Jazz Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film Critic “Back to Black,” the 2006 album that the new Amy Winehouse biopic takes its title from, is a record built on an exquisite contradiction. The music has a crispy delicious retro-bop bounce, a quality that extends to Winehouse’s vocals, which take the growling-cat stylings of jazz legends like Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday and kick them up into something playfully ferocious. Yet when you tune into the lyrics, they’re as dark as midnight.

Clarence “Frogman” Henry, the New Orleans R&B singer whose 1956 hit “Ain’t Got No Home” showcased a vocal range that could soar to falsetto and plummet to the croak that provided his nickname, died Sunday. He was 87.

eff Goldblum‘s IMDb, he has five exciting film and TV projects in the works including the much-anticipated “Wicked” adaptation.There’s still more on his plate, though.The busy 71-year-old screen icon is embarking on a brief three-show tour this year.First up, he’ll swing into Washington, D.C.’s Lincoln Theatre on Thursday, May 30.Five months later, the “The Fly” actor buzzes into San Antonio’s Majestic Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 19 and Austin’s Bass Concert Hall on Sunday, Oct.

Billie Piper has reflected on her childhood friendship with Amy Winehouse, recalling how the singer was bullied because “she was always doing her own thing”.Piper and Winehouse both attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London in the 1990s, and became friends during their time there. Now, in an interview on Jessie Ware’s Table Manners podcast, the former pop star and Doctor Who actor has shared memories of what Winehouse was like during that period.“She was always cheeky,” Piper said.

Ethan Shanfeld Four-time Grammy winner Killer Mike will take on the Blue Note in New York for a run of intimate shows in July. The rapper will perform six shows with the Mighty Midnight Revival on July 29, 30 and 31, with two shows per night — at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

Robert Glasper Experiment, has died aged 46. No cause of death has been given.The news was confirmed by Living Colour‘s Vernon Reid, who took to X/Twitter to call Benjamin’s passing a “brutal & terrible shock”.“My sincerest condolences go out to my YoHimBe Brother on this day of revelation,” Reird wrote. “I’m in a weird place with it.

Tony Bennett from the likes of Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse are set to go to auction next month.A trove of items that belonged to the late singer are set to go up for sale at Julien’s Auctions on April 18, including letters and rarities addressed to him from Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, Madonna, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Quincy Jones and Barbra Streisand and more.The legendary American singer died on July 21 in his hometown of New York, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was aged 96.The item expected to fetch the most at the auction is a typewritten thank you letter from civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

For most of her career, Amirtha Kidambi didn’t refer to herself as an activist, in the same way she didn’t consider herself a Carnatic singer despite studying the form for years. Both of these practices, she explained in a 2017 interview, are lifelong callings.

Lady Gaga‘s highly anticipated upcoming film “Joker: Folie à Deux.”In the meantime, her Little Monsters will have to settle for the latest installment of the 13-time Grammy-winning artist’s ‘Jazz and Piano’ Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM.On eight nights from June 19 through July 6, Gaga will perform standards from the Great American Songbook and treat audiences to stripped-down piano reinterpretations of her hits like “Poker Face” and “Born This Way.”Every show is emotional for the “Star Is Born” singer, too.“She has said something different about (Tony Bennett) every time, words from the heart,” the Las Vegas Review Journal wrote. “Tony would not want me to be sad on stage,” Gaga said onstage, the Review Journal reported.

Amy Winehouse biopic, Back To Black, with it including an original new song by Nick Cave.The film is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and is set to be released in cinemas on April 12. It will follow the life and career of the iconic London singer, with the title role being taken on by Marisa Abela.Now, details of the official soundtrack to the movie have been shared – featuring songs by the singer herself, as well as tracks by other iconic artists.Titled ‘Back To Black: Songs from the Original Motion Picture’, the compilation album is set for release on May 17 via UMR/Island Records, and features three original recordings from Winehouse’s highly influential debut, ‘Frank’ and three songs from her multi-award-winning LP ‘Back To Black.It also includes a new original track called ‘Song for Amy’, which is sung by Nick Cave.Cave, along with longtime collaborator Warren Ellis, composed and recorded the film’s score.A further 5 songs are included on the album, recorded by artists whom Amy Winehouse saw as an inspiration.

Jake Gyllenhaal is getting some major support at the premiere of his new movie!

Lady Gaga has confirmed that she will be returning to Las Vegas for her ‘Jazz & Piano’ 2024 summer residency.The 13-time Grammy Award-winning singer will be making her way back to “sin city” for an eight-night run at the Dolby Live at Park MGM. The residency will kick off on June 19 and run through select dates until July 6.Gaga took over the same venue late last summer until early autumn with her residency which celebrates her love of the Great American Songbook, and features reworked versions of her biggest hits.A ticket pre-sale will be available for fans who sign up for it here.

