ENTERTAINMENT STARS

ENTERTAINMENT: STARS AND CELEBRITIES

album cover CDS: CHOICE OF THE WEEK

ANTOINETTE MONTAGUE'S "PRETTY BLUES"

Be brave and dash into the explosive and magical Jazz-Blues world of Antoinette Montague. This singer is powerful, yet elegantly sensual with human warmth. Montague just released a first rate CD "Pretty Blues". A superb album at so many levels; from soul-penetrating tenor saxophone by Bill Easley, piano free form virtuosity of an exquisite beauty by Mulgrew Miller, and once again, elegant and captivating flute escapades by Easley enrobed with warm and deep bass by Peter Washington who added an extra touch of musical finesse and sophistication, to the powerful voice of Montague. Blend all these goodies with Montague's vibrant and sparkling voice, and you get the perfect formula for a 4 star, world class album. The CD has 12 tracks of pure creative originality and depth. Two songs on the CD: "Unless It's You", and "From This Moment On" could be considered as some of the finest recordings in a decade. Although, it is Blues, and Blues is the outcry of human drama, Montague's projection and personal interpretation delivered Blues with enchanting joy and uplifting musicality. Every word is pronounced with truthfulness and radiant energy. Montague's captivating improvisation is predominant. This woman is the real thing; a fabulous singer with style, depth and captivating energy. "Pretty Blues" is highly recommended. Add it to your collection. Rating: 4 stars out of five. Reviewer: Maximillien de Lafayette, Syndicated Columnist and Entertainment Critic.

Who is Antoinette Montague? Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Antoinette grew up listening to Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn. “I was singing and humming from an early age. It was how I created my own private, comforting world.” In the fourth grade, Antoinette would go to the local library and listen to albums by Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith. Other influences were the R&B-soul of The Supremes, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, the Jackson 5, Jackie Wilson, Stevie Wonder and Otis Redding; and singers as varied as Mahalia Jackson, Maime Smith, Paul Robeson, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Little Willie John, Etta James, Patsy Cline and Nancy Wilson. Antoinete was mentored by some great singers – Carrie Smith (“She inspired me to have a big voice onstage”), Etta Jones (“She could transport the audience”), Della Griffin (“She showed me laid-back phrasing and how to use the comic side of my personality”) and Myrna Lake (“She let me sub for her and that’s when I learned to lead a band through three sets a night”). In addition, Montague has performed onstage with many top jazz and blues musicians including Red Holloway, Benny Powell, Earl May, Winnard Harper, Wycliff Gordon, Stan Hope, John DiMartino, Bernard Purdy, Victor Jones, Tootsie Bean, Zeek Mullins, Paul Bollenbeck, Frank West and numerous others. Before headlining her own shows, she sat in on hundreds of gigs in an effort to practice her craft, learn the ropes and work her way into the music scene. The past decade Antoinette has been one of the hardest-working jazz-and-blues singers in New York City. For example, on Monday nights when there are jam sessions at clubs all over town, she would often sing a song or two with the Harlem Renaissance Band at Lucy’s and then hop over to 125th Street to vocalize in front of the Cotton Club Big Band directed by Ed Passant. Montague has worked regularly with Bill Easley, Tom Aalfs and Mike Longo’s New York State of the Art Band (including the 88th Birthday Celebration of Dizzy Gillespie). She also was in the Great Women in Music Festival at Birdland with the Duke Ellington Band, directed by Jack Jeffers and filmed for television by the BET on Jazz channel. Antoinette performed at the 10th Anniversary of International Women in Jazz (she serves as the Vice President of that organization), and the NAACP’s Tribute to Milt Jackson. -Reproduced with a permission from World Who's Who in Jazz, Cabaret Music and Entertainment. Data provided by Carol Lexter.

album cover BENNETT BRANDEIS' STORYTELLING

Simple but romantically vivacious arrangement, exciting and elegant drums brushes by Kendall Kay and Jery Kalaf, right on bass with perfect timing by Octavio Bailly, and Dave Carpenter, splashes of piano virtuosity by Louis Durra, add sparkling drops of percussion by Mike Faue, and mix the whole effects with Bennett Brandeis aggressive but lyrical magic on guitar....and you get a world-class musical product! A Magnificent CD: STORYTELLING. It is quasi impossible to categorize and define Brandeis' music genre. Because it transcends the dogmatic boundaries of jazz. Brandeis is virtuoso and gently explodes in delightful musical creativity. His music is a refreshing blend of world music enrobed with daring improvisation, first rate originality and that succulent and sinfully beautiful romantic ambiance emanating from within, with depth, sensuality and pure elegance. The CD is a refreshing bouquet of 10 tracks of an exquisite beauty. This album is on its way to become a collector's treasure. Buy STORYTELLING, you will enjoy it for years to come. Rating: 4 stars out of five. Genre: World music blended with a Bossa Nova flair and soft elegant contempo Jazz. Reviewer: Maximillien de Lafayette, Syndicated Columnist and Entertainment Critic.

Who is Bennett Brandeis? Bennett Brandeis is a four-time recipient of ASCAP's Popular Music Award. He began playing the guitar at the age of six. He learned to play the clarinet for the school orchestra, then returned to the guitar at 15, playing in several local bands. He studied at the Grove School of Music in Los Angeles, where he immersed himself in the worlds of harmony, music theory, arranging, composition and performance. He then studied at the Berklee College of Music, where he graduated with honors. While working in studio orchestras, including a stint as guitarist for the television show Magnum P.I., and local clubs in Los Angeles, he accepted an offer to join a Japanese group, Shonentai. He moved to Japan, touring the country and performing throughout Southeast Asia. He returned to L.A. where an offer to perform with Marilyn McCoo turned into a two year gig, including a tour with the reunited Original 5th Dimension. Seeking to present himself as an artist in his own right, Bennett began performing as a leader. In 1994, Bennett formed Baton Records. The first release, "Jazz Guitar" consists of original music as well as an inventive re-working of standards. Released in 1995 it is a trio recording with Bennett on electric guitar, Joe LaBarbara on drums and Dave Carpenter on bass. During this time, Bennett performed in almost every jazz club in Los Angeles, headlined Jazz festivals and was invited to perform in Brazil. -Reproduced with a permission from World Who's Who in Jazz, Cabaret Music and Entertainment. Data provided by Carol Lexter.

Jerry Lewis back to work after op

Jerry Lewis has been plagued by ill health for two decades.

Comedy legend Jerry Lewis has returned to work organising his annual charity telethon just over a week after suffering a minor heart attack. The 80-year-old, recuperating on his boat in San Diego, had heart surgery to insert a tube into an artery following the 11 June attack. "He's recovering and already working on the telethon," long-time manager Claudia Marghilano said. She said Lewis was also taking medication for pneumonia. The disease is common among people with pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung condition Lewis has been fighting since 2000. Ms Marghilano said that her client had contracted pneumonia several times. "They put him on antibiotics and he's recovering," she said. "He's just doing great now." Lewis is best known for his comedy partnership with Dean Martin during the 1950s, before going on to star in films such as The Ladies Man and the original The Nutty Professor. He has organised an annual telethon in aid of the Muscular Dystrophy Association since 1966. The star has been plagued by ill health for the last two decades, battling prostate cancer and meningitis. In 2001, he began taking steroids for pulmonary fibrosis, but had to be weaned off the drugs in hospital in 2003 after they caused him to gain too much weight. Since then, Lewis has made a gradual return to the limelight. In March, he travelled to Paris to receive France's highest civilian accolade, the Legion of Honour. He turned up for the prestigious event wearing slippers and pretended to fall asleep during a 20-minute speech by France's culture minister. The comedian recently announced plans to direct a musical version of The Nutty Professor on Broadway. His heart attack forced him to postpone shows in Las Vegas that had been planned for next month.

Culture Club audition new singers

Culture Club topped the charts around the world in the 1980s.

Auditions are being held for singers to join Culture Club, with the 1980s pop band planning to re-form and tour without original vocalist Boy George. Manager Tony Gordon said the group were looking for three or four "young, great singers" to join former band members Jon Moss, Mikey Craig and Phil Pickett. "We cannot replace George - that's going to be an impossibility," he said. Mr Gordon added that a TV company was interested in following the new band, with a world tour possible next year. The new line-up could also record new songs, he said. "We want to keep the brand but give it an uplift and make it fun - great fun," he said. "Culture Club music was always joyous. We need that right now - we need a nice, happy band."

Hits: Mr Gordon said there had been an "amazing" amount of media interest in the plan since he posted an internet advertisement for singers. "It's much more than I expected - I am thrilled by it." He said he hoped to launch the new-look band at a London party next month. The move comes days after a US judge criticised Boy George - real name George O'Dowd - for failing to pay a $1,000 (£540) fine or begin five days' community service after falsely reporting a burglary. A hearing on 26 June will decide whether he broke the terms of his sentence. Culture Club had a string of hits in the early 1980s, including Karma Chameleon, which topped the UK and US singles charts.

Modigliani portrait fetches £16m

A portrait by Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani of his lover Jeanne Hebuterne has sold for £16.3m. The oil painting, Jeanne Hebuterne (au chapeau), dates from 1919 - a year before Modigliani died of tuberculosis. Ms Hebuterne, who was eight months pregnant, committed suicide a day after the artist's death. The painting was part of a sale of modern and impressionist art, which raised almost £89m at London auction house Sotheby's on Monday. An 1895 pastel of a woman bathing by French artist Edgar Degas sold for £6.7m in the same auction. The high prices come during a week of high-profile art sales in London at rival auction houses Sotheby's and Christie's. More than a dozen Picassos are on offer this week, as well as works by Monet, Renoir and Cezanne. One of the Picasso paintings, Le Peintre et Son Modele (The Painter and his Model) sold at Sotheby's for £7.4m on Monday.

Broadway boasts record new season

Hollywood stars such as Julia Roberts have Broadway appeal.

New York- Broadway has had a record-breaking year for attendance and box office earnings, thanks to the success of plays such as Julia Roberts' Three Days of Rain. Theatregoers on Broadway topped the 12 million mark for the first time, with a strong attendance by tourists. Ticket sales increased 12 per cent to $861.6m (£462m) during the 2005-2006 season, according to the League of American Theatres and Producers. But league president Jed Bernstein said Broadway remains high-risk. "Although the strong business results continue to underline Broadway's revenue stakes in New York, increasing cost pressures have resulted in no increase in the number of shows making a profit," said Mr Bernstein. Lestat, the new musical from Sir Elton John, was among the year's casualties, closing after just 39 performances. The £7m show was savaged by critics when it opened at the Palace Theatre on 25 April after a brief run in San Francisco. Julia Roberts' play Three Day of Rain was also panned by the critics, but sold out weeks in advance thanks to the presence of the Oscar winner in the leading role. Critical hits included the musical Jersey Boys, the story of singer Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and Alan Bennett's The History Boys, recently nominated for seven Tony awards.

Janet's breast flash fine upheld

Janet Jackson was exposed during a routine with Justin Timberlake.

New York-US media regulators have rejected a second appeal by the CBS TV network to lift a fine for Janet Jackson's breast exposure during the 2004 Super Bowl. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) fined CBS $550,000 (£307,000) for the infamous "wardrobe malfunction". The FCC said given the public outcry that followed, "it was CBS and not the commission that was out of touch with the standards of the American people". More than 500,000 complaints were received after the broadcast. CBS apologised after the incident. In its appeal, it argued that the FCC wrongly applied the decency standard and the show had not intended to shock. In March, the FCC rejected the television network's first appeal but allowed it to ask the regulator to reconsider the ruling.

'Accident': "The commission affirms its finding that CBS' violation was wilful and declines to reduce the forfeiture imposed upon CBS," the FCC said in a statement. "We find that CBS has failed to present any argument warranting reconsideration of our forfeiture order." The fine was the largest ever levied against a US television broadcaster. Jackson exposed her right breast during a dance routine with Justin Timberlake during the Super Bowl's halftime show two years ago. He blamed the exposure on a "wardrobe malfunction", while Jackson said it had been an accident.

Oasis' album 'best of all time'

Oasis's album beat the Beatles into second place.

LONDON-Oasis' 1994 debut album, Definitely Maybe, has been voted the greatest album of all time in a music poll. The album, which featured hits Live Forever and Supersonic, beat the Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band into second place. Some 40,000 music fans were asked to name their favourite work in a survey by the book of British Hit Singles and Albums and NME.com. Fans could make their own choice, and did not have to select from a list. The survey marks 50 years of the Official UK Albums Chart. British Hit Singles and Albums editor David Roberts said: "Usually these polls are full of records that people have only just bought because they are freshest in the mind. "But this poll shows that the truly great albums always have longevity. "Only two albums in the Top 20 were released in the last five years, so the voters have clearly thought long and hard about their decision." Up the Bracket, the 2002 debut by Pete Doherty's former band The Libertines, was the newest album in the top 20 in 15th place. Only two albums by US bands appeared in the top 20. Nirvana came sixth with Nevermind and The Strokes were 20th with Is This It. Definitely Maybe, which cost £85,000 ($158,000) to produce, was released in August 1994 and topped the British chart a week later.

Stones star given tour all-clear

The Rolling Stones kicked off their world tour in the US in August.

LONDON-The Rolling Stones will begin their European tour in July after Keith Richards was given the all-clear following brain surgery. The guitarist is thought to have fallen out of a tree while on holiday in Fiji. "Excuse me, I fell off of my perch," he said. "Sorry to disrupt everyone's plans - but now it's full steam ahead." Several concerts have been rescheduled but 10 dates are still postponed and two German concerts, in Nuremburg and Leipzig, have been cancelled. The first performance will be at the San Siro stadium in Milan on 11 July, a show that was put back from 22 June.

New schedule: They will then travel through Austria, Germany, France, Holland, Switzerland, Portugal and Spain. Their UK dates in London, Glasgow, Sheffield and Cardiff in late August remain unchanged. But gigs in Barcelona, Madrid, Brussels, Gothenburg, St Petersburg, Brno, Warsaw, Athens, Zagreb and Frankfurt are still to be rescheduled. Tickets for the postponed concerts will be valid for the rescheduled dates. Promoter Michael Cohl said: "We are delighted to announce the Stones tour is back on track and thank all the fans and ticket holders for their patience. "We have put in as many shows in as many countries as was feasible. This is still going to be the most incredible rock show ever."

Huge crowds: The rock legends' A Bigger Bang tour has been travelling the world since last August. The band have already played in countries including China and New Zealand, and at the US Super Bowl. More than one million concertgoers saw them perform for free on Copacabana Beach in Rio, Brazil, earlier this year. Richards suffered the head injury during a break in the tour schedule. He was originally thought to have sustained "mild concussion" but needed surgery several days later.

Spain greatest star Jurado laid to rest

MADRID-Spanish singing legend Rocio Jurado, who died of cancer earlier this week, is being buried in her home town of Chipiona, in the province of Cadiz. A funeral mass is taking place in the southern town, attended by friends and family of the woman known as "la mas grande de Espana" (Spain's greatest). Her body lay in Chipiona's La Regla Church overnight, where more than 10,000 people paid their respects. A beloved figure in Latin America and Spain, her career spanned four decades. According to her brother Amador Mohedano, Jurado died in Madrid in the early hours of Thursday morning. Film director Pedro Almodovar and musician Emilio Estefan were among those who paid tribute at a wake in the Spanish capital later that day. Almodovar called her the "biggest voice in Spain" and "a generous, sincere and affectionate" woman. Estefan called her "a great singer and a great person", adding that her story would be "difficult to forget".

Mourners waited in line to pay their respects to Jurado in Madrid.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero expressed condolences to the family of a "great artist". "There is a general feeling of sorrow and acknowledgment for a shining professional career," he said. Thousands of mourners waited in line to pay their respects to the singer, who died at the age of 61 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Born in September 1944, she started her career singing flamenco before moving into film in the 1960s. Over the course of her career she made more than 30 albums and performed on both sides of the Atlantic.

History Boys star at Tony Awards

LONDON-Alan Bennett's The History Boys and a biographical musical about 1960s group The Four Seasons have dominated this year's Tony Awards in New York. There were six trophies for The History Boys, including best play. Best actor was Richard Griffiths and Frances de la Tour was named best supporting actress. Jersey Boys - about Frankie Valli's band - won four categories in total. Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon took best actress for Rabbit Hole, a play about a bereaved mother. She paid tribute to foreign imports such as The History Boys, saying: "Other countries, particularly Britain, invest in their theatres in the way our government doesn't." Nicholas Hytner was named best director for The History Boys and the play - which premiered at the National Theatre in London in May 2004 - also received two design prizes, for sets and lighting. "You are insanely talented people," said actress Julia Roberts before giving the award for best actor to Griffiths for his portrayal of an unorthodox yet beloved teacher. Although The History Boys dominated the drama categories, the honours for musicals were more evenly divided.

The Jersey Boys' director said his musical had face deep prejudices

Overcame prejudice: Jersey Boys' awards included best actor for John Lloyd Young in his Broadway debut, and best supporting actor for Christian Hoff. Three of the original members of the Four Seasons - including Valli - were in the audience and director Des McAnuff said the production had overcome a deep prejudice against musicals based on existing popular music. "I think we were a little bit tainted by this 'jukebox musical' term," he said, adding he preferred to think of Jersey Boys as a history play along the lines of Shakespeare, with celebrities as the new royalty. Its main rival, The Drowsy Chaperone, took five awards. The parody of 1920s musicals was named best book and best score, with Beth Leavel as best supporting actress. The Canadian team behind The Drowsy Chaperone said they were proud the show had originated in Toronto. Best actress in a musical went to LaChanze, the star of The Color Purple, a show based on Alice Walker's novel that ended up with just one award despite 11 nominations.

Cynthia Nixon criticised a lack of investment in theatre in the US.

A new production of Sweeney Todd first seen in London won best director of a musical, for John Doyle. Despite high-profile flops such as Lestat and the John Lennon musical, Lennon, this has been a record year for Broadway theatre. The number of theatregoers topped twelve million for the first time, and ticket sales earned $861.6m (£462m) during the 2005-6 season. The ceremony - the 60th in the history of the awards - was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York. The winners were chosen by more than 750 theatre professionals including actors, producers, writers, stagehands and theatre owners.

Tony Awards: Full list of winners

The Tony Awards recognise the best of Broadway from light musicals to serious plays. The full list of winners is as follows:

Best Play
The History Boys
The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Rabbit Hole
Shining City

Best Musical
Jersey Boys
The Color Purple
The Drowsy Chaperone
The Wedding Singer

Best Book of a Musical
The Drowsy Chaperone
The Wedding Singer
Jersey Boys
The Color Purple

Best Original Score
The Drowsy Chaperone
The Color Purple
The Wedding Singer
The Woman in White

Best Revival of a Play
Awake and Sing!
The Constant Wife
Edward Albee's Seascape
Faith Healer

Best Revival of a Musical
The Pajama Game
Sweeney Todd
The Threepenny Opera

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Richard Griffiths - The History Boys
Ralph Fiennes - Faith Healer
Zeljko Ivanke - The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
David Wilmot - The Lieutenant of Inishmore

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Cynthia Nixon - Rabbit Hole
Kate Burton - The Constant Wife
Judy Kay - Souvenir
Lisa Kron - Well
Lynn Redgrave - The Constant Wife

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
John Lloyd Young - Jersey Boys
Michael Cerveris - Sweeney Todd
Harry Connick Jr - The Pajama Game
Stephen Lynch - The Wedding Singer
Bob Martin - The Drowsy Chaperone

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
LaChanze - The Color Purple
Sutton Foster - The Drowsy Chaperone
Patti LuPone - Sweeney Todd
Kelli O'Hara - The Pajama Game
Chita Rivera - Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Ian McDiarmid - Faith Healer
Samuel Barnett - The History Boys
Domhnall Gleeson - The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Mark Ruffalo - Awake and Sing!
Pablo Schreiber - Awake and Sing!

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Frances de la Tour - The History Boys
Tyne Daly - Rabbit Hole
Jayne Houdyshell - Well
Alison Pill - The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Zoe Wanamaker - Awake and Sing!

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Christian Hoff - Jersey Boys
Danny Burstein - The Drowsy Chaperone
Jim Dale - The Threepenny Opera
Brandon Victor Dixon - The Color Purple
Manoel Felciano - Sweeney Todd

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Beth Leavel - The Drowsy Chaperone
Carolee Carmello - Lestat
Felicia P Fields - The Color Purple
Megan Lawrence - The Pajama Game
Elisabeth Wither-Mendes - The Color Purple

Best Scenic Design of a Play
The History Boys
Rabbit Hole
Three Days of Rain
Awake and Sing!

Best Scenic Design of a Musical
The Drowsy Chaperone
The Color Purple
The Pajama Game
Jersey Boys

Best Costume Design of a Play
Awake and Sing!
The Constant Wife
A Touch of the Poet
Edward Albee's Seascape

Best Costume Design of a Musical
The Drowsy Chaperone
Lestat
The Pajama Game
The Color Purple

Best Lighting Design of a Play
The History Boys
Awake and Sing!
Three Days of Rain
Faith Healer

Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Jersey Boys
The Color Purple
The Drowsy Chaperone
Tarzan

Best Direction of a Play
Nicholas Hytner - The History Boys
Wilson Milam - The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Bartlett Sher - Awake and Sing!
Daniel Sullivan - Rabbit Hole

Best Direction of a Musical
John Boyle - Sweeney Todd
Kathleen Marshall - The Pajama Game
Des McAnuff - Jersey Boys
Casey Nicholaw - The Drowsy Chaperone

Best Choreography
Kathleen Marshall - The Pajama Game
Rob Ashford - The Wedding Singer
Donald Byrd - The Color Purple
Casey Nicholaw - The Drowsy Chaperone

Best Orchestrations
Sweeney Todd
The Drowsy Chaperone
The Pajama Game
Jersey Boys

Dixie Chicks downplay tour claims

Comments by Natalie Maines (seen in centre) prompted the controversy.

LOS ANGELES-Country music group the Dixie Chicks have downplayed reports that poor sales are forcing changes to their planned 43-date North American tour. A concert industry magazine claimed shows had been dropped in Republican states such as Oklahoma and Tennessee. The group's spokeswoman told the Los Angeles Times there would be "some reshuffling of dates" but also some additions to the itinerary. Their website said it was "completely false" to say the entire tour was off. The Dixie Chicks also paid tribute to their fans, stressing they were "as active and dedicated as they come". In 2003 there was a backlash against the group following remarks by singer Natalie Maines. She said they were "ashamed" to share their home state of Texas with President Bush. She later retracted an apology for "disrespecting the office of the president", telling Time magazine in a recent interview: "I don't feel that way anymore. I don't feel he is owned any respect whatsoever." The Dixie Chicks are scheduled to play a sold-out concert at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire next Thursday, and will support the Eagles two days later at Twickenham Stadium. They will then embark on a tour of the United States and Canada, which starts in Detroit on 21 July and ends on 11 November in Tacoma, Washington. The group's latest album, Taking the Long Way, has spent the past two weeks at number one on the US pop charts, having sold 526,000 copies during its first seven days.