Yungchen Lhamo to accompany Bill T. Jones at Musée du Louvre

The American choreographer, Bill T Jones, will create an exceptional site-specific work in the context of Anselm Kiefer’s “guest” presence at the Louvre in Autumn 2007. The work, inspired by Anselm Kiefer’s overall theme of “frontiers”, will take place in one of the Museum’s most spectacular locations: the one-hundred metre perspective which stretches from the steps of the Winged Victory of Samothrace, to the Renaissance Arch (from the Stanga Palace) in which the celebrated sculptures of “Slaves” by Michaelangelo are framed.

The connecting sculpture galleries, created under Napoleon 3rd in which the very unique references to the body in western art are evoked, from early sarcophagi through to the highly stylized “mannerist” Italian works to the more purely classic examples by Canova.

It will be through this historical perspective that Bill T Jones will create and perform “Walking the Line” accompanied by the Tibetan singer, Yungchen Lhamo, and the French percussionist, Florent Jodelet.

Performances will be on November 20, 22 & 24.

Musée du Louvre

Création chorégraphique de Bill T. Jones [Cette manifestation est complète]

Pièce chorégraphique pour les espaces de la galerie Michel-Ange et la galerie Daru.

Anselm Kiefer au Louvre

Faces à Faces

À l’invitation d’Anselm Kiefer, le chorégraphe américain Bill T. Jones présentera au Louvre un solo exceptionnel, accompagné de Yungchen Lhamo (voix) et Florent Jodelet (percussions), avec des lumières de Robert Wierzel.

Cette création, inspirée par le thème d’Anselm Kiefer, « Frontières », prend place dans l’un des lieux les plus spectaculaires du palais : la perspective d’une centaine de mètres qui se déroule, aux pieds de l’escalier de la Victoire de Samothrace, jusqu’à l’arc sculpté Renaissance (du Palais Stanga) qui encadre les célèbres effigies d’Esclaves de Michel-Ange.

Les deux galeries de sculptures en enfilade, dessinées et « scénographiées » de manière si suggestive sous Napoléon III, constituent à elles seules un voyage à travers les évocations du corps dans l’art occidental, depuis les sarcophages et effigies antiques jusqu’aux figures animées du Maniérisme italien et au classicisme de Canova. C’est le long de ce fil tissé par une muséographie historique que Bill T. Jones déroule Walking The Line, accompagné de la chanteuse tibétaine Jungchen Lhamo et du percussionniste français Florent Jodelet.

Un parti esthétique est tiré de cette « boîte optique » qui est aussi une « boîte acoustique ». Visuellement opèrent des relations d’échelle changeantes entre la figure mouvante du danseur et les sculptures qui rythment la perspective des galeries. Acoustiquement, en jouant d’emplacements variant entre le lointain et le proche, les musiciens éveillent, de même, cette perception de l’étendue. Un voyage imaginaire s’esquisse dans ce qui devient momentanément un no man’s land, le lieu onirique d’une rencontre avec des objets venus de lieux et de moments différents de l’histoire.

Né en Floride en 1952, Bill T. Jones est danseur et chorégraphe. Il est également co-fondateur et directeur artistique de la Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company, créée en 1982. Dans ses solos comme dans les pièces chorégraphies pour sa compagnie, il fait de l’exploration du mouvement expressif le lieu, parfois contesté, où se croisent et interagissent plusieurs éléments : biographie individuelle et identité, contexte historique plus large, conventions sociales et moralité. Sa dernière chorégraphie, Blind date, était présentée à la Maison des Arts de Créteil en mars 2007.

Née dans un camp de travail des environs de Lhasa au Tibet, Yungchen Lhamo est une chanteuse reconnue dans le monde entier depuis une vingtaine d'années. Perpétuant la mémoire vive de son pays, elle pratique la religion bouddhiste et travaille à la liberté du Tibet. Elle chante avec la même aisance a capella avec un accompagnement traditionnel minimal qu'aux côtés de musiciens internationaux sur des arrangements ethno-rocks.

Florent Jodelet est un percussionniste soliste reconnu en France et à l'étranger. Depuis le début de sa carrière en 1984, il interprète le répertoire historique et collabore activement avec les compositeurs afin d'étoffer le répertoire contemporain de percussion, dont certaines œuvres lui sont dédiées. Il est également soliste de l'Orchestre National de France et enseigne au Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris.

DPA supports Real World in Cambodia

Cambodia - DPA Microphones has donated a pair of 4091 omnidirectional instrument mics to Studio CLA in Phnom Penh. The studio, set up by US producer Scot Stafford in conjunction with the Cambodian Living Arts project, documents and records the repertoire and skills of Cambodia's master musicians for the next generation of musicians. The project is supported by Peter Gabriel's Real World organisation, which arranged the donation of audio equipment as well as sending experienced recording technicians to assist on key projects.

Real World became involved last year when Gabriel's studio and monitor engineer Richard Chappell visited Cambodia and met Kong Nay, one of Cambodia's few surviving master musicians. Kong Nay subsequently performed at last summer's WOMAD festival, followed by a UK tour organised, booked, promoted and engineered by Chappell to raise funds for the musicians' cause.

Chappell then returned to Cambodia to deliver the mics and other equipment to the studio. They were put to work recording music for a rock opera, Where Elephants Weep, which combines traditional Khmer music with Western styles to create the first-known contemporary Cambodian opera. The recordings are for a CD to support the opera when it opens in Phnom Penh next year.

The score, by Russian-trained Cambodian composer Sophy Him and co-producer Scot Stafford, draws on classical western, ancient Cambodian, and contemporary popular American music. Sophy Him worked together with an instrument designer to 'reinvent' some traditional Cambodian instruments, called a Gong thom chromatique and Roneat aik chromatique, which have both Cambodian and Western scales.

"These are twice the size of normal Cambodian instruments so it was great to have the DPA omnis, as they gave us a much larger pickup area due to their sensitivity," says Chappell. "We used them as the main recording mics for both instruments, the optimum position being as left and right overheads. The sound of the capsules is very open and uncoloured; a great way of representing something which has such a unique sound. When it came to recording the kick drum, I found that a single 4091 was a great addition. Sophy was very excited with the representation of his instruments, and with the help of DPA Microphones, Studio CLA is being brought right up to date."

Jim Evans

N'Dour on Tour

In the last 20 years, world music has carved out a substantial, if broadly defined niche in the American music market. The term has become as ubiquitous as adultoriented rock or some other such catchphrase.

That this is the case is due in no small part to the Senegalese vocalist Youssou N’Dour. If James Brown was the hardest-working man in show business, N’Dour has certainly given the Godfather of Soul a run for his money. With more than 25 albums to his credit, as well as countless guest appearances on other artists’ platters, the 48-year-old has reached levels of popularity that would be the envy of many recording musicians.

On November 18, N’Dour’s train makes a stop in Kingston with a performance at the UPAC.

Popular music in Senegal has its roots in mbalax, a blend of the country’s traditional percussion and praise singing that combined with Afro-Cuban arrangements. This mix was updated with a dash of Senegalese dance rhythms, guitar and saxophone solos, and talking drum soliloquies.

