B is for Bob, a collection of Bob Marley’s most beloved songs re-imagined for kids, debuts at #1 on Billboard’s Top Kid Audio and Reggae Albums Charts and #77 on the Top 200 following its June 23 release on UMe/ Island/ Tuff Gong.

While his music has been cherished by families for years, this is the first time a Bob Marley record has appeared on the kids’ music chart.

As Island Records celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and Legend reaches 10 million sold in the Soundscan era, the strength of Marley’s music remains a potent force for listeners of all ages.

Buy Music:

B Is for Bob on amazon.com

Eldest son and four-time Grammy winner Ziggy Marley executive produced the album. Mike Davis, Executive Vice President/General Manager of UMe, says “Ziggy’s touch to his father’s masters are truly special and we’re excited about the opportunity it provides to expose a younger generation to the amazing music of Bob Marley.”

Bob Marley’s music is known around the world for its powerful political and spiritual message that touches people of all ages. With children in mind, Ziggy has transformed some of his father’s songs for B is for Bob.

In eight of the tracks, including “Three Little Birds,” “Redemption Song,” “Bend Down Low,” “Jamming,” “Small Axe,” “Satisfy My Soul,” “Stir It Up” and “High Tide or Low Tide,” certain instruments were removed while others were added, creating a feeling of hearing these songs for the very first time.

Meanwhile, four of Bob Marley’s other masterpieces are left untouched: “Could You Be Loved,” “One Love/People Get Ready,” “Lively Up Yourself” and “Wake Up and Live – Pt. 1.”

“Me is a common sense man,” Bob Marley once said. “That mean when me explain things me explain it in a very simple way, that mean if I explain it to a baby the baby will understand too, you know.” Ziggy continues, “My father’s music spans generations and with B is for Bob we give the youngest their very own Bob Marley record.”

Released in time for summer, the album features fun extras for kids and parents: the CD unlocks bonus online digital content including coloring book pages, a sing-a-long music video and audio stream previews of Ziggy Marley’s new Family Time album.

Each Bob CD also includes a free one-year subscription to Parents magazine. B is for Bob comes in a recyclable and biodegradable Eco-Pak, making the album kid-, parent- and Earth-friendly. For more information, visit:

Ziggy Marley Official Website

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of Island Records, which is celebrating the label’s rich history of music from the luminaries Bob Marley, U2, Traffic, The Cranberries, Cat Stevens, Melissa Etheridge, PJ Harvey, Fall Out Boy more. The Island 50th campaign will feature CD reissues, digital compilations, movie festivals and more.

Visit:

Island Records

Looner’s single “I Love My Tamagotchee!” (based on the wave of obsession the world saw from the Japanese “Tamagotchi” toy) and accompanying video have been released on their own label, Avian Recording Company.

Watch “I Love My Tamagotchee!” video:

For Looner, the road has always been a friend. From the profoundly spiritual experiences at The Red Rocks Amphitheater to sharing the stage with the likes of Ziggy Marley on many national coast-to-coast tours, Looner imbues their live performances with rhythmic digital loops, ingenious harmonic backdrops and lustrous vocal overlays.

Many words have been used to describe this multitasking musical-duo. Among them: “captivating,” “infectious,” “stimulating,” “power-packed” and “refreshing.” To that could easily be added “an audio-anomaly,” since between but the two of them – by means of state-of-theart live sampling and a seemingly inexhaustible abundance of raw talent – Looner has adeptly breached contemporary musical conventions to produce in terms of sheer sound-size their very own “Wall of Sound.”

Utterly unconcerned with genre, in a culture so quick to hang the artist-of-the-day with some politically palatable “label,” Looner has made an art of melding and meshing an array of influences into their musical offerings and take pride in their ability to defy the grips of creatively constraining categorical stamps and style assignments.

Another of Looner’s unique characteristics, especially in the face of today’s often-jaded culture, is their persistence in conveying a positive message. Angel and Zoë are a genuinely happy couple, an aspect clearly displayed in their multifaceted art. “We’re really supportive of each other and it shows on stage,” say Angel and Zoë. “We’re not really trying to take over the world; we just want to make more music and get even more people to hear and enjoy it.”

