Page 2468 – That Eric Alper

Prince’s Paisley Park Announces Battle of the Bands Event

Music

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Jul 10, 2017

Prince’s Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota has announced dates for a special four-day Battle of the Bands event, titled MUSICOLOGY – Summer 2017, to be held August 31^st through September 3^rd at Paisley Park. This unique live performance event will highlight “Real Music by Real Musicians” – an ethos Prince consistently championed through his life, creative works and incendiary live performances. Nine finalists will be selected from an open pool of video submissions and invited to Paisley Park to perform for a live audience in the legendary Soundstage, the site of countless iconic Prince performances, including the Sign O’ The Times and Rave Un2 the Year 2000 concert films. Music groups interested in participating are invited to enter a video submission today via Paisley Park’s Facebook page; please visit facebook.com/officialpaisleypark for full details and submission criteria. The deadline for submissions is July 30, 2017.

Three artists will perform and one winner will be selected each night between August 31 – September 2, with three overall winners advancing to the final band battle on Sunday, September 3. Between these three finalists, one artist will be crowned the champion and will receive a unique Artist Development award package, consisting of studio recording time at Paisley Park, a mentorship session with members of Prince’s supergroup New Power Generation, and additional career development opportunities soon to be announced.

As a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, producer, band-leader and creative maverick, Prince is an eternal inspiration to musicians everywhere. His creative sanctuary, Paisley Park, is an especially appropriate place to continue fostering music development initiatives – celebrating new artists, new songs and the art and craft of live performance. The MUSICOLOGY event will provide an exclusive opportunity for musicians to connect with new fans, showcase their talents and – through friendly competition – elevate their abilities.

In spirit, the MUSICOLOGY event will be rooted in the band battles that were commonplace in North Minneapolis in the 1970s. Jam sessions among high school friends in basements and community centers, most notably The Way on Plymouth Avenue in North Minneapolis, evolved into competitive band battles at outdoor parks like North Commons (North Minneapolis) and Phelps Field Park (South Minneapolis). The history is deep, and the competitive spirit at that time helped push forward an incredible mix of musicians, including Prince, André Cymone, Sonny Thompson, Morris Day, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Jellybean Johnson, to name just a few. It was a hugely formative time musically and culturally in Minneapolis, with band battles indelibly shaping the fabric of what was to become the “Minneapolis Sound.”

Sonny Thompson, who would later join Prince in his super-group New Power Generation, notes of that time, “Back in the day, we would often practice at The Way preparing for the Battle of the Band events. I remember other bands would always try to sneak into our space to see what we were doing, but we were always the funkiest! The Family was the name of our band.” Similarly, Jellybean Johnson, who played in Flyte Tyme which later evolved into The Time, adds, “When I grew up in the North Side the competition was fierce! It helped my musical growth immensely! The Family, Grand Central, Flyte Tyme, Cohesion, Mind & Matter, it was a great time in my life! We need that feeling again in our musical community!” And as an inspired call-to-action to musicians and artists everywhere, Prince’s close friend and early band mate in Grand Central, André Cymone, adds, “Music has taken me and my best friend and first bandmate Prince from virtual obscurity to world-wide fame, and it all started with the inspiration of competition. The Minneapolis Sound was born from the Battle of the Bands contests – we took the step and jumped into the game, who’s next?”

The MUSICOLOGY event at Paisley Park will carry on in this spirit – providing an exciting opportunity for new acts and a welcomed live performance experience for fans. In addition to the evening music performances, beginning on August 31^st new exhibition elements will be introduced into the Paisley Park Museum tour that will reflect Prince’s early life and the formative experiences he had in his first band, Grand Central, which included members André Cymone, Chazz Smith, Morris Day, Terry Jackson, Linda Anderson and William “Hollywood” Doughty.

Tickets to MUSICOLOGY – Summer 2017 are now available while supply lasts at the Paisley Park website, OfficialPaisleyPark.com. Single day passes are available for $100. Each daily ticket will include a Special Paisley Park Museum Tour and access to the evening concert between 7-10pm, followed by a dance party in the Soundstage concluding at 11pm. For the latest updates, please visit Paisley Park’s official pages on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and sign-up for the official newsletter at OfficialPaisleyPark.com.

