Article: Music

“We want to show the world that Congo is not just about war and famine,� Makombo says. In addition to dances and educational events, CAUSE also organizes soccer tournaments for Congolese and other Africans in New York. “We decided to bring the best of Africa for our friends in New York. This group has played with major musicians like Koffi Olomide. They have traveled and played all over the world.�

Although the CD is a bit lengthy, a good twenty-two tracks, 50, makes up by mixing different styles, old school and thematic pieces like Gatman And Robbin. 50 also succeeds in instilling the music with humor and a good amount of sexual appeal. It is definitely sexier than his debut, and a lot more honest about the artist he intends to be. My only concern is that the line between fiction and reality could easily become blurred, so far as his gangster image is concerned.

For a woman whose name means ‘to go forward’ in Setswana, the South African language of her grandmother, Goapele lives her name. The Bay Area native’s debut effort, “Even Closerâ€? was a 14-track masterpiece that she co-wrote and co-produced independently which went on to sell an unprecedented 130,000 units. Now Goapele is back on the musical scene with her highly anticipated sophomore effort, Change it All on Skyblaze

In the coming months Norful will prepare for a spring 2005 nationwide, church-based concert tour. In addition, there is the January 30 broadcast of his performance on Robert Schuller’s "Hour of Power" and the February 22 broadcast of his appearance on BET’s "Celebration of Gospel V."

Bryson has appeared on stage in several theatrical
productions, including touring companies of the Tony Award-winning "Raisin" (based on "A Raisin in the Sun") and "The Wiz," and Michigan Opera Theatre’s 100th anniversary production of Gershwin’s "Porgy and Bess."

She began her career as a background singer singing background for such performers as Tom Jones, The Righteous Brothers, Sonny and Cher, Isaac Hayes, Elvis Presley, the Mamas & the Papas, Sam Cooke, Dionne Warwick, The Beach Boys and Aretha Franklin. A high school sophomore when discovered, Love began recording for Phil Spector as part of a girl group called The Blossoms.

Black and White has done very well in his native Canada. Thus far, over 200,000 Canadians have seen the show and it has been highly acclaimed. I am now hoping to bring my show to America and that is why I came to New York, although I have performed in America before. I toured in the south. However, through my performance at the Beacon Theatre, I hoped to open a window here and see how many doors we can open now that we have opened a window. 505

His career also includes vocal performances with the Boston Pops, Virginia Beach Pops, North Jersey Philharmonic, and performing the National Anthem for the New York Mets. Scott has recently been the vocal instructor at the Sarah Lawrence College, Brookline Music School and the Arts Council of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Other career highlights are his concert tributes to Billy Eckstine, at the Massachusetts Jazz Festival, Roland Hayes at the Shirley Eustis House in Boston, Mass, and other productions.

Acclaimed entertainer Bill Bellamy left an audience of more than 1,000 guests in hysterics, entertaining some well known people on the New York scene including recording artists Amerie and Marc Dorsey, hip hop star Mr. Cheeks, America’s Top Model contestant Camille McDonald, and actor Keith David, to name a few, at the Apollo Theater on September 16.

The first of two sold-out nights at Chicago’s Allstate Arena, September 29th will mark the opening night of the most anticipated tour of 2004 “The Best of Both Worlds Tour—when the multi-platinum duo of Jay-Z and R. Kelly join forces on stage for a 40-plus-city nationwide trek. The tour comes to New York’s Madison Square Garden on October 29 and 30 and in New Jersey’s Continental Airlines arena on October 31.