Results for "California"

A. R. Rahman Slumdog Fusionist in Oscar Spotlight

February 21, 2009

A. R. Rahman one of Indias most prolific film composers knows how big a deal it would be if he wins an Oscar on Sunday. Rahman, in his natural habitat at the computer, works on five or six films a year, juggling several at a time. He is a kind of national hero in India. One ...

Watts, the Place, Inspires Jeff 'Tain' Watts

February 21, 2009

It was more than a shared name that first got the attention of drummer Jeff “Tain" Watts. Even as a kid growing up in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, he recognized something profound about a distant neighborhood in Los Angeles. He knew of those six days of rioting in 1965, but he also knew that Watts ...

Billy Joel Opens Concert Venue in the Desert

February 21, 2009

A grand-opening performance by Billy Joel is guaranteed to boost the profile of a concert venue. So The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa near Palm Springs in Rancho Mirage, Calif., snagged the musical legend for its opening show last week. The $76 million, 2,000-seat theater is about two hours by car from L.A. and ...

I'm with the Band! Oscars Stage Design Revealed

February 21, 2009

Architect going for ‘immersive environment evocative of an intimate club. Now when the Oscars musicians play winners offstage, they might get the chance to glare a little bit, too. Renderings of this year’s Academy Awards set show an onstage bandstand, situated behind a circular ministage that juts into the audience. The whole thing is surrounded by ...

Cameraman Robert Ulland Dies

February 21, 2009

Operator worked on Fugitive, Batman Forever Steadicam operator-cameraman Robert Ulland died Feb. 15 in an accident on his boat in Florida. He was 58. The accident was likely related to his lifelong battle with diabetes. Ulland's work was seen in films including The Fugitive, Batman Forever, The Horse Whisperer, What Women Want, Domestic Disturbance, and The ...

Leonard Cohen Gets L.A. Date

February 20, 2009

Wynonna Judd at Club Nokia

February 20, 2009

The singer only rarely shows her true self in song. Wynonna Judd (like any good diva, she dispenses with the surname career-wise) knows how to cover the musical bases, and there's no question that remarkable voice of hers can handle country, pop balladry, rocking blues, soul and gospel. So how is it that as she approaches ...

George Kahn at the Jazz Bakery on March 4th: Quartet Features Guitarist Pat Kelley

February 20, 2009

West Coast Jazz Pianist, George Kahn, will be appearing at The Jazz Bakery on Wednesday evening, March 4th with sets at 8:00 PM and 9:30 PM. Joining him on stage will be MB Gordy (drums), Karl Vincent (bass) and Pat Kelley (guitar). Pat Kelley has recorded eight CD's as a leader, toured in more than thirty ...

Hollywood Struggles to Find Wealth on the Web

February 20, 2009

After more than a decade of hype about the Internet being the next great stage for mass entertainment, it remains dominated by amateurs with most Hollywood stars watching from the wings. Even as talent agencies like William Morris and television networks such as NBC push for more celebrities on websites and better quality programs, many actors ...

California Budget Includes Tax Relief for Film, TV Shoots

February 20, 2009

Previous attempts to secure tax credits for film and TV productions were portrayed by opponents as handouts for Hollywood. But those arguments weakened as other states poached jobs from California. Incentives long sought by the entertainment industry should help keep productions at home. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a former movie actor, has been trying for years ...