With Puerto Rican ancestral roots and a modest Chicago upbringing, Angel relocated to Los Angeles in pursuit of the rock-and-roll dream and a mere $86 to his name. He has since recorded and toured the world with such esteemed artists as Dave Navarro and Ziggy Marley.

The daughter of film composer Basil Poledouris, Zoë was born in Los Angeles and by the age of nine had already made a melodic contribution to the musical world in the soundtrack for “Conan the Barbarian” – a feature film her father had been scoring at the time. As a result, Zoë received a co-writing credit and, in doing so, became one of the youngest members to join the ranks of BMI.

As an adult, Zoë continued with her craft and logged compositional credits for such films as “Starship Troopers,” “Cecil B. DeMented,” “Shadow of Doubt” and “Down and Out with the Dolls.” And now as a writing team, Angel and Zoë have together scored such movies as “Teenage Caveman” and the Sundance films “White of Winter” & “Fourteen.”

“[The Looner experience is] startling tight, danceable and sounded more like four musicians than two” adding that “If I owned a record label, I would scoop them up.” – Las Vegas Weekly

“They were so impressive, that after seeing them live at last year’s Roots Rock Reggae Festival. Not bad for an unsigned band with only a handful of songs recorded.” – LA Underground

Buy Music:

Looner on amazon.com

For more information on Looner, please visit:

Looner Official Website

Looner on YouTube

Looner on Twitter

311 is pleased to announce that their highly anticipated new album, ‘Uplifter’, will be released on June 2, 2009.

‘Uplifter’ is the band’s first studio record in three years and was produced by the legendary Bob Rock (Metallica, Simple Plan, Veruca Salt).

As the title suggests, the band’s new album is an uplifting collection of 311’s trademark blend of rock & reggae; elevated by inspired songwriting, dynamic musicianship and big anthemic choruses.

A deluxe edition of ‘Uplifter’ will include a special DVD documentary, “The Road to 311 Day,” directed by Wayne Price.

The documentary, including interviews, backstage footage and live performances, follows the band and their fans for the week leading up to the 3-11 Day concert event in New Orleans in 2008.

Watch The Road to 311 Day 2008, video trailer:

Buy Music:

311 on amazon.com

311 on amazon.co.uk

311 have also announced the dates for their spring tour, and their annual summer Unity Tour. The spring shows kick off on April 15, 2009 in Tucson, AZ and will wrap in Springfield, MO on May 15.

Their Unity Tour ‘09, will feature special guest Ziggy Marley and will hit amphitheatres nationwide, launching in Santa Barbara, CA on June 5 and wrapping in Irvine, CA on July 12. Tickets for the spring tour are available now; with Unity Tour tickets going on sale later in the month.

311’s celebratory live shows & incessant touring schedule have earned them a massive grassroots following nationwide. Since its inception in 2004, 311’s annual summer headlining amphitheatre run, Unity Tour, has become one of the largest annual modern rock tours of the summer. Support acts on the past five Unity Tours have included Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Papa Roach, The Wailers, O.A.R. and Matisyahu.

With their signature blend of rock, reggae, hip-hop & funk, ‘Uplifter’ is the band’s ninth studio album. Previously 311 have released five Gold, one Platinum, and one Triple-Platinum-certified albums, a live album and three DVD’s (one Gold, two Platinum-certified).

Five of their releases have reached the Top 10 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Charts. Six singles have gone into the Top 10 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Chart including the #1 hits “Down,” “Love Song,” and “Don’t Tread On Me.” To date band has sold over 8 million units in the U.S.