Played by a generation of musicians steeped in the American rock and soul styles of Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, James Brown, and others, mbalax is both celebratory and raucously funky. The melting pot of the cosmopolitan capital of Dakar has served as the crucible for this music, and N’Dour has been at the forefront of introducing mbalax as a worldwide phenomenon as a bandleader, composer, and performer. He burst into the Western limelight through several high-profile guest appearances on records by Peter Gabriel, most notably their duet on the hit single “In Your Eyes.” The song was a watershed moment in world pop fusion.

N’Dour’s own band, the Super Etoile, certainly had hardscrabble beginnings, performing pirate gigs outside of Dakar’s nightclubs and relying on the benevolence of the Senegalese taxi drivers' fraternal association in France and a small group of supporters in England in order to launch its international career.

N’Dour’s distinctive tenor lends itself to storytelling, buttressed by his four-octave range. N’Dour increased his worldwide prominence through his involvement in the Amnesty International Human Rights Now! Tour, on which he performed alongside such artists as Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman, and Peter Gabriel. In 1988, he performed at Wembley Stadium at a birthday party concert for South African President Nelson Mandela.

Although N’Dour and the Super Etoile have spent the best part of two decades perfecting their distinctive blend of world-music crossover, his more recent work seems to be veering closer to the traditional sounds of West Africa.

On Egypt (Nonesuch, 2004), N’Dour delves more deeply into traditional Sufi spiritual music, employing the Fathy Salama Orchestra, a 14-piece traditional ensemble. In interviews, N’Dour has said that the music on Egypt expresses the tolerance inherent in Islam. When the record was released, N’Dour stated that “our religion has nothing to do with violence, terrorism.” Egypt won N’Dour a Grammy and further cemented his spot in the pantheon of world music performers.

Youssou N’Dour will perform at the UPAC on November 18 at 7pm. (845) 339-6088; www.upac.org.

Richard Evans 'Scores' On Movie Soundtrack With Edirol R-09

Writer, producer and arranger Richard Evans uses the award-winning gadget of the year as an ‘audio camera’ and on a movie soundtrack with Peter Gabriel.

Evans has worked at the famous Real World Studios ever since graduating from the Guildhall School Of Music. He has worked alongside many of the biggest names in music including Real World owner Peter Gabriel, top producers Trevor Horn and Stephen Hague and pioneering artist and producer Brian Eno.

Evans has also worked on countless albums and co-wrote and co-produced the Golden Globe-nominated score to 'Rabbit-Proof Fence'. He even manages to find time to play as a multi-instrumentalist in Peter Gabriel’s touring band.

Evans said: “Performance is everything. Equipment wise, keep signal paths and options to a minimum. Learn to use two bits of gear really well and stick with what you know will work, so that the technology is transparent to the artist.”

One piece of recording equipment that Richard is currently enamoured with is Edirol’s award-winning R-09 field recorder, the must have gadget of the year which is designed to quickly and easily record high quality audio at any time and in any place. And Richard has taken this description perhaps a bit too literally.

“I’m using it as an audio camera,” he said. “It’s useful for letting people sing ideas for orchestral arrangements in the studio. It means I have more time to spend sifting through singing ideas. And now there’s no need to carry too much equipment around, just in case I wanted to record some Turkish goat herders.”

The quality of the R-09 has also meant that it has played a key role in a soundtrack recording with Peter Gabriel.

“It has a great sounding mic and a surprisingly uncoloured sound,” said Evans. “And the multiple formats are useful. I used it to write and record songs for some movie credits with Peter Gabriel. I recorded drum overheads, piano, and vocals. It sounds great on the finished film.”

Richard is currently working on a new album for Michael Brook and Djivan Gasparian as well as mixing a soundtrack album for a new IMax film called Sea Monsters. And if there are any Turkish goat herders at Real World, he’ll be recording them with the R09 too.

For detailed information please visit www.edirol.co.uk.

Don't miss: Pipes of peace

Yungchen Lhamo brings the voice that crossed the Himalayas to escape occupied Tibet to Archa 31 October.

The headliner: Yungchen Lhamo

Yungchen Lhamo's story is almost as amazing as her voice – which is saying something, given that her voice got her dubbed "Goddess of Melody and Song" by a Tibetan lama. Born in a labour camp in Chinese-occupied Tibet. Put to work at a carpet factory at age five. Taught to sing devotional songs by her grandmother. Escaped to India via a 1,000-mile trek across the Himalayas. Now settled in the West and signed to Peter Gabriel's label, Lhamo has taken audiences worldwide into the mystic with her soaring a cappella performances. Following up her star turn at this year's Colours of Ostrava, she will again thrill local crowds as part of the Colours-organised Caravan of Voices concert series. (31 October, 8 p.m., Divadlo Archa)

While the Earth Sleeps

Afternoon Aural: Deep Forest feat. Peter Gabriel

"While the Earth Sleeps"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNBZhcoNb5I

Back in 1995, James Cameron’s cyberpunk flick Strange Days got lost in the celluloid shuffle partly due to the bad timing of its release (it hit theaters concurrent with Showgirls), partly due to its eclectic themes and, well, partly due to the fact that it’s not really a great movie. Few made it to the closing credits–though those who did were treated to this Deep Forest gem featuring guest vocals by Peter Gabriel.

The Fairlight CMI Series

...By the mid 1970’s, Australian Tony Furse had been working on the idea of digital synthesis for many years. His Quasar M8 project attempted to create sound by modelling the parameters of a waveform in realtime. This was a step too far for the technology of the day, but in 1976 he was approached by Kim Ryrie and Peter Vogel to help develop a microprocessor controlled synthesiser. Taking the Quasar M8, Ryrie and Vogel introduced the idea of using a naturally recorded soundwave as a starting point. The stunning results effectively introduced the concept of digital sampling.

Soon after, Ryrie and Vogel trading as Fairlight Instruments Pty Ltd. (the Fairlight name was borrowed from the Sydney Harbour Hydofoil!) began developing their series of computer musical instruments (CMI’s).

Series I was released in 1979 and featured a 73 note velocity sensitive keyboard, green-screen monitor with a light pen and keyboard interface. Its Lo-Fi sampling rate was quickly superceded by the Series II which had an improved spec of 8 bits at 2100 Hz to 30200 kHz (mono). The Series IIx introduced MIDI and the Series III dropped the light pen in favour of a graphics tablet interface attached to the keyboard and introduced a sampling spec of 16bit 44.1kHz.

The huge impact caused by the introduction of the Fairlight meant that New England Digital were forced to modified their Synclavier release, while E-Mu developed their own Emulator range of digital samplers (see episode one of the Top 5 Greatest Samplers).

The huge cost of producing the CMI Series meant that the company was forced to close in the mid 1980’s, by which time its reputation as innovators in the field of digital sampling had been assured.

We hope you enjoy the show, and we have to thank Peter Gabriel and the guys at Real World Studios for letting us film there during the summer. We’re so glad that Peter has been enjoying the series and a big ‘up’ to Richard Chappell for sourcing the everso rare footage for this episode.

By the way, check out the amazing Play DVD which features all of PG's solo videos in lush 5.1 as well as lots of rare interviews and footage from The Man himself. (Biko? I Don’t Remember? Sledgehammer? Come on!)

MOMIX opens NOBA season with a bang

Are they dancers acrobats, magicians or comics? Eight energetic performers erased such distinctions at Tulane University on Friday, as they twirled and twisted through a briskly paced revue of choreographic highlights from the repertoire of the MOMIX dance troupe.

