0 Gil Scott-Heron Hears the Music Again

• Video
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 01/26/2010

Who is Gil Scott-Heron? 2022 update: A specific comment about his website removed... his official website featured the Scott-Heron story until his passing in 2011. For Gil, it's always been about the message in the music. Here's what his condensed biography says: "Gil Scott-Heron is an American poet, musician, and author known primarily for his late 1960s and early 1970s work as a spoken word soul performer and his collaborative work with musician Brian Jackson." "His collaborative efforts with Jackson featured a musical fusion of jazz, blues and soul music, as well as lyrical content concerning social and political issues of the time, delivered in both rapping and melismatic vocal styles by Scott-Heron." "The music of these albums, most notably Pieces of a Man and Winter in America in the early 1970s, influenced and helped engender later African American music genres such as hip hop and neo soul." "Scott-Heron's recording work is often associated with black militant activism and has received much critical acclaim for one of his most well-known compositions "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." "On his influence, Allmusic wrote "Scott-Heron's unique proto-rap style influenced a generation of hip-hop artists." Yes, this is all true. "The Bottle" is probably Gil's biggest hit, an uptempo prophetic warning about boozing, drinking, and the evils of alcohol. Gil has a brand new album, I'm New Here, to be released February 8th in the U.K., and Tuesday, February 9, 2010 in the USA. Watch his new video, "Me and the Devil." About the video...once you get past the skate boarders, look for Gil to do his thing! Previous Post | Next Post

0 Jennifer Hudson Serenades Barack and Michelle

• Video
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 11/24/2009

Here's a very short video featuring USA first lady Michelle Obama speaking to young women from the White House Leadership and Mentoring Program about the musical entertainment planned for the President's first state dinner, Tuesday, November 24, 2009, headlined by Jennifer Hudson. To see the First Lady talk about how protocol and hospitality at state dinners can help foster good relations and build strong friendships among world leaders, watch the first 16 minutes of Michelle Obama's 2009 Mentoring Program remarks at the White House on YouTube. Bonus video 2022 update on YouTube: Jennifer Hudson performed again four years later as President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama danced during the January 21, 2013 Inauguration Ball celebrating Obama's 2nd term reelection. Enjoy the Al Green music! Previous Post | Next Post

0 Temptress Tina Turner Tantalizes at 70

• Video
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 11/23/2009

Anna Mae Bullock, the international diva from Brownsville, Texas, celebrates her 70th birthday as Tina Turner on Thursday, November 26, 2009. She has a wonderful 4 minute video that first appeared on TinaTurnerBlog.com in 2008 featuring her reflections about 50 years in the music business. Tina says in the video that she wants to give her fans what they want while she tries to keep the music presentation fresh. Her comments about fashion are revealing! Here's the video on YouTube posted by TinaTurnerBlog.com. Tina Turner: dynamic visual appeal, bombastic vocal range, and trailblazing crossover success! Previous Post | Next Post

0 Michael Jackson This Is It Movie Review Video

• Video
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 11/02/2009

This Is It, a film exposing Michael Jackson's intimate passion for music, style, excellence, and perfection easily exceeded my expectations. The rehearsal scenes in Los Angeles for the planned London concert tour make up the heart of This Is It, with revealing moments confirming the dominant personality of the king of pop as he takes charge and controls the creative process down to the smallest detail. At 1 hour, 52 minutes, This Is It includes a satisfying assortment of Michael Jackson hits. Video features to support the music are elaborately staged as they pop up between music segments. Even the casual Michael Jackson fan will enjoy this intimate look at what goes on behind the scenes when a unique professional performer exposes his soul through the lens of mastering his craft. Watch my 2 minute video review of This Is It. Previous Post | Next Post

0 This Is It Is Not the Last of Michael Jackson Video

• Video
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/13/2009

Watch and listen to my thoughts about the new Michael Jackson song, "This Is It." There are more unreleased tracks in the Michael Jackson vault waiting to eventually surface. The Jacksons are featured on "This Is It" singing background vocals. You'll hear the track at the end of the movie Michael Jackson's This Is It, and it is featured on the companion 2 CD record. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Mariah Carey Crafts Foreigner Love Song Video

• Video
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/07/2009

With a voice as strong as ever, Mariah Carey revives a song from the past, and brings it up to the present, with this live performance of Foreigner's "I Want To Know What Love Is." The version on her new 2009 album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel is good, but not quite as electric as this live performance, proving that great performers are inspired by the energy radiating from their responsive audiences. Watch the video, then vote for the performance you like better, either Mariah Carey's "I Want To Know What Love Is," or Whitney Houston's "I Look To You." 2022 Update: Voting is over. Thank you! We've replaced the original MSN Mariah Carey live video that is no longer available with the one below that is equally as good. Enjoy! Previous Post | Next Post

0 Fraulein Whitney Houston German Fernsehen Video

• Video
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 10/06/2009

Music is the universal language, as Whitney Houston sings her latest song "I Look To You," on the German television program, Wetten Das, during her fall 2009 promotional tour in Deutschland. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Michael Jackson Video Tribute

• Video
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 07/07/2009

The Michael Jackson memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will be broadcast today worldwide, Tuesday, July 7, 2009. Watch our Powerhouse Radio video tribute as we remember Michael Jackson in 60 seconds. Previous Post< | Next Post

0 Soul Power Movie International Debut

• Video
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 06/25/2009

A blockbuster formula: match Muhammad Ali vs. George Forman, then connect the boxers with the star power of James Brown, the Spinners, B.B. King, Bill Withers, the Crusaders, Bill Black, Miriam Makeba, and Celia Cruz. What do you have? A classic soul knock-out punch of epic concert proportions. Our performers provide the key ingredients for a spectacular 1974 promotion created to dazzle the African continent. Partly inspired by South Africa's music legend Hugh Masekela, a 3-night, 12-hour concert served as a backdrop for the Ali - Forman boxing match hyped as "The Rumble in the Jungle" in Kinshasa, Zaire. The 1997 movie When We Were Kings documents the fight, with secondary emphasis on the music festival, known as Zaire 74. Now comes Soul Power, a 2008/2009 production emphasizing the music using huge portions of the original concert footage not included in When We Were Kings. Here are some release dates for the new movie Soul Power: Belgium, July 1, 2009 UK, July 10, 2009 USA July 10, 2009 (limited venues) Netherlands, September 17, 2009 Watch the Soul Power movie trailer on IMDb Previous Post | Next Post

0 War Keeps West Coast Peace with Classic Soul Jams

• Video
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 05/07/2009

Lonnie Jordan, War, and crew are teaming up with Tierra, Malo, and El Chicano for some May, 2009 west coast gigs. You may remember Malo's Latin cross-over hit "Suavecito." The group was lead by Carlos Santana's brother, Jorge. El Chicano's most memorable track was the smooth instrumental favorite "Viva Tirado." War Dates: Saturday, May 23, 2009, Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA with Tierra, Malo, and El Chicano Sunday, May 24, Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA with Tierra, Malo, and El Chicano Find recent War videos featured on the band's official website. 2022 Update: An older 'War live' video that was originally posted below has been removed. Here's a newer one, an excellent live version of "Why Can't We Be Friends" (Live at KAABOO Del Mar 2018 in Del Mar, CA). Previous Post | Next Post