Anna Marie Wooldridge (Abbey Lincoln) 1930 - 2010

RIP.: Anna Marie Wooldridge (Abbey Lincoln) 1930 - 2010

"The great jazz singer Abbey Lincoln passed away today at the age of 80. She was truly one of the greats of the music. I always heard traces of Billie Holiday in her voice, but she had a truly unique sound and was instantly recognizable. In my view, she sometimes in her later career had one of those performance styles that younger singers miss; a certain way of being more conversational than operatic. (Think Shirley Horn or Freddie Cole, even Grady Tate ; sometimes they are more speaking than singing.) This is not to imply that she didn't have pipes; One of my favorite CDs is "When There Is Love", a duo with pianist Hank Jones, and if you listen her rendition of " I Should Care", you hear her gorgeous tone soaring with

a subtle vibrato.

Of course, her association (musically and matrimonially) with drummer Max Roach is considered historically important, especially if you check out the album "We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite". (You can hear most of it on Youtube.) It's a pretty powerful fusion of music and social protest, and Lincoln is pivotal to the suite. Her singing is deadly accurate and overwhelmingly emotional. On "Tears For Johannesburg" Lincoln's vocal virtuosity rivals Sarah Vaughn.



Abbey Lincoln was also a fine and respected composer: Her bluesy "The Music Is The Magic" is practically a standard-I've performed it with a number of singers. "Bird Alone" and "Throw It Away" are also great tunes of Lincoln's. And if you didn't know, she had an acting career: You might remember her from her brief role as Bleek Gilliam's mother in Spike Lee's "Mo' Better Blues." ...She was such a beauty in her early career. She appears in a film from 1956 called "The Girl Can't Help It", looking extremely hot... you'll see her in the famous dress which Marilyn Monroe wore in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." Well, in this case, I prefer Abbey!"


Abbey Lincoln - 'Spread The Word (Spead the Gospel)'
Enviado por mickeynold. - Veja mais vídeos de musica, em HD!

Finally, I wanted to add this wonderful quote from Steve Kirby:

"Abbey Lincoln was a mystic. She was a sorceress. When she ended a song with a cadenza she channeled miles as clear as the mid-day sun. Her soul lies in a smoldering cauldron of artistic passion. I can only imagine how she saw the world. I'm certain, however, that it sat in the palm of her hand. She was one of the giants."

"Anna Marie Wooldridge (August 6, 1930 – August 14, 2010), better known by her stage name Abbey Lincoln, was a jazz vocalist, songwriter, and actress. Lincoln was unusual in that she wrote and performed her own compositions, expanding the expectations of jazz audiences.


Abbey lincoln
Enviado por framb47. - Ver os videos os mais originais da rede

Source By George Colligan (jazztruth), Wikipedia, framb47, mickeynold - Dailymotion

Jose de Sousa Saramago - 1922-2010

Some people spend their entire lives reading but never get beyond reading the words on the page, they don't understand that the words are merely stepping stones placed across a fast-flowing river, and the reason they're there is so that we can reach the farther shore, it's the other side that matters.
José de Sousa Saramago

Andrew Koening - August 17, 1968 – February 25, 2010 -

In February 2010, Koenig was reported missing by friends and family. He was last seen near a bakery in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on February 14, and missed a scheduled flight back to the US on February 16. According to his parents, Koenig left evidence that he was depressed prior to his disappearance. On February 25, 2010, it was reported by CNN that his body was found by friends searching for him in Stanley Park in Vancouver. Police later confirmed Koenig's body was found earlier in the day, and Koenig's father told reporters at an evening press conference that his son took his own life.