Musical Instrument Lending Library program expands to Kitchener Public Library

Music

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Jul 10, 2017

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Musical Instrument Lending Library program expands to Kitchener Public Library

Residents of the Kitchener-Waterloo region will now be able to borrow musical instruments free of charge courtesy of the Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library program – the first of its kind in the area. This highly successful program gives anyone with a valid Kitchener Public Library card the opportunity to borrow a variety of musical instruments.

“Home to Sun Life’s Canadian head office, the Kitchener-Waterloo community is near and dear to our hearts and we are thrilled to provide more Canadians with access to music through this innovative program, one that aligns with our mission of building healthy and sustainable communities for life,” said Paul Joliat, Assistant Vice-President, Philanthropy and Sponsorships, Sun Life Financial. “Music is very powerful and affects the way we think, feel and act, which is why the joy of making music is something every Canadian deserves to experience.”

Sun Life will be donating 150 instruments and accessories to the library, including, guitars, ukuleles, violins, drums and portable keyboards and has created a series of seven short videos to assist individuals with the use, care and enjoyment of the instruments. Whether you’re a beginner picking up an instrument for the first time or a seasoned musician, the program is designed for anyone looking to explore the world of music. Sun Life will also be making a philanthropic donation to the Kitchener Public Library to help fund the program operating costs.

The Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library program is a natural extension of Sun Life’s support of music education, one that aligns perfectly with the company’s award-winning Making the Arts More Accessible™ program. Sun Life believes arts and culture should be celebrated within our communities and made available to everyone, regardless of their means.

“Like reading literacy, music literacy can have a profound and lasting effect on our well-being and success in life,” said Mary Chevreau, CEO, Kitchener Public Library. “We pride ourselves on providing both welcoming spaces and state-of-the-art tools to help people of all backgrounds bring their vision, and their voice, to life. That’s why we’re excited to be partnering with Sun Life Financial to develop a Musical Instrument Lending Library. Music bridges all social, cultural, and economic boundaries and is an ideal way to express ideas and bring people closer together. We are grateful for Sun Life Financial’s investment in the Library and to arts and culture in our community; by working together, we can make great things happen.”

The Library will also be holding a Musical Instrument Donation Drive running from July 10 to August 10. Residents of the Kitchener-Waterloo region may drop off their donations at the following locations:

Kitchener Public Library, 85 Queen Street North, Kitchener
Long and McQuade, 36 King Street North, Waterloo

Please visit www.kpl.org/instruments for more information.

The Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library program was first launched at the Toronto Public Library in April 2016, and was later expanded to the Vancouver, Montréal and Calgary Public Libraries. The program is already an overwhelming success in the first four cities, and all libraries are currently experiencing wait times to borrow an instrument.

Alphabet Prints With Letters Made Up of Logos From Rock and Alternative Music Bands Are Awesome

Music

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Jul 10, 2017

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This new A-Z print from UK-based Dorothy is made up entirely of letters from classic rock band logos. How many can you recognize? Stuck at ‘N’? The full list of bands featured on the print is revealed on their blog.

Jay-Z Announces 4:44 North American Tour

Music

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Jul 10, 2017

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Jay-Z Announces 4:44 North American Tour

If you’re one of the million or so people who downloaded JAY-Z’s 4:44, you’ll be happy to know he has announced a new tour. The tour kicks off October 27 in Anaheim, CA, and includes dates in Colorado, Texas, New York, Washington D.C., Toronto, and more. The North American run will follow previously announced festival appearances at Made in America, the Meadows, and Austin City Limits. Check out the full itinerary here and below.

Jay Z North American Tour:

10-27 Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
10-28 Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena
11-01 Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center at Fresno State
11-03 Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Arena
11-05 Denver, CO – Pepsi Center Arena
11-07 Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
11-08 Houston, TX – Toyota Center
11-09 New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
11-11 Orlando, FL – Amway Center
11-12 Miami, FL – American Airlines Arena
11-14 Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena
11-15 Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
11-16 Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
11-18 Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
11-19 Cleveland, OH – Quicken Loans Arena
11-21 Montreal, Quebec – Bell Centre
11-22 Toronto, Ontario – Air Canada Centre
11-25 Boston, MA – TD Garden
11-26 Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
11-29 Washington, DC – Verizon Center
12-02 Uniondale, NY – Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
12-05 Chicago, IL – United Center
12-06 Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
12-09 Edmonton, Alberta – Rogers Place
12-11 Vancouver, British Columbia – Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
12-13 Seattle, WA – KeyArena
12-14 Portland, OR – Moda Center
12-16 Oakland, CA – Oracle Arena
12-17 Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
12-19 San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena
12-21 Los Angeles, CA – The Forum

The State of Influencer Marketing in Canada

Music

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Jul 10, 2017

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eMarrketer analyst Paul Briggs joins “Behind the Numbers” to describe the state of influencer marketing in Canada. How are marketers allocating budgets for influencer campaigns, and how are they measuring their success?

