she always places her considerable talent at the service of the song, making the words count and the moods linger", while JazzReview.com called her phrasing "spot-on and creative" as Patrice puts her own personal stamp on songs like "Easy Street", "Nevertheless", and "Rock Me To Sleep". Music Monthly went on the say that "Patrice Ferris sings so sweetly you'd think she was a reincarnated songstress from a bygone era".

American living legend, Bruce Morrow, a.k.a Cousin Brucie.

2-BRUCE MORROW: The author wrote: “In 1959, the “Prince of Charisma”, Mr. Bruce Morrow began his illustrious and sometimes stormy career at New York Top 40 station WINS.  He became a living legend on WABC. Bruce Morrow was born in Brooklyn on October 13, 1937, and attended New York University. In 1959, Mr. Morrow adopted the moniker “Cousin Brucie”, while working at WINS in New York. During his time at WABC, “Cousin Brucie” was extremely well-known for hosting the legendary Palisades Park rock concerts. In August 1965, he introduced the Beatles during their historic Shea Stadium concert. In 1994, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani proclaimed West 52nd Street “Cousin Brucie Way” in recognition for his enormous contributions to music and for preserving America’s cultural and musical heritage. In 1988, Mr. Morrow was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame. Mr. Morrow is a great asset to our world. This is an outstanding human being with a heart larger than the world we live in, and a musical knowledge mightier and richer than the Encyclopedia Britannica. Mr. Morrow is a renowned humanitarian. For years, he devoted time and efforts serving the Variety Children's Charity and generously supported the physically challenged, disadvantaged, sick and needy children. Without the commitment of Bruce Morrow, Rock “n” Roll, the “Oldies” Doo Wop and America’s musical treasures of yesteryears would have ceased to be a reminder of America’s musical greatness. The world is prettier, the sun shines brighter, American families are happier, and music radiates beauty and love when our world is inhabited by people like Bruce Morrow. I wish this man could live for ever!. Once he said: “God closes the door and opens a gate.” He was referring to what has happened to him since the afternoon of Black Friday, June 3, 2005, when he was told on the phone, that his three shows on Infinity Broadcasting’s WCBS-FM (101.1 kc) — 33 years of Golden Oldie rock history — were cancelled. Allegedly, the station decided to adopt a new format. What format? They are nuts! But Bruce, the gentle giant is bigger than life…he is confident something good will come out of it. He is sitting at the kitchen table with his wife Jodie reflecting on the situation. “Within two hours of the announcement of the change at WCBS-FM hitting the press, I started getting calls from other stations in New York. Also from Sirius Satellite and XM Satellite Radio. And signed on with Sirius — probably the best contract in my life.” Said the delightful Bruce Morrow. “Cousin Brucie” is now heard on Sirius 6-60's Vibrations. Cousin Brucie's Saturday Night Party "Live" airs Saturday Nights 8pm-12am ET (Request Show) The Love Hour, Hour Half Hour is heard at 11:30pm ET Wednesdays with The Cuz is heard 5pm-9pm ET'.”

 Dr. Trudy Pitts in concert.

3-DR. TRUDY PITTS: Trudy is a native Philadelphian who began playing piano at age six. Her mother, too, was a musician and inspired this family tradition. "My family was deeply involved in the church community," says Trudy, "and I started playing piano for Sunday school when I was about nine or ten. As time went on, I was introduced to the church organ, and I played organ in Sunday school." Earning a degree in music education was only natural for this talented prodigy. She studied at Philadelphia's Musical Academy, Temple University, and Juilliard, among other institutions. During these years she reached out to the classics and built a base from which future compositions and arrangements would spring. Always seeking new musical challenges, Trudy accepted an offer to sit in the pit as an assistant to the pianist in the Tony Award-winning show Raisin' when it traveled through Philadelphia. "I did that for the month or two that they were in town. Then not too much later I got a call from the manager inquiring if I could join the company for the rest of the tour." Trudy became a sensation on the Hammond organ, and everybody who is anybody knows why: she has a strong foundation on which to build her new sound and a musical genius that is matched only by her determination to succeed.  At the 1992 Organ Jam in Philadelphia, Trudy Pitts emerged in the world of Jazz organ and was soon swinging away with Mr. C alongside such greats as Ben Webster, Gene Ammons, and Sonny Stitt.

Antoinette Montague in concert.

4-ANTOINETTE MONTAGUE: The author of the World Who’s Who, Maximillien de Lafayette called her the new queen of romantic Blues. Ms. Montague released a superb new CD” PRETTY BLUES” and received 5 star rating from the International Herald Daily News in Paris and London. Carol Lexter, associate editor of the World Who’s Who said: “Montague is a national treasure, just give her more time and she will shine brighter than all the lights of Times Square!” Cadence Magazine’s Larry Hollis said about her new CD: “This disc is a sleeper and a keeper.” And Jazz Times wrote: “Antoinette is as real as they come: good range, phrasing and taste.”

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JUDY BARNETT'S "TOO DARN HOT" IS A TRIUMPH!! Rating: 5 stars.                                                 

PARIS- Cole Porter's Too Darn Hot is the first song on the CD. In this song, Barnett displayed a captivating innovation characterized by a joyful tempo, a vivacious mood of musical virtuosity...a splendid splash of musical lights and sensual cadence bursted out of the magnificent brass section, the elegance of Ted Kooshian on the piano like drops of diamonds over the face of a lake splashing unrestrained rings of beauty, add to this musical tableau, the intimate and clever touch of Tom Hubbard on the bass... and Barnett's voice, a sound out of this world; it is intelligent, bubbly and powerful without loosing lyricism, depth and substance. This singer has perfected her craft. Barnett loves to be referred to as a Jazz singer. But in this CD, Barnett transcends the dogmatic frontier of traditional Jazz. She is way beyond the "ordinary Jazz". She appears as a world class singer radiating elegance, panache and a perfect command of the lyrics and fabric of music. In this context, Barnett shines as a glowing interpreter of world music, rather than a rigidly defined Jazz singer. Few have accomplished this.

Joe Ascione's drums are powerful and harmoniously blend with the captivating rhythm of the total ambiance. The orchestration of the trumpet, flugelhorn, tenor sax, trombone and alto sax is well crafted and embodies a universe of musical explosion and implosion. A rich, very rich arrangement at the highest level and a world-class performance by Bud Burridge, Jerry Weldon, Aaron Heick, Charles Pillow and Randy Andos. And here and there, Barnett's superb voice enrobes the musical wealth of the CD with sensual lyricism, vitality and stylish finesse. This was evidenced in two songs "My Cherie Amour" and "April in Paris." Usually, we listen to music because we need to create an ambiance for our feelings, our state of mind or perhaps, just perhaps to relax amid turbulent sensations and emotions. Judy Barnett's "Too Darn Hot" goes 2 miles beyond those emotional needs.

Ms. Judy Barnett.