"The Best of MOMIX" opened the 2007-08 season for the New Orleans Ballet Association, playing to a sold out house in the intimate setting of Dixon Hall. The troupe will reprise its performance tonight at 8.

Props and theatrical lighting played a key role throughout Friday's program of 11 short dances. In the delightful opener, "Sonoran: But Not Asleep" a huge hammock cradled dancer Danielle Arico as she swayed, dipped, flipped and dangled against a background of stars. Her movements were as dreamy as the music: a Swingle Singers arrangement of a slow movement from a Bach Harpsichord Concerto.

The evening's best prop was also the simplest. In "Orbit," Dancer Nicole Loizides used a hula-hoop to extend the range of her movements. With the ring blurring around her, she gyrated her hips and executed astounding high-speed spins that mixed the elegance of a ballerina's fouettes with the centrifugal athleticism of a figure skater. Her telegraphic arm gestures were equally crisp, stopping and starting with freeze-frame precision and never breaking the flow of the dance. Bathed in a golden glow and enclosed by the flickering corona of the hula hoop, Loizedes offered a 21st century update on the "Fire Dance" of Loie Fuller, a dance pioneer who wowed Paris in the Belle Epoque and launched the modern era of stage lighting.

Dancers Sara Kappraff and Timothy Melady treated each other as props in "Tuu," a vaguely ritualistic duet that incorporated yoga poses and extended them into propped and cantilevered postures that would give pause to many a yoga master. At times they moved in unison, mirroring each other's precise gestures. But the most spectacular moments came when Kappraff clung to her partner's back, and, with help from a well-placed backlight, the two dancers became one multi-armed creature.

With such strong dances at the start of the program, I expected a night of increasing wonders. It didn't work out that way, though it wasn't the fault of the hard working performers -- Todd Burnsed, Suzanne Lampl, Steven Ezra Marshall and Brian Simerson -- who joined their colleagues to execute a program that included more duets as well as works for three, four and seven dancers.

Lifted from the context of evening-length works, most of these short pieces were reduced to their basic function as ghee-whiz showstoppers. It was neat, for example, to see four guys link bodies to form a writhing reptile in "Gila Dance," but what did it mean in the end? The music also grew tiresome: spacey anthems drenched in feedback guitar loops and heavily processed "world music" with trance-inducing percussion.

Even the props, usually a strong suit with MOMIX, began to overwhelm the group's dancing. In "Spawning," for example, three female dancers balanced balloons on their noses, carried balloons as if they were the weight of the world, or rode them like ponies. Washed in blue light, and sedated by Peter Gabriel's yawping vocal soundtrack, these talented dancers seemed trapped in a pretentious synchronized swimming show.

Womad at Brooklands Park and TSB Bowl

There's a soul kind of feeling to the line-up for next year's Womad festival in New Plymouth.

In fact, make that a soul diva feeling, with American singers Sharon Jones and Mavis Staples making their way to New Zealand for the three-day world music festival to be held from March 14-16. Jones and her band the Dap-Kings are modern day funk crusaders whose aim is to capture the essence of funk and soul as it was performed in its heyday. For proof, check out her renowned 2005 album, Naturally. Meanwhile, 68-year-old Staples is a veteran of the music industry and a rock'n'roll hall of fame inductee whose career has spanned more than 40 years.

Womad, short for World of Music Arts and Dance, is a worldwide touring festival set up by musician Peter Gabriel in the early 80s. It was held in Auckland at various venues until it found a permanent home in New Plymouth in 2005, and following the success of the 2007 event it will be held annually. Next year's line-up brings together more than 300 performers from 14 countries including folk singer Cesaria Evora, known as the "barefoot diva", from Cape Verde off the western coast of Africa; Indian flautist Dr Natesan Ramani; and, of special interest, young American folk musician Zach Condon, the brains behind the band Beirut, which has just released its excellent second album, The Flying Club Cup.

The local guest list is headed by psychedelic roots reggae band Kora, Auckland singer/songwriter and multi instrumentlist SJD, dance company Black Grace, and psychedelic rockers Emerald City, who join other international acts the Guyto Monks from Tibet and Australia, samba rock band Clube do Balanco from Brazil, Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra from Mali, and many more.

For more information and full line up go to www.womad.co.nz. Tickets are available from Ticketek.

Four environmental groups are to compete for £50 million of lottery money

Final four in £50m lottery race

Four environmental groups are to compete for £50 million of lottery money, the largest single amount ever awarded by the Big Lottery Fund.

A public vote on ITV and online will decide the contest between the Eden Project, sustainable transport charity Sustrans, the Sherwood Forest Living Legends and a Black Country Urban Park.

THE EDEN PROJECT - THE EDGE

Plans for the Edge building at the Eden Project Author Philip Pullman will be one of the designers

The Eden Project creators have big ideas of how the £50m grant could take their multi-award winning attraction to another level. The Edge project will explore what it is to be human and why past civilisations have collapsed, says Eden's chief executive Tim Smit.

Inside a three-level building there will be a vast oasis dedicated to arid climate - or "Blade Runner territory" - and beneath will be chambers with displays whose designers will include musician Peter Gabriel and children's author Philip Pullman.

One of the chambers will be built out of loud speakers. Audio recordings in every one of the earth's languages on the subject of love will be played simultaneously. The point, says Mr Smit, is to create a human song.

The Eden Project, a so-called living theatre of plants and people, in St Austell in Cornwall, has attracted nine million visitors since opening in 2001. Mr Smit accepts the Edge will increase visitor numbers and the attraction's contribution to the South West's economy."But that's not the reason why we are doing it - we want to build it as a symbol of cultural change," he says...

Peter Gabriel passes on Genesis reunion

Peter Gabriel has confirmed he will not be joining the Genesis reunion.

The prog giants reformed last year without their vocalist, who left the original incarnation of the group in the mid-1970s.

Gabriel has now refuted rumors he is to rejoin his old band, saying: "I don't think so...I don't have any ideological objections, it's just at the time it was expanding [and] I had other things I wanted to do."

He added: "You have to think twice about making a big-time commitment to something that is backward-looking."
Gabriel also told Planet Rock Radio that he had been keen to see the band play in Rome recently, but had been unable to make the gig.

In London last night...Peter Gabriel Receives BMI Icon Award

Peter Gabriel was given the prestigious Icon Award at the BMI awards in London last night (October 16).

The former Genesis man was handed the award at the plush surroundings of the Dorchester Hotel in recognition of his four decades in the industry and his “influence of generations of music makers.”

Speaking to BBC6music after receiving the award, Gabriel explained that he’s happy to be honoured so many times recently for his work.

He said: “It's a funny thing, because it was a pretty barren landscape for a long time, it's a bit like buses, they come along in fleets. So I guess I should really appreciate them while they're here because these things you only get once in your life and they're special.”

Gabriel has also recently confirmed that he’s performing at the 46664 World Aids Day gig alongside Annie Lennox in December after getting a phone call of a certain famous man.

“It worked, that I said No, and then I got the call from (Nelson) Mandela, and now I am going. He's not an easy man to say no to!"

