Red Carpet Article/Q&A: Grammy Award-winning jazz drummer TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON

Drummer/producer Terri Lyne Carrington has been doing amazing things in the world of Jazz music for just over two decades, collaborating alongside luminaries such as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Patrice Rushen, Stevie Wonder and Al Jarreau, just to name a few. Her Grammy Award-winning fifth album, THE MOSAIC PROJECT, is 14 scintillating tracks of abstract and beautiful music artistry that exclusively features some of the most gifted female jazz musicians on the planet, such as Esperanza Spalding on bass, legendary percussionist/drummer Sheila Escovedo, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, pianists Geri Allen and Helen Sung, saxophonist Tineke Postma and vocalists Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Nona Hendryx. The album was her first under the Concord Jazz label imprint, and received high marks from music critics around the globe. Fans of top-quality, live music imstrumentation will absolutely appreciate and fall head over heels in love with THE MOSAIC PROJECT! I had the chance to briefly interview the super-talented and gorgeous Ms. T.L.C. during her time of rest and relaxation.

RG: How long did it take to record THE MOSAIC PROJECT?

TLC: The album took about a month to record, and afterwards about an additional couple of weeks as far as the mixing process was concerned.

RG: Define the 'Terri Lyne Carrington' brand of musicality.

TLC: Eclectic, jazzy and funky!

RG: What does 'performing live' mean to you?

TLC: To me, when performing live, you have the three essential connections: your instrument, the other musicians you are playing with, and of course, the audience. Also when you're performing live, you can play with a carefree, reckless abandon onstage and worry less about being perfect, compared to being in a more contained setting in the studio, where every aspect of the recording process has to be executed perfectly for the most part.

RG: What's the best piece of advice you can give to a talented young female musician who aspires to become a success on the professional level?

TLC: Of course, as a female, you are going to go through the common struggles, but if you are sincere, possess a great talent, and is continuing to hone your skillset, the rest will work itself out.

RG: In your words, define 'being in the spotlight.'

TLC: To be in the spotlight, you have to do your very best at whatever your passion is to be. I think it's a pretty big responsibility to shine in the spotlight if you take what you do seriously.

http://www.terrilynecarrington.com/
http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/

LockerRoom Q&A with Future Basketball Superstars

The Date: Thursday, April 15, 2K10

The Locale: The Sports Club LA Basketball Gym, East 61st Street between 1st & 2nd Ave, New York City
The Venue: Practice session, Jordan Brand High School All-American National team

RG: Name one or two NBA players that best represent your style of play on the court.

*PG Brandon Knight (Kentucky/Detroit Pistons) - Chris Paul and Steve Nash

*F Deshaun Thomas (Ohio State/Future NBA player) - Lamar Odom and Tracy McGrady

*G/F Reggie Bullock (North Carolina) - Kevin Durant and Trevor Ariza

*F/C Perry Jones III (Baylor/Future NBA player) - Kevin Durant and Kevin Garnett

*F Harrison Barnes (North Carolina/Future NBA player) - Kobe Bryant

*PG Kyrie Irving (Duke/Cleveland Cavaliers; 1st overall pick, 2K11) - Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups

*F Jared Sullinger (Ohio State/Future NBA player) - Lamar Odom and Elton Brand. 'I LOVE to REBOUND the basketball!'

*PG Kendall Marshall (North Carolina/Future NBA player) - lefty PG Marcus Williams (U.Conn/NBA) 'I LOVE to PASS FIRST and get my teammates involved!'

*G Dion Waiters (Syracuse/Future NBA player) - Dwyane Wade and Deron Williams

Spotlight on THE ARTS: FAME-WALL

FAME-WALL is a wonderful portrait gallery that salutes those individuals who not only have made a significant impact in the world of arts and entertainment, but most importantly have also inspired so many others through their equally amazing charitable work. FAME-WALL was created by actor/producer Dale Badway, and was designed to pay homage to the creative icons from the arts and entertainment arenas, bringing together the stage, screen and music along with the paper, paint and canvas. All of the portraits are custom-painted by the legendary and super-talented Mr. Jim Warren, who was the first person as an art painter to win a Grammy award for the category of 'Album Design-Album Packaging.' The work that garnered Jim the historic victory was for the cover of Grammy award-winning rock artist Bob Seger's 1980 album 'Against The Wind.' Badway compares Jim's brilliant brand of artwork to the likes of globally-renowned painters Salvador Dali and Norman Rockwell.

