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Yo-Yo Ma was the cello's foremost contemporary proponent; while primarily a classical performer, he also made a number of highly successful crossover recordings. Born October 7, 1955 to Chinese parents living in Paris, he began playing the cello at the age of four, later studying with Janos Scholz; in 1962, he also became the pupil of Leonard Rose at the Juilliard School, and was the recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize in 1978. A Harvard graduate, Ma made his initial impact performing J.S. Bach's Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, which he also recorded early on in his career; years later, he returned to Bach's work alongside artists from a variety of disciplines, reinterpreting each suite for a series of films, dubbed Inspired by Bach (made in conjunction with the likes of Canadian filmmakers Atom Egoyan and Francois Giraud along with choreographer Mark Morris). In addition to the standard concerto repertoire, Ma also recorded albums such as Hush (with vocalist Bobby McFerrin) and 1996's Appalachia Waltz, an album of original Nashville music featuring country fiddler Mark O'Connor and bassist Edgar Meyer. He also performed the music of Astor Piazzolla for the soundtrack of the Sally Potter film The Tango Lesson, and explored native Chinese music as well as the music of the Kalahari bush people of Africa. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
MP3 News Breakers: Snoop & Dre, Buju, Ho, Onyx, Yo Yo Ma
Snoop and Dr. Dre collaborate for first time in five years; LA club cancels Buju Banton show; Queens rappers back "yung" imitators; "Tiny Bubbles" singer to get hospital release; UN names cellist messenger of peace.
Snoop, Dr. Dre team up for album
Snoop & Dre on the cover of
Rolling Stone in 1993.
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, one of the most potent combos in hip-hop dating back to 1992's "Deep Cover," are collaborating for the first time in five years for Snoop's forthcoming album, The Blue Carpet Treatment. The album, which hits stores November 21 via Doggystyle/Geffen, includes the song "Imagine," on which the pair recite a litany of hip-hop-focused "ifs," including the Dr. Dre line, "Imagine Russell [Simmons] still struggling/no Def Jam," and what if Tupac Shakur hadn't been killed. Blue Carpet is the follow-up to Snoop's R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece. Dre has produced several tracks on the album, which also features production from the Neptunes, Timbaland, and Rick Rock. It boasts guest appearances from R. Kelly, Stevie Wonder, the Game, Ice Cube, Nate Dogg, and Ne-Yo.
LA club cancels Buju Banton show
Buju Banton
Another dancehall star has seen a show canceled because of complaints about his controversial lyrics about gays and lesbians. Two months after his activists forced the cancellation of his concerts with Beenie Man in the UK, Buju Banton has seen another date canceled, this time in Los Angeles. The Highland nightclub and restaurant canceled the October 2 show after receiving complaints from patrons, the club's manager told the Associated Press. "We felt it was the right thing to do after doing some research on the matter," Adam Manacker said. The club will give ticket holders full refunds, he said. Banton and Beenie Man have both apologized for old songs like Banton's "Batty Rider" and "Boom Bye Bye," which seem to suggest the shooting of gay men. But Beenie Man has also suggested that their lyrics had been misinterpreted and that their targets were actually child molesters. Banton's latest album, Too Bad, released earlier this month, omits homophobic lyrics. Banton was tried and acquitted on charges that he participated in the beating of six gay men by a Jamaica gang in 2004.
Don Ho on the mend again
Don Ho
Hawaiian crooner Don Ho, who has been in and out of the hospital in recent years with heart trouble, expects to be released from the hospital this weekend after having a new pacemaker installed. The "Tiny Bubbles" singer has been in the hospital since September 13 and had a new pacemaker installed last Saturday. "The new pacemaker has two wires instead of one, one going into each chamber of my heart," Ho told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. "They also put in a kind of balloon deal to keep my heart pumping while they did the operation." In December, the 76-year-old underwent a new, stem-cell-based heart treatment in Thailand that hasn't been approved in the US. No word on when Ho expects to resume his weekly gig at Hawaii's Ohana Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel.
Yung Onyx looks to rep the streets
Yung Onyx
Imitation is the best form of flattery, if not originality. Yung Onyx, a rap group in the vein of Bacdafucup rap group Onyx, released its debut album, Bangout, earlier this month. The group, which consists of teenaged rappers Khaos, Skitso, and M.I., and R&B singer Primo Star, are hoping to resurrect the success of grimy, street-focused hip-hop that Onyx had in the early 1990s. The album was executive-produced by Onyx member-turned-actor Fredro Starr. "Papoose can't be the only one to bring New York back," Starr told AllHipHop.com. "Yung Onyx is here. There's no more groups in the game now who bring that raw street s**t. [Yung Onyx] don't rap about jewelry and cars...they rap about the block. ... Like they say, history always repeats itself," Starr said.
Yo Yo Ma named UN messenger of peace
Yo Yo Ma
While speeches by President Bush, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rightfully grabbed headlines at the opening of the general assembly of the United Nations this week, acclaimed cellist Yo Yo Ma also made some news. Secretary General Kofi Annan named Ma a Messenger of Peace, making the Chinese-American musician the latest in a long line of celebrities to be honored with the title, including boxing legend Muhammad Ali and actor Michael Douglas. "Let each of us pledge to do more, wherever we can make a difference, to bring about lasting peace," Annan said in announcing the appointment.
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