Scott Colothan

Peter Gabriel Receives Top Honor at BMI London Awards

BMI saluted Europe’s premier songwriters, composers and music publishers at its 2007 London Awards, held May 16 in the Grand Ballroom of London’s Dorchester Hotel. Hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant, along with Executive Director, Writer/Publisher Relations Europe & Asia, Brandon Bakshi, the awards honored the past year’s most-played songs on U.S. radio and television and also recognized Peter Gabriel (PRS) as a BMI Icon for his “influence on generations of music makers.”

http://www.bmi.com/images/news/2007/london/photos.swf

Gabriel’s achievements, whether musical, visual or humanitarian, are the work of a true visionary. The co-founder of rock band Genesis, Gabriel left the group in 1975 to begin a critically acclaimed, Grammy Award-winning solo career. Thus far, he has released 11 albums featuring self-penned gems and BMI million-performance songs, including “Big Time,” “Solsbury Hill,” “Sledgehammer” and “In Your Eyes,” and composed soundtracks for numerous films, including Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ. Amongst other bold endeavors, Gabriel founded Real World companies in 1987, housing his recording, publishing, film and multi-media ventures under one progressive roof. An early participant in Human Rights Now! and recipient of the Nobel Peace Laureates’ “Man of Peace” Award, Peter Gabriel founded world human rights advocacy supergroup TheElders.org in July 2007, with Richard Branson and Nelson Mandela.

Monstres de la mer 3D: La trame sonore de Peter Gabriel vaut à elle seule le déplacement

Les films documentaires qui sortent sous format Imax privilégient le contenant au contenu. Il va sans dire. En y ajoutant l’élément 3D, on devine aisément qu’on en aura pour notre argent d’un point de vue visuel , mais que pour plus d’information, il faudra se rabattre sur nos bons vieux grimoires.

Ce film, produit par la très compétente National Geographic Society, se veut un documentaire par son style, mais contrairement à Dinosaures: Les géants de la Patagonie (également en technologie 3D), ne donne pas la parole aux véritables scientifiques.

En lieu, des acteurs recréent des découvertes paléontologiques importantes. Ce qui n’est pas si mal, sauf que le propos s’en trouve pour le moins dilué.

Visuellement, la chose s’avère très intéressante… si vous n’avez pas fréquenté une salle Imax récemment. À mi chemin entre le film Dinosaures préalablement cité et Sous les mers 3D, Monstres de la mer n’a plus grand chose d’original à offrir.

Il en reste le spectacle d’une animation trois dimensions très intéressante, mais qui a été vue maintes fois auparavant. La trame sonore, signée par Peter Gabriel, vaut à elle seule le déplacement (si vous possédez l’album Passion, vous aurez toutefois déjà tout entendu).

vu et commenté par Martin Morin

Peter Gabriel to star in 46664 concert

If the world could have one father, the man we would want to be our father is Madiba - Peter Gabriel

International superstars Peter Gabriel and Annie Lennox will again top the bill at the 46664 concert in Johannesburg in December, it has been announced.

They will be joined on stage by Ludacris, Corinne Bailey Rae, the Goo Goo Dolls, Razorlight and Jamelia.

The rest of the line-up of international and South African performers will be announced by former president Nelson Mandela on October 29, the organisers said in a statement.

The concert will be the fifth held under the banner of the HIV/Aids charity founded in 2002 using Mandela’s prison number, but the first on World Aids Day - December 1.

Gabriel and Lennox appeared at the first 46664 concert in Cape Town in 2003, and again at a concert in Norway in 2005 while Lennox also starred in a concert in George.
"From the pain comes the suffering, from the suffering comes the dream, from the dream comes the vision, from the vision comes the people, from the people comes the power, from the power comes the change, but if the world could have one father, the man we would want to be our father is Madiba, Mr Nelson Mandela," Gabriel told the Norwegian crowd.

Lennox dedicated herself to fighting HIV/Aids and social injustice after meeting Mandela in Cape Town, an event she has credited with changing her life.

Ludacris hoped the Johannesburg concert would be "another stepping stone to finding a cure (for HIV/Aids).

"It’s a shame that after all these years we still have to raise awareness for a disease that continues to infiltrate communities, countries and families," said the 2007 Grammy Award winner for Best Rap Album.
"But I am proud to be able to stand by Nelson Mandela, a man of dignity, power, strength and change and one who always leads by example."

Mandela was someone she had admired since she was a child, said another Grammy Award winner, Corinne Bailey Rae.

"His application of forgiveness and justice are an example to the world, and I hope the concert will go a long way to raising awareness about HIV/Aids," she said.

GooGoo Dolls vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik defined the concert as the most important performance of his career.

"It is a privilege to be a part of an event that helps relieve the suffering of so many human beings and is educating so many young people so that someday no-one will suffer," he said.

La star du reggae sud-africain Lucky Dube tuée dans un crime crapuleux

Il y a 3 jours

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) — Le chanteur sud-africain Lucky Dube, star internationale du reggae, a été tué par des malfaiteurs qui voulaient voler sa voiture jeudi soir à Johannesburg, une des villes ayant le taux de criminalité le plus élevé au monde.

Lucky Dube, 43 ans, l'un des trois grands chanteurs africains de reggae avec les Ivoiriens Alpha Blondy et Tiken Jah Fakoly, a été abattu devant ses deux enfants adolescents, qu'il conduisait chez un oncle dans la banlieue sud.

"Il se trouvait à Rosettenville vers 20H00 (18H00 GMT) et était apparemment en train de déposer l'un des enfants, qui venait de sortir du véhicule quand des inconnus se sont approchés pour essayer de voler la voiture. Touché par balles, Dube est mort sur le coup", a déclaré la capitaine Cheryl Engelbrecht, porte-parole de la police.

Selon un témoin cité par le quotidien The Star, le chanteur a essayé de s'enfuir, mais a perdu le contrôle de sa voiture après avoir heurté une autre automobile et un arbre.

Ses enfants, un garçon et une fille de 15 et 16 ans, sont indemnes, mais très choqués.

La police a assuré qu'elle allait "retourner chaque pierre" pour retrouver les coupables. Elle recherche en particulier trois hommes circulant à bord d'une Volkswagen Polo bleue, qui ont été vus sur les lieux du crime.

Lauréat de plusieurs prix, Dube a enregistré 21 albums, dont "Prisoner" (1989) et "House Of Exile" (1991). Il a joué en Europe, en Afrique et aux Etats-Unis.

Né dans une famille pauvre, abandonné par un père alcoolique, il découvre ses talents musicaux à la chorale de l'école et commence sa carrière en 1979 en sortant un disque de "mbaqanga" (musique zouloue traditionnelle).

En 1985, il passe au reggae -- genre qui n'avait alors qu'une audience confidentielle en Afrique du Sud --, convaincu que le message politique et social de cette musique portera, dans un pays soumis aux lois racistes de l'apartheid.

Arborant de longues dreadlocks, une barbe et une moustache broussailleuses, il a l'allure du parfait rasta, mais assure ne pas consommer alcool ou drogue.

Sur scène, il a joué avec Céline Dion, Sting ou Peter Gabriel. Il est le seul artiste sud-africain à avoir signé sous le fameux label américain Motown, selon le site Luckydubemusic.com.

Saluant un artiste "exceptionnel et réputé dans le monde entier", le président Thabo Mbeki a présenté ses condoléances à sa famille avant de prendre l'avion pour la France où il doit assister samedi à la finale de la Coupe du monde de rugby (Afrique du Sud-Angleterre).