This CD sets the mood for us before probing our inner feelings. It generates and transmutes moods  to meet and or to create the aura and ambiance of the perfect setting of mind, soul and body. You could feel this enchanting and magic ambiance in the explosive "Summer in the City" and "Bummer Summer" written by Kooshian and Barnett herself. Go back to "It Might As Well Be Spring/It's Delovely" and get yourself lost in a rainbow of elegant drums brushes and nostalgic trombone outcries. Simply fabulous. The arrangements were conceived by Ms. Barnett with additional arrangement by the virtuoso Bud Burridge who did a magnificent job. Mr. Burridge granted each instrument the space and time to echo individual  musical virtuosity  and a rich sequence of sounds rarely heard nowadays. Give him 5 star rating! "That Sunday That Summer" is one of the finest recordings in a decade. In that tune, The violins radiate unmatched musical beauty, an evocative instrumental splendor only witnessed in Mantovanni's arrangements and orchestration. Few  jazz singers used this unorthodox blend of classic flair and  musical free form in their Jazz repertoire, to name two: Nat King Cole and Judy Barnett. I keep thinking about Barnett's Voice; it blends with all the moods and genres of the CDs tunes, ranging from a contemplative/relaxing set of mind to a beautifully and sinfully explosive musical ambiance. To sense this unusual blend, listen to "Nigh and Day"; Frank Vignola's guitar solo reflects this most unique creativity!  In "Walk Between The Raindrops", the sax solo is majestic, powerful, yet it does not violate the sensibility and finesse of the musical cadence. Another knockout is "Indian Summer/Summer Place"; it served as a plateau for the fabulous musical arrangements, the romantically rich whispers of the violins and the silky, intelligent and soul penetrating voice of Ms. Barnett. And now pack your baggage and head toward Rio...just listen to "The Coffee Song"; Yes Contessa, you are in Brazil now...Marshal Rosenberg's uplifting and magnificent percussions  capture the Brazilian landscape, and that fabulous brass section bursts again stronger than the sun of the Samba and the Carnival de Rio! And to crown this magnificent CD, "Summer Wind" comes in the right place and right moment.  On violin, Belinda Whitney, Martin Agee and Antoine Sillverman and on cello, Anik Ouilianine added a universe of virtuosity and enchanting beauty....In this particular song, and all of a sudden, Barnett's voice becomes the canvas for  sensual beauty, earthy whispers of a "sweet femme fatale" and a happy Jazz singer. This woman is a pure magic! A phenomenon! Nobody, absolutely nobody can sing like Judy Barnett. Buy this CD. It is a treasure, a triumph. Rating: 5 stars. Judy Barnett is listed in the WORLD WHO’S WHO IN JAZZ, CABARET, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT, Volume IV “ SHOWBIZ, PIONEERS< BEST SINGERS, MUSICIANS AND ENTERTAINERS FROM 1606 TO THE PRESENT”, published by the Federation of American Musicians, Singers and Performing Artists (FAMSPA)-By Maximillien de Lafayette

CDs TO CONSIDER by Maximillien de Lafayette

New York- New CDs, new voices and new talents are in full bloom in New York City. So, let's start with the best of the best. Should I say, some of the best recently released albums. Here is the list of the 12 best CDs of the week, in no particular order:

1-Written in the Stars by Barbara Fasano.  A delightful album showcasing the enormous talent of Ms. Fasano and her captivating voice. 2-Noel One from the Heart by Barbara Montgomery. This is a fabulous album. One of the best Jazzy-Christmas CDs in a decade.3-New York After Dark by Frank Jackson. First rate CD all the way. Buy it. You will treasure it for years to come. 4-Poetry of Love by Angela Hagenbach. Yes! A gem. 5-Well, not Anymore by Marguerite Mariama. This CD is one of the essentials. Grab a copy.  6-The Nearness of you by Sarah DeLeo. Supremely delivered with vocal virtuosity and exquisite taste. 7-Timelessness Frozen in Time by Barbara Sfraga.  You should add this CD to your collection. It has all the ingredients of a collector's item, a classic in the making. 8-My Impetuous Heart by Marlene VerPlanck. 9-Blues for Breakfast by Mary Foster Conklin. 10-Live at the Madrid by Carmen Lundy. 11-Piety and Desire by Beil Blumofe. 12-O Nosso Amor by Mark Weisntein. And the worst CDs? None of my business. And la crème de la crème is diva Marlene Verplanck's "My Impetuous Heart".  An honorable mention goes to Marcus Goldhaber who delivered a well-crafted album "The Moment After", a refreshing bouquet of songs enrobed with originality and truthful emotions. Recommended!

Marlene VerPlanck’s “My impetuous heart”: Best Jazz CD of the year. A treasure. Rating: 5 Stars                                                                                                                                 By Maximillien de Lafayette

As you start with the very first song on the CD, Irwing Berlin’s “FOOLS FALL IN LOVE”,” Marlene Ver Planck instantly grabs you because you are held by the beauty of her voice and the smoothness and richness of the musical arrangement. You keep on listening, again and again, to that magnificent song, but then you realize that you should also start listening to the remaining seventeen tracks, because you don’t want to miss a single note. The same happens whenever you hear Marlene’s other songs. This superb singer is addictive. “Soul Eyes” is another one of Marlene’s delivery knockouts. From the very first bar, and the very first word, you feel the immediate impact of the warmth, sensuality, and vocal elegance of this diva. To that haunting tune, Bucky Pizzarelli, on the guitar, added the richness of brief symphonic moments in a simple and eloquent delivery. It is evident that Marlene Ver Planck’s “My Impetuous Heart” is a CD on its way to become a collector’s item. Miss Ver Planck’s limpid voice, blended with elegant vocal delivery, enriched by Billy Ver Planck ‘s superb musical arrangements, brings a touch of high class to a medium that could sometimes be merely sensual; this elegance takes Jazz to a much higher level. It does not get any better than that when Marlene is accompanied by pianist virtuoso Hank Jones who previously collaborated with diva Marlene on her first album “Every Breath I take.” Each note he hits is like throwing one diamond on the clear surface of a lake; it splashes, bursts, and radiates beauty.   Gary Mazaroppi, on the Bass, adds a discrete, hidden musical intimacy to the arrangement.  Joe Cocuzzo, on the drums, freezes, frames, and then frees the music at just the right moment. His timing is impeccable.  Two Jazz giants, George Shearing, (who wrote Lullaby of  Birdland), Jazz piano master virtuoso, a world celebrity, internationally known for “The Shearing Touch”, and  invested by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his “service to music and Anglo-US relations”, and the legendary Marian McPartland (Winner of the 2004 Grammy Award, among so many other prestigious awards)  were invited by diva Marlene as her special guests. Both, gracefully agreed to accompany Ms. Ver Planck at the piano. Ver Planck’s invitation came in the form of a tribute to their illustrious accomplishments in the world of music. And it was a brilliant idea. The participation of maestro  Shearing in two songs “All in Fun” and “You Must Believe in Spring” adds an extraordinary musical beauty and lyrical finesse to the CD, that were felt from the very first bar of his short intro and  especially his solo performance in the middle of “You Must Believe in Spring”. There is a stunning symbioses between Marlene Ver Planck and George Shearing which enhances the music and the mood immeasurably. Ms. McPartland’s glorious mastery of the piano was evident in her original composition “Willow Creek”. Her elegant style, intuitive feeling of harmony, and salient harmonic sense link in an unmatched grace and good taste, the exquisite vocal beauty of Ms. Ver Planck to the smoothly romantic cadence of the music, the tempo, the meaning of Loonis McGlohon’s lyrics, thus creating a warm ambiance  and an elegant flair. It is an outstanding partnership, perfect at so many levels. A glittering rainbow of a richly lyrical, smooth, vivacious, romantic, intelligent, refined and varied repertoire shows her strength as she commands the mood changes and states of mind which are the birthright of jazz. Marlene Ver Planck flirts with music and thus brings excitement, nostalgia, and a refreshing breeze to the ambiance.

Photo: Legendary Marlene VerPlanck and BIlly with Cleo Laine and Johnny Dankworth.