Humanitarian work
Koenig traveled to Burma in July 2007 and visited Burmese refugee camps in Thailand with his father as part of the U.S. Campaign for Burma. The following January, he protested the Communist Party of China's political and financial support of the military dictatorship in Burma during the 119th Tournament of Roses Parade, entering the parade and standing in front of a Chinese float promoting the 2008 Beijing Olympics after allegedly a pre-parade human rights march agreed to by parade officials was stifled by them. Koenig, who carried a sign reading "China: Free Burma" in both English and Chinese, was arrested and briefly held for his act of civil disobedience. Koenig's defense attorney was Bill Paparian, a fellow protester and former mayor of Pasadena, California, where the parade is held.
"China sits on the UN Security Council and they have refused to condemn Burma. China purchases gas from Burma and sells them weapons that the military uses on the Burmese people. So they are really quite complicit, and that was the whole point of protesting the China float," Koenig explained. Koenig also noted the Chinese government's implicit support of genocidal forces in Sudan, sweatshops and tainted export products, saying of the float, "China is putting on a good face because of the Olympics, but [it’s time to] send a message to the Chinese government that they have to not just change their face, but change the way they do things.” The Pasadena Weekly quoted Koenig as stating, "Their free speech rights have been totally censored. As a country with a Constitution and a Bill of Rights, we need to continue to support and enforce ours, and [use it to] recognize the rights of human beings all over the world."

Source by Wikipedia

Kirk Cameron, Tracey Gold Remember Andrew Koening

Former Growing Pains stars Kirk Cameron and Tracey Gold are mourning the death of their costar Andrew Koenig, whose body was found Thursday in a Vancouver park after he committed suicide.

"It is with great sorrow to hear about the final outcome of the search for my old friend Andrew," Cameron, 39, tells UsMagazine.com. "I hope everyone will be sensitive to the Koenigs and give the family some private time to reflect and to grieve the loss of their beloved son. At a time like this, we are all reminded of the briefness of life and the importance of being ready for our eternal destination. My prayers will continue to be with Andrew's family."

Adds Gold, 40: "Today is a sad day. My heart is broken for Andrew's family. I have such great memories of Andrew and our time together on Growing Pains."

Source by Us Magazine

In Remembrance of: Kathryn Grayson - February 9, 1922 – February 17, 2010 -

"Kathryn Grayson was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on February 9, 1922. Her childhood was spent in St. Louis where she studied voice before training with Frances Marshall of the Chicago Civic Opera and later was signed by RCA Red Seal records at the age of 15.

Her opera career was nipped in the bud when she was seen and heard by Louis B. Mayer and was signed by MGM to a contract without even the formality of a screen test. Contrary to popular belief, Miss Grayson never appeared on Eddie Cantor's radio show. Her unusual combination of looks, singing voice and acting talent brought her official stardom in 1943. A major star at MGM Miss Grayson also made films at Warner Brothers and Paramount Studios.

Dramatic roles on television came including "Playhouse 90" and "General Electric Theater." Miss Grayson was nominated for an Emmy Award for best actress for GE Theater's "Shadow on the Heart." She made her opera debut in 1960 performing "Madame Butterfly," "La Traviata" and "La Boheme" and in 1983 starred in "Orpheus in the Underworld" for Opera New England.

Miss Grayson scored triumphs in such stage musicals as "The Merry Widow" for which she was nominated for the Sarah Siddons Award. She has toured in "Naughty Marietta," "Rosalinda," "Show Boat," "Kiss Me Kate" and "Camelot" and in 1983 a departure as Miss Tweed in "Something's Afoot."

In 1982 Miss Grayson received rave reviews for her first all dramatic stage performance in Lucille Fletcher's "Night Watch." In 1987, again in a departure, she starred in the much-acclaimed British farce "Noises Off."

From 1988 through 1997 Miss Grayson toured in her one woman show, "An Evening With Kathryn Grayson."

In 1996 and 1997 Miss Grayson appeared with Van Johnson in "Love Letters" with great success. This prompted them to tour in their own production "Red Sox and Roses."

Miss Grayson gave Master Classes and was privately teaching voice until her passing.



Source by PR Log (Press Release)