"Nous devons pleurer la mort d'un Sud-Africain exceptionnel et nous engager à tous agir ensemble pour combattre le fléau de la criminalité, qui a emporté tellement de vies, et continue de le faire chaque jour", a-t-il ajouté.

L'Afrique du Sud est l'un des pays les plus violents au monde, avec plus d'une cinquantaine d'homicides par jour. Les vols de voiture et les cambriolages sont souvent commis en présence des propriétaires et dégénèrent fréquemment.

"Je suis effondré", a déclaré à l'AFP le poète et chanteur Mzwakhe Mbuli, un ami de Dube, qui s'est rendu sur les lieux du crime. "La musique de Lucky Dube connaît un grand succès à l'étranger. Il était une légende", a-t-il déclaré, avant de s'interroger: "la criminalité est hors contrôle. Où va ce pays ?"

En 2006, lors de la sortie de son dernier album "Respect", Lucky Dube avait déclaré être "fier des progrès effectués par l'Afrique du Sud" depuis la chute de l'apartheid en 1994.

Evoquant la violence, il avait cependant ajouté: "Nous avons essayé l'amour, l'unité, la camaraderie, mais ça ne semble pas beaucoup marcher pour nous. Il faut du respect, parce que c'est ce dont le monde a besoin maintenant."

Un concert bénéfique pour le sida en Afrique du Sud

Peter Gabriel et Annie Lennox s’unissent pour une bonne cause, le temps d’un spectacle.

La Journée mondiale du sida, le 1er décembre prochain, sera marquée par un concert, l’International 46664, qui se déroulera au stade Ellis Park de Johannesbourg en Afrique du Sud.

Plusieurs artistes ont déjà confirmé leur présence et souhaitent contribuer à cette cause : Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox, Razorlight, Corrine Bailey Rae, Jamelia, Ludacris et les Goo Goo Dolls.

C’est l’ex-président sud-africain, Nelson Mandela, qui a dévoilé les détails de ce spectacle unique.

La campagne 46664 fait référence au numéro de détendu qu’a eu Mandela pendant son séjour de 18 ans dans la prison de Robben Island.

Lennox et Gabriel s’impliquement énorméments dans la cause 46664. La chanteuse britannique a enregistré la pièce Sing avec une chorale de Treatment Action Campaign et a choisi de la diffuser sur son récent album, Songs of Mass Destruction.

D’autres musiciens risquent de s’ajouter à cette brochette au cours du prochain mois.

Canadian performers' unions to honour Robert Lepage

Quebec actor and director Robert Lepage will be honoured in a gala celebration in Quebec City hosted by three Canadian performers' unions for his cultural contributions as an artistic pioneer.

"Mr. Lepage is an impressive ambassador for Canadian culture, for our artists, and for Quebec. He speaks to the world through his art, and in doing so, brings a part of Canada to a global audience," said Allan Teichman, president of the Canadian Actors Equity Association, an organization representing professional theatre, opera and dance artists working in English Canada.

Robert Lepage, pictured here in 2001, is recognized for being an artistic visionary who has dabbled in nearly all the performing arts: drama, opera, film and musical theatre. Robert Lepage, pictured here in 2001, is recognized for being an artistic visionary who has dabbled in nearly all the performing arts: drama, opera, film and musical theatre.

Equity is hosting the event on Sunday night with ACTRA, which represents film and television performers in English Canada, and Union des artists (UDA), which looks after French-language performers in all media.

Richard Hardacre, ACTRA national president, praised the 49-year-old actor, director and screenwriter for his abilities to "push the boundaries of performance and art."

Lepage has worked with circus troupe Cirque du Soleil as well as cementing a reputation as a theatrical pioneer in almost every performing art genre: drama, opera, film and musical theatre.

His films include Le Confessional, Le Polygraphe and Possible Worlds, while his theatre productions include The Seven Streams of the River Ota, The Dragons' Trilogy and The Far Side of the Moon.

Lepage has worked both in Canada and in Europe, often garnering critical acclaim for his directorial prowess.

He was artistic director of The National Art Centre's Théâtre français in Ottawa from 1989 to 1993.

In 1997, he founded La Caserne Dalhousie, a multidisciplinary production centre in Quebec City that is also home to his Ex Machina company.

He worked with the Canadian Opera Company on Bluebeard's Castle and Ewartung and then in Japan and Paris for The Damnation of Faust.

Lepage has also made forays into the music world, taking on the role of stage director for Peter Gabriel's 1993-1994 Secret World Tour and then again on the singer's Growing Up tour in 2003-2004.

The Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil approached him to create its permanent Las Vegas show KA in 2005.

Lepage received The Europe Theatre Prize earlier this year along with Peter Zadak.

The prize, worth €60,000 (about $91,000 Cdn), honours individuals or drama institutions whose dramatic works have "furthered understanding and insight between peoples."

Dub Qawwali

Gaudi + Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan | Six Degrees Records

At the time of his 1997 passing, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was widely recognized as a transcendent and eternal-sounding vocalist, and as the world’s premier Qawwal, a singer of traditional Qawwali music--spiritual music from Pakistan with ancient roots in Sufism. Khan’s voice even appeared in progressive “western” music such as Peter Gabriel’s work on 1988’s The Last Temptation of Christ) soundtrack.

Many miles and cultures removed from Khan, London-based composer/producer Gaudi has released eleven solo albums and soundtracks, plus 80 remix albums, in his personalized, flowing techno-reggae style called “gaudi-dub.” But in 2005, Gaudi began conceiving a new production--composing original music for new Khan recordings that had just been discovered in Pakistan--and released Dub Qawwali to coincide with the tenth anniversary of Khan’s death.

“Stylistically, I’m trying to fuse different cultures, genres and sounds while keeping the unifying element of love,” Gaudi explains.

Little distinguishes individual tracks from each other on an album which unfurls as one continuous, lushly-piled musical tapestry. Quite often, as in the opening “Bethe Bethe Kese Kese,” tabla percolates within the thick and stately foundational rhythm, while violin follows to doubles Khan’s voice. When the instrumentation drifts off elsewhere, Khan’s ethereal vocal always grounds and returns it to the groove. Khan’s introduction to “Jab Teri Dhun Main Raha Karte They” seems to fly out of its surrounding echo like a soul departing the body, as does his first verse to “Ghamgar Bare Ne,” so yearning and plaintive.

This unique cross-cultural combination of modern technology and ancient spirituality can sometimes feel incongruous, as when Gaudi incorporates features of Kraftwerk’s “The Model” into the chanted prayer “Dil Da Rog Muka Ja Mahi.”

Even if Dub Qawwali is the result of a collaboration between two artists who never met, Gaudi can still enthuse, “After 26 years of music activity, I have to say that this is the most important production I have ever done.”


Track Listing: Bethe Bethe Kese Kese; Tera Jana Kere Rang Lawe; Jab Teri Dhun Main Raha Karte They; Dil Da Rog Muka Ja Maji; Ghamgar Bare Ne; Abhi Apna Abhi Paraya Hai; Ena Akhiyan Noo; Kahin Mot Se Bhi Na Jao; Mainoo Ole Bai Ke Pee Lain De; Othe Mera Yar Wasda.

Personnel: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: vocals, harmonium; Gaudi: production, programming; Style Scott: drums.

The Holmes Brothers : Roots rock, blues and dash of gospel

For more than 25 years, guitarist Wendell Holmes, bassist Sherman Holmes and drummer Popsy Dixon -- Virginia natives known as The Holmes Brothers -- have been knocking out a part-blues, part-gospel, part-rock harmony-driven brand of American roots music.

