BMI's Urban Awards will be held August 6 at Club Tropigala at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resorts Towers in Miami. Originally scheduled for last October 3, it was cancelled due to the events of 9/11.
The BMI Urban Awards recognize the songwriters and publishers of the most played urban songs on U.S. radio and television. An Urban Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Publisher of the Year will be named that night. BMI will also honor the Top Producers of 2001-2002 and the BMI writers whose songs hit the #1 spot on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Charts. The event will be held to coincide with Billboard's R&B/Hip Hop Conference & Awards.
James Brown will receive the BMI ICON Award for his contributions to music and the music business.
The first ICON Awards were presented last month to fellow pioneers Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Little
Richard at the BMI Pop Awards.
Jon Faddis To Get Jazz Medal Of Honor
The National Arts Club (NAC), founded in 1898 to stimulate, foster and promote public interest in the arts while educating the
American people in the fine arts, will present the distinguished Jazz Medal of Honor to world-renowned trumpet player, composer, arranger and educator Jon Faddis at a black tie dinner on June 13, at the historic Tilden Mansion in New York City.
Faddis, musical director of the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band for the past decade and Artist-in-Residence at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College (SUNY), is the fifth honoree to receive the jazz award, joining pianist Dick Hyman, the JVC Jazz Festival, pianist George Shearing and saxophonist Benny Carter in taking home the coveted medal. The National Arts Club also annually presents the Gold Medal of Honor for Music; and since 1957, has bestowed the award upon Leonard Bernstein, Richard Rodgers, Sir Rudolf Bing, Alice Tully, Avery Fisher, Isaac Stern, Marian Andersen, Placido Domingo, Roberta Peters, Benny Goodman and other renowned musicians and patrons of the arts.
"Jon Faddis – a man whose lifetime contributions to jazz have enriched our cultural landscape – is the perfect recipient of the club's highest recognition," said O. Aldon James, Jr., president of the National Arts Club.
"I'm extremely pleased and proud to be the 2001-2002 recipient of the Jazz Medal of Honor," said Faddis. "To have my name placed among such luminaries of jazz and music is truly an honor and a blessing. Thanks to my parents, my instructors and my mentor and dear friend, the late Dizzy Gillespie, I learned early to dedicate myself to excellence. However, to achieve excellence and a true sense of purpose, a musician has to give out as much as he or she takes in. That's why it is so important for me to work with young people and push them toward their dreams. I'm honored that the National Arts Club has looked at my life's work and deemed it worthy to receive this award."
June 12 Benefit Set For Jazz Guitarist Barney Kessel
A benefit concert for jazz guitarist Barney Kessel, who has been diagnosed
with terminal brain cancer, has been scheduled for June 1, at Birdland, located at 315 West 44th Street in New York City. Artists to perform
include George Benson, Jim Hall, Larry Coryell, John Scofield, George
Coleman, Ray Bryant, Harold Mabern, Chico Hamilton, John & Bucky Pizzarelli, Jimmy Cobb, Howard Alden, Mark Whitfield, AJ Lambert, Carl
Barry, Jack Wilkins, Eric Alexander, Gene Bertoncini, Ray Barretto,
Candido, Jackie Paris, Rodney Jones, Frank Wess, Benny Powell, Peter
Bernstein, Russell Malone, Vic Juris, Jimmy Bruno, Randy Johnston, Peter
Washington, Harvie S, Sean Smith, Steve La Spina, Chuck Redd, Gray
Sargeant, Lee Musiker, Kyle Eastwood, Ron Affif, Sabina Sciubba and Vinny
Valentino, with other special guests to be added. Tickets are $25 at the door; all proceeds from the show will go to assist Kessel.
"Barney Kessel stands tall as one of the dominant pillars of this music we
call jazz," says benefit organizer and producer Charles Carlini, a noted
guitar aficionado who has produced many tributes to legendary guitarists.
"His contributions are inestimable."
Known for his brilliant harmonic improvisation, bluesy and hard-driving
earthy style, Kessel is one of the swingingest players in jazz. A master
at pulling every last bit of emotion from a beautiful ballad, and at the
other extreme setting an audience on fire with an up tempo jazz standard,
he has also delighted audiences with his natural talent for standup comedy.
A composer and arranger (the jazz classic "Swedish Pastry" is perhaps his
best known tune), he was also a popular teacher who gave seminars and
workshops all over the world. Kessel originated the idea of the guitar
being used instead of a piano as the predominate voice of a jazz trio with
bass and drums. His five Poll Winners albums with Shelly Manne on drums and
Ray Brown on bass set the standard for all the guitar records that followed. Kessel was also the first to use the guitar to sound like a
full jazz orchestra. His landmark 1955 recording with Julie London, Julie
is Her Name, and its memorable "Cry Me a River," is an early example of his
ability to make arrangements, which bring out full orchestral tonal colors
with only a string bass and electric guitar. He was also the first in
modern jazz to use the flute and oboe on his recordings.
