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Grammy Award winning Soweto Gospel Choir brings ‘Grace' with new
CD project on Shanachie Entertainment
"It was like mind-blowing. At first I couldn't believe it," said Sipokazi
Nxumalo, one of 19 founding members of the Soweto Gospel Choir, about winning their first Grammy Award. "There are 26
members (including band and dancers) and 90% of us have been together since the beginning. Seven or eight have moved on..."
The Soweto Gospel Choir began in 2002 when the groups' executive producer, Beverly
Bryer, and musical director, David Mulovhedzi, held an audition in Soweto to form an "all-star" choir. The result
is a choir that won a Grammy Award with their second CD project, "Blessed," in 2005 - their first CD project "Voices
from Heaven" was released in 2004. Last year they released a CD/DVD titled "Live at the Nelson Mandela Theatre Grace,
Inc." which garnered them a Grammy Award nomination.
In
2010 the World Music choir released "Grace" on Shanachie Entertainment. The 19 selection CD is certainly another
award winning album. The harmony is almost perfect - if there is such a thing. To also hear that old-time Traditional Gospel
on the same project as Traditional South African Gospel was truly refreshing...
 Saxophonist Michael J. Thomas brings the beat of the city with his new CD release
Even though he was raised around country music - growing
up in Kentucky - and heard R&B music from his parents that consisted of Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind and Fire, Michael
J. Thomas was drawn towards the saxophone and Jazz. On March 2, 2010 Thomas releases a new CD project, "City Beat,"
on Harbor Breeze Music.
"I'm from the country originally...and
any opportunity to go to the city I took, " laughs Michael about the title of the project. "It's something about
the city that I love...the hustle and bustle...I like it."
His love for the sounds of the city is evident
in his new CD project because honestly while listening to it that is exactly what I see in my mind, the comings-and-going
of city life.
"You can go to a restaurant in New York at 2 a.m.," Thomas points out. "The town
I live in everything shuts down at 9 p.m."
Michael said music was all that he ever wanted to do and though
his music is classified as Jazz he has been influence by Michael Jackson, Prince and Brian McKnight.
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 Tyler Perry to receive the Chairman's Award during the live broadcast of the '41st NAACP
Image Awards' Friday, February 26, 2010 on Fox Tyler
Perry will receive the NAACP Chairman's Award during the 41ST NAACP IMAGE AWARDS, broadcast live from Los Angeles' historic
Shrine Auditorium, Friday, Feb. 26 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. The announcement was recently made
by Vicangelo Bulluck, executive producer of the telecast and executive director of the NAACP's Hollywood Bureau. The Chairman's Award, chosen by NAACP Board Chairman Julian Bond, is bestowed in recognition
of special achievement and distinguished public service. Past honorees include Former Vice President Al Gore and Dr. Wangari
Muta Maathai, Aretha Franklin, Bono, President Barack Obama, The Dave Matthews Band, Danny Glover, Aaron McGruder and Janet
Jackson. Perry is currently nominated for multiple NAACP Image Awards,
including Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television) for "Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself"
and for Outstanding Comedy Series for "Tyler Perry's House of Payne." For more information on the NAACP IMAGE AWARDS, please visit www.naacpimageawards.net.
 Female vocalist Kwanza Jones joins national campaign 'Girls are not for Sale'
Los Angeles based Kwanza Jones is one of the latest artists to
help bring awareness to the issue of child sex trafficking, along with others already involved which include Beyoncé
Knowles, Halle Berry, Demi Moore, Sinead O'Connor and Mary J Blige. Last month O'Connor and Blige recorded a remake of O'Connor's
prolific song "This is to Mother You" in order to bring awareness to this inhumane crisis. Singer and songwriter
Kwanza Jones joined an all-star lineup including Daisy Fuentes to participate in the music video and public service announcement.
‘Girls Are Not for Sale' is a national initiative from GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services), an anti-sex
trafficking organization. The campaign aims to inspire the American public to take easy, effective actions to nurture and
empower American girls who have been kidnapped and/or lured into the sex industry. This mission is to protect every girl from
the dangers of commercial sexual exploitation. GEMS is using e-activism, live events, all-star artist collaborations and other
initiatives to promote girl empowerment and education as a critical tool in the fight against child traffickers and pimps
who victimize between 100,000 and 300,000 American children and teens each year.
"This is to Mother You"
was digitally released on December 2, 2009. Proceeds of sales go toward GEMS' Girls Fund. Meanwhile Kwanza Jones has released
the first single/music video "Everything Around You (I'm not Happy)" off her forthcoming LP Supercharged! which
will be released this Spring 2010. For more information log onto www.KwanzaJones.com, www.GirlsarenotforSale.org, and www.gems-girls.org.