The Holmes Brothers have shared the stage and studio with Joan Osborne, Willie Nelson, Odetta, Roseanne Cash and Levon Helm. But Peter Gabriel gets the nod as the one guy who gave the group its biggest boost.

"Peter Gabriel did a lot for us," Wendell Holmes said by phone from his Maryland home. "He gave us the opportunity to record with him and Van Morrison."

The 10th entry on The Holmes Brothers' discography is this year's "Saving Grace," an eclectic mix of originals and covers. Perhaps the coolest song is Wendell's own "Gasoline Drawers."

"Everybody likes that song," he said. "If you didn't know, you'd think it was a sleazy porn song. But it's a love song. It talks about loving someone so much that you'd run through hell with gasoline drawers on. Now that's real love."

Much of The Holmes Brothers' music has a good beat and is easy to dance to. But Wendell wants everyone to know what's at the heart of the music.

"A typical set list is a mix of blues, some country and always some gospel. . . . Gospel is always important, so look out guys -- you're going to get some gospel with the blues."

Publishers fight for War Child

Publishers are locked in a bidding war for the autobiography of Emmanuel Jal—the child soldier who has risen to become Kenya's biggest music star.

War Child is agented by Ivan Mulcahy of Mulcahy and Viney, and UK rights attracted "strong five figure bids" from Macmillan, Little, Brown, Transworld and John Murray. The auction went to sealed bids yesterday afternoon and was due to be settled as the Bookseller Daily went to press.

The book will be released in the US and the UK in early 2009, a year on from the launch of Jal's first global album through Universal Records in February. US rights were sold to St Martin's Press for $200,000 ahead of the fair, with Atrium as the under-bidder. In Italy, Diogenes' paperback arm TEA took the book off the table with a "strong preemptive offer".

War Child follows the 26-year old hip hop star as a child soldier in the Sudanese civil war, which saw him using AK47s when he was just eight years old. "[Emmanuel] was one of the lost boys of Sudan—as they have become known by aid workers—who did the 1000 km trek in the midst of the war, during which 300 boys died and only about 20 made it," said Mulcahy. "They starved to death and many of them turned to cannibalism to try to survive." Jal did not turn to cannibalism, but the book will tell of his experience lying by the side of the corpse of one of his friends and praying to help him resist the temptation.

He was eventually smuggled into Kenya, where he went to school for the first time and launched his music career. Jal has since become the country's biggest music property and earned rave reviews at Live 8. He is also a spokesman for Save the Children and Oxfam.

"He has an extraordinary voice and an extraordinary stage presence. He's stunning looking and very articulate—very bright," Mulcahy said. "It just needs this global album to make him into a major star." He added: "I think he could be really big. When Peter Gabriel met him he said he felt he had met the new young Bob Marley."

Katherine Rushton

About Epop International

Above & Beyond Co-creator and Executive Producer David Clark founded EPOP in 2000. Also led by Executive Producer Chad Brokaw, EPOP is unique, as it is solely dedicated to creating and producing cause-related properties in all forms of media. In 2002, EPOP worked with President Nelson Mandela to create the "46664" HIV/AIDS concert in South Africa. Globally broadcast on MTV, the landmark event featured performances by Bono, Beyonce, Queen, The Corrs and Peter Gabriel. In 2005 EPOP created the "Anne Frank 75th Birthday Tribute" with Anne's cousin and only living family member Buddy Elias. Miep Gies, 97, the remarkable woman who hid the Frank family for over two years and later found Anne's diary, participated as an event Chair, along with President's Clinton and Carter, as well as Senator's Clinton, Obama and Dole. Performers included Whoopi Goldberg, Richard Gere, Natalie Portman, Cindy Lauper, Lou Reed, Laura Linney and more. For more info visit: http://www.epopinternational.com

British folk legend in the making

...Unfazed by the pop set, he claims that the best part of playing at Glastonbury was meeting Peter Gabriel, whose production techniques Lakeman has always admired.

However, in a rather sweet moment Lakeman lets slip that his list of musical heroes doesn't just include the cult folk figures of fiddler Tom McConville, Richard Thompson and Irish singer Paul Brady, but also stems to Kate Bush (again "in a production sense") and the Prodigy.
"I used to be a big fan of dance music ten years ago. A really big fan," he says unashamedly, suggesting that some people may be able to detect the influence House has had over his on rhythmic style of fiddling.

His hopes for the future stem a European tour sometime in April, with Lakeman's main concern just getting his new songs out there. Like a true artist, as opposed to a popstar, he doesn't care for a number one record, but just wants to "get out there and get a reaction".

"I think we just want to spread the word as much as possible, obviously that's an important thing for us, and [for] myself as an artist. I'm itching to get it out."

Seth Lakeman will be playing at the Shepherds Bush Empire on October 18th and 19th. An EP of tracks from the forthcoming album will be released on October 15th, with the full album expected to follow in early 2008.

Les musiciens seront-ils bientôt affranchis des distributeurs?

Alors que sort ce jour uniquement sur Internet le nouvel album du groupe de rock Radiohead, d'autres stars pop montrent des velléités d'émancipation.

C'est l'un des premiers albums de l'histoire de la musique à ne pas avoir de prix déterminé. Radiohead propose une vente au chapeau pour In Rainbows, sa nouvelle œuvre disponible dès aujourd'hui exclusivement en téléchargement par le biais de ses deux sites internet (http://www.radiohead.com et http://www.inrainbows.com). En annonçant son projet la semaine dernière, le groupe de rock britannique proclamait surtout sa volonté de se passer des intermédiaires traditionnels, label comme distributeur. Radiohead, sans contrat avec une maison de disques depuis fin 2005, a ainsi provoqué une tempête au sein d'une industrie musicale minée depuis des années par la baisse des ventes de CD, le téléchargement illégal, les concentrations et les réductions d'effectif.

Un cauchemar pour l'industrie musicale

«C'est un coup dur. Si l'un des meilleurs groupes du monde ne veut plus de nous, je ne sais pas quelle place il nous reste dans l'industrie musicale», écrivait, dans un courriel au Time Magazine un responsable dépité d'un label européen. Au Time toujours, Thom Yorke, l'âme et chanteur du quintet d'Oxford, a pour sa part estimé qu'il était temps pour le groupe de tester un nouveau «business model». La formation, mondialement reconnue, a vendu à ce jour plus de 9 millions d'albums. Sa notoriété pourrait lui permettre de réussir la prise en main de son destin discographique et artistique. «C'est le pire des cauchemars pour l'industrie», a renchéri dans sa newsletter l'analyste américain Bob Lefsetz, habitué des commentaires vitriolés à l'égard de l'industrie phonographique qu'il scrute au jour le jour. «Un groupe superstar, LE groupe superstar va de l'avant par ses propres moyens. Prouvant ainsi que les autres peuvent en faire autant. Et c'est ce qu'ils vont faire.»