311 Spring 2009 tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

4/15 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre
4/16 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theatre
4/18 Iowa City, IA Univ of Iowa Field House
4/19 Wichita, KS The Cotillion
4/21 Knoxville, TN Valarium
4/22 Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues
4/23 Charleston, SC Music Farm
4/25 Orlando, FL Earth Day Festival
4/26 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
4/29 West Palm Beach, FL Sunfest
4/30 St. Augustine, FL St Augustine Amphitheatre
5/01 Birmingham, AL Crawfish Festival
5/03 Memphis, TN Beale Street Music Fest
5/04 Asheville, NC Orange Peel
5/05 Asheville, NC Orange Peel
5/07 Bossier City, LA Riverdome at Harrah’s Casino
5/08 Orange Beach, AL Amphitheatre at the Wharf
5/12 Austin, TX Music Hall
5/14 Tulsa, OK Cains Ballroom
5/15 Springfield, MO Shrine Mosque

311 SUMMER UNITY TOUR:

6/5 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
6/7 Eugene, WA Cuthbert Ampitheatre
6/8 Seattle, WA WaMu Theatre
6/11 Salt Lake City, UT Usana Amphitheatre
6/12 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
6/14 Chicago, IL Charter One Pavilion
6/16 Cleveland, OH Time Warner Amphitheatre
6/17 Columbus, OH Lifestyles Communities Pavilion
6/19 Detroit, MI Freedom Hill
6/20 Cincinatti, OH Riverbend Amphitheatre
6/21 Indianapolis, IN The Lawns
6/23 Saratoga, NY SPAC
6/24 Boston, MA Comcast Center
6/25 New York, NY Central Park Summerstage
6/27 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Art Center
6/28 Washington DC Nissan Pavilion
6/30 Philadelphia, PA Penns Landing
7/1 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
7/3 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
7/4 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheatre
7/5 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
7/7 St. Louis, MO Verizon Amphitheatre
7/10 Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre
7/11 San Diego, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
7/12 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

For more information on 311, their upcoming release and for the most up-to-date tour stops, go to:

311 Official Website
311 MySpace

Photo: Mickey Raphael, Don Was, Ziggy, Willie Nelson

Tuff Gong Worldwide will release Ziggy Marley’s third solo album, ‘Family Time’, on May 5, 2009. Marley produced the album with legendary producer Don Was.

The album will feature a variety of family and friends including Rita Marley (Ziggy’s mother), Cedella Marley (sister), Judah Marley (daughter), Paul Simon, Jack Johnson, Willie Nelson, Toots Hibberts, Elizabeth Mitchell, Laurie Berkner, Paula Fuga and two stories narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis.

Watch “True to Myself” video: from ‘Dragonfly’:

Ziggy Marley on amazon.com

Ziggy Marley on amazon.co.uk

“Growing up music was an important part of my childhood,” Marley says. “I see it being just as important in my children and all children’s growth and development. Music helps children to grow with open minds and open hearts and this is my message. This record represents my daily family life and is inspired by my three-year-old daughter Judah and baby Gideon. It was a joy to make and opened up new avenues in my creativity. Family Time is for all families and especially the world family.”

Born in Trench Town, Jamaica, Ziggy Marley’s early immersion in music came at a very tender age when he sat in on recording sessions with his father. He later joined his siblings (Sharon, Cedella and Stephen) to front The Melody Makers, whose eight best-selling albums garnered three Grammy awards and generated such chart-topping hits as “Tomorrow People” and “Tumbling Down.” ‘Dragonfly’, his solo debut was released in 2003. His sophomore solo album, ‘Love Is My Religion’, was released in 2006 and won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album at the 2007 ceremony.

Ziggy Marley has contributed to a variety of children’s programming including Nick Jr.’s “Dora the Explorer,” the PBS children’s show “Arthur,” and Shark Tale, in which he delved into acting, playing the character of Bernie the Jamaican jellyfish as well as re-recording his father’s “Three Little Birds” with Sean Paul and his brother Stephen Marley for the soundtrack.

In addition to his skills as a singer, songwriter and producer, Marley founded U.R.G.E. (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment), a non-profit organization that benefits a wide range of charitable children’s causes in Jamaica, and other developing nations. More recently he has lent his support to the Fashion Against Aids, Little Kids Rock and Youth AIDS campaign. Proceeds from the sale of this album will benefit Chepstowe Basic School in Port Antonio, JA.