 FAME-WALL Entertainment Marketing Executive Angela Crockett also added that what makes FAME-WALL so unique is how they particularly select the honorees in that they are not being solely recognized for their creative talents, but more so for the utilization of their 'star-power' to move the world forward through their incredible philanthropic efforts. The past honorees include music icons Kool & The Gang, Chaka Khan and The Beach Boys, actors John Stamos, Sean Hayes and Kelsey Grammer and actresses Kristin Chenowith, Angelica Page and Brooke Shields.

FAME-WALL currently has homes in both New York City and Hollywood, CA. A third installment is in the works for London, United Kingdom in the very near future.

http://www.fame-wall.com/

Red Carpet Q&A: Hip-Hop/R&B Trio TRILLOGY (New York/New Jersey)

After taking home a couple of trophies at the Underground Music Awards in 2010 at BB King Blues Club & Grill in the heart of Times Square, New York City, this talented threesome are primed and ready to expand their buzz from the local ranks to global status. Group members OxPro, Jay-Will and Kira took timeout from their busy schdule to introduce themselves, and also share with us their dreams of big-time success in the music industry.

RG: Where are you all from?

Jay-Will: I'm from Long Island, New York, OxPro hails from Gilford Park in New Jersey and Kira was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. It's a long stretch, but somehow we make it happen! (Laughs)

RG: How long have you guys been together as a group, and how well do you all get along with each other?

Jay-Will: Trillogy has been a group for going on six years now. OxPro is the veteran....I joined about five years ago and Kira came in three years ago.

Kira: On most days, we're cool as far as us getting along with each other. It's when we have to record a song or decide on a track is when we bump heads a little bit, but other than that, we pretty much get along great!

OxPro: To put it simply - Trillogy is a family!

RG: Nice! Now, a fan of good, quality music is always checking for 'the next big thing.' How would you promote your brand of musicality to convince the record-buying public that you are 'the next big thing' in the Hip-Hop/R&B game?

Jay-Will: I think for me is our honesty in the music, as well as just being ourselves. You always have to sell to yourself, but at the same time, always be true to yourself as possible; that's my motto.

OxPro: All I ask is for the people to listen to our music and feel it. Our music never stays the same. We constantly challenge ourselves to come up with fresh ideas and new melodies. We work extremely hard, and we try to make music that everybody can enjoy. We don't just make music for any one particular audience - we make music for the entire world!

RG: What does 'performing live' mean to you?

Kira: To me, performing live is what makes all the hard work in the studio, as well as the songwriting process, pay off. As an artist, you get to express how you feel to your fans, and they get to see your emotions behind the music. Hearing the fans scream, clap their hands, and knowing that our music is touching someone makes us as a group feel real good when we're performing live onstage!

RG: Are you all involved in other ventures outside of the music?

Jay-Will: I'm an electrician by day, but I also love to ride dirt bikes in my spare time. I get yelled at from management for jumping four stories high, but hey, you only live once, right? (Laughs)

Kira: I am not involved in any venture outside of music right now. Just exclusively dealing with the music is a lot as it is!

OxPro: The only other venture I have outside of music is cutting hair, and it's actually been a hobby of mine for a few years now. Who need a haircut? (Laughs)

RG: What would be the 'icing on the cake' for you as a group?

Jay-Will: For me, the 'icing on the cake' would be for us to succeed, and to finally reap what we started sowing a long time ago before we even met each other. We've all had these dreams and aspirations, and three-times the drive is better than one!

Kira: I'd say the 'icing on the cake' for me would be for us to make history by landing on the No.1-spot on every Billboard music chart all across the world, and also for us to become an iconic group and having TRILLOGY written in big, bright lights in Times Square!

OxPro: I would say the 'icing on the cake' at this point would be what we all are working towards - being invited to the Grammys, MTV Video Music Awards, etc., and also for us to be nominated for major music awards, making classic records that touch people across the world, and just leaving our mark in music as a whole!

http://www.whoistrillogy.com/

R&B/Soul Male Vocal Group AMBIENT (Boston, MA)

Dwight Burgess, Sean Miranda, Travis Fountain, Jay Greer and Delin Green make up the very talented and musically versatile vocal group AMBIENT. Together, they bring their unique brand of good-quality, throwback-style R&B/Soul music with a gospel-feel and Hip-Hop flavor to audiences of all ages and ethnicities around the world. Formerly known as THE SUPERIORS back when they started in the mid-to-late 1980's, the group is currently unsigned, but have recorded with both Motown Records and Columbia/SONY Music in the past. Their harmonies are intricate, soulful and smooth, reminiscent of legendary groups like The Temptations and The Dramatics, and the lyrics to all of their original songs speak positive truth about everyday life experiences, family values, and for the urging of men to love, honor and respect the Queens of the Universe - our WOMEN, which is somewhat a rarity in the majority of today's popular R&B and Hip-Hop music. The talented quintet briefly shared with me their thoughts on a few things relating to the current landscape of music.

RG: How long have you guys been together as a group?

AMBIENT: We've been together for over 20 years, and we officially released our first album back in 1990.

RG: Do you guys get along well?

AMBIENT: For the most part, we do get along, but we fight like hell at times! (Laughs)

RG: Define the 'AMBIENT' brand of musicality.

AMBIENT: Realistic music in its purest form.

RG: You guys are currently unsigned. How important is it for you all to get a new record deal?

AMBIENT: To be honest, if we get a deal, then so be it. We will make it happen one way or another with God's blessing.

RG: In your opinion, what do you guys think is lacking in the current landscape of R&B music, plus the fact that there aren't too many authentically talented male vocal groups today compared to years past?

AMBIENT: 'Acutal singing' is missing. To be honest, the music industry has changed over the past few years. The society of today, particularly the younger generation, doesn't always appreciate 'true artists,' both lyrically and vocally for whatever reason.

RG: What does 'performing live' mean to you guys collectively?

AMBIENT: It means everything! We believe in that 'never do in the recording studio what you can't do on a live stage.' A 'true artist' will always perform everything live with real singing, keeping the audience entertained, and most importantly, having the accompaniment of an incredibly talented band.

RG: What's the best piece of advice you can give to a young male vocal group who has great talent and wants to take things to the next level?

AMBIENT: Learn the business aspect of the music industry and always treat it as a business, which we feel is very important. You can possess all the talent in the world, but if you don't understand the business side of things, you will be taken advantage of and robbed blindly.

*BIG shout-out goes out to the group's head street team promoter KEVIN GRAY from Boston, MA for allowing me the opportunity to Q&A these five positive and super-talented gentlemen!

www.facebook.com/Ambient Superiors
http://www.reverbnation.com/; Ambient Superiors

KOOL & THE GANG - Article and Q&A with founding member ROBERT 'KOOL' BELL

With over 70 million units sold worldwide throughout their long and illustrious career, Kool & The Gang have endured both the highs and the lows in the ever-evolving music industry, and succeeded to become one of the most uniquely versatile bands to ever do it both onstage and in the recording studio. Whether it's the jazzy flow of their hit songs 'Summer Madness' and 'Too Hot,' the raw funkness of 'Jungle Boogie' and 'Hollywood Swingin',' to the eclectic, global sounds of 'Celebration,' 'Ladie's Night' and 'Joanna,' these mega-talented brothers from Jersey City, New Jersey have touched everyone around the globe with timeless, classic music that will forever resonate within our consciousness for generations to come. The group's founding members - Robert 'Kool' Bell, his brother Ronald Bell (now known as Khalis Bayyan) and Dennis Thomas were honored by Fame-Wall (http://www.fame-wall.com/) for their lifetime achievements back on July 7, 2011 in New York City. Robert was kind enough to briefly share with me his views on how one can succeed in the current music industry, and well as offering up his thoughts on what it means to be in the spotlight.

RG: What's the best advice you can give to musically talented young men who strive to one day become successful in the current music industry?

RKB: Well, I always like to say that they need to try and be creative in their own right and have a distinct identity, which is kind of hard in today's popular music landscape with everything sounding so much alike. A lot of major record companies don't like to take risks like they used to in the past. It's also very important to learn about the business side of things in terms of how copyrights work, learning about publishing rights, lawyers handling the legalities of your contract, accountants managing your finances accurately and things of that nature. But the main thing for me is to never give up - if recording music professionally is what you really want to do because it's not always easy. There are always going to be hills and valleys along the journey, so you've got to make sure that you can weather the storm when it arises.

