Music Competition Looking For Next Stars

Round One of the Intel(R) 2013 Superstars Competition is now complete. There were over 1,450 submissions and 100,000 votes, with four artists from four different genres — Rock, Pop, Latin, and R&B — being awarded a deluxe home studio prize package. The 2013 Round One winners are:

Rock: Pullman Standard (Hollywood, CA) Pop: Kristen Hope Justice (Buford, GA) Latin: Gregory Telfort (Freeport, NY) R&B: DeShaude Ourstage(Toluca Lake, CA)

They will each receive a prize package that includes products from Gibson Guitars, Blue Microphones, Orange Amps, Creative Labs, HMDX, Sonos, V-MODA, and Intel. Additionally, they will compete in Round Three for the $10,000 Grand Prize.

Round Two is now open for entry and artists must enter by November 26, 2013 at 11:59 AM ET. Entrants can submit original music in any of the available Superstars music genres at www.superstars2013.com. Fan judging will run through November 30, 2013 at 11:59 AM ET. Round Two genre channels include: Country, Singer-Songwriter, Hip-Hop & Rap, and Electronic.

In Round Two, hundreds of artists will face off for more prizes, including a chance to win a $10,000 grand prize. Using OurStage.com’s patented judging technology, music fans will rank submissions in these four channels. The top-ranked artist in each channel will be a prize winner and one artist will ultimately receive a check for $10,000, courtesy of Intel. Tyler Barth, VP of Entertainment Relations at Blue Microphones says, “Hard-working unsigned talent represents the future of the music business. Giving these artists a platform to be recognized, appreciated, and exposed is what we love most about being a part of this contest.”

Entrance into the Intel 2013 Superstars Competition is free and is limited to residents of the United States who are at least 18 years old at time of entry.

The top 20 in each genre-based competition channel will advance to the Round Three stage of judging at 12:00 PM ET on November 30, 2013 through 11:59 AM ET on December 15, 2013. Of those artists, the final top 20-ranked artists will be submitted to Round Four, in which a panel of judges will select one grand prize winner, on or about December 20, 2013.

The industry panel will be made up of music experts and professionals, including Austin Renfroe (winner, 2011 Intel Superstar), Jason Ienner (Manager, Hot Chelle Rae and Haerts), Bruce Tyler (Industry Executive, former EVP at Sony), Tommy Page (Pandora VP of Artist and Brand Partnerships), Brian Nolan (Senior Director, Creative Agency – Columbia Records), Justin Lassen (Producer, Nihil Studios), Mike Rivet (Sr. Marketing Manager at Intel), and Scott Janovitz (Director of Community at OurStage.com). The panelists will determine the grand prize winner using a standard set of criteria: presentation, originality and creativity, melody, vocal ability, lyrics, and entertainment value.

Please visit http://superstars2013.com/ for the “Intel 2013 Superstars Competition” official rules, which include details regarding eligibility, the fan judging schedule, as well as a complete list of all the fantastic prizes to be awarded.

Don Blackman Songwriter, Producer and Jazz Pianist Succumbs To His Battle With Cancer

DON-BLACKMANR&b  jazz-funk pianist, singer, songwriter, and producer Don Blackman passed away Thursday after being hospitalized with stage four cancer.

Blackman’s neighbor as a child was Charles McPherson, and while still a teenager he played in McPherson’s ensemble.

In the early 1970s, he played with Parliament/Funkadelic, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Roy Ayers, before becoming a member of Lenny White’s group Twennynine, for whom he penned songs such as “Peanut Butter” and “Morning Sunrise”. He released his self-titled debut solo album in 1982 on Arista Records, including the songs “Holding You, Loving You”, “Heart’s Desire” and “Since You’ve Been Away So Long” that became minor hits in Europe.

Blackman also worked as a session musician, appearing on many albums including, Kurtis Blow (Kingdom Blow), Bernard Wright, Najee,David Sanborn, Lenny White Roy Ayers, Sting (Brand New Day), World Saxophone Quartet, Janet Jackson’s “That’s the Way Love Goes” (Remix) and Wayman Tisdale. He also composed “Live to Kick It”, which appeared on Tupac Shakur’s album R U Still Down? (Remember Me), “Dear Summer” which appeared on Memphis Bleek’s album “534” featuring artist Jay-Z, and “Holding You, Loving You” which appeared on Master P.’s album “I Got The Hook Up”.

 

 

Don Blackman Songwriter, Producer and Jazz Pianist Succumbs To His Battle With Cancer

Birthday Shout Out To Jazz Legend Max Roach

Today would have been pioneering percussionist, composer, band leader, drummer  and civil rights activist, Max Roach 89th birthday. Born on this day  in 1924 in North Carolina.  He worked with dozens of jazz legends, including Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Clifford Brown and many others.  He passed away (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) in Manhattan. He survived by five children.

 

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Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival January 24-26 2013

Performing this year are R&B singer Monica, smooth jazz artist Arturo Tappin,  Michael Bolton, and legendary Dionne Warwick.  There will be some reggae at the festival, Thursday January 24th the iconic reggae band Third World.  Friday,  Queen of Hip-Hop Mary J. Blige takes the stage. Returning to the festival stage (his last festival performance was in 2001) on Saturday, nine time Grammy award winner John Legend wraps the festival.

Master Slide Hampton Hospitalized

Locksley Wellington “Slide” Hampton an American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger was hospitalized last night after leaving the stage during a performance at Indiana University. Mr. Hampton is recovering in a Indianapolis area hospital. His performance at the Jazz Kitchen has been rescheduled.
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Detroit Jazz Festival More Than Just Music This Year

The Detroit Jazz Festival will be start Friday and two organizations MusiCares and Smile Programs will hold a free dental clinic 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday at the Renaissance Center for musicians. The clinic will give free screens, teeth cleaning and x-rays to “uninsured music professionals in need. For complete schedule of events.

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