Certains n'ont d'ailleurs pas attendu l'initiative de Radiohead. De David Bowie à Peter Gabriel via Terence Trent d'Arby ou Prince (qui a encore innové en juillet en distribuant «gracieusement» plus de 2 millions d'exemplaires de son dernier album studio aux lecteurs du Mail on Sunday), plusieurs vedettes de la pop ont déjà éprouvé avec plus ou moins de succès la vente d'albums digitaux au porte à porte, des mains du producteur directement aux oreilles des consommateurs. Reste que la radicalité de la démarche des auteurs de OK Computer, qui ne devraient graver leurs nouvelles compositions sur Compact Disc que début 2008, est inédite à cette échelle. Parmi les artistes indépendants et peu connus, il y a belle lurette que ce type de vente directe sur la Toile se pratique.

Les ruptures de ban à venir

Il devrait toutefois essaimer d'autres futures retentissantes ruptures de ban avec la filière traditionnelle. Au Courrier International, Manu Chao déclarait ainsi récemment que La Radiolina serait sans doute son dernier CD: «Je n'arrêterai pas la musique, mais, vu l'évolution technologique, peut-être que par la suite, dès que j'aurai une nouvelle chanson, je la mettrai en ligne... J'utiliserai mon site internet comme une station de radio.» Et d'abonder dans le sens de Thom Yorke et Radiohead: «Il faut penser à de nouvelles manières de diffuser la musique. L'avenir, pour nous auteurs, compositeurs, artistes, passe par deux choses: Internet et les concerts.» Avec un minimum d'intermédiaires s'entend.

L'autre remise en question brutale du système actuel pourrait venir de Madonna. Selon le Sunday Mirror, la star s'apprêterait à quitter la major Warner Music qui l'héberge depuis vingt-cinq ans. Troisième du classement des artistes les mieux payés du monde, la Madone pop pourrait signer un contrat d'environ 75 millions d'euros avec Live Nation, le géant mondial de l'organisation de concerts. Cette major du spectacle vivant s'occuperait en priorité des tournées de Madonna (plus lucratives que ses ventes de CD) mais aussi de la sortie de ses prochains disques.

Où réside le salut?

Dans une filière qui était habituée jusqu'ici à une claire division des rôles et des revenus, de telles initiatives peuvent déstabiliser. D'autant qu'en perdant leurs principales vaches à lait, certaines majors du disque pourraient vaciller sur leurs bases économiques déjà fragilisées. «Dans l'absolu, grâce à Internet, vous n'avez plus besoin d'être une maison de disques pour sortir des CD», admettent la plupart des employés de majors - mais sous le couvert de l'anonymat uniquement. L'époque où les majors contrôlaient les carrières des artistes toucherait même à sa fin, selon certains d'entre eux.

Pas sûr du tout, à l'ère où les ventes digitales ne représentent que 10% des ventes totales. Les acteurs de la branche musicale ne cessent toutefois de chercher d'autres débouchés, de cumuler les casquettes pour tenter d'endiguer les effets du cataclysme économique durable. Dans cette idée, les concentrations ou diversifications des sphères d'influence des gros producteurs se mènent à bon train. En 2006, Universal Music Group a racheté pour 1,63 milliard d'euros BMG Publishing, devenant ainsi numéro un mondial de l'édition musicale (ndlr: l'éditeur possède le droit d'exploitation d'une œuvre musicale quel qu'en soit le support). Universal avait aussi acheté à Paris la salle de concerts l'Olympia. Désormais, la nouvelle tendance en cours au sein des maisons phonographiques est la signature de contrats couvrant toutes les activités de l'artiste et toutes ses sources de revenus. A l'image des accords passés entre EMI et Korn, Robbie Williams ou les Pussycat Dolls.

Olivier Horner Le Temps

Gabriel juggling new album with array of projects

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Peter Gabriel has resumed work on his next studio album while juggling an array of other projects.

"There are some (new) things," he told Billboard last Friday in New York. "I've been very good at distraction with some charitable things and some Internet things. But I'm now back in writing mode and I'm very much enjoying that."

Gabriel, however, wouldn't put a timetable on when the as-yet-untitled project would be ready. After all, a decade went by between the release of his last two albums, 1992's "Us" and 2002's "Up"

"Autumn. Or spring," he said with a laugh when asked about a potential arrival date. "That usually suffices. In some year."

He did not rule out some kind of collaboration with his ex-Genesis bandmates, who are on the road with a successful reunion tour. There had been talk of presenting the 1974 concept album "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" on stage, but Gabriel couldn't commit to clearing his schedule for the time necessary to do so.

"I'm hoping to see the show because I think they're going to do some more European dates, he said. "Nothing is excluded (in terms of a possible reunion). We're still breathing and we don't need to be wheeled onto the stage. But I don't know. It's quite a time commitment to get it sounding right. When WOMAD (Gabriel's world-music festival) started and got into heavy financial trouble, (Genesis) extremely generously agreed to do a benefit with me, performing. I learned then it takes a lot longer than you think to relearn what you think you knew."

Gabriel, who was in New York for the Audio Engineering Society convention, has recently been focusing on the launch of TheElders.org, which aims to create a coalition of veteran leaders to inspire a younger generation to help solve global issues. In conjunction, Gabriel is hoping to organize a concert timed to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in December 2008.

"With any luck it will be the most significant bands of the new generation," he said. "I hope we can make it happen."

Reuters/Billboard By Jonathan Cohen

Manu Katché, retour aux fondamentaux

Certains artistes ont une double vie cachée. Celle du batteur Manu Katché s'est toujours jouée au grand jour. Ces quatre dernières saisons, il était juré à « La Nouvelle Star », l'émission de téléréalité musicale de M6, tout en jouant une musique exigeante, aux antipodes des variétés. Peu après la sortie de Playground, son nouvel album, il donne ce soir un concert au Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, avant un retour en France plus abondant avec une tournée au printemps prochain.

La musique de Playground appartient avec une certaine fierté aux canons esthétiques du label ECM : des couleurs sophistiquées, un langage harmonique très développé, une capacité revendiquée à susciter la pensée plutôt que la danse. Manu Katché est heureux chez ECM, le plus légendaire label de jazz européen, chez qui il a déjà publié l'album Neighborhood il y a trois ans, en compagnie notamment de Jan Garbarek. « Je crois qu'ECM a été créé en 1969 et mon premier album acheté est Timeless, de John Abercrombie, en 1974 (Manu Katché avait 16 ans). Il faut se replacer trente ans en arrière : le jazz européen était assez faible dans son expression. Nous étions complexés parce que français et non noirs américains, et ECM me tenait à coeur à cause de quelque chose que je ne pouvais pas exprimer à l'époque car j'étais trop jeune : la notion de silence. »

Entre-temps, il a travaillé les percussions au Conservatoire national supérieur de Paris, été révélé comme batteur de rock en 1986 sur l'album So, de Peter Gabriel, a travaillé avec les Gipsy Kings et Joni Mitchell, Kassav' et Francis Cabrel, Dire Straits et Youssou N'Dour. Il figure sur 250 ou 300 albums, il ne tient plus le compte...

Attentif au partage

Mais son quintet de jazz est loin de tout cela. Deux Norvégiens (Mathias Eick à la trompette et Trygve Seim aux saxophones) et deux Polonais (Marcin Wasilewski au piano et Slawomir Kurkiewicz à la contrebasse) l'entourent, dans une formule volontiers méditative. Il ne s'est pas donné systématiquement le premier rôle dans ses compositions.

