Jazz News

Randy Newman First CD in Nine Years

Source: Michael Ricci
August 3, 2008

Harps and Angels Randy Newman doesn't come 'round often. But when he does, it's worth listening. RANDY NEWMAN strolled along the wooden planks of the Santa Monica Pier on a recent summer afternoon, a balmy ocean breeze rustling his short, curly hair that, at age 64, is mostly salt but retains a dash of pepper. A crowd of onlookers craned their necks in his direction, some with video cameras, others with cellphone cameras, but a female ...

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Suzanne Tamim Lebanese Singer Killed in Dubai

Source: All About Jazz
August 3, 2008

Suzanne Tamim found stabbed to death

LONDON -- Lebanese singer Suzanne Tamim was found stabbed to death in her Dubai apartment July 28. Tamim had shot to fame after winning the popular Studio Al Fan television show contest in 1996. Her subsequent career was blighted by a turbulent personal life, which included two divorces and a number of run-ins with police and the tabloids. The 31-year-old singer released two albums and several hit singles during her career, the last of ...

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Luther Davis Writer of Musicals and Movies, Dies

Source: Michael Ricci
August 3, 2008

Luther Davis, a Playwright who won a Tony Award in 1954 Dies

Tony's for the book of the musical Kismet and a screenwriter whose films included The Hucksters, with Clark Gable, and Lady in a Cage with Olivia de Havilland, died on Tuesday in the Bronx. He was 91 and lived in Manhattan and West Palm Beach, Fla.

A busy author for the screen and the stage, Mr. Davis wrote 15 movies and dozens of scripts for television series, and ...

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Clay Whitehead Nixon's Telecom Advisor Dies

Source: Michael Ricci
August 3, 2008

Clay 'Tom' Whitehead, 69; Nixon's telecom advisor revolutionized cable TV industry

Clay T. “Tom" Whitehead, who helped the cable TV industry flourish by bringing competition to the domestic satellite market in the early 1970s, died of prostate cancer July 23 at Georgetown University Hospital. He was 69. During the Nixon administration, Whitehead became the country's first telecommunications policy advisor and championed free markets in the satellite business. He later revolutionized communications satellite holdings by selling them outright to cable providers ...

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Paul Lansky Computer-Music Man Unplugs

Source: Michael Ricci
August 3, 2008

AFTER 35 years immersed in the world of computer music, the composer Paul Lansky talks with wonder The enormous capacities of primitive objects carved from trees or stamped from metal sheets: violins, cellos, trumpets, pianos.

I'm interested in writing for real people at this point. To create the sound of a violin -- wow! I can't do that on a computer. --Paul Lansky-- in acoustic-instrument mode.

Mr. Lansky has written a new chapter, or at least ...

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The New Trend with Arabic Singers and Less Makeup

Source: All About Jazz
August 3, 2008

There is a noticeable change with using less makeup among Arabic female singers in their video clips.

Of course, many of you have noticed this, but is there a specific reason? Watching all these video clips, it is interesting to watch these famous singers that have enough confidence to confront their fans and to be watched by millions of people all around the world looking less beautiful than their usual overflowing beauty, and at the same time showing people a ...

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FCC Chastises Comcast for Blocking Internet Users' File Sharing

Source: Michael Ricci
August 3, 2008

Supporters of net neutrality cheer the move, but the presidential election could change everything.

WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators issued a warning to all Internet service providers Friday with a sharp rebuke of Comcast Corp. for blocking some customers from using file-sharing technology. By a 3-2 vote, the Federal Communications Commission found that the cable company failed to tell its subscribers about the blocking, lied about it when confronted by the commission and tried to cripple online video sites that compete ...

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Recording Acoustic Guitars in Studio

Source: All About Jazz
August 3, 2008

Recording Acoustic Guitars in the Control Room

Like a lot of musicians, I tend to wear several hats in the recording studio. Along with engineering and production, I do a lot of my own acoustic guitar work. The issue here is that in order to effectively engineer and play acoustic guitar at the same time, I'm forced to record in the control room so that I can run my Pro Tools rig. Over time, I've cobbled together an approach to ...

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