Colonel Chris Hadfield Celebrates Canada with 150 Tour

Music

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Jul 10, 2017

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Colonel Chris Hadfield Celebrates Canada with 150 Tour

Canada’s first spaceship commander, Colonel Chris Hadfield will celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday by bringing his “Canada 150 Tour” across the country. The celebration will include Hadfield sharing a selection of stories, images, songs and ideas about the nation he is so proud to call home, Customizing his performance to each audience, everyone is sure to leave with a sense that Canada is truly “out of this world”.

“I am so looking forward to sharing what I’ve seen and learned as a Canadian in orbit, an astronaut looking at Canada and the world,” said Colonel Chris Hadfield. “There’ll be stories, images, videos, music and ideas of this country at 150 – plus a chance for Q&A and to meet in-person!”

As one of the most seasoned and accomplished astronauts in the world, Colonel Hadfield offers his unique perspective by looking at the history and future of Canada through its people and the land itself. Performing songs like his fun-living, patriotic single “In Canada,” to his evocative “Beyond the Terra” that looks away from the land to the skies, Colonel Hadfield ties his presentation together with stories of great Canadians and tales from his incredible career.

Through his 21-years as an astronaut, three spaceflights and 2600 orbits of Earth, Colonel Hadfield has become a worldwide sensation. In 1992 he was selected by the Canadian Space Agency as a NASA Mission Specialist – Canada’s first fully qualified Space Shuttle crewmember. In November 1995 while aboard Shuttle Atalntic, he was the first Canadian to operate the Canadarm in space, and to board a Russian spacecraft as he helped build space station “Mir.” In 2001, Colonel Hadfield was the first Canadian to perform two spacewalks and in 2013 he was the first and only Canadian Commander of the International Space Station. While in orbit, Hadfield was a constant presence on social media and produced what is considered to be the first music video shot in space, a version of David Bowie’s Space Oddity, which has been viewed over 16 million times.

You can purchase tickets to Colonel Hadfield’s “Canada 150 Tour” here.

Tour Dates
September 17, 2017 Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Thunder Bay, ON
September 21, 2017 Place Des Arts Theatre Montreal, QC
September 26, 2017 Conexus Arts Centre Regina, SK
September 27, 2017 Burton Cummings Theatre Winnipeg, MB

Music Inspired By “The Black Prince” Set For July 14 Featuring Nelly Furtado, Talib Kweli, Ozomatli, Chali 2na

Music

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Jul 10, 2017

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Music Inspired By “The Black Prince” Set For July 14 Featuring Nelly Furtado, Talib Kweli, Ozomatli, Chali 2na

Sammy Chand’s Los Angeles based label, Rukus Avenue, announced today their release The Black Prince, Music Inspired By The Motion Picture, set for digital release worldwide on July 14th.

Executive produced by Chand and the film’s producer Jasjeet Singh and produced by Chand and Canada’s Raoul Juneja, The Black Prince – Music Inspired by the Motion Picture will feature the film’s star Satinder Sartaaj, Talib Kweli, Emmanuel Jal & Nelly Furtado, Tisha Campbell Martin, Sammy Chand, AK aka Amazing, Ozomatli, Chali 2na, and more.

“This album tells the story of The Black Prince through a modern sound with some great artists,” says Sammy Chand. “The collection of artists on this album is a testament to how fascinating the true story and legacy of Maharaja Duleep Singh truly was. Even in its tragic form, there is so much for us to take away from his life. For me it’s an honor to be involved with this film.”

Legendary American hip-hop artist Talib Kweli appears on the Indian hip-hop anthem “Make Way For The Black Prince” produced by Chand featuring Raxstar, one of the UK’s biggest names in hip-hop. Award-winning American actress/singer Tisha Campbell-Martin (“My Wife and Kids”, “Martin”) also appears on a duet with “The Black Prince” film’s star Satinder Sartaaj, produced by Chand and George Kallis as the world’s first American and Punjabi R&B ballad.