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VIDEO OF THE WEEK 
R&B/Soul singer/songwriter N' dambi is promoting
her newest CD project "Pink Elephant" on STAX/Concord Music. See the video clip below of her performing her current
single "Can't Hardly Wait" which she recently performed on The Mo'Nique Show on BET SPOTLIGHT "KAREN CLARK-SHEARD"  Grammy Award winner Karen Clark Sheard is all about
family. In fact, family has always been key to her success as one of music's most dynamic vocalists. Whether it's an inspirational
R&B track or a down-home gospel groove, Sheard's multi-octave vocal range and dizzying vocal gymnastics with and without
the legendary Clark Sisters have inspired a host of today's brightest Pop divas such as Beyonce, Mariah Carey, and Faith Evans
among others. It all started as a child when Sheard was trained to sing by her mother and has come full circle with her 20
year old son producing tracks on her first CD in four years, "All in One" (Karew Records), a slick set of Urban-flavored
Gospel. "All in One" is also Sheard's first CD on her own label, Karew Records. Sheard's mom was pioneering Gospel choir director Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, who formed
her five daughters into the Clark Sisters when Sheard was barely a teenager. Starting in 1973, they recorded nationally and
hit pay dirt when their signature song "You Brought The Sunshine" hit #16 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1983.
Over the years, the sisters have recorded 15 albums and crafted enduring gospel anthems such as "Endow Me," "Pray
for the USA," "Name It Claim It" and "Is My Living in Vain?" In 1997, Sheard launched a solo career
with Finally Karen on Island/Def Jam. An out-of-the gate smash, it sold nearly half a million copies, garnered four Stellar
Awards and a Grammy nomination. Sheard continued her solo streak with other hit CDs before reuniting with her sisters for
their #1 comeback CD "Live...One Last Time" (EMI Gospel) in 2007.
The lead single for The Clark Sisters'
return was "Blessed and Highly Favored." The song, written and led by Sheard, shot to #1 on Billboard's Hot Gospel
Songs chart for seven weeks and earned her a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song of 2007. Sheard brought those newly revealed
composing skills to five of the fourteen tracks on "All in One." She and her producer son J. Drew wrote the initial
radio single "Prayed Up." The pulsating track boasts a Go-Go backbeat and an urgent cry for prayer to combat the
problems of every day life. The CD is truly a family affair. In addition to J. Drew producing, Sheard's daughter Kierra (known for her 2004 multi-format crossover smash "You
Don't Know") provided background vocals on the set and sings with her mom on "Lord Take Me." Sheard's niece
Angel Chisholm also sings on the song and co-wrote three tracks for the project. Sheard's cousin J. Moss and his PAJAM production
team produced and co-wrote eight songs for the project while his brother Bill Moss Jr. played piano on the worship ballad
"Because of You." Dorinda Clark Cole of the Clark Sisters joins her baby sister on the Neo-Soul groove "He
Knows."
"All in One" picks up where "Finally Karen" left off and breaks new ground for
Contemporary Gospel music. "All in One" reaches the young and young-at-heart alike with a series of neatly crafted
songs with pop-friendly refrains, transparent messages of faith and equally bold urban beats. The title song shines with a
brightly infectious European club rhythm. Sheard and her niece, Angel Chisholm wrote "Crazy Praise" which makes
a nod to disco with its refreshing retro soul groove. Chisholm also co-wrote the uplifting "Hold On" that carries
a catchy tribal drum tempo.
In between these sweat sessions, Sheard cools down with stately worship ballads such
as "Never Let Me Go", "Holy is Your Word", "Because of You" and "Have Your Way." Sheard
and J. Moss co-wrote the bustling "What He Did" that fuses a Sunday morning church vibe with a Rock edge for a driving
declaration of God's goodness. The warm and inviting mid-tempo track "I Made A Choice" sparkles with the engaging
lilt of Smooth Jazz. "Good" is a soulful proclamation of God's benevolence (in the vein of the best Mary J. Blige
ballads) while "Blessings is a mid-tempo jam with an old school flair. The final song on the project is "Lord, Take
Me." Written By J. Drew and Chisholm, the contagious Pop song is reminiscent of Akon's West African rooted sound. It
is performed as a trio recording Chisholm, Kierra and Sheard and is a perfect coda for what portends to be one of the hallmark
musical releases of 2010. Off stage, Sheard proves that "All in One" is not just a CD title but also a way of life.
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