Thursday, March 01, 2012

Sights and Sounds: 'The Warner Sound,' The Jeff Healey Band, Wilson Phillips

With the well-chronicled struggles of commercial radio, music fans are increasingly seeking out programs via television, DVD/Blu-ray (including DVD/CD combo) releases and YouTube to check out their favorite artists. Today's post highlights a number of exciting new releases and resources music fans should know about.


‘THE WARNER SOUND’: AN ORIGINAL YOUTUBE CHANNEL BUILT ON A LOVE OF MUSIC

Exclusive shows featuring CeeLo Green, Gym Class Heroes, Regina Spektor, Cody Simpson and Diggy launching in March at youtube.com/thewarnersound with live-stream of SXSW® gigs from T.I., B.o.B, Dr.John, Ed Sheeran, Gary Clark, Jr., Kimbra, Theophilus London and many others


March 1, 2012: Warner Music Group (WMG) today unveiled plans for ‘The Warner Sound’, an original YouTube Channel to be available at www.youtube.com/thewarnersound or www.thewarnersound.com from March 13, 2012. Built around exclusive access to superstars, celebrities and breaking talent, 'The Warner Sound' YouTube channel will offer an eclectic mix of specially-produced programs, all with music at their core. The digital destination will embrace a broad spectrum of genres and formats, from artist interviews, back-stage documentaries and live events to animated series, scripted comedy and experimental concepts that take advantage of YouTube’s unique technology. Select programs will give fans the chance to decide the direction of the action, interact with artists or offer feedback. Accessible world-wide, 'The Warner Sound' will also feature rare films from Warner Music’s vaults as well as material from artist channels.

The launch of the channel will be celebrated with a live-stream of performances at 'The Warner Sound Captured By Nikon' showcase at the South by Southwest® Music & Media Conference (SXSW®) in Austin, Texas. From March 13 through March 15, this will include gigs by T.I., B.o.B, Dr.John, Ed Sheeran, Gary Clark, Jr., Kimbra and Theophilus London, among many others. Once the channel is live, show production will gather pace, with further compelling features and personalities unveiled in the proceeding weeks.

Unveiling the channel, Lyor Cohen, Chairman & CEO, Recorded Music, Warner Music Group said "The Warner Sound will be a unique opportunity for artists to further their creativity, excite their fans and diversify their careers. Collaborating with an array of talent from across our labels, we will produce highly original music programming and digital entertainment. Our channel will be home to a wide variety of must-see, exclusive shows, made by people who love music, for people who love music."

Ocean MacAdams, a highly respected television executive, has been named as General Manager, The Warner Sound, overseeing the channel and its programming. Phil Botti, formerly VP of video content for Atlantic Records, will serve as the executive producer of the channel.

MacAdams said "The Warner Sound combines imaginative programs featuring extraordinary artists with YouTube’s technology and vast global audience. We have everything ready to create premium on-demand entertainment, viral hits and unmissable internet events. On this channel, every show will have a love of music at its heart, but beyond that the possibilities are endless."

Upcoming exclusive content that can be revealed at this stage includes:

•CeeLo Green Presents ManTazia: From the minds of multiplatinum-selling artist CeeLo Green and renowned filmmaker Mikael Colombu comes an experimental film series that explores the life, times and music of CeeLo. Directed, shaped and cut in 2D Jankyvision, each episode of this short-form series will take you on an adventure into the lush imagination of CeeLo Green. Produced by Mikael Colombu Films.

•Untitled: Hot on the heels of his award-winning ‘A Tribe Called Quest’ documentary, actor and director Michael Rapaport presents this documentary series featuring different WMG artists. Produced by Michael Rapaport, Kenya Barris, Jason Bergh from UX Entertainment and Principato-Young Entertainment.

•'Staged': This show takes the famous lyrics of top stars and re-imagines them as the script of a drama. Each episode will be in a different style and feature recognizable lyrics from a WMG artist. The first episode is due to feature the songs of Gym Class Heroes. Produced by Koda Pictures and Principato-Young Entertainment.

•‘The Live Room’: Intimate performances shot in legendary recording studios around the world. Artists will perform their own music alongside covers of iconic songs recorded in that very space. The premiere will feature B.o.B at Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, with Regina Spektor also scheduled for a future episode, shot in New York. Produced by Michael Thelin Productions.