Tisha Campbell-Martin also appears on a song with Chand called “Don’t Walk Away.” The song captures the story of Lady Bamba, the wife of the Maharaja, in her plight to hold on to her marriage and her husband from moving on without her, to fight for his kingdom. The emblematic Sammy Chand sound with Tisha’s beautiful delivery shines on this album, and tells the often forgotten love story among the husband and wife.
The Black Prince – Music Inspired by the Motion Picture

Releasing worldwide on Rukus Avenue Music Group : July 14th, 2017

The Tale of The Maharaja (Part 1) – AK aka Amazing
Make Way For The Black Prince – Sammy Chand, Talib Kweli, Hoodini & Raxstar
Don’t Walk Away – Tisha Campbell Martin
The Calling – Satinder Sartaaj
Shabana Pal – Sammy Chand & Satinder Sartaaj
Butterfly – Ozark Henry
Koh-i-Noor – Saum G
The Tale of The Maharaja (Part 2) – AK
The Motherland – Prashant Aswani
Beet Jania’n – Satinder Sartaaj & Tisha Campbell Martin
Duaon Se Roshan – Andrew T Mackay ft Meghdeep Bose
Scars – Emmanuel Jal & Nelly Furtado
Life Won’t Pass Me By – Sammy Chand, Ozomatli & Chali 2na
Elveden – Raaginder Momi
The Tale of The Maharaja (Part 3) – AK

Fender Guitars Aims To Replace The Guitar Teacher For $20 A Month And Help From U2’s The Edge

Music

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Jul 10, 2017

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Fender Guitars Aims To Replace The Guitar Teacher For $20 A Month And Help From U2’s The Edge

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation today announced the launch of Fender Play, a first of its kind video-based learning platform for desktop and iPhone, poised to innovate the guitar education landscape. Fender Play is designed to change the way beginning players learn how to play guitar through hundreds of easy-to-follow, instructor-guided video lessons utilizing a song-driven, personalized learning path that enables even brand-new players to master chords and riffs in minutes.

Fender Play marks a major milestone in the brand’s digital evolution. Upon signing up for Fender Play, users answer a variety of questions on preferred instrument and genre, including rock, pop, folk, country and blues. Those responses guide the creation of a comprehensive, customized curriculum comprised of personal “learning paths.” Courses in these paths focus on a song-based method, teaching foundational core techniques and riffs alongside lessons for recognizable hits from music’s most-esteemed artists and bands, such as U2, Shawn Mendes, The Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, Meghan Trainor, Carrie Underwood and more. The program boasts a vast catalog of hundreds of songs arranged specifically for players at various skill levels.

“Ninety percent of people who pick up the guitar will drop out after one year, and we see Fender Play as a solution to that challenge” said Ethan Kaplan, General Manager Fender Digital. “Our intuitive platform, whether used on its own or as a practice supplement to in-person lessons, allows first time players and beginners to get started. It allows them to learn when and how they want in a digital setting with superior production and accuracy far surpassing your average online lesson video. This is a pinnacle step for Fender Digital as we continue our progression from analog to digital, linking the offline and online experience of playing, while maintaining over 70 years of guitar history.”

The curriculum was created with a panel of educational advisors from prestigious music programs, such as the Thornton School of Music at University of Southern California in Los Angeles and Musicians Institute in Hollywood. Intensive research and user testing helped Fender and its team of instructors hone in on the ideal learning process and techniques, which includes a progressive new micro-learning strategy designed to keep beginners engaged and focused. On an ongoing basis, PhDs and instructors from these institutions diligently oversee the creation of lessons, implement research-based pedagogy and apply solid instructional design to effectively promote muscle memory and retention.

