Season 2 of “Spectacle: Elvis Costello with…” Premieres December 9

Sundance Channel will premiere the second season of its critically acclaimed music/talk original series Spectacle: Elvis Costello with… on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 10:00pm et/pt. Spectacle: Elvis Costello with… combines the best elements of talk and music television and lets viewers in on intimate conversation and performance with host Costello and his guests ranging from legendary performers to promising new artists. The series, executive produced by Sir Elton John, includes one-on-one interviews, unprecedented pairings, group discussions, as well as extraordinary performances, from impromptu “illustrative” moments to full band (and even multi-band) productions. Among the confirmed guests for the seven-part season are: Bono, The Edge, Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Lyle Lovett, John Prine, Ron Sexsmith, Neko Case, Jesse Winchester, Ray LaMontagne, Nick Lowe, Levon Helm, Richard Thompson and Allen Toussaint.

Read Full Post »

Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love, A Film by Chai Vasarhelyi

‘Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love,’ is a music-infused cinematic journey about the power of one man’s voice to inspire change. Ndour is the highest selling African artist of all time and has collaborated with musical superstars like Bono, Neneh Cherry and Peter Gabriel . At home in Senegal, the Grammy-award winning artist is an inspiration for generations. The film chronicles Ndour, a devout Sufi Muslim, as he releases a deeply personal and religious album called Egypt in the hope of promoting a more tolerant face of Islam. Almost instantly, his fellow Senegalese reject the album, and denounce his actions as blasphemous. Director Chai Vasarhelyi follows Ndour for over two years – filming in Africa, Europe, and America – to tell the story of how he faces these challenges and eventually wins over audiences both at home and abroad.

Read Full Post »

Hear Music to Release Playing for Change – Songs Around the World on April 28th

Remarkable Effort Ten Years in the Making Features Collaborations with Artists Around the Globe, Including Keb’ Mo’, U2’s Bono, and Bob Marley

Los Angeles, CA (February 19, 2009) – Giving voice to an extraordinary effort to inspire peace through music and to connect diverse musicians worldwide, including those in conflict regions, Hear Music today announced the April 28 release of Playing for Change – Songs Around the World. The special CD/DVD package, available at participating Starbucks company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada and at traditional retail worldwide, contains a ten-song audio CD as well as a seven-track DVD, which features five of the songs performed live. The DVD also includes a trailer for the forthcoming PFC documentary and information on the PFC Foundation.

Grammy winning producer/engineer Mark Johnson and his Playing For Change team traveled for a decade with a single minded passion to connect the world though music. Their ambitious journey took them from post-apartheid South Africa, through the ancient sites of the Middle East, to the remote beauty of the Himalayas and beyond. Using innovative mobile technology, the PFC crew filmed and recorded more than 100 musicians, largely outdoors, in parks, plazas and promenades, in doorways, on cobblestone streets and amid hilly pueblos. Each captured performance created a new mix in which essentially the artists are all performing together, albeit hundreds or thousands of miles apart. In a recent interview with PFC founder Johnson, PBS’ Bill Moyers called Playing For Change a remarkable example of “the simple yet transformative power of music…to touch something in each of us.”

Read Full Post »