The Tuff Gong label, was founded in 1965 by Bob Marley, with the vision of producing, distributing and promoting his music free from the constraints of corporate label politics. In a time decades before artist-owned record labels were commonplace, the legendary Bob Marley’s vision was characteristically well ahead of its time. Now, nearly a half-century later, his dream is being realized.

For more information, go to:

Ziggy Marley Official Website
Ziggy Marley MySpace

“I wanted this album to have a lot of different directions on it, I did not want it to be any one baby. I just wanted it to be a sampler of flavors and influences from all over the world. There’s a touch of this, a little smidgeon of that, a dash of something else…like when you’re cooking.” – Donna Summer

‘Crayons’ with all its songs co-written by Donna Summer, is an international banquet of musical delights and surprises.

Singer/songwriter/pop culture icon Donna Summer has been working hard on ‘Crayons’, her bold and long-awaited new collection of songs, her first full-length studio album of newly-penned material since 1991’s ‘Mistaken Identity’ and her first new release since “VH1 Presents: Live & More Encore!,” the CD (and DVD) companion to her top-rated VH1 television special which returned her to the Billboard Top 200 in 1999.

The arrival of a new Donna Summer album is a major musical event and ‘Crayons’ is a worthy addition to one of the world’s most influential musical catalogs. The album is set for release May 20, 2008 on Sony BMG.

Five-time Grammy winner, Donna Summer, maintains an unbroken string of hits throughout the 70s and 80s, most of which she wrote. Donna holds the record for most consecutive double albums to hit #1 on the Billboard charts (3) and first female to have four #1 singles in a 12 month period; 3 as a solo artist and one as a duo with Barbara Streisand.

Songs on ‘Crayons’ run the musical gamut from “a really real pop pop song” like “The Science of Love,” to retro-modern “dance-oriented” tracks like “I’m A Fire,” to the “socially conscious” “Bring Down The Reign” and the world-music-flavored “Driving Down Brazil.”

With the album’s centerpiece ballad, “Be Myself Again,” Donna Summer creates the album’s most intimate and revelatory musical meditation. “What I wanted to do,” she says, “is strip down a song. I wanted it to be a cappella. There’s always so much hoopla around the voice, I wanted to do a song where there’s no hoopla. There’s just you and the audience listening to somebody who’s just singing to themselves, singing about the intimate parts of what it has taken to do what they do. The thing to do is stay connected to the true self and that’s really difficult in show business. That’s what the song is about.”

‘Crayons’ track listing:

1. STAMP YOUR FEET
2. MR. MUSIC
3. CRAYONS featuring Ziggy Marley
4. THE QUEEN IS BACK
5. FAME (THE GAME)
6. SAND ON MY FEET
7. DRIVIN’ DOWN BRAZIL
8. I’M A FIRE
9. SLIDE OVER BACKWARDS
10. SCIENCE OF LOVE
11. BE MYSELF AGAIN
12. BRING DOWN THE REIGN

Donna Summer June/July/August 2008 North American tour dates:

Dates could be added or changed! Go to Donna Summer’s Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

June 2008

6/24 Nashville, TN @ T-PAC
6/26 Marksville, LA @ Paragon Casino & Resort-Mari Center
6/27 Lake Charles, LA @ L Auberge du Lac Casino – Event Center
6/28 Lake Charles, LA @ L Auberge du Lac Casino – Event Center

July 2008

7/01 Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park Amphitheater
7/03 Newport News, VA @ Ferguson Center for the Arts
7/05 Vienna, VA @ The Filene Center
7/08 Gilford, NH @ Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center
7/09 Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
7/11 Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
7/12 Boston, MA @ Bank of America Pavilion
7/16 Baltimore, MD @ Pier 6 Pavilion
7/18 Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
7/19 Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach Music Theater
7/20 Salamanca, NY @ Seneca Allegany Casino
7/22 RAMA, ON @ Casino Rama Entertainment Centre
7/23 RAMA, ON @ Casino Rama Entertainment Centre
7/25 Atlantic City, NJ @ Caesars Atlantic City
7/26 Atlantic City, NJ @ Caesars Atlantic City
7/27 Westhampton Beach, NY @ Westhampton Beach Perf. Arts Center