•'Countdown To...': An up-close look at the last frenetic days before a hotly-anticipated album comes out. In the first instalment, teen rap sensation Diggy criss-crosses the country headlining tours, shooting music videos, meeting fans and even doing homework. A new episode will appear every day for a week leading up to the release of ‘Unexpected Arrival’ on March 20.

•‘Finding Cody Simpson’: Using YouTube's annotation technology, fans will be able to create their own Cody Simpson movie. In a scripted, "choose your own adventure" series, viewers will drive the action as they follow along one fan's journey to meet Cody Simpson. Produced by Studio 13 Productions (Dan Fogler, Michael Canzoniero, Thomas Sullivan).

The Warner Sound team is working with a variety of production agencies, in particular Mighty Fresh (www.mighty-fresh.com), an award-winning new media production company, led by Richard Frias and Marc Schrobilgen, which specializes in creating interactive entertainment and live shows. Mighty Fresh is responsible for the day-to-day editorial on The Warner Sound and helping produce an original slate of content tailored to the YouTube community.

MacAdams joins WMG from Current TV, where he was SVP, Programming. Until 2009, he was SVP, MTV, leading editorial operations at MTV News and executive producing numerous series, specials and live events


THE JEFF HEALEY BAND IS LIVE IN BELGIUM ON NEW EAGLE ROCK DVD/CD PACKAGE

Eagle Rock Entertainment is proud to continue its Jeff Healey Band archival series with the April 3, 2012 DVD-CD release of Live In Belgium.

Touring in 1993 in support of their Feel This album, The Jeff Healey Band hit The Peer Blues Festival in Belgium running! The double-disc package-which includes the show both visually and aurally-contains 12 tight, taut gems in Dolby Digital Stereo and Dolby 5.1. The songs are highlighted by Healey's soulful vocals and his wild'n'wooly over-the-top electric guitar solos, played in his inimitable style on his lap like a dobro. His visceral, energetic performance sets the crowd buzzing right from note #1.

The 82 minutes fly by as Healey really gets into his signature cover of George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" as well as "Roadhouse Blues" by The Doors and some of his own classic tracks including "Angel Eyes" and "Full Circle." Making this particular performance special is the fact that the trio is augmented by two backing vocalists and a keyboard player. This takes the presentation up to a whole new level as the band is, in effect, doubled. Besides the Feel This material, Healey performs tracks off his very popular See The Light and Hell To Pay albums.


Jeff Healey (1966-2008) was a Canadian singer/songwriter/guitarist of mammoth talent who fused a love of blues and rockin' anthems into a jam-happy stew of crowd-crazy proportions. He could sing like an angel, sting like a bee on his axe and perform like he was born to do so.



CD & DVD Track Listing:


1.Baby's Lookin' Hot

2.The House That Love Built

3.Evil And Here To Stay

4.Confidence Man

5.It Could All Get Blown Away

6.Lost In Your Eyes

7.Heart Of An Angel

8.Full Circle

9.That's What They Say

10.Angel Eyes

11. Roadhouse Blues

12.See The Light

13.While My Guitar Gently Weeps



WILSON PHILLIPS ARE ‘DEDICATED’ TO MAKING MUSIC


New Album Pays Tribute to Their Parents - The Beach Boys and Mamas & The Papas

Dedicated Available April 3, 2012


Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On Premieres April 8, 2012 on TV Guide Network

“Choosing the material was torture because there was so much to pick from,” says Carnie. “But we all have a very strong feeling about the album and the songs. We've been doing "In My Room," "God Only Knows" and "California Dreamin’" on stage for a long time now, and the response is always phenomenal."

Wilson Phillips fans have been dreaming for an album like Dedicated since the group topped the charts in 1990 with their debut hit Hold On. Two more chart-toppers, Release Me and You're In Love followed, further establishing the threesome as a harmony vocal group worthy of its parentage.

In addition to the forthcoming release of Dedicated, the lifelong friends will star in Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On, a reality show documenting the group’s adventures in and out of the recording studio. The show debuts on Sunday, April 8, 2012 on the TV Guide Network. Throughout the year, Wilson Phillips will tour across the U.S. and Canada in support of the new album.


For tour dates and more information please go to:

www.WilsonPhillipsMusic.com

Dedicated tracklisting:

1.California Dreamin’
2.Wouldn’t It Be Nice
3.Dedicated to The One I Love
4.Don’t Worry Baby
5.Twelve-Thirty
6.I Can Hear Music
7.Monday Monday
8.Do It Again
9.Got A Feeling
10.Fun, Fun, Fun
11.God Only Knows
12.Good Vibrations

No comments: