The ever unpredictable Marc-Andre Hamelin takes a saunter on the sassy side in his new Hyperion album In a State of Jazz.Here is a pianist who can be guaranteed to put an unexpected punch into a Haydn Allegro and run from the clicking of castanets to the sultriest of siestas in Albeniz's Ib�ria; now the adventurous Canadian sets his sights and fingers on four composers who have been bitten by the jazz bug.You can find DVDs around town of Friedrich Gulda playing Mozart but Hamelin has settled on three of Gulda's so-called Exercises - witty boogies and ballads designed to loosen up classical fingers.The pianist's take on Gulda's highly energised Prelude and Fugue might set Bach's wig permanently off-kilter if its strains were to drift heavenwards.Hamelin rips into a wacky Jazz Sonata by George Antheil, the self-styled bad boy of music.It's a dizzying collage, seven decades before the cut-and-paste tactics of John Zorn.Then there is the case of the Russian Nikolai Kasputin, whose Sonata sounds as if Prokofiev had found himself a gig in a post-bop piano bar.
Hamelin is crisp and not afraid to swing, especially in the first movement's finger-tangling second theme which sounds like it could do with a good stride bass - except there is not a hand or even a finger to spare.Alex Weissenberg's 1982 Sonata comes across as a little more contrived than anything else on this disc, although Hamelin's virtuosity turns its atonal Charleston into a flurry of glittering sequins.Finally, Weissenberg's transcriptions of six songs by the French chansonnier Charles Trenet have been re-transcribed by Hamelin from Weissenberg's recordings. These are frothy charmers, not so far from classy Liberace, music for the boulevard cafe of your dreams. We can only hope there is enough material out there for Hamelin to consider a sequel.In the meantime, with Michael Houstoun's Inland in the charts proving there is an audience for our own piano composers, perhaps some enterprising pianist might record Jenny McLeod's two rock sonatas. They certainly deserve a merrier fate than languishing in the archives waiting for the attentions of an errant musicologist.* Marc-Andr� Hamelin: In a State of Jazz (Hyperion CDA 67656, through Ode Records)
Thursday 19 June 2008
Friday 13 June 2008
Court now orders Spears psych exam
A judge has ruled that troubled pop star Britney Spears must be examined by a court-appointed psychiatrist to determine if she understands the legal proceedings involving her.
Reuters reports that Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon ordered on Monday that the psychiatrist file a report on the 26-year-old's mental condition by 13 February.
On 14 February it will be decided how much longer Spears' assets should remain under the temporary control of her father and his attorney.
Commissioner Gordon also said that a restraining order against Spears' self-styled manager and confidant, Sam Lutfi, forbids him from any form of contact with her.
Spears was taken to the UCLA Medical Center for a 72-hour psychiatric evaluation last week; her stay has now been extended to two weeks.
Reuters reports that Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon ordered on Monday that the psychiatrist file a report on the 26-year-old's mental condition by 13 February.
On 14 February it will be decided how much longer Spears' assets should remain under the temporary control of her father and his attorney.
Commissioner Gordon also said that a restraining order against Spears' self-styled manager and confidant, Sam Lutfi, forbids him from any form of contact with her.
Spears was taken to the UCLA Medical Center for a 72-hour psychiatric evaluation last week; her stay has now been extended to two weeks.
Saturday 7 June 2008
Christian Bale - The Things They Say 8407
"I love CHRISTIAN BALE; he's very handsome." DONALD TRUMP's daughter IVANKA has a celebrity crush on BATMAN.
See Also
Monday 2 June 2008
'Relapsing Addict' JK Rowling Pens New Harry Potter
JK Rowling has joked she felt like a "relapsing addict" after writing a new Harry Potter prequel for a charity auction.
Although the author’s new story only runs to 800 words it is expected to raise up to £1 million for the English PEN and Dyslexia Action charities when it goes under the hammer on 10 June.
However, Rowling - who has vowed there will be no new full Harry Potter novel - says the experience of returning to the boy wizard left her with a peculiar feeling.
“Although I did feel a bit like a relapsing addict as I sat down to write, the words poured from my pen with frightening ease," she admits on her website.
Although the author’s new story only runs to 800 words it is expected to raise up to £1 million for the English PEN and Dyslexia Action charities when it goes under the hammer on 10 June.
However, Rowling - who has vowed there will be no new full Harry Potter novel - says the experience of returning to the boy wizard left her with a peculiar feeling.
“Although I did feel a bit like a relapsing addict as I sat down to write, the words poured from my pen with frightening ease," she admits on her website.
Album Review: Death Cab For Cutie, "Narrow Stairs" (Atlantic)
Pacific Northwest alt-rockers Death Cab for Cutie [ tickets ] return with their seventh studio album, "Narrow Stairs," an altogether darker and more introspective collection of songs than anything the band has attempted to date.On the group's previous album, 2005's "Plans," frontman/lead singer Ben Gibbard traded on the sort of youthful, angsty melancholy that has been a hallmark of his songwriting since the band's beginning; by contrast, "Narrow Stairs" immediately throws listeners into a darker sort of place than they will have ever experienced before on a Death Cab record, with Gibbard retreating to the edge of America on the album's opener, "Bixby Canyon Bridge," to the edge of the Pacific Ocean, but for what? "You wonder if you're missing your dream," he sings as buzzing guitars swirl around him like ocean gales. "You just can't see your dream."The record's centerpiece comes exactly one track later, in the form of "I Will Possess Your Heart," quite simply the grandest undertaking the band has ever tackled. The song, which is the album's first single, clocks in at an audacious eight and a half minutes (the CD single included a shorter, edited version), and is one long groove that recalls early '70s Can, replete with motorik drumming and ping-ponging guitar licks. At 4:34 in, Gibbard makes his first appearance, singing in an assured voice, strangely denied passion in its phrasing, of how an apparently unwilling or indifferent romantic interest will soon belong to him. "You gotta spend some time with me love," Gibbard insists, "I will possess your heart."It is the album's one undisputed masterpiece, and sets the bar very high for the remainder of the set. In places, the band comes close to repeating the complicated and beautiful feelings contained within "Heart," but only close."Cath ...," the disc's fourth song, skates along on a familiar path, displaying the band hasn't lost its touch for power-pop, but Gibbard's suddenly mature voice steers the ship away from the group's past tendencies to go mall-emo at times."I've been slipping through the years and my old clothes don't fit like they once did," Gibbard sings on the dirge-like "You Can Do Better Than Me," which arrives near the album's mid-point. "So they hang like ghosts of the people I've been."This is not your older brother's Death Cab, as the band continues to veer left, right and all over the map throughout the album. The middle stretch bogs down a bit with pathos, but, by the time he gets around to closing the album out with the spare, morose "The Ice is Getting Thinner," Gibbard is practically spelling out the future: "We're not the same, dear," he sings. "The seasons have changed and so have we."
MTV Movie Awards' Guest Blogger Busts 'Twilight' Star Robert Pattinson -- On His Outfit
'Twilight' star Robert Pattinson got busted by MTV Movie Awards guest blogger Laura Culpepper, who noticed something slightly familiar about his clothes ...
567m Fine For Itv Over Phone-in Scandal
ITV has been handed a £5.67 million fine by the communications regulator for a series of mistakes concerning interactive phone-ins.After a Deloitte ...
Madonna's four-letter gig
ABOUT to turn 50, Madonna has still managed to shock the crowds at Radio 1's Big Weekend, with a string of four-letter expletives and scandalous off-stage demands.
Madonna’s alleged diva behaviour sparked outrage at a concert this weekend.The music superstar annoyed organisers and fellow artists on the bill at Radio 1’s Big Weekend free music event, after demanding a helicopter to transport her from her London home to the festival in Maidstone, Kent – just 37 miles away. When she finally arrived for her 20-minute set on Saturday, she issued a string of demands for her 70-strong entourage. A source revealed to Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper: “She had special Kabbalah water shipped in and demanded bouquets of white roses. While she only ate fresh fruit, the same can’t be said of her friends. “They arrived early and wolfed down free food and alcohol reserved for all the artists.” The 4 Minutes singer also reportedly angered other performers by turning up late for rehearsals, leaving the schedules in disarray. Madonna’s four-letter tirade during the live BBC broadcast caused a headache for the TV and radio bosses. Introducing Hung Up, Madonna said: “You guys are going to have to stop f***ing it up out there because I need to feel some love. I’m going to do an old song, but not too old. F**k the present. Let’s live in the past.” Hosts Zane Lowe and Edith Bowman were forced to issue a hasty apology after the set, saying: “An incredible performance from Madonna. That said, a quick apology for those people who might have felt the content offensive.” The performance was Madonna’s third show to mark the release of her latest album, Hard Candy, following shows in New York and Paris.