However, she never loses the substance and depth which are the benchmarks of great music. While conforming with the essence and true spirit of traditional Jazz, Marlene Ver Planck’s striking innovation and personal style are evident in every song.  Ver Planck’s voice is timeless. It does not belong to one particular era. It transcends all frontiers and reaches to an audience of all walks of life or of any age. Consequently this woman can tell you your whole damn life story in two lines. Many people who are lovers of classical music, Latin music, French music, or other genres are going for the first time, if they are not as yet familiar with Jazz, to love Jazz the way they love their favourite music, as soon as they listen to Marlene. Two songs on the CD, “Dance with Me Outside” and “The Day I Found You” speak to a very large audience. Miss Ver Planck will convert people to Jazz. I would never attempt to compare Miss Marlene Ver Planck to any of the Jazz greats, because she is a legend in her own right. I am afraid that what I am going to say may sound outrageous, perhaps provocative, but I firmly believe that critics and music connoisseurs would agree with me that Jazz, which began as the outcry of the common people, in her case, and through her voice, is raised to a royal level and thus Marlene Ver Planck becomes America’s Jazz Queen. “My Impetuous Heart” is a  treasure.  My rating would be 5 stars out of five. Buy a copy for a friend. You will treasure it for years to come and your friend will thank you.

Neil Blumofe’s new CD “Piety and Desire”. Rating: 5 Stars                                                By Maximillien de Lafayette

Horeb Records released their latest CD, Piety and Desire. Original music composed by Neil Blumofe, cantor and jazz vocalist, bringing together the resounding voices of jazz with traditional Jewish liturgy and chant. Blumofe’s music summons the world as we signify love – past, present and future. Recorded in New Orleans, Piety and Desire is as well - a love song to the times, places and people of that great city. This album brings together top jazz musicians such as Jason Marsalis, Roland Guerin, Maurice Brown and Alex Coke as well as Jewish musicians Mark Rubin and Steven Greenman, whose work, in partnership with Blumofe’s vocals and fine cantorial improvisations create a rare collaboration of excellence and spirit. The music, played on instruments ranging from the vibraphone to the bass flute, captures the many emotions and nuances of the marriage, from the tender to the exuberant.

The Review: Piety and Desire is a monumental musical accomplishment. At first, I did not know what to make out of it? How to classify and categorize this music? For it has all the elements, wealth and epic traits of a Ben Hur production, a blend of an ethereal bridal chorus and cantorial ecstasy, a Salome imperial dance, a tabernacle crescendo, a Sanhedrin liturgical chant, a humanistic New Orleans Jazz, a sacred Gypsy flair a la Bartok, a Selicha (Confession) mode in a synagogue, a bleeding rebellious ballade from the Vilna ghetto, a mystical Judaic anthem, a mystic beauty of a Budapest mysterious unfinished symphony awaiting the grand entrance of a Mata Hari being transformed into a priestess. The sounds of clarinet, muted trumpet, the cadence and rhythm of the drums, maybe a hidden outcry of a Shofar, daring violin strokes, and the voice of Neil Blumofe grab your whole universe and transmute it into an elixir of a holy musical exodus. The music is humanistic yet defiant. The arrangements challenge dogmatic music, for the orchestration embraces a multitude of instruments rarely used in one single musical composition, especially, when the soprano sax flirts with the oud, and the vibraphone melt into a tuba. Jason Marsalis was a magician on the drums, whistle and vibraphone. Alex Coke did a marvelous job with his bass flute and tenor sax. The tuba of Matt Perrine was extraordinary. Ben Shaffer with his sensuous clarinet, Maurice Brown with his melodiously bursting trumpet, Fred Sanders with his virtuosity on piano added a magical ambiance to "Piety and Desire". Equally powerful and enchanting are the musical vibs and performance of Derek Douget on alto and soprano sax, Mark Rubin and Roland Guerin on bass, and Steven Greenman on violin. The track "In The Tent of Meeting", invites you to experience the esthetic and deep message of beauty and truth. In the track "Seven Blessings In The Garden District", you sail into the immense ocean of joy, enchanting dreams and a rendez-vous with a brighter future. Blumofe's voice is powerful, yet richly lyrical. This CD is a pure magic. A masterpiece. An incomprehensible musical virtuosity and vocal beauty. All compositions are by Neil Blumofe. And each piece is as enigmatic, varied and mesmerizing as the existentialistic interpretations of the Bible or a space odyssey. It is also philosophical, religious, rhythmic, lyrical, intellectual and nostalgic. The beauty and wealth of the music confused me and delighted me. You got to buy this CD. It is a masterpiece, a human chronicle, an outstanding musical accomplishment.

Mark Weinstein's "O Nosso Amor" a Masterpiece! Rating: 5 Stars                By Maximillien de Lafayette

Nowadays, few flutists and musicians can match the amazing creative talent of Mark Weinstein. This man is a musical phenomenon. Mesmerizing, authoritative yet, charmingly and tenderly captivating. His recent CD "O Nosso Amor" as expected to be or to appear is no less than a monumental musical accomplishment. It is a masterpiece at so many levels. A pure musical magic. The album contains 12 tracks of an exquisite beauty, delivered with luxurious musical wealth, superb arrangements and utmost musical  nostalgia. The highlights of the CD are: Bahia, O Nosso Amor and  Sampa 67.The amazing aspect of this CD is not exclusively the authentic delivery of pure Jazzy-Brazilian repertoire, but the unmatched improvisation and musical virtuosity of Mark Weinstein on flute, Nilson Matta on bass, Romero Lubambo on guitar. The beauty of the music on the CD metamorphosed through delightful strokes and vibs by Paulo Braga on drums, Guilherme Franco on percussion, and Jorge Silva, also on percussion. "Bahia" one of my favorite tunes of the CD is an all time international favorite of world music lovers. It has been recorded by leading performers like Placido Domingo, the legendary John Coltrane and Carmen Miranda. But Mark Weinstein's recording is quite different. It is more vivacious with its haunting Jazz-swing tempo. It comes to life with burst of joy and enchanting romance. "O Nosso Amor" is a wonderful CD, warm, luxurious, lyrical, rich and infinitely haunting. Grab a copy. It is almost perfect. Rating: 5 stars out of five. A world-class musical quality.

WORST CDS

BY ESTHER COHEN-HAMILTON

From L to R: 1-Judy Roberts' series of bad CDs: Night in Brazil is boring like hell. And The Other World is a joke. The most appropriate title got to be "The Other Music:  Not The Good one!" 2- Rapper ChadLove's Speak No Evol. A bad bad bad CD!