RG: Define 'being in the spotlight' from your perspective.

RKB: I guess 'being in the spotlight' is the fact that people recognize who you are and appreciate what you do. But also while you're in the spotlight, there is a lot of responsibility that comes with that to stay in the spotlight, because at any given moment, if you're not careful, the lights can go out, and you might no longer be in the spotlight (chuckles), so you have to continue to work hard to maintain a relevancy in the spotlight, especially in the music industry!

http://www.koolandthegang.com/

LockerRoom Q&A: WNBA Legend TAJ MCWILLIAMS-FRANKLIN

RG: Give me your thoughts on the growth of the WNBA since its debut in 1997.

Taj: The growth is amazing! I'm always asked about current Connecticut Sun All-Star Tina Charles and how well she plays. I remember being 21 years of age, coming straight out of college and having nowhere near that skillset and the knowledge of the game. The players now are bigger, stronger and better. Also, the teachers of the game are much better now than they were back then. Not saying that the coaches weren't, but we only had the mens players to look up to. Now, they see the women's game that they can model and say 'I want to take that move from HER,' or 'I want to do this move that SHE used to do.' So as the generations change and the WNBA grows, I just see more incredible talent coming straight out of college and into the league that's exploding it like current Los Angeles Sparks All-Star Candace Parker and the aforementioned Tina Charles. It's just great for the league, and I hope it continues because I have daughters that play and they want to play in the WNBA one day. For me, just knowing that I had a hand in something that I want the WNBA to become - a global institution just like our male counterparts of the NBA. Even though it looks great now, we still have a long way to go, but we're moving along at a great pace, 15 years in!

*Taj was a member of the 2K11 WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx and re-signed with the organization for the 2K12 campaign.

http://www.wnba.com/

Red Carpet Q&A: Supermodel JESSICA WHITE

The Date: Wednesday, 8/11/2K10
The Locale: EVENTI Hotel, New York City
The Event: Launching of '4 Season Style Management'

RG: WNBA superstar Cappie Pondexter and her business partner Lisa Craig-Smith launched their fashion venture 4 SEASON STYLE MANAGEMENT. What are your feelings of the company's potential?

JW: For me, I feel like it's empowering women, and I really congratulate both Cappie and Lisa. People expect that just because celebs are 'celebs,' that they know how to dress, or that they are into fashion. I think that it's a good opportunity just to impart great fashion for women!

RG: What keeps you motivated on a day-to-day basis?

JW: My family and GOD. I am a very spiritual person. I wake up every morning and I write in my journal, and I also pray and meditate before I start my day. When I start my day without meditating, it's always a really bad day. (Laughs)

RG: What's your definition of 'being in the spotlight?'

JW: INVASIVE! (Both laugh) It makes me more aware of the person I am, and I try to improve day-to-day. The media and blogs try to point out a lot of your flaws, and I am really hard on myself to where I'm constantly pushing myself to change for the better.

*Jessica was the host of the preview party for 4 Season Style Management.

http://www.4seasonstylemanagement.com/

Fashion Q&A: ANTHONY DISPOTI, Co-Founder of ACTIVIST Eyewear

The Date: Wednesday, 12/14/2K11
The Locale: TINA CATHERINE Optical Store, New York City

RG: What makes ACTIVIST Eyewear unique compared to the competition that's out there?

AD: That's a great question! Well, the whole reason behind starting the brand was that we wanted eyewear that sort of melded the two worlds of style and performance together. What you'll see throughout the collection are a lot of classic eye shapes, but with our high-tech innovation, the SPLIT-FIT temple. The idea for that is that the extra surface area gets more contact points to the side of the head. It's a better grip, so it's in place and it's not going to fall off your face. The other thing is that it makes it a lot more comfortable because it distributes the weight more evenly along the side of the head, so you don't get those pressure points that occasionally leads to a headache.

RG: What's the price range of your eyewear?

AD: $450

RG: Where is your compnay based at?

AD: We're based in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn, New York.

RG: Any notable individuals that have worn ACTIVIST Eyewear?

AD: Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, Dion Phaneuf, defenseman and current captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. (NHL)

*In 2012, Grammy-nominated recording artist B.o.B. and hip-hop recording artist/actor Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) have both jumped on board the ACTIVIST Eyewear bandwagon as well!

http://www.activisteyewear.com/