Lady Gaga is returning to Las Vegas for more shows as part of her Jazz & Piano residency at Park MGM’s Dolby Live!

Lady Gaga is heading back to Las Vegas for another of her extremely popular “Jazz & Piano” residencies at the Park MGM Dolby Live.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large That’s a wrap on Oscar season 2024 — but first, the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast‘s Roundtable dives in one last time to take a final look at the highs, lows and head scratchers from Sunday night’s ceremony. “Oppenheimer” did huge, but it didn’t quite sweep.

Ravinia is pulling out all the stops this year.Highland Park, IL’s annual summer-long music festival just announced their 2024 lineup — with over 100 concerts scheduled — and it’s a doozy.This year’s edition features big names from yesteryear like James Taylor, Robert Plant with Alison Krauss, The Beach Boys with John Stamos, Mavis Staples, and Daryl Hall with Elvis Costello.Other icons set to grace the Ravinia Festival stages this year include Norah Jones, Little Feat, Gipsy Kings, OAR, and Melissa Etheridge with Indigo Girls.As of now, tickets can be scooped up for a handful of the 2024 concerts.Although inventory isn’t available on Ticketmaster until Wednesday, April 24, fans who want to ensure they have tickets ahead of time can purchase on sites like Vivid Seats before tickets are officially on sale.Vivid Seats is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.They have a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and will be delivered before the event.All Ravinia concerts with inventory available can be found below with performers, dates, show start times, and links to buy tickets.As mentioned earlier, over 100 acts are set to stop in Highland Park this year.For a fuller picture of the expansive multi-month lineup, you can find the full 2024 slate here.Need more multi-day jamborees?Here are just five of the biggest music festivals you won’t want to miss these next few months.Who else is on the road?Check out our list of the 50 biggest concerts in 2024 here to find out.

Murtada Elfadl Juxtaposing the story of the murder of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba with a musical tour of jazzman Louis Armstrong and with the expansion of the United Nations after the independence of many African countries in the 1960s might be tall order. Trickier still would be telling this complex story, full of many characters and plot swerves, in a nonlinear manner while filling the screen with written clues providing context like a bibliography of an academic thesis.

Jon Batiste performed his Oscar-nominated song ‘It Never Went Away’at the 2024 Oscars last night (March 10) – check out footage below.The song features in his 2023 Netflix documentary American Symphony, in which Batiste attempts to compose a symphony as his wife, writer Suleika Jaouad, undergoes cancer treatment.The track was up for Best Original Song against Barbie songs ‘I’m Just Ken’ by Ryan Gosling and ‘What Was I Made For?’ by Billie Eilish and Finneas, ‘Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)’ by Osage Tribal Singers from Killers of the Flower Moon and Becky G’s ‘The Fire Inside’ from Flamin’ Hot.Eilish and brother Finneas’ ultimately won for ‘What Was I Made For?’, which they also performed at the ceremony.Check out Batiste’s moving performance of ‘It Never Went Away’ below.Jon Batiste performs "It Never Went Away" | #Oscars pic.twitter.com/zgMBnzJSwM— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) March 11, 2024The Oscar nomination marked the artist’s second nod, after being recognised for 2021 for the Pixar movie Soul, going on to win Best Original Score alongside Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.Upon releasing the song last year, Batiste described ‘It Never Went Away’ in a press statement as “a love that outlasts any condition of the physical world”, adding: “It probes the question of our mortality, while at the same time speaking to the enduring quality of our deepest callings and desires.

Variety Awards Circuit Podcast for some final analysis. Awards guru Clayton Davis, along with Jenelle Riley, Jazz Tangcay and Michael Schneider recorded a Mega Roundtable edition this week to share their final thoughts on this year’s races.

Jim Beard, the touring keyboardist for Steely Dan for the past 16 years, has died at the age of 63. He passed away on Saturday, 2 March in a New York City hospital “from complications due to a sudden illness”, Deadline reports.The composer and producer joined the live Steely Dan band in 2008 when he joined them on their Think Fast Tour. Earlier this year, he joined them for a show in Phoenix, Arizona on 20 January.

Kamasi Washington has announced his new album ‘Fearless Movement’ and has shared its lead single ‘Prologue’. Check it out below.The cinematic track sees the Los Angeles jazz multi-instrumentalist create upbeat instrumentation featuring pounding drums and a glorious trumpet at the forefront.