Ready for the bad stuff? You should not. Because music is a blessing. But those who screw up its beauty must be shipped on a highway without a detour! In a trunk without holes! Yes, I love classical music but I enjoy too good modern stuff, a great piece of jazz, a standard, a Cole Porter, etc. But keep me away from Rap and angry jazz singers. So what we got this week? Two losers. How about calling them turkeys? Yaaaaaah, it is better! Thanksgiving is around the corner. And the two turkeys on the menu are Rapper Chadlove and Judy Roberts. Chadlove makes me vomit. Slang and street vocabulary are his asset. Pity! It saddens me to see a good Jewish boy turn ugly! And who is the other one? Oh yes...I just remember: Judy Roberts. I have nothing against this woman. She has to make a living. So she makes music. Bad music that is. And this disturbs me. Because I love good music. And those who murder music should be confined somewhere. The problem with this woman is her angry voice. Yes indeed, Roberts has a very angry voice. And since when anger produces good music. Ask Porter and Jacques Brel, they know best. Pain creates symphonies. Hard work produces miracles. But bad taste, suspicious mind and unpleasant attitude create nothing but third rate music and agony, a trademark of Judy Roberts. Are you listening Ms. Roberts? Get a life.  Smile. Enjoy life. Work on a good repertoire, and please, begin to trust people. This would do you good, your music and voice would sound better, and your career might see the light at the end of the tunnel. I had a ball reading what the Globe Weekly News published very recently. It is about rapper Chadlove. Here is an excerpt:

"SHOSHANNA ROZENSTEIN GETTING TOUGH!                                                             

CHADLOVE? CHAD WHO? A RAPP TURKEY, SAID SHOSHANNA ROZENSTEIN...AND CRAIG TAUBMAN CAN'T SING!

New York Monthly Herald's Shoshanna Rozentein selected a newcomer to the world of music  as the golden turkey of the month. If this guy is a newbie, why to bother, Shoshanna? But Shoshanna is determined to kick his ass. She told the Globe Weekly News: "This guy is a nuisance and a major embarrassment. I am worried, because his words are filthy and his demeanor arrogant." And she adds: "I don't want a good Jewish guy to turn into an obscene pumpkin." So for God's sake who is this character?  His  name is Chadlove, an amateur who made a Rap debut with a third rate CD "Speak No Evol". In her review, Rozenstein wrote: "Poor thing, nothing  to listen to or to understand. Vulgar, slang, street language wrapped into third class noise. Stuff titled like "Touch My Ass". You got the idea. We chose Chadlove "Turkey of the Month". Speak No Evol's rating: Zero minus. Rozenstein is tough. She also hammered another Jewish performer. She told us that "the publicist of Craig Taubman tried very hard to convince her that her client, Taubman, is the hottest ticket in the Jewish music business. On the phone, his public relation wizard told Rozenstein: "He [Taubman, that is] is the most famous Jewish singer, today." Really? I never heard of Craig Taubman, replied Rozenstein. "Anyway, I got curious and ditched his CD ( Friday Night Live) in my CD drive, curious to find out how good he is. Well,  the music is fabulous, absolutely splendid. A great plus for Taubman who wrote and orchestrated the music. But, unfortunately, this man can't sing. Pity. I see in him, a great composer and outstanding musician. But as a singer? NO NO! He should stick to music and composition, ONLY! ", wrote Rozenstein. What does she like Shoshanna? "Only good material and talented artists make my day.", explained Shoshanna Rozenstein."

Confessions On a Dance Floor. Madonna (Warner)

It's back to the future as Madonna fetishizes the disco ball and rides a deep house beat into the sunrise. This one's for the clubs. She delivers an ode to one of the planet's great clubbing cities, on the sure-to-be-big-in-the-Apple I Love New York. At her best, Madonna lets her voice hang on simple pop hooks. She is at home amid the thumping beats and synth-laden production (courtesy of DJ-producer Stuart Price, aka Les Rhythmes Digitales). They lose the plot a bit, eventually, and songs begin to blur. But it's an easy, fun listen that captures house music's ability to be both festive and introspective. Party on. Rating: 5 stars out of five-T Dounlevy.

Aerial, Kate Bush (Columbia)

Kate Bush hasn't released an album since 1993's The Red Shoes, and at 47, she's now more soccer mom than chanteuse. But she's still masterful at making spooky, sexy music tinged with strangeness. And this double-CD set should satisfy long-neglected fans. Both discs, A Sea of Honey and A Sky of Honey, are filled with Bush's lush piano-playing, strings, moody electronica, nature sounds and her poetic, if not slightly wacky words.

The first single, King of the Mountain, sounds like the onset of winter itself with synthesized wind blowing and icy computerized blips. The lyrics are about Elvis, the king himself, frolicking "in the snow with Rosebud," a presumed allusion to the sled in Citizen Kane. In Pi, she sings the mathematical equation. And it sounds good. Really -- if you're the kind of fan who loves her operatic voice and wouldn't mind hearing her sing a grocery list or the alphabet. On the second disc, Prologue sounds like soaring movie music with lyrics about "the light in Italy." If King of the Mountain is winter, Sunset is summer. Stripped down, the song is about the words. "This is a song of colour," Bush sings. "Where sands sing in crimson, red and rust/Then climb into bed and turn to dust." It hits a crescendo with Spanish-style guitar and a peppy chorus, "Oh, sing of summer and a sunset." Both CDs are classic Kate -- meant to be played in the dark when you're up too late. Amazingly, her voice hasn't changed dramatically over the years. If anything, the squeakiness of Wuthering Heights and Running Up that Hill, has simply mellowed, leaving behind a more mature, seasoned voice, but no less haunting. Rating: 4 stars out of five.-T. Kurtis.

The Body Acoustic, Cyndi Lauper (Epic)

On her new disc The Body Acoustic, 52-year-old Cyndi Lauper recasts a slew of her old hits -- from She Bop to True Colors and Time after Time -- in acoustic form. It's an experiment that could soar or crash. Alanis Morissette released an acoustic version of her breakthrough, best-selling 1995 album Jagged Little Pill to lukewarm reviews just a few months ago. But Lauper -- both slinky and spunky in a bodiced red dress and platinum hair on the album's cover -- has penned or performed some of the most durable tunes to come out of the '80s. And her voice, at once raspy, perky and thrillingly powerful, can still pull emotion out of the deep crevices of those 20-year-old words. The Body Acoustic, while not earth-shattering, shakes up an old formula with new tricks, from Lauper's own dulcimer playing to talented guests. First of all, Lauper co-produced the album with Rick Chertoff, the whizz behind her 1984 Grammy-winning debut She's So Unusual, and William Wittman, who produced 2003's At Last. Quietly unassuming, She Bop -- which was originally a bouncy, naughty hit from Lauper's debut, She's So Unusual -- could fuel a spaghetti western with its dusty dulcimer chords and whistling interlude. Noteworthy songs include Money Changes Everything with Lauper and Taking Back Sunday's Adam Lazzara harmonizing along to a hand-clapped beat. Sarah McLachlan's breathy duet with Lauper on 1984's Time After Time provides good contrast to Ani DiFranco and Vivian Green's inspired yelps on Sister of Avalon. True Colors, from 1986, is frankly beautiful: simplified to acoustic strings and Lauper almost sobbing its theme of love and acceptance. Of course, Lauper wouldn't be who she is without the lasting legacy of 1984's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. The only purely un-acoustic song on the album, it's a cute but fluffy take on the original with Japanese pop duo Puffy Ami Yumi giggling to a ska-influenced groove. Yeah, girls just wanna have fun, but then so do grown women. Rating: 4 stars out of five. -S. Schou.

Let It Happen, Janis Mann (Pancake Records)
 

Brooklyn, New York's native, Janis Mann released her third CD Let it Happen. Mann who is currently performing in California is determined to make it big time, this year. Talented and engaging, Mann had a successful season in Seattle, Washington. This week, the New York Monthly Herald interviewed Mann and shed light on the "eloquent quietness of her diva stature". Mann explained in her brief interview that she is an independent recording artist and performer, and her shows don't always get the promotion that would come from a major record label or agency.  Despite that, she does have a lot of fans and the support of many musicians and music industry people that she highly respects and works with. Let it Happen was well delivered. The repertoire consists of soft traditional jazz tunes molded into a refreshing personal interpretation. It has 13 tracks and was released on Pancake Records. Accompanying Janis Mann are Larry Fuller on piano,  Doug Miller on bass and Clarence Acox on drums. Taking a Chance on Love, one of the tunes of the CD  is particularly good.  This release is promising. The music is balanced and relaxing. The arrangements are right on. Janis Mann's voice is fabulous. With good distribution and wider exposure,  Let it Happen could become a classic. Rating: 4 stars out of five.- Reviewer Nigel Huntington..