Kessel has played
and recorded with a long list of jazz greats including Lester Young,
Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughn,
Ella Fitzgerald, Ben Webster and Sonny Rollins.
He is the author of the
book, "The Guitar," and has made three videos explaining his process of
improvisation in detail for Rumark Video.
At age 78, Kessel was diagnosed late last year with an inoperable tumor
(anaplastic astrocytoma) requiring 24-hour home care and therapy. He is
partially blind but is still able to talk on the telephone. Sadly,
he has no life insurance and has not worked in over 10 years due to a
massive stroke he suffered in 1992.
For those wishing to contribute to Barney's health care fund, checks can be
sent to
Mrs. Phyllis Kessel,
4445 North Avenue,
San Diego, CA 92116-3940
MTV Video Awards Latinoamerica Set For October 24
The inaugural "MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamerica" has been confirmed for October 24 at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach. This will be MTV Latin America's first pan regional event of this kind, featuring local and
international acts tailored specifically for the Latin American market. The event will
air live across MTV Latin America too more than 12 million households.
"MTV Latin America has enjoyed a special relationship with South Beach since the
channel launched across Latin America in 1993 and we are thrilled to extend our
relationship with the City of Miami Beach with the launch of the 'MTV Video Music
Awards Latinoamerica'," said Antoinette Zel, president, MTV Networks Latin America.
"Miami and Latin America enjoy a unique kinship and the MTV Latin American
Awards are a wonderful way to embrace that relationship while giving back to the
community."
"We are thrilled and honored to have been chosen as the host city for the inaugural
MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamerica," said Miami Beach Mayor David Dermer.
"This historic and prestigious event enables our city to continue forging an already
magnificent relationship with the entertainment industry showcasing the beauty and
artistry of our cherished Latin American culture."
Adds Charlie Singer, senior vice president of Music,
Programming and Production, MTV Networks Latin America and executive producer
of the show, "MTV Latin America has always been all about the music and attitudes that young
Latin Americans are crazy about and has played a huge part in breaking many
artists throughout the region. After being the number one music channel in Latin America since our
launch and the only one that reaches the entire region, now is the perfect time to
celebrate everything our audience embraces in one awesome event."
The "MTV Video Music Awards Latinoamerica '02" will feature a variety of regional
and international talents to serve as hosts presenters and performers. Portions of
the show will be available to all 35 MTV channels around the world, reaching more
than 382.1 million households in 165 territories.
MTV has 11 locally produced
awards shows annually, around the world, including the MTV Japan Video Music Awards (Japan), MTV Asia Awards (Singapore),
CCTV-MTV Mandarin Music Honors (China), MTV Mandarin Awards (Taiwan), MTV
Philipinas (Philippines), MTV Penghargaan (Indonesia), MTV Europe Music Awards,
Video Music Brasil Awards, MTV Movie Awards (US) and MTV Video Music Awards
(US).
Entries Sought For New Talent Slot On AMA Telecast
Coca-Cola, The American Music Awards, dick clark communications, and The CMJ
Network are seeking entries to the second annual "The American Music Awards Presents The Coca- Cola New Music Award" competition. This nationwide search for the best unsigned artist or band in America includes playoff performances in New York and Los Angeles and an opportunity to perform live on the 30th Annual American Music Awards telecast in early January on ABC-TV, where the winner will share the stage with some of the biggest names in music and be seen by millions of television viewers worldwide.
"Our first year was a great success as we were able to bring recognition to some truly outstanding artists from all types of music genres," said Dick Clark, AMA executive producer. "We are excited once again to bring more unsigned acts to the attention of the music industry and to fans around the world."
To enter The Coca-Cola New Music Award competition, individual artists and bands are asked to submit three original songs and written lyrics, along with a biography and photo. Submissions may be sent either digitally to http://www.newmusicaward.com/ or by mail on audiocassette or CD. Online entries will be accepted until July 24 and mail-in entries through July 31. All mail-in entries should be sent to: "The American Music Awards Presents The Coca-Cola New Music Award" Competition, c/o CMJ, 151 West 25th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10001.
"The Coca-Cola New Music Award enables people to get closer to emerging music and musicians," said Betsy Armentrout, on the Coca-Cola classic brand team. "It also provides an unmatched platform for unsigned talent to get the exposure they need to be noticed by key industry players."
Last year's Coca-Cola New Music Award winner was Richmond, Virginia-based Carbon Leaf. After their performance on the American Music Awards their CD sales skyrocketed and they are talking with record labels about their recent album.
"CMJ has been uncovering unknown musicians for over twenty years." said Robert Haber, CMJ founder and CEO. "Now, with help from Coca-Cola and The American Music Awards, we're able to do it on a scale like never before. It's truly an amazing opportunity for musicians across the country."