NME about taking on the role of Amy Winehouse in the upcoming biopic Back To Black, and revealed what she learned from her time embodying the iconic singer. Watch our interview above.The actor – who is also famed for her roles in Industry, COBRA and Rogue Agent – caught up with NME on the red carpet of the 2024 BRIT Awards, shortly before presenting Bring Me The Horizon with the award for Best Rock/Alternative Act alongside Luke Evans.During the interview, Abela shed light on her leading role in the Sam Taylor-Johnson-directed film and explained what it was like to capture Winehouse’s essence in the new biopic.“It was a lot! It was amazing, it was a big task and it took a long time,” she said.

Steven J. Horowitz Senior Music Writer Samara Joy has taken a detour from jazz with her new song “Why I’m Here,” featured as part of the upcoming Netflix film “Shirley” about the first Black congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. Produced by and co-written with PJ Morton, “Why I’m Here” sees the 24-year-old singer straying from her jazz roots, playing as a sweeping, anthemic ode inspired by the politician.

Spring Baking Championship is back!

BRIT Awards 2024 has announced Raye as the winner of the Songwriter Of The Year prize.The singer is nominated for a record-breaking seven awards at Saturday night’s ceremony (March 2), including Artist Of The Year, Mastercard Album Of The Year (‘My 21st Century Blues’) and Best New Artist.Raye will also perform live at the BRITs 2024, appearing on the line-up alongside Dua Lipa, Kylie Minogue (this year’s BRITs Global Icon), Tate McRae, Jungle and Rema. There’ll be collaborative performances from Becky Hill and Chase & Status, and Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding too.Today (February 28), it’s been confirmed that Raye is the recipient of this year’s Songwriter Of The Year award.Introduced in 2022, the prestigious prize celebrates exceptional songwriting talent and was decided upon by a select panel of expert judges.

Louise Thompson has given fans an update on her health after returning home from hospital where she was admitted for more than two weeks.The 33 year old revealed last week why she had to go to hospital in the first place after she was in agonising pain following her return to the UK from a holiday in Antigua. However, the former Made in Chelsea star is now home with fiancé Ryan Libbey and their two year old son Leo-Hunter.

Cillian Murphy very nearly pursued a career as a musician.At the age of 19, the Oppenheimer star teamed up with his brother, Páidi, to form their own band: The Sons of Mr Green Genes, named after the Frank Zappa tune from his 1969 album ‘Hot Rats’.Now, in the afterglow of Oppenheimer‘s success (and his BAFTA Best Actor win), a video of Murphy talking about the band’s unique sound, and the importance of live music, has resurfaced on social media. You can watch it above.“It came from the whole spirit of jazz, which is the freedom to express yourself on your instrument, which has been lost,” a teenage Murphy said of the band’s style.The actor then explained how “it can be argued through the ’80s and through the early ’90s [bands were] playing to a pop formula.”“This is the freedom to go a bit further,” he continued.

Madlib and Karriem Riggins are closing in on the release of their second joint project as Jahari Massamba Unit. YHWH is LOVE — the follow-up to their 2020 collaborative debut LP, Pardon My French — is due out March via Riggins’s own label, Law of Rhythm Records.

Norah Jones announced a brief tour in support of her upcoming album “Visions.”A little more than a month later, she’s added 24 more concerts to the ‘Visions Tour’ and will now be taking special guests Mavis Staples, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Sasha Dobson, Emily King and Martha Wainwright along with her on select dates.While on the road, Jones will make eight (!) stops in New York.First up, she’ll headline at Poughkeepsie’s Bardavon 1869 Opera House on May 7.After that, she’s slated to perform at Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre on May 10, Brooklyn’s Paramount Theatre on May 16-17, New York’s Apollo Theater on May 19, Saratoga Springs’ Freihofer’s Jazz Festival on June 30 and Canandaigua’s CMAC on July 5.Jones’ final NY gig will be at Buffalo’s Artpark Main Stage on July 6.But wait!There’s more!Prior to the ‘Visions Tour,’ the nine-time Grammy winner will also lend her talents to Mavis Staples’ 85th Birthday All-Star Concert in Inglewood, CA on April 18.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic If you’ve gotten a good look at the just-released list of Record Store Day 2024 exclusives due to hit indie stores on April 20, you may rightly feel overwhelmed: It includes no less than 387 titles. Seriously perusing the lineup can easily amount to a full day’s work, if you’re the kind of omnivore who’s prone to clicking on each alphabetically arranged title to look for content, vinyl colors (black being much more the exception than the rule these days) and — the most trepidatiously approached information of all — how many or how few copies were pressed.