Shout! Factory is proud to present In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 which will be available April 1st. The CD is currently at number 6 and rising on the World Music radio charts and features brand-new covers of classic U2 songs by Grammy Award-winning and up-and-coming African artists including Angelique Kidjo, Les Nubians and Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars. A portion of the record’s proceeds will directly benefit The Global Fund.
Visit the official Africa Celebrates U2 Site:
www.africacelebratesu2.com
Preferred retail link:
http://www.shoutfactorystore.com/prod.aspx?pfid=4201687
In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2
Available Tuesday, April 1, 2008 From Shout! Factory
Featuring original interpretations of classic U2 songs by
Angelique Kidjo, Les Nubians, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Vieux Farka Touré,
Vusi Mahlasela, Soweto Gospel Choir, Ba Cissoko, Cheikh Lô, Keziah Jones, Tony Allen, Waldemar Bastos, African Underground All-Stars featuring Chosan, Optimist & Iyeoka.
“Raised in war-torn Chad… [Les Nubians] have seen firsthand how music can heal souls—including their own.” –Newsweek
“I believe that art is a prime facilitator of truth, and those who have come to embrace this have always enhanced our humanity. Angelique Kidjo is such an artist, using her work and her growing fame to change the way the world views Africa. …Most artists talk about doing good, few go out and do it. Angelique Kidjo is one of them.” -Harry Belafonte (Vanity Fair, July 2007)
“The mind struggles to grasp the idea that tragedy and even horrific brutality can somehow give birth to life-affirming, uplifting music. But there is no better proof of that bittersweet truth than the joyful sounds of Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars…” -Montreal Gazette
On April 1, 2008, Shout! Factory will release In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2, an album celebrating the music, culture and future of Africa, and an unprecedented musical homage to Bono and U2 for their ongoing humanitarian relief efforts aiding the beloved continent. A portion of the record’s proceeds will directly benefit The Global Fund. Interviews with select artists are available upon request.
Produced by Shawn Amos and Paul Heck, In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 features Grammy Award-winning/nominated African artists as well as top up-and-coming talents including Angelique Kidjo, Les Nubians, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Vieux Farka Touré, Vusi Mahlasela and the Soweto Gospel Choir. Initially inspired by his work in South Africa while running the Quincy Jones Listen Up Foundation, Amos re-entered the music industry with a heartfelt initiative to cultivate greater awareness of the emerging socio-economic success stories happening within many of the country’s regions. Amos, a longtime fan of U2, witnessed Bono’s direct philanthropic impact via the launch of the ONE campaign and (RED), and his poignant outspoken public commentary on the immediate financial needs facing Africa.
Amos felt it was essential that African musicians unite and collectively share their voices of pride, accomplishment and appreciation for both their native country and icons like Bono who’ve substantially embraced the fight against the global AIDS crisis, extreme poverty and the spread of malaria. On December 1, 2006 at the World AIDS Day benefit concert at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Amos approached Red Hot producer Paul Heck about co-producing In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2. Several notable African artists were performing as part of Heck’s live production of Red Hot + Riot: The Music and Spirit of Fela Kuti including Les Nubians, Tony Allen, Cheikh Lô and Keziah Jones. Heck expressed support for the budding project, and quickly became an invaluable partner with his strong ties to various well-established African artists and knowledge of a handful of buzz-worthy upstarts. Together, they consulted with the artists appearing at the World AIDS Day event, bringing Amos’s personal dream a step closer to becoming a reality.
“Paul and I wanted to develop an easy entry point for the growing global community where they could get more involved and learn something deeper about Africa,” says Amos. “It’s really a focus on the key successes of several regions, and the African artists who originate from these areas. It’s our goal for the public to learn more about all the good that’s happening in Africa. We are trying to garner excitement about the culture, in addition to drawing people toward the struggles of Darfur, etc. This is a project which celebrates Africa!”
12 original interpretations of classic U2 hit songs and some of their more obscure material are featured on In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2. The collection kicks off with Angelique Kidjo’s powerful multilingual cover of the 1991 chart-topper, “Mysterious Ways.” Aerosmith’s Joe Perry joins Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars for an upbeat, guitar-driven take on “Seconds,” a track from U2’s third studio release, War (1983). Rising Malian star, Vieux Farka Touré offers a trancy, Sahara Desert blues-influenced rendition of “Bullet The Blue Sky,” an absolute standout performance of one of U2’s most-played live in concert tunes. Additional highlights include Les Nubians dubbed-out dancefloor ready version of “With Or Without You,” the Soweto Gospel Choir’s epic a cappella version of “Pride In The Name Of Love,” and Tony Allen’s Afrobeat translation of “Where The Streets Have No Name Paul Heck notes that, “I was amazed when we approached the artists of how quickly they chose the songs they wanted to do. Many of them grew up listening to U2, and knew the songs so well.”
In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 sets itself apart from an array of other tribute albums as Amos and Heck have captured a compassionate human element at its core. The liner notes include demographic information, e.g., each artist’s country of origin, date of independence, population size, main export, major issue facing the region, recent actions taken to improve its current state, and relevant websites with additional information. All of the songs were recorded exclusively for this album, and a portion of its proceeds will directly benefit The Global Fund, the world’s largest international financier of the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture - The Stuff You Grew Up On But Never Outgrew. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts Grammy®-nominated boxed sets, new releases from storied artists and lovingly assembled album reissues. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention.
In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2
1. Angelique Kidjo “Mysterious Ways”
2. Vieux Farka Touré “Bullet The Blue Sky”
3. Ba Cissoko “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
4. Vusi Mahlasela “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own”
5. Tony Allen “Where The Streets Have No Name”
6. Cheikh Lô “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
7. Keziah Jones “One”
8. Les Nubians “With Or Without You”
9. Soweto Gospel Choir “Pride (In The Name Of Love)”
10. Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars “Seconds”
11. African Underground All-Stars Featuring Chosan, Optimus & Iyeoka “Desire”
12. Waldemar Bastos “Love Is Blindness”
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WatchMojo NewsletterYahoo! Music premieres new video “I Gotta Thang For You” Feat. Keyshia Cole. Thomas Jones, running back for the New York Jets, makes a cameo apperance in the video. To see the new video see the link below:
Even before 16-year-old Karina Pasian signed to Def Jam records, the stellar singer was already making a name for herself. From her winning performance on Star Search in 2003 to singing at the White House last June during Black Music Month, this New York City chanteuse has been paying her professional dues since she was a toddler.
“I’ve been singing and playing piano since I was three,” says Karina. “My babysitter had a piano, and she started teaching me how to play. It wasn’t until a year later that I began getting professional lessons.” While some have been quick to compare Karina Pasian to other performers including Aaliyah, Alicia Keys and Mariah Carey, one listen to her self-assured debut disc is evidence enough that she is destined for success.
Karina remembers the first time she sang in front of an audience. “I sang Céline Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’ at a talent show. I was kind of nervous, but the audience loved it.”
From that point, there was no denying that music would be her life. A few years later, after using the Prince-penned ballad “How Come U Don’t Call” for an audition, Karina Pasian was cast on a revamped version of Star Search. “That was such a wonderful experience,” says Karina, who won the first round of the competition with a rousing version of the Jackson Five classic “I’ll Be There.”
Working with an array of songwriters, producers and artists that include The Dream, Tricky Stewart, Gordon Chambers, Chris Brown, Carlos McKinnney, Lil Mama and others, Karina proves to be a breath of fresh soul. “I’ve recorded over 70 songs in the last two years,” Karina says. “It was a period of real growth for me as I learned to focus and stay consistent.”
Karina Pasian’s godfather, famed producer and businessman Quincy Jones, has also been a guardian angel for the young singer. In addition to giving her advice, the maestro included her in the “We Are the Future” charity concert in 2006. Considering the talents Jones has worked with, from Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan to Michael Jackson and Tamia, she is in good company. “I know I’m blessed to have someone like Quincy in my corner,” she says.
A fan who embraces all forms of music, from the stylish Black pop of Brandy to old school jazz greats, Karina performed the standard “Misty” when she was at the White House last year. “Emilio Estefan, who has been a friend of my family for years, helped to put the show together, and invited me to be a part of it,” says Karina. “Later, my brother told me that I was the first Dominican to play at the White House, and that made me very proud.”
Karina Pasian - Sixteen At War
http://www6.islanddefjam.com
Studying music and voice at High School for the Professional Performing Arts, the Washington Heights native was more than prepared for any challenges that arose in the studio. “I was blessed to have some pretty amazing teachers who prepared me well,” she says sweetly. Refusing to fall into any cliché, Karina Pasian has recorded an album that is a reflection of her age and independent point of view.
Karina Pasian’s song “Sixteen” is a song of independence and admiration. “Ain’t no daddy’s where I’m from, its just mad mothers…why am I disrespected by someone I should call brother,” she sings in a pristine voice. “I wanted to do a song about what teenager girls go through in urban areas. It’s not cool that boys think they’re being cute when they say nasty stuff to us on the street.” Written and produced by The Dream and Tricky Stewart, best known for their work with Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and Madonna’s “Me Against the Music,” the song “Sixteen” reminds one of vintage Brill Building girls like the Crystals or Little Eva with an electro-groove.
Another The Dream and Tricky Stewart track that will leave fans breathless is “Baby Baby,” an uptempo song that is destined to be a dancefloor scorcher. “Though this is a fun song, it’s not just a party song,” says Karina “It’s about guys who simply see young women as sex objects, but I refuse to be that girl.” Indeed, like Aretha Franklin, she simply wants some respect. Sharing the mic with rapper Lil Mama (“Lip Gloss” & “Shawty Get Loose”), the two young stars connected in the studio. “Lil Mama was so cool, but it was her confidence in the booth that was really exciting.”
Produced and written by Carlos McKinney, the sing-songy “Can’t Find the Words” embraces elements of jazz and pop while simultaneously creating a whimsical track that sounds like nothing else of the radio. Additionally, Karina’s favorite song “Winner,” which highlights her elegant piano (her light touch on the keyboard reminds one of Erroll Garner) playing, is laidback and uplifting.
A beautiful young woman with more musical moxy than most sixteen year olds, Karina Pasian has constructed one of the finest debut discs in years. Melancholic and truthful, funky and real, blissful and bold, Karina’s album is the sound of a better tomorrow.
MARIAH CAREY RELEASES THE OFFICIAL “TOUCH MY BODY” REMIX FEATURING RICK ROSS AND THE-DREAM! THE REMIX IS AVAILABLE FOR SALE TODAY ON ITUNES!
CLICK HERE TO HEAR IT.
AND… FANS CAN BUY THE ORIGINAL “TOUCH MY BODY” ON ITUNES AS WELL AS PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM, E=MC² , DUE IN STORES APRIL 15!
Here’s a terrific interview from PitchforkMedia.com with Colin Greenwood, bassist from the band, Radiohead:
Pitchfork: Where were you when In Rainbows was first announced?
Colin Greenwood: I was where I am right now, sitting down at home and watching the excitement on the old Google News.
When they sent the album I was having breakfast and checking my e-mail. A file download thing appeared at half seven in the morning, which was quite exciting. Then I read reviews of it from people staying up in the small hours in America. Some had exams the next day but they were drinking loads of coffee and staying up anyway. It was really mad. We were trying to create an event. Why not?
Pitchfork: I think it worked.
CG: Yeah, a friend of our manager had the idea a couple of years ago. It was great because it made us think about putting the record out in a very quick way, like a live thing.
Pitchfork: Based on interviews, it seems like being in the studio can be fairly painstaking for you guys. Was the accelerated release strategy a way to force you to be more spontaneous as a band?
CG: I suppose, yeah. It takes so long to make a record and then it takes so long again to release it. We’re all champing at the bit to do some new things even now. We were just playing a couple of new songs in rehearsals. But there’s no need to moan about the fact that so many people are into it. If you want to tend to their passion then you have to defer what you’re doing next for a while. It’s a nice position to be in, in a way.
Pitchfork: The Pitchfork review of In Rainbows suggested “Radiohead have grown tired of trying to outrun themselves.” What do you think of that assessment?
CG: Before we started rehearsals last week I listened to the record– I hadn’t listened to it since before Christmas– and some songs still choked me up. The emotional pull is what makes it good. I think the biggest problem we have is taking too long over things. Not in terms of getting it right, but sometimes we do things quickly that are really good, like “Lucky” on OK Computer. There’s a sort of self-considered, analytical, self-consciousness that can be crippling– but it can act as quality control, too. I saw Portishead at ATP at Christmas and it was incredible. It took them like 10 years to make their new record but the new songs sounded unbelievable.
Pitchfork: With Kid A and Amnesiac, the band almost totally reinvented its sound, and Hail to the Thief was restless in its way. But In Rainbows seems more comfortable and relaxed. Was there a turning point for the band during the recording of the record?
CG: We handed ourselves over to our producer Nigel Godrich. We did one session in a crumbling country house and one in a reconditioned country house and then we reconvened in February of last year– that was the turning point. We recorded “15 Step” and “Arpeggi” in our studio in Oxford in two days and it was really good. We’d recorded those songs a half dozen or a dozen times, but we went back in and played them again and everyone wasn’t thinking about what they were doing as much. I think if it’s quite painful and it takes a while it tends to be good…which is sort of a contradiction of what I said earlier.
Pitchfork: In an interview before the recording of In Rainbows, you suggested the band might be feeling too safe in terms of your close relationship with Nigel Godrich.
CG: It wasn’t about being too safe with him, he just wasn’t around because he was working with Charlotte Gainsbourg and Beck. It wasn’t like he was twiddling his thumbs and we were like, “Ah well, we won’t give him a ring.” So when we tried to work with with [producer] Spike Stent, it was more out of a desperation to try to get things moving. It didn’t work out. But Spike actually turned the crank to get the engine going.
Pitchfork: Would you consider trying out another new producer at this point?
CG: It depends what we’re doing. The thing about working with Nigel is that he’s brilliant with psychology. What really struck me about him during the last sessions was he’s got that ability to be generous and patient when he’s making a record and then he can be objective as well. To have the ability to be utterly supporting in the studio and then make a call later is a real skill.
Pitchfork: My favorite song on the record is probably “House of Cards”, largely because it sounds like the closest Radiohead have ever come to making an Al Green song– it seems so easy and effortless.
CG: It’s funny you say that because we had different versions of it. There was one where Johnny had this bass riff that made it sound more R.E.M.-y. But then Phil [Selway] and Thom [Yorke] reworked it and came up with this amazing rhythm. But then we had to wait a year to record it, which was difficult. I’ve been looking at footage from Bonnaroo in 2006 when we were playing that song in front of 80,000 people and it just sounds great. All the kids were throwing their glowsticks in the air. People were obviously out of their minds at midnight in Tennessee. To be able to be like that is hard– to have that soulfulness, you know? But that’s what everyone should aspire to in a way. That immediacy. But it’s really fucking difficult.
Pitchfork: I think one of the few underrated qualities of the band is its humor, like the Se7en parody on the webcast …
CG: We did that webcast with [comedian] Adam Buxton and [director] Garth Jennings, they’re friends of Ed [O’Brien]’s. We just asked them down and they made this video for “Nude” too. For that, we just rented cameras from this old guy who normally does nature stuff and just jumped up and down in front of them. And then they edited it on their laptop and put it up on YouTube. It was so cool because we didn’t have to go through three weeks of video commissioning and receiving dodgy scripts set on abandoned skyscrapers in downtown L.A. or something. If you go in thinking “let’s try it,” it’s really liberating. So that’s where our heads are at with it and we’re trying to keep it like that.
Pitchfork: Were there any more funny bits for the webcast you decided to leave out?
CG: Gratuitously obscene or depraved bits? Um, no. I’ve got a lot of respect for people like Fox News now– I can understand why stuff like that is rubbish because it was really difficult to put together three hours of content. Everything on the webcast is everything we did.
Pitchfork: Another great thing about the webcast was all the covers you guys played, like the Smiths’ “The Headmaster Ritual” and Bjork’s “Unravel“, it looked like you were just goofing off.
CG: Yeah. In rehearsals yesterday, Thom, Ed and I were running through a Siouxie and the Banshees cover called “Happy House” and Johnny [Greenwood]– the young one– was like, “What the fuck is this?” And we’re like, “You know, Siouxie and the Banshees! Check out Juju.” The version of “Unravel” on the webcast was the first time we were running through it and we just kept it because it was so tentative. You could tell we were feeling our way through it, which is very nice to see, isn’t it? It’s what I loved about playing the songs from In Rainbows on the second webcast– you can see there are moments in each song where things swim in and out of focus a bit.
Pitchfork: Do you think you’ll play any of those covers this year on tour?
CG: Probably not. Especially after seeing the Smiths do [”The Headmaster Ritual”] live on YouTube, it’s just amazing.
Pitchfork: The recent webcast from the small club in London was remarkable to see, too. Do you wish you could do more tiny gigs like that nowadays?
CG: When we were playing there I had to keep pinching myself because it felt like some kind of dislocated time travel from ‘93. But stuff from The Bends sounded amazing in there– when Johnny slammed the chords for those songs they ricocheted around the club walls and it was just amazing. When you hear something played where it was made it’s so cool. Johnny wasn’t wearing earplugs and he was deaf for the next three weeks.
Pitchfork: I read an interview with R.E.M. recently and they discussed about how their last couple of records suffered because the band wasn’t really talking to each other. How important are the interpersonal relationships in Radiohead? Do you guys see a lot of each other outside of band duties?
CG: Well, we see each other so much doing band stuff. Right now, we’re all putting our time in with our own thing before we go back into the cloistered [Radiohead] world. But my agent sent me Some Kind of Monster when we were starting up recording this album and I took that documentary very seriously. I watched it six or seven times. You know: Dr. Phil [Towle– not that Dr. Phil], dysfunctional band getting ready to record their seventh album or whatever. We didn’t get Dr. Phil though, which was a shame in a way.
Pitchfork: So you can relate to Metallica’s plight in that movie?
CG: Totally. Also, Johnny brought in the Pixies documentary from their 2006 tour, which was really tender– they’re obviously all touched or damaged by what they’ve been through and you can see that. I think it’s wonderful. You go through all these experiences together and you’re very aware of those sensitivities. I would say if you have the 2006 Pixes documentary and Some Kind of Monster, you have a good understanding of band dynamics.
Pitchfork: Radiohead have been together for more than 15 years at this point, do you every worry about falling into a holding pattern a la U2?
CG: I don’t think it’s a concern. It’s more general insecurities about what to do next. We all have our different musical axes hit other people with. Thom loves the new Autechre record; I’m going through a Fleetwood Mac Tusk and ‘71 Greatest Hits obsession. Have I answered your question? Not really.
Pitchfork: So there’s not a constant cloud hanging over the band in terms of repeating yourselves or others?
