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That Eric Alper

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Prince Set To Bring Funk-Rock HitNRun Show To Toronto May 19

May 16, 2015

Iconic music artist and multi-talented entertainer, Prince, along with his critically acclaimed group 3RDEYEGIRL, announced today a special HITnRUN concert in Toronto, Ontario, hometown of Donna Grantis, Mississauga native and musician/guitarist for 3RDEYEGIRL. The performance will take place at Sony Center For The Performing Arts on May 19th. Tickets go on sale Monday, May 18th at 12pm local time.

Toronto marks the fourth stop on a tour that has already left fans breathless and critics speechless. Following performances in Louisville, KY, The Village Voice raved “Prince and 3RDEYEGIRL succeeded in doing the seemingly impossible for the launch of the impromptu odyssey by forging an intimate, ironclad connection between one of pop’s most aloof and untouchable performers and his adoring public. They reached from the front row to the back of the balcony and met the outstretched arms and eager fingertips of Louisville in a mutual, ravenous embrace.” Recently, Esquire commented, “Where will Prince go next? What will he play next? No one knows, and that’s the magnetism of Prince in 2015 – he keeps it unpredictable. He keeps it real.” Just last week the icon and his super-group performed a surprise Rally 4 Peace show (announced only a few days prior) to a sold-out audience at Baltimore’s Royal Farms Arena. In a spirit of healing, the event was a catalyst for pause and reflection following the outpouring of violence that has gripped Baltimore and areas throughout the US.

The current tour is following on the critically acclaimed series of spontaneous HITnRUN shows that took place in the UK last year. With performances announced at the 11th hour via Twitter, the UK HITnRUN tour saw the band perform in legendary venues including Ronnie Scotts, Electric Ballroom and Shepherds Bush Empire – playing two and sometimes three shows each night. Throughout the tour, the group was showered in 5-star reviews from all major reviewing media, with The Guardian quoting: “These are performances by one of the greatest funk-rock bands ever.” Late last year, the legendary musician released two chart-topping albums, ART OFFICIAL AGE, a solo album that debuted at #1 on the R&B chart, and PLECTRUMELECTRUM, the debut album from Prince & 3RDEYEGIRL, which debuted at #1 on the Rock chart.

Rudyard Kipling’s The Elephant’s Child, As Read By Jack Nicholson and Music By Bobby McFerrin

May 16, 2015

A classic tale by Rudyard Kipling, creator of The Jungle Book, narrated by the amazing Jack Nicholson with the exceptional music by Bobby McFerrin. As one review noted on Amazon, To put a rating on this gem is like putting a smiley face sticker on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

https://youtu.be/m6qKUkKK7yg

https://youtu.be/6cvwhp5sJPc

Watch John Coltrane Turn His Handwritten Poem “Psalm” Into Final Song On ‘A Love Supreme’ Album

May 16, 2015

John Coltrane recorded A Love Supreme in December of 1964 and released it the following year. He presented it as a four-part suite, broken up into tracks: Acknowledgement (which contains the mantra that gave the suite its name), Resolution, Pursuance, and Psalm. It is intended to be a spiritual album, broadly representative of a personal struggle for purity, and expresses the artist’s deep gratitude as he admits to his talent and instrument as being owned not by him but by a spiritual higher power. Coltrane plays exclusively tenor on all parts.

It is in Psalm, Coltrane performs what he calls a “musical narration” of a devotional poem he included in the liner notes. That is, Coltrane “plays” the words of the poem on saxophone, but does not actually speak them. Some scholars have suggested that this performance is a homage to the sermons of African-American preachers. The poem (and, in his own way, Coltrane’s solo) ends with the cry “Elation. Elegance. Exaltation. All from God. Thank you God. Amen.”

James Cary describes his just-released video creation:

A few years ago, knowing I absolutely adored the John Coltrane album, “A Love Supreme” my wife gave me this incredible book by Ashley Kahn : “A Love Surpreme/The Story of John Coltrane’s Signature Album.” Reading the book, I discovered something remarkable: the fourth movement, Psalm, was actually John Coltrane playing the ‘words’ of the poem that was included in the original liner notes. Apparently he put the handwritten poem on the music stand in front of him, and ‘played’ it, as if it were music. I immediately played the movement while reading the poem, and the hair stood up on the back of my neck. It was one of the most inspirational and spiritual moments of my life.