Il milite, à l'inverse, pour une batterie qui ménage des espaces, qui travaille au dessin mélodique, qui pense parfois moins au rythme qu'aux autres valeurs de la musique. Ses disques le montrent attentif au partage, heureux dans des dimensions conviviales. À 49 ans, Manu Katché a abandonné depuis belle lurette la course aux armements qui passionne tant de musiciens. Il est vrai qu'il a approché toutes les gloires, comme batteur de Peter Gabriel ou Sting dans leurs énormes tournées. « Le plus gros, c'est Woodstock deuxième génération, avec 300 000 personnes, ce qui n'est pas franchement intime et convivial. Dans ces moments-là, il y a une adrénaline extraordinaire. Mais aussi une telle perte de plaisir entre le public et soi !... »

Bertrand DICALE

David Maher-Roberts appointed as new CEO for "The Filter"

Bath, Somerset (PRWEB) October 6, 2007 -- Entertainment recommendation engine The Filter has appointed new media and marketing expert David Maher-Roberts as Chief Executive Officer.

Formerly Chief Marketing Officer for The Filter, David has already played a major role in re-shaping the unique and free software package into a user friendly product that is changing forever the way people discover music and digital media they like.

Speaking on his appointment David said: "I am really excited about taking The Filter to the next phase. Personalised recommendations are extremely powerful at giving people reasons to discover new stuff. When it comes to trying new things, people react to recommendations from friends and trusted sources in a more open minded and positive way. My goal is to turn The Filter into the place where people can filter the entire world of entertainment just for them and their tastes."

At 38, David has an entrepreneurial background of new media publishing and internet consultancy. He'll be based at parent company Exabre software's HQ in Bath, South West England and replaces co-founder Rhett Ryder as CEO.

The Filter, backed by music legend Peter Gabriel, in its current form, is a neat, free piece of software that helps you build fantastic playlists from the music stored on your PC, Mac, iPod or Nokia mobile phone. It's like a musical assistant who knows exactly which songs will fit together, and which songs won't, based on your personal tastes. Going forward there are exciting plans to integrate the application into a compelling web proposition.

Former Genesis front man and digital media pioneer Peter Gabriel: "Co-founder Rhett Ryder did a fine job of getting everything up and running. I'm delighted that David Maher-Roberts has now agreed to come on board as CEO. He's got great plans to open up the Filter to include all sorts of recommendations and move toward the original vision of something more than a great disc jockey - a life jockey. What David will achieve with the Filter as it develops is freedom from the tyranny of choice. A bit like a smart chef who knows you well, and offers you a wonderful meal full of surprises and the familiar, saving you from the stress of a thousand page menu".

Background:

The Filter was initially launched as a beta for PC/Win XP in 2006. It's now available as a free download for Windows (iTunes and Windows Media Player), Mac (iTunes) and Nokia (Series 60) Mobile Phones.

The developers behind The Filter are world leading British software company Exabre. They're been backed from the beginning by high profile investors including Peter Gabriel's Real World Group and Eden Ventures. The Filter's user base is growing at 25,000 a month and has been downloaded in 164 countries. The engine can identify 5 million songs, 4.5m of which have clips. The Filter works by using Bayesian mathematics. It was developed by Martin Hopkins, a physicist who was struggling to manage his growing digital music collection.

Further reading:
The Filter Blog
BBC Digital Planet

John Lennon's Music to Help Darfur

The human rights group Amnesty International has teamed up with John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, to raise awareness and money for the victims of the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Ono was recently on hand at Amnesty's headquarters in London to launch the release of a special double CD set of Lennon's post-Beatles songs, "Make Some Noise - Instant Karma." Ono donated the rights to the music to Amnesty and the album features some of the world's top artists.

"To present Yoko with a platinum disk for sales of 'Instant Karma - Make Some Noise' the Amnesty campaign to save Darfur" was the introduction at the presentation ceremony.

A show of thanks to the woman who made the campaign possible and a celebration of the success of the original album. It came out in June. Ono said her decision to donate the rights to the music is what Lennon would have wanted. "I will accept this on behalf of myself and John Lennon who really, had an incredible feeling for the world and he wanted to see the world become better for all of us."

The album already has raised more than a million dollars, and it is expected to raise millions more after the special edition box set goes on sale October 9th. It includes all of the original double CD tracks, plus previously unreleased material.

More than 50 artists are involved in the project, including the Black Eyed Peas, U2, REM and Avril Lavigne. The goal -- to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Sudan's western region of Darfur.

The conflict in Darfur began in 2003 and involves rebel groups, government troops and government-backed Arab militias known as Janjaweed. The rebels accuse Khartoum of ignoring the impoverished south and west of the country.

The United Nations estimates the fighting has killed more than 200,000 people and displaced more than two million others.The U.N. says that by now more than four million people rely on humanitarian aid.
Amnesty International says it wants the U.N. to take greater action to protect civilians and to ensure that aid is delivered safely.

Irene Khan is the secretary general of Amnesty International. She says she believes the 'Instant Karma' album can be used as an instrument to peace. "I hope that through projects like 'Instant Karma and Make Some Noise' we will generate hope, because this is all about bringing hope to people. They will fight for the future, they will stand up. I have seen activists in Sudan, in the midst of all that, still standing up. They have courage. We have to give them hope that we will stand with them and that is what Yoko, your gift to Amnesty did -- it gave hope to many people around the world."

Singer Peter Gabriel also was in London to support the campaign. He says he still believes the message that one person can make a difference is important.

"It is an old message but it still works for me. I think Amnesty has been built on this child-like premise that writing a letter might make a difference and clearly many people have been rescued from jail and torture on that very idealistic, basic belief. So, these things can work."

The special album is being released on October 9th, on what would have been John Lennon's 67th birthday. He died in 1980 after a gunman shot him outside his New York apartment building. - VOA News

"Sea Monsters" | It's not your typical fish story

Kids (and grown-ups) with a thing for dinosaurs should see this thrilling IMAX 3-D spectacle about the 82-million-year-old creatures that swam about the world's oceans killing, playing, surviving and generally being just totally cool to look at.

A 40-foot-long Tylosaurus (the T. rex of the deep) leaps from the pearlescent depths of immaculately computer-rendered waters directly into your face — its giant, toothy maw crunching on some hapless, flopping lesser beast destined for the gullet. In a few contrasting live-action segments, paleontologists unearth the bones of these creatures, some of which have undigested fossilized fish within their petrified bellies. Survival of the fittest, indeed.

With ample production help from the National Geographic Society, this gripping adventure narrative is undoubtedly as accurate as it is well-told.

Five special-effects companies in four countries had a hand in creating the stunningcomputer animation that makes up the bulk of the film. Whether the scene is of ghostly prehistoric jellyfish floating before your eyes or time-lapse scenes that depict millions of years going by in seconds, the results are consistently extraordinary.

The re-created scenes of scientists doing their work in the field are also fairly astonishing for their 3D-friendly framing and orderly sense of movement. Dirt stains on a car window or dust filtering through a paleontologist's brush never looked so lifelike. Of course, there's a science lesson in all this excitement, but that can take a backseat to the coolness of the high-tech fakery.

There's lots of exceptional music written and/or supervised by Peter Gabriel that enhances the intensity, even though Liev Schreiber's dry monotone narration often works against it all.

Still, if you want to see something that just screams, "Oh, wow!," this latest IMAX 3-D feature is better than a lifelong angler's best fish story.

By Ted Fry Special to The Seattle Times