CG: No. There’s a song we’re playing called “Go Slowly” and there’s a bit in the middle that breaks and it’s really violent, and I reckon there’s an R.E.M. song that’s somewhat similar. But references like that are emotional ones that are tied to your memory of other peoples’ great music. By now, you accept your limitations. And as you get older you realize how important your emotional response is to any kind of music– from the new Autechre to “Dragonfly” by Fleetwood Mac– and how that can inform what you make next. It’s the most important thing and it’s easy to forget that and think, “Oh, this is new and happening.”
Pitchfork: The Pitchfork review of Hail to the Thief put forth the idea that “anything Radiohead does from here on out will sound like Radiohead”…
CG: That’s like a late-night stoner comment. At about three in the morning– after you’ve put on Captain Beefheart and you put the red scarf over the light bulb– it makes a lot of sense. But the next morning you’re like, “I don’t know, maybe the world is fucked and we didn’t solve it.” So I don’t know about that.
Pitchfork: Fair enough. But do you think the band would ever consider another Kid A-style left turn?
CG: It would be really nice to be able to put out releases that wouldn’t be conditional upon an album format, and just put out music in different ways. I read a review of Neil Young’s recent residency in London this week and he just plays all this stuff from all over his career. To be in that kind of position would be so cool. Johnny wanted to do a recording of the classical arrangement version of “Weird Fishes” he did with Thom when they were at the Royal Festival Hall a few years ago. And Johnny’s got his film music as well. It would be great for a band to have all those things going on under its name. That’s what the download and the webcast was starting to engage in– the idea of broadcasting different kinds of music in different ways.
Pitchfork: But with your touring schedule this year, would you even have time to work on such material?
CG: We’re actually gonna be working with Nigel again soon– we’ve reserved time and we’ve got stuff we want to do. It’s like having and old-school executive producer that’s talking about the bigger picture and booking time to be creative. Dr. Phil would be proud.
Pitchfork: How frustrating was it to not have any control over that Radiohead boxed set your old label released late last year?
CG: For me, it was upsetting because I remember when R.E.M. put out Out of Time and, around the same time, IRS re-released Murmur and the Chronic Town EP and Fables and stuff. It was just really nice for them to put out the back catalogue, because I think a lot of people got into R.E.M. around then. I would love for us to have people check out what we’ve done before in a cool way if they haven’t already got it. But we’re not traveling on that road at the moment. If you start taking stock, it’s like the pathologist’s knock on the door.
Pitchfork: So we won’t see a double-disc version of the The Bends filled with alternate takes anytime soon?
CG: No, because the other versions weren’t any good!
Pitchfork: Radiohead is one of the few bands whose songs are covered a lot even though you’re still active and relevant…
CG: Like on YouTube when there’s like 20 versions of people playing “Videotape” in their bedroom on the guitar or keyboard– how cool is that?
Pitchfork: Do you ever sit back and watch a couple of those videos?
CG: I haven’t done it because I know how hard it is to play some of those songs. But that’s why I love playing shows, you’ve got thousands of people sharing their personal passion for the music with each other, it’s such a wonderful thing to be able to curate. When you’re playing the songs, people are really into it together but they’re all into their own thing about it, too. I remember reading this book of essays by Jonathan Franzen called How to Be Alone in which he talks about the actualization of public spaces in American suburbs and how people can only congregate at malls now. So to be able to play and get loads of people together is really cool.
Pitchfork: Any idea if you’ll play any new songs on tour this year?
CG: Don’t know yet. Thom came in with a list of 70 songs we’re rehearsing for the tour and it’s like, fucking hell! So it’s been real difficult to remember stuff. We should’ve gone onto YouTube to remind us how to play the songs. Are you going to see the tour?
Pitchfork: Yeah, I’m planning on going to the Liberty Park show.
CG: It was amazing when we played there last time. The World Trade Towers were standing– we played there two or three weeks before September 11. And then on the night of September 11 we played in Berlin. We sold 13,000 tickets and nobody knew if anyone was going to turn up because they closed the city down. But everybody who bought a ticket turned up. It was that thing we were talking about– public space. It was an incredibly emotional night.