Madonna’s alleged diva behaviour sparked outrage at a concert this weekend.The music superstar annoyed organisers and fellow artists on the bill at Radio 1’s Big Weekend free music event, after demanding a helicopter to transport her from her London home to the festival in Maidstone, Kent – just 37 miles away. When she finally arrived for her 20-minute set on Saturday, she issued a string of demands for her 70-strong entourage. A source revealed to Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper: “She had special Kabbalah water shipped in and demanded bouquets of white roses. While she only ate fresh fruit, the same can’t be said of her friends. “They arrived early and wolfed down free food and alcohol reserved for all the artists.” The 4 Minutes singer also reportedly angered other performers by turning up late for rehearsals, leaving the schedules in disarray. Madonna’s four-letter tirade during the live BBC broadcast caused a headache for the TV and radio bosses. Introducing Hung Up, Madonna said: “You guys are going to have to stop f***ing it up out there because I need to feel some love. I’m going to do an old song, but not too old. F**k the present. Let’s live in the past.” Hosts Zane Lowe and Edith Bowman were forced to issue a hasty apology after the set, saying: “An incredible performance from Madonna. That said, a quick apology for those people who might have felt the content offensive.” The performance was Madonna’s third show to mark the release of her latest album, Hard Candy, following shows in New York and Paris.
Hugh Grant - Grant Threatens Paparazzo
Actor HUGH GRANT came close to losing his temper with the paparazzi on Saturday (31May08) when he reportedly threatened to throw one photographer through a window.
The Notting Hill star, 47, was caught leaving London nightclub Nam Long-Le Shaker with a mystery woman in the early hours when he spotted the snappers taking his photo.
Enraged by their presence, he allegedly raged to one paparazzo: "How about I push you through that window?"
But Grant apparently lost his nerve and turned to run off - abandoning the leggy brunette outside the club.
See Also
No Nudity For Lindsay Lohan
Dina Lohan has denied rumors that her famous daughter Lindsay, is set to go naked in the upcoming film 'Florence', following reports she would film a full frontal nude scene.Despite the Internet Movie Data Base not having Lohan listed as starring in the low-budget movie, UK tabloid The Sun quotes an 'insider' as saying she's involved."Lindsay doesn't care she's getting paid peanuts," the insider says. "She wants to remind people she can act and that she is worth hiring."However, Lohan's mother told Access Hollywood that "she is not" planning on going naked in the film and refuses to confirm her daughters involvement. Photo courtesy of TriStar Pictures. Photo courtesy of Hollywood Records.
Spears undergoing psychiatric evaluation
Britney Spears is on a psychiatric hold in a Los Angeles hospital as she undergoes evaluation.
The 26-year-old was taken from her home to hospital yesterday by ambulance.
Speaking to People magazine, Spears' representative, Sam Lutfi, said that Spears was undergoing evaluation on the orders of her psychiatrist.
"She went willingly," Lufti told the magazine. "It was like something in her heart was telling her she should go. She knew something was wrong."
UCLA Medical Center declined to confirm if Spears was a patient, citing confidentiality.
Spears' parents and Lufti were pictured leaving the hospital on Thursday. When asked if her daughter was "OK" by reporters, the singer's mother Lynne said: "Yes."
Friends and family have said they believe that the 26-year-old is suffering from bipolar disorder or other psychiatric problems.
An unnamed source told Us Weekly that Spears had not slept since Saturday.
The source said that the "intervention" by Spears' family and psychiatrist had been planned for a number of days.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness in the US has pleaded for Spears' privacy during her treatment.
The 26-year-old was taken from her home to hospital yesterday by ambulance.
Speaking to People magazine, Spears' representative, Sam Lutfi, said that Spears was undergoing evaluation on the orders of her psychiatrist.
"She went willingly," Lufti told the magazine. "It was like something in her heart was telling her she should go. She knew something was wrong."
UCLA Medical Center declined to confirm if Spears was a patient, citing confidentiality.
Spears' parents and Lufti were pictured leaving the hospital on Thursday. When asked if her daughter was "OK" by reporters, the singer's mother Lynne said: "Yes."
Friends and family have said they believe that the 26-year-old is suffering from bipolar disorder or other psychiatric problems.
An unnamed source told Us Weekly that Spears had not slept since Saturday.
The source said that the "intervention" by Spears' family and psychiatrist had been planned for a number of days.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness in the US has pleaded for Spears' privacy during her treatment.
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