Ultimate Collection , Eurythmics (RCA/SonyBMG)

Annie Lennox was always a contradictory pop star, seemingly too smart and unavailable for the full-blown version of what she and Dave Stewart so obviously coveted. Her bitter edge was, fortunately, always balanced by something heated and pleading; and when she sang against the beat in Angel with that big, fierce/needy voice, all was forgiven. Stewart programmed synths as emotionally expressive as big pop ever had, and although personal taste gravitates more to the downtempo (Baby's Coming Back, Here Comes the Rain) than the uptempo (the public-advocacy Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves), the box score is good. Includes one new song, the synth-gospel I've Got A Life, all the hits, and a couple from the underrated 1999 Peace album. Rating: 4 stars out of five. -Marc Nepage.

 

Vertically Challenged , Lady Sovereign (Chocolate Industries)

The buzz surrounding this British grime upstart is huge. She's tiny, going on massive. She has been signed by Jay-Z to release her full-length debut in the spring. Here, we get a big tease, in the form of some awesome, next-level U.K. hip-hop styles. Think Missy Elliott, M.I.A. and Eminem rolled into the body of a diminutive, teenaged white girl from Wembley. Hilarious sass, wicked wordplay and deliciously twisted, big-bass beats to move the dancefloor like nobody's business. Includes remixes by Adrock and Ghislain Poirier. Rating: 4 stars out of five.

Breakupdown, Ghislain Poirier (Chocolate Industries)

He's been called Montreal's answer to Diplo, but as he proves here, DJ-producer Ghislain Poirier has his own thing going on. When not remixing Lady Sovereign or hanging with wild French rap act TTC, Poirier is banging out booty-moving, mind-altering electro-hip-hop beats. He covers much territory over these 20 tracks, adding depth and texture along the way. Some of this borders on esoteric, but the funky bottom-end holds everything together. A distinctive, imaginative album of bass-heavy beatscapes.

Sheryl Crow, Wildflower (A&M)

Point to ponder while contemplating Sheryl Crow's new Wildflower CD: will a bad review earn a set of tread marks on my back? Time to run. Don't be deceived into thinking that big rock on Crow's finger courtesy of fiance Lance Armstrong will result in a giddy album of love songs. Instead, this disc is downbeat and downright boring. Crow is 43 now, beyond the point where all you wanna do is have some fun. She's brooding over the big issues of life, love, loyalty and mortality, and that's more than understandable. It's just harder to make that into engaging pop-rock tunes, and that's Crow's strength, where she beat the odds to become very successful in a style that's no longer fashionable. Here, you slog through seven earnest, mid-tempo songs until there's a sign of life: Live it Up has Crow urging someone to not let life pass them by, and it has the disc's strongest hook and quickest pace. Always on Your Side is the best of the rest, a stately ballad that benefits from stripping the music down. Otherwise, the production is simultaneously busy and rather anonymous, unwisely emphasizing Crow's thin vocals. Perhaps Wildflower has a few seeds that will take time to grow. Pass the fertilizer, though.- Rating: 3 stars out of five.- David Baunder.

George Kahn, Compared To What? (Playing Records)

Over 25 years in Los Angeles as a composer and arranger, George’s music has appeared in Television Movies for BET, Hallmark Hall of Fame, Disney Animation, as well as major ad campaigns for Lexus and others. In 1998 George created Playing Records, and has produced four albums of original music that reflect the history and the ongoing evolution of jazz from the 50’s to the 21st Century. Over 275,000 music fans served on MP3.com, and counting! One of the "200 Best" albums at CDBABY.com But his new CD "Compared To What" brings him now to an international status, for his virtuosity sets a new standard for elegance and romance in contemporary Jazz. This man knows how to create a musical ambiance that transports the listener to a state of trance and sinfully beautiful daring thoughts. Kahn's CD is a monumental musical work, rich, elegant, with defying innovation and grace. In Kahn's musicality, do not expect to hear the morose notes of early Bourbon Street Jazz. His music is up-lifting imbibed with artistic luxury, finesse and elegant nonchalance. Jazz virtuosity at its best. Rating:  5 stars out of five. - M. de lafayette.

Bob Dylan , No Direction Home: The Soundtrack -- The Bootleg Series Vol. 7 (Columbia)

Bootlegs and outtakes are more marketable than ever these days -- and it doesn't hurt the effort if you happen to be Bob Dylan. For that reason alone, No Direction Home, marketed as part of Dylan's Bootleg Series, piques the interest. But the imminent arrival of a Dylan biopic of the same name by Martin Scorsese makes it even more interesting to take a walking tour of the master's career. The two-disc No Direction Home is a collage of Dylan alt-takes and live performances. It's an alternate-universe tour through the career of the former Robert Zimmerman -- and, by extension, the evolution of folk music through the 1960s. The most fascinating tune is the first -- a brief, muffled recording of a song called When I Got Troubles that sounds like a field recording from a folk-song collector. It's billed as "most likely the first original song (Dylan) ever recorded, and it comes across as exactly what it is -- a Minnesota high-school boy emulating the Delta Blues sound. Dylan's early professional recordings in this CD echo his sound on his canon of albums. The earliest ones sound like (or are about or by) Woody Guthrie; Dylan's This Land is Your Land, recorded live in New York City in 1961, was clearly the inspiration for Bruce Springsteen's version two decades later. By 1962, the truly unique Dylan emerges, and these tracks feel more sensory, more raw than their familiar counterparts. A 1963 demo of Don't Think Twice, It's Alright is more ethereal than the better-known version -- and more stripped down, if that's possible. An alternate take of Mr. Tambourine Man with Ramblin' Jack Elliott feels almost desperate, and a live version of A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall is deliberative and tentative, as if Dylan's feeling the lyrics more than he did in the well-known studio cut. By the time outtakes from Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde appear on Disc 2, Dylan's willingness to experiment from take to take has become obvious. Desolation Row has an intriguing electric riff behind its acoustic rhythm, while Ballad of a Thin Man, live in Scotland in 1966, is even funkier and more psychedelic than the familiar classic. For many artists, a release of outtakes is dull and unnecessary. For Bob Dylan, of course, it's a treasure chest -- and a glimpse into what bodes to be an unusual movie. Rating: 5 stars out of five.

Lost stars Rodriguez, Watros arrested for allegedly driving under influence

Photos from L to R: #1. In this photo provided by the Honolulu Police Department, actress Michelle Rodriquez is shown...#2. Michelle Rodriguez one of the new cast members of ABC's television series Lost poses. 

Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros, who star on ABC's Lost, were arrested within 15 minutes of each other in Kailua for allegedly driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Both failed field sobriety tests and were released Thursday on $500 bail each, police said. The actresses, who were in separate cars, were arrested after their vehicles were spotted weaving on Pali Highway, which connects Kailua and Honolulu, police said. Watros, who portrays Libby on Lost, was arrested at 12:05 a.m. Rodriguez, who plays Ana Lucia, was arrested at 12:20 a.m., according to police records. Rodriguez was booked under the name Mayte Michelle Rodriguez. Calls placed by The Associated Press after business hours seeking comment from Lost spokesman Jeff Fordis weren't immediately returned. Rodriguez, 27, and Watros, 37, were to appear at a driver's licence revocation hearing at Kaneohe District Court on Dec. 29, police records showed. Motorists arrested for operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant automatically have their driver's licences revoked. They are given a temporary licence that allows them to drive, but under several restrictions.

Julia Roberts tops list of highest-paid actresses

Photo: Actress Julia Roberts.

Julia Roberts, who didn't star in a film this year, is again at the top of Hollywood's highest-paid actresses - at $20 million US per movie - according to an annual power list. The 38-year-old star tops The Hollywood Reporter's annual list of the highest-paid actresses for the second straight year. Nicole Kidman is second, with a $16 million to $17 million per-film price tag, followed by Walk the Line star Reese Witherspoon and actress-producer Drew Barrymore, who each command $15 million per project. Renee Zellweger, Angelina Jolie and Cameron Diaz each have a $10 million to $15 million asking price, followed by Jodie Foster ($10 million to $12 million), Charlize Theron ($10 million) and Jennifer Aniston ($9 million). "These are bankable women," said Bob Dowling, editor and publisher of The Hollywood Reporter, which has compiled the highest-paid actresses list for four years. "They represent something quite positive and they're being paid for it." Even actresses who dropped off this year's list - including Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Lopez - earn salaries comparable to male actors, Dowling said. The "biggest surprise" is Roberts, who retained the top spot after taking time off following the birth of her twins, Hazel and Phinnaeus, last year, he said. The list, which was released Wednesday on The Hollywood Reporter's website, will appear in its Women in Entertainment Power 100 issue on Dec.

Berry Vows Never to Wed Again

Garner gives birth to baby girl

Newlyweds Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner are reportedly the proud parents of a bouncing baby girl. Garner, 34, gave birth to the couple's first child in a Los Angeles area hospital on Dec. 1, according to internet reports. According to the same reports, proud dad Affleck, 33, was by his wife's side throughout her labor. According to American publication US Weekly, labor was induced last night. A time for the birth has yet to be determined. The Daredevil co-stars wed on June 29 on the Caribbean resort of Turks and Caicos. They began dating in July 2004.

Graham stars in Cdn. comedy

Pippa is the last bachelorette standing. A free-spirited travel writer, she's spent her whole life running away from love and commitment, enjoying adventure and sex with no strings attached. With the big three-oh approaching, she serves as bridesmaid whenever a gal pal weds, but everything from getting engaged to getting registered is anathema to her. In fact, as played by Heather Graham in the new Canadian-made feature film Cake, Pippa is basically, well, your traditional guy. And in case the point evades the audience, in one scene she even sports a T-shirt with the slogan: Women are the New Men. In another she agrees with one lover that she'd take a multiple orgasm over a wedding ring any day.

Photo: Sandra Oh and Heather Graham joke around prior to rehearsing a scene in the production of "Cake" being filmed in Toronto June 7, 2004.

But then, after she's portrayed skydiving with bullfighters before ditching them, she meets not one, but two men who seem to trigger a buried desire for something a little more permanent. "Even though she's not a conventional person and really isn't sure if she wants to get married, she still falls in love and decides to go for it,'' explains Graham. The "it'' isn't exactly tying the knot, but it is a commitment of sorts. Lover number 1 is the button-down but handsome businessman Ian (David Sutcliffe), the other a wild, sexy fashion photographer named Hemingway (Taye Diggs) who has the same love 'em and leave 'em spirit as Pippa. Yes, it smacks of being a chick flick, one that flirts dangerously with conventional theories, that monogamy and marriage are good, and freedom from commitment is bad. Especially when it looks like the bohemian Pippa and the conservative Ian are heading towards a -- gasp -- relationship! But Graham doesn't see any cop-out, rather that Pippa is merely taking a first-time risk with love and is open to seeing where that leads. "The way that Pippa's drawn to Ian is different, it's like opposites attract,'' Graham explains. "I think that it's like 'I'm going to try it out. I'm going to see what it's like. I'm going to date this guy and I'm going to fall in love and I'm going to be brave about that.''' So Cake is not necessarily espousing old-fashioned family values. After all, we must remember the implications of the title. But without backing either the party-girl or domestic lifestyle, Graham does make the point that society puts a lot of pressure on women to settle down while men get a pass. "Oh, it's the biggest thing in your life, who you are going to marry, you know? In some ways it is important, in other ways you feel like you want to rebel against it.'' The other anomaly about Cake is that it's a Canadian-made feature film that happens to star two bankable U.S. actors, Graham and Diggs. Not only is it Canadian, but it's not afraid to show off its Canadian identity.

It's filmed and set in Toronto with references to the Globe and Mail, suburban Scarborough, Niagara Falls, Algonquin Park and so on. It's directed by Canadian Nisha Ganatra (Fast Food High), written by Tassie Cameron (The Eleventh Hour) and produced by Miranda de Pencier (Eva Meets Felix). Graham has a small investment as an executive producer. In addition to Saskatchewan native Sutcliffe (I'm With Her), the supporting cast includes such familiar Canuck faces as Sandra Oh, Sarah Chalke and Bruce Gray. The major plot twist _ in which Pippa agrees to take over editorship of one of her ailing publishing baron father's magazines _ is based on de Pencier's real life. The magazine she's handed is, gasp, Wedding Bells, a bridal publication, but a promise is a promise and Pippa proceeds reluctantly. And of course her first issue is disastrous as her pro-feminist editorial decisions run shockingly counter to everything that Wedding Bells stands for. By the way, there really is a Wedding Bells and it is Canadian. Graham says while Toronto often plays New York City in other films shot here, for budgetary purposes, there was never any hesitation in setting this story in T.O., that there was no fear that the film's Canadian setting might damage its foreign marketability. "It was really a story that was based somewhat on Miranda and Tassie and their life. So I think they wanted it to feel like where they were from and how they live.''

Alicia Keys and Bono to Release Song

Photo: Alicia Keys arrives for a Keep A Child Alive event on Nov. 3, 2005 in New York. Keys and Bono are hoping to save the lives of children through song. The two superstars have collaborated on 'Don't Give Up (Africa),' and will donate all proceeds to Keep A Child Alive, which provides medicine to families infected with AIDS and the HIV virus. The song will be available exclusively on iTunes starting Tuesday, Dec.6.

Alicia Keys and Bono are hoping to save the lives of children through song. The two superstars have collaborated on "Don't Give Up (Africa)," and will donate all proceeds to Keep A Child Alive, which provides medicine to families infected with AIDS and the HIV virus. The song will be available exclusively on iTunes starting Tuesday. The pair first sang the tune at a Nov. 3 fund-raiser in New York City for the charity (Keys performed onstage while Bono crooned via satellite from a remote location). "I love this song. And I love Bono. I really respect what he has done for Africa and how he has used his fame to do good in the world. I hope I can do half as much in my life," Keys, a global ambassador for the charity, said in statement Wednesday. "I believe AIDS is the most important issue we face, because how we treat the poor is a reflection of who we are as a people. I urge everyone to recognize the extreme disaster Africa is facing and step up for the Motherland." "Don't Give Up" was originally performed by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush in 1986, and was titled, "So."

FINE TUNING: Watching an IMAX film on a TV screen may seem like a fool's errand, no matter how big your set is.

In one of the more audacious experiments of the new TV season, Criminal Intent has been swapping back and forth between lead characters each week. By bringing in Chris Noth at the outset of the season familiar to original Law & Order viewers as no-nonsense tough guy Det. Mike Logan, and alternating stories between Noth and D'Onofrio Criminal Intent has managed to breathe new life into what was always the toughest sell of the Law & Order spin-offs. In tonight's outing, Logan and his partner Carolyn Barek (Annabella Sciorra, familiar to followers of The Sopranos as one of Tony Soprano's more ill-fated goomahs) investigate a Park Avenue plastic surgeon implicated in the death of a medical student in Guatemala. Criminal Intent is not one of those tedious howdunits, along the lines of CSI and its countless imitators, but rather a whydunit. Co-creator, senior producer and head writer Rene Balcer, a Montreal native who studied at McGill and worked for a time as a reporter on the now-defunct Montreal Star before turning to producing TV scripts for a living, has always been more interested in the psychological underpinnings of fictional crimes. In Balcer's hands, D'Onofrio's Det. Robert Goren became a kind of alter ego to the traditional TV police detective, a shambling bear of a man who immerses himself in the criminal mind and emerges with the answer in the end: part Lurch, part Lt. Columbo. It was fun watching D'Onofrio for a time, but his wildly over-the-top, just-watch-me performances began to take their toll, in front of and behind the camera. Noth's Mike Logan takes the more direct approach: He's all about busting heads and getting into constant trouble with his bosses. Law & Order: Criminal Intent has always been my favourite of the various Law & Order incarnations, and that includes the original.

Photo: Annabella Sciorra, familiar to followers of The Sopranos.

(I still say the original Law & Order was at its best during the Michael Moriarty/Chris Noth years). Balcer has an eye for behaviour and an ear for the way people think and talk you don't often see on U.S. television it's a Montreal thing and the stories are often dense and layered, even when you know from the outset who did it. Criminal Intent is worth seeing. Avoiding it just because it has Law & Order in the title strikes me as, dare I say it, depraved indifference. CTV, NBC. Trust Homer Simpson to get into an altercation with the Easter Bunny which is exactly what he does in tonight's Simpsons outing, Last of the Red Hat Mamas.

Photo: Robert Downey, Jr.

Homer gets into it with the bonbon bunny at Mayor Quimby's annual egg hunt, and Marge ends up being shunned by her society friends as a result. Lonely, Marge joins a women's group called The Cheery Red Tomatoes and agrees to help with their upcoming charity drive: robbing Mr. Burns of his prized Faberge egg collection. And if one of the voices you hear sounds suspiciously like Lily Tomlin, that's because it is. Tomlin recorded her guest-voice appearance earlier this year. Global, Fox. Robert Downey Jr. appears in Family Guy at least, his voice does and if you think that sounds like a match made in heaven, why, you might be right! The episode revolves around Peter Griffin's sudden effort to lose weight. There's a reason, you see, why Baby Stewie keeps referring to him as ``Fat Man,'' as in, ``I underestimated you, Fat Man!'' That's a hell of a thing for a baby to be calling his own father but, hey, if the shoe fits ... Global, Fox. Viewers looking for a change of pace from Sunday familiars like The Simpsons, Desperate Housewives Carlos gets religion! and Grey's Anatomy may be interested in the IMAX film Wolves, which airs tonight on the Outdoor Life Network. Watching an IMAX film on a TV screen may seem like a fool's errand, no matter how big your set is, but it's actually fascinating to see, and not just because IMAX films are made with a visual language all their own. The big-screen films are stately paced and immaculately filmed, and Wolves is no exception. The serene vistas of jagged mountain peaks and snowbound valleys create a serene, almost surreal effect, and everything about the film's imagery is calculated and carefully studied.- By A. Stachaan.

Actor Dan Aykroyd invests $1 million to promote Canadian wines

Photo: Dan Aykroyd poses for photographers following a press conference in Toronto Wednesday.

Dan Aykroyd has gone from busting ghosts and singing the blues to promoting Canadian wines. The comedy star announced Tuesday that he's invested $1 million into a group of Ontario wineries and wants to promote the country's vintages abroad. "Everywhere you go in the United States, you see Argentinian, Chilean wine, Australian wine, but you don't see the Canadian wines on the shelves, and I'd like to try to change that because we have some really worthy, beautiful (wines)," the Ottawa-born actor said in a speech to reporters before excusing himself to go to the bathroom. "Everything in moderation. I did have three glasses," the 53-year-old exclaimed after re-entering the room, where a table of wines and spirits was set up. Aykroyd said he makes investments "very carefully" and spent the summer researching the industry before writing the cheque for Niagara Cellars Inc., which owns several wineries in the Niagara Peninsula including Lakeview Estates, Birchwood Estates, Thomas & Vaughan and EastDell Estates, as well as Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits. "I'm not really a capitalist - I'm a fan of capitalism, I'm an entertainer," said Aykroyd, wearing a suit and tie. "So I'm actively looking now to shift out of United States equities, and I'm looking to invest and do something in my home country." Murray Marshall, president of Niagara Cellars and Diamond Estates, said the funds will go toward future acquisitions. "We're looking to try to grow our sales and distribution business so that we can expand the key marketing components and attract and develop business in key markets in Canada," said Marshall of the company's plans to expand internationally. "Something has been secured at this point in time and we'll be back in the marketplace with that announcement in the next 60 days." Aykroyd insisted the investment does not make him part owner of Niagara Cellars, but he will travel around the world as an ambassador for the company. "I would love to approach Michael Budman at Roots (Canada Ltd.) and see a Roots branded wine," said Aykroyd, adding he would "definitely" incorporate the products into any future films he acts in. The investment falls in line with Aykroyd's other business ventures, including his own company Alloy Brands, which recently launched Patron Tequila in Canada. The star of the Blues Brothers and Ghostbuster comedy films is also a co-founding investor in House of Blues Entertainment Inc. which runs 10 nightclubs in North America. Aykroyd said he will sell Canadian wines in the clubs. When asked what he thought his celebrity friends would like, Aykroyd quipped: "I think for guys like Paul Shaffer (keyboardist for Late Show With David Letterman), people like that, it would be the reds," Aykroyd quipped. "For the female friends, it would be the tequila anejo. Sharon Stone and people like that. She's a friend of mine." Besides wine, Aykroyd said Niagara Cellars is planning on releasing a rum, a coffee liqueur made with tequila and possibly a beer and vodka, "which will have my twist in terms of its creativity . . . maybe a Conehead bottle, I don't know." Aykroyd joins a number of celebrities who have got into the wine business, including filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, golfers Ernie Els and Greg Norman, singer Bob Dylan, chef Emeril Lagasse and French actor Gerard Depardieu.

Peter Sarsgaard lives with one Gyllenhaal to prepare for Gulf War drama

Photo: Actor Peter Sarsgaard poses for a portrait in New York in this Oct. 31, 2004.

Peter Sarsgaard got a new roommate to prepare for his role as a marine in the Gulf War drama Jarhead. The 34-year-old actor plays Jake Gyllenhaal's sniper partner in the film adaptation of Anthony Swofford's memoir, so he decided to spend as much time as possible with him in real life, he told The New York Times Magazine in Sunday's issue. "I figured if I couldn't be around my girlfriend, I would settle for her brother," said Sarsgaard, who's dating Maggie Gyllenhaal. Sarsgaard and Jake Gyllenhaal lived together for about five months during filming, mostly in a hotel in Mexico. "The idea was to simulate the military experience: what happens if you're forced to be with someone every minute of the day and night," Sarsgaard told the magazine. "And we fought. We'd have a fight and then we'd still have to be together. For a while, I would just wear headphones. All the time. That lasted for 10 days." Order was eventually restored, he said. Sarsgaard said he hurt his knee and ribs during filming, but shrugged off the injuries as part of the "endurance test." "It's hard to complain because I'm an actor and not an actual soldier," he said. "I want to be very careful and respect the fact that there's really a war going on."

McCartney's fans in space treated to concert that's out of this world

Photo: Paul McCartney gestures during a concert in Anaheim, Ca. Saturday night

It was Good Day Sunshine for the international space station crew Sunday morning. NASA astronaut Bill McArthur and Russian cosmonaut Valery Tokarev were treated to a live wake-up call of the Beatles classic in a first-ever concert linkup to the space station. On Earth, former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney performed the hit and another song, English Tea, on Saturday night before a cheering crowd as part of his 11-week U.S. tour. The performance was beamed from the West Coast to the space station crew 335 kilometres above Earth and broadcast on NASA television, which showed live feeds from space. McArthur and Tokarev bobbed up and down and sipped from squeeze pouches through the show, getting a rousing cheer from the audience. "I can't believe that we're actually transmitting to space!" McCartney said. "This is sensational. I love it." McArthur, who did a couple flips, noted McCartney's creative achievements and thanked him for playing the songs. "That was simply magnificent," McArthur said. "We consider you an explorer just as we are." It is a tradition to wake astronauts up with recorded songs, but this marked the first time astronauts listened to live music from space. The rock icon came up with the idea after learning that NASA's Mission Control used Good Day Sunshine to wake up the Space Shuttle Discovery astronauts in August with word that conditions were favorable to return to Earth. The wake-up call marked the space station crew's 44th day of a planned six month mission in space.

Arab-American comedians find the funny in time of fear

Photo: Maysoon Zayid, co-founder of the Arab-American Comedy Festival, in New York, Nov. 4, 2005.

Four years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a cadre of Arab-American actors and comedians is finding growing success mining personal experiences for material. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in New York, where the third annual Arab-American Comedy Festival begins this week. The show, which runs through Thursday, consists primarily of separate nights of standup comedy and theatrical pieces. Co-founder Dean Obeidallah says no topic is off limits, certainly not U.S. President George W. Bush or terrorism. But contributors this year are more willing to make fun of the Arab-American community and how it has been treated by others. "In the past, we may have been resistant to mock ourselves a little," said Obeidallah, 35, a lawyer-turned-comedian. Co-founder Maysoon Zayid, an actress and comedian, said the show essentially uses stereotypes to shatter them. "We're not scary, we're not the enemy," she said. "We're really funny." In many ways, Zayid said, the Arab-American entertainers are following the path blazed by black and Hispanic Americans who have channeled their communities' frustrations into success on stage. Arab Americans have certainly had no shortage of material since Sept. 11, even though it wasn't obvious to them at first. "Immediately after, I was concerned about talking about being Arab on stage in New York City," said Obeidallah, who is half-Sicilian, half-Palestinian. "The first time I went on stage I didn't even use my last name. A club owner said, 'Don't talk about being Arab for a while.' That evolved over time to where I talk about it much, much more." Sometimes it's just too easy, especially now that the heightened sense of alert among Arab Americans has become an almost normal, often absurd state, he said. Obeidallah said he once listed the cell phone number of his friend Osama (not bin Laden) under "Osama cell" on his own phone. A friend expressed concern when he saw the reference. "I was like, are you kidding?" Obeidallah said. The festival attempts to carefully blend the political and the personal. References to Palestinian suicide bombers are in, as are jabs at nosy, matchmaking mothers. There are jokes about Arabs worrying about Arab terrorists, and even a musical. "The fact that we are commenting on ourselves is important instead of other people commenting on us," said actor Waleed Zuaiter, an associate producer for the festival. Zayid, for instance, bills herself as "a 30-year-old Palestinian Muslim virgin from New Jersey with cerebral palsy." "I'm a virgin by choice," Zayid often says. "My father's choice." Zayid said she doesn't make fun of Jews, but she considers Zionism and Israel legitimate targets. One of her jokes involves Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, boxer Mike Tyson and a pink negligee. That's all she'll reveal. The performers come from a variety of religious and professional backgrounds, and many different countries. Organizers hope the show attracts an audience well beyond Arab Americans. "We respect where we live, we respect our community at large," said actress Jana Zenadeen. "We're here to bring people in and share our culture with them."-By N Toosi

Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Willis, Jessica Lange and Robin Williams are among the stars who will have films on display at January's Sundance Film Festival.

Photos from L to R: Jessica Lange, today. #2. Lange in King Kong.

Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Willis, Jessica Lange and Robin Williams are among the stars who will have films on display at January's Sundance Film Festival, which announced entries Wednesday for its lineup of premiering films. Aniston stars with Catherine Keener, Frances McDormand and Joan Cusack in writer-director Nicole Holofcener's Friends With Money, a tale of three married women and their lone single friend. The film is one of 17 playing in the high-profile premieres lineup at Sundance, the top U.S. showcase for independent movies. The festival runs Jan. 19-29 in Park City, Utah. Other premieres include Lucky Number Seven, a mob tale starring Willis, Ben Kingsley, Morgan Freeman, Josh Hartnett and Lucy Liu; Wim Wenders's Don't Come Knocking, with Sam Shephard starring opposite Lange, Sarah Polley and Tim Roth as a western-movie star on a road trip trying to reconcile with his messy past; and The Night Listener, starring Williams and Toni Collette in the story of a radio talk-show host whose life is in turmoil.

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Aniston

Photos from L to R: #1. Jennifer Aniston. #2. Robin Williams.

Collette also co-stars with Greg Kinnear and Steve Carell in Little Miss Sunshine, about a family's road trip to put their daughter into a beauty pageant. Winona Ryder, Joseph Fiennes, David Arquette and Juliette Lewis are among the ensemble in The Darwin Awards, about a forensic detective and an insurance investigator looking into a potential winner of a prize given to people who kill themselves in idiotic ways. Aaron Eckhart stars with Katie Holmes, Maria Bello, William H. Macy and Sam Elliott in Thank You for Smoking, making its U.S. premiere after an acclaimed debut at September's Toronto International Film Festival. Directed by Jason Reitman, son of Ghostbusters filmmaker Ivan Reitman, the film is a satire about a spin doctor for the tobacco industry. Terry Zwigoff's Art School Confidential features John Malkovich, Jim Broadbent, Angelica Huston and Max Minghella in the tale of a talentless wannabe artist caught up in a murder that makes him a celebrity. The Sundance premieres also include two documentaries. Neil Young: Heart of Gold, directed by Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs), is a portrait of the venerable rocker performing along with Emmylou Harris in Nashville. Director Kirby Dick's documentary This Film Is Not Yet Rated delves into Hollywood's movie-ratings system overseen by the Motion Picture Association of America. A separate Sundance program also has high-profile documentaries, among them A Matter of Degrees, Davis Guggenheim's look at Al Gore's campaign to educate people about global warming. Shari Cookson's All Aboard, Rosie's Family Cruise follows a boat trip Rosie and Kellie O'Donnell organized for 500 gay and lesbian families. Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out is directed by Stewart Copeland, who examines his life as drummer for the 1980s rock band led by singer Sting. -By D. Germen.