I’ve seen some nice versions of this posted on the net, but wanted to make one using his exact handwriting. I also wanted to keep it simple. The music and John’s poem are what’s important. I hope you enjoy this. I hope this inspires you, no matter what ‘God’ you may believe in.

Def Leppard Lead Guitarist Phil Collen To Release Memoir

May 15, 2015

Atria Books has acquired North American and audio rights to a memoir by Phil Collen, lead guitarist for rock band Def Leppard for more than 30 years. ADRENALIZED: Life, Def Leppard, and Beyond, written with veteran journalist and author Chris Epting and scheduled for publication on October 27, is the first book written by a member of the group that holds claim to being one of only five rock bands with two original studio albums selling over 10 million copies in the U.S. Featuring personal, never-before-seen photos of Collen and his band mates on stage and off, Adrenalized is a fascinating account of the failures, triumphs, challenges, and rock-hard dedication it takes to make dreams come true.

“It’s fascinating for even me to look back at my life from working in a factory at 16 years old to eventually traveling the world selling over one hundred million records and all the experiences that come with that journey,” Collen says. “I realize that there is a constant evolution of ‘me’ that is still a work in progress even as I continue to be vital and dynamic in my same occupation for the past 35 years well into my late fifties.”

He has been a vegetarian for thirty-one years, alcohol-free for twenty-eight years, and vegan for over four years, busting the myth of the classic rock star stereotype. Def Leppard will be touring this summer with Styx and Tesla. The 48-date outing will kick off in Tampa, Florida on June 23 and will wrap in Jacksonville, Florida, on Oct. 17.

Rick and Morty Accidentally Kill The Simpsons In An Upcoming Crossover Couch Gag

May 15, 2015

The animated worlds of The Simpsons and Adult Swim‘s Rick and Morty collide …violently in an upcoming crossover couch gag from FOX for their “Mathlete’s Feat” episode. The new episode is set to air Sunday, May 17, 2015.

An Inside Look At How Tracks For ‘Rock Band 4′ Are Created

May 15, 2015

A series of geniuses at developer Harmonix and the Rock Band 4 team, including with Audio QA Lead Dave Plante, shows you exactly how guitar solos and vocal tracks come to life.

A New Trailer Gives Clues About ‘True Detective’ Season Two

May 15, 2015

True Detective Season 2 starring Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams and Taylor Kitsch premieres June 21 on HBO.

Video: B.B. King: “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean”

May 15, 2015

“See That My Grave Is Kept Clean” is a blues song recorded by Blind Lemon Jefferson in 1927 that became one of his most famous compositions. Son House used the melody on his 1930 recording of “Mississippi County Farm Blues”. Bob Dylan recorded the song for his 1962 debut album Bob Dylan. He recorded it again with the Band, which is included on The Basement Tapes.

But, today, it’s all about B.B. King’s version that is killing me.

Video: Eric Clapton Thanks B.B. King ‘For All the Inspiration and Encouragement’

May 15, 2015

Eric Clapton remembered his friend and colleague B.B. King in a video posted to Facebook Friday morning, saying he wanted to express his sadness.

“He was a beacon for all of us who love this kind of music,” Clapton said in the video below. “If you’re not familiar with his work, I would encourage you to go out and find an album called B.B. King Live at the Regal, which is where it all really started for me as a young player.”

BB King a dear friend and inspiration to me….

Posted by Eric Clapton on Friday, 15 May 2015

B.B. King Gets Animated in PBS’ Blank On Blank Series

May 15, 2015

“I don’t like to feel that I owe anything. I like to feel that I pay my own way, no free lunch.”
– B.B. King on September 5, 1986, as told to Joe Smith

Mr. B.B. King. The blues legend says he played 300 nights a year for four-plus decades. That’s just ridiculous. We’re talking about nearly 15,000 shows. King turns 90 this year and you still just might be able to see him on stage. So what’s his secret? We heard some keys to living life to its fullest in a 1986 interview that had been unheard until now.

In this animated film created from B.B. King’s interview with legendary music executive, Joe Smith, the musician explains how he approaches an audience, how a fire at a juke joint led to his naming his guitar “Lucille”, why the blues isn’t just being down on your luck, and why compliments don’t mean it’s time to stop practicing or perfecting your craft.