Fender Play allows users to:

CHOOSE the instruments, songs and genre they want to learn, putting them in control of their musical journey.
TRACK progress, evolution and development in real-time. Users see their progression and milestones through a user-friendly dashboard – the ultimate progress report.
STUDY with a proprietary custom video player that shows chord diagrams on the lesson screen.
AUTOMATICALLY BOOKMARK at their convenience to learn at their own pace, while following a clear and unified curriculum. Upon return, players will be greeted with refresher lessons on newly-learned skills.
LEARN at their own pace on the go and at their convenience with the portability of program via laptop or mobile devices. A Wi-Fi or LTE connection is required to access the program.
VIEW 4K quality multi-camera footage and production elements, such as split screens and over-the-shoulder angles, which provide a valuable perspective for the new player. Each clip is short and easy-to-digest, making every moment not only educational, but engaging.
ACCESS a large glossary of helpful terms, chords and videos.
DISCOVER helpful articles, tips and tricks based on their lessons and learning path.
BLAZE their own trail based on personal taste and discovery, rather than following the recommended, custom path; browse by genre or featured artist.
LEARN their favorite songs and riffs! Skills are taught in less than 2 minutes and only 22 minutes to a beginner’s first recognizable riff.

New players can sign up for a free, 30-day trial at play.fender.com, and can cancel anytime or continue their journey for $19.99 (USD) per month. Fender Play is launching in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, but can be accessed globally in English.

Please find high-resolution lifestyle and program images of Fender Play here. Learn more about Fender Play by viewing the following videos: “What is Fender Play?,” “Everyone’s A Beginner At First,” and “The Benefits of Playing Guitar.”

Robbie Williams Becomes The First Music Support Patron. This Is So Needed.

Music

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Jul 10, 2017

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Robbie Williams Becomes The First Music Support Patron. This Is So Needed.

UK-based Music Support – a charity working within the music industry to provide help for those suffering with alcoholism, addiction or any form of mental or emotional health issue, is delighted to announce musical icon, Robbie Williams has agreed to join them as their first ever Patron.

Robbie Williams, who has worked through his own issues in this area, is pleased to give the charity his support.

This is a particularly poignant area for Robbie, as his late manager David Enthoven was a major advocate for awareness and treatment of addiction, both in the context of the music industry and the world at large. David was the first vocal supporter of the charity, saying “Music Support is a brilliant gateway to the community of men and women who recognise the despair and shame of addiction and how to recover from it.”

Music Support Patron, Robbie Williams, said: “This is such a timely undertaking and I am very happy to be its first patron.”

Music Support Co-Founder and Trustee Andy Franks, said: “I was overwhelmed when Tim Clark called to say Robbie agreed to act as Patron for Music Support. We are incredibly grateful and honoured. Having Robbie on board will help bring Music Support to the attention of so many more people who may need our services, and to raise the funds to allow us to provide those services.”

Music Support was founded in April 2016 by industry veterans Andy Franks (previously Robbie’s Tour Manager among others) and Matt Thomas, musician Mark Richardson, Samantha Parker and addiction treatment expert Johan Sorensen, each having their own personal experiences of recovery and addiction. Understanding the complexities of the industry and with the knowledge of their own and shared experiences, they were determined to provide a sorely needed service to the industry, from within that industry – a place renowned for its challenges to people suffering with these issues.

Initially a peer support helpline where callers could speak to someone within the sector who had experience of the caller’s issues, the service then expanded to provide signposting to appropriate outside professional help such as therapists, psychiatrists and residential treatment centers.

Since then, callers have received services ranging from a much needed empathetic and friendly ear, to professional help from a counsellor, therapist or psychiatrist, and even short and long term residential treatment. Counselling sessions have been provided for artists on tour via Skype, and Music Support’s crisis management team have facilitated on location help. These services have, up until now, been funded by the client. However, it is a short term ambition for the charity to be able to provide needs and means tested scholarships and discounted or free treatment from a network of incredibly supportive professionals and treatment centres. One caller with a serious emergency has recently been provided with a medical detox and bed in a residential rehab kindly donated by the treatment centre itself.

This summer, in conjunction with Festival Republic, and with the kind support of The BRIT Trust, Music Support are providing ‘Safe Tents’ at a number of UK festivals. A Safe Tent is an alcohol and drug free environment where artists, festival staff or crew can drop in for a quiet 5 minutes. They can have a chat with somebody who has experience of recovery in the industry or, if needed, find a safe haven to have a longer conversation potentially resulting in signposting to further treatment.

This Metal Version Of Genesis’ “Mama” Turns It Up To 11

Music

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Jul 10, 2017

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This Metal Version Of Genesis’ “Mama” Turns It Up To 11

Leo Moracchioli of Frog Leap Studios takes what is one of my favourite Genesis songs, Mama, and ramps it up to 11. There are a lot of hip-hop covers of Phil Collins’ songs in the past, could this be the start of metal music focusing on Genesis?