August 2008

8/06 Seattle, WA @ Benaroya Hall
8/08 Richmond, BC @ River Rock Casino Resort
8/09 Richmond, BC @ River Rock Casino Resort
8/10 Spokane, WA @ Northern Quest Casino
8/13 Saratoga, CA @ The Mountain Winery
8/15 Reno, NV @ Peppermill Reno Hotel Casino
8/16 Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre of the Arts
8/17 Santa Rosa, CA @ Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
8/20 Alpine, CA @ Viejas – Concerts in the Park
8/22 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
8/23 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
8/27 Windsor Casino @ Windsor Limited
8/28 Windsor Casino @ Windsor Limited
8/30 Highland Park, IL @ Ravinia Pavilion
8/31 Prior Lake, MN @ Mystic Lake Casino

Donna Summer – Crayons on amazon.com

Crayons on amazon.co.uk

Donna Summer

Djin Djin is Angelique Kidjo’s latest album which was released in May 2007. The album was produced by Tony Visconti (T. Rex, David Bowie, Boomtown Rats, Morrissey) and includes guest artists Carlos Santana, Branford Marsalis, Josh Groban, Alicia Keys, Peter Gabriel, Joss Stone, Malian husband-and-wife team Amadou and Mariam and Ziggy Marley.

Learn more about Angelique Kidjo:

Watch Angelique Kidjo EPK video with the making of Djin Djin

1. Ae Ae
2. Djin Djin featuring Alicia Keys and Branford Marsalis
3. Gimme Shelter featuring Joss Stone
4. Salala featuring Peter Gabriel
5. Senamou (C’est L’amour) featuring Amadou and Mariam
6. Pearls featuring Josh Groban and Carlos Santana
7. Sedjedo featuring Ziggy Marley
8. Papa
9. Arouna
10. Awan N’La
11. Emma
12. Mama Golo Papa
13. Lonlon (Ravel’s Bolero)

Djin Djin by Angelique Kidjo on Amazon.com

Live Earth South Africa lineup is set to include Angelique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, Danny K, Joss Stone, The Parlotones, The Soweto Gospel Choir, UB40, Vusi Mahlasela and Zola.

Angelique Kidjo 2007 tour dates:

*Dates could be added or changed! Go to Angelique Kidjo’s Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

June 22 2007 Utah Arts Festival – Library Square Salt Lake City, Utah
June 23 2007 Jazz Aspen Aspen, Colorado
June 24 2007 KTAO Solar Center Taos, New Mexico
June 26 2007 Santa Fe Brewing Company Santa Fe, New Mexico
June 28 2007 Le Spectrum Montreal, Canada
July 2 2007 Zeitmusikfestival Freiburg, Germany
July 3 2007 Vestfold International Festival Horten, Norway
July 4 2007 Tollhaus Karlsruhe, Germany
July 7 2007 SOS Festival / Live Earth Johannesburg, South Africa
July 10 2007 Festival Latino Americano Milan, Italy
July 12 2007 Jazz Open Stuttgart, Germany
July 14 2007 CBS Early Show New York, New York
July 17 2007 Bi-Lo Center Greenville, South Carolina
July 18 2007 Charlotte Bobcats Arena Charlotte, North Carolina
July 20 2007 Scope Arena Norfolk, Virginia
July 21 2007 Boardwalk Hall Atlantic City, New Jersey
July 24 2007 Continental Airlines Arena East Rutherford, New Jersey
July 25 2007 Nassau Coliseum Uniondale, New York
July 27 2007 Verizon Wireless Manchester, New Hampshire
July 28 2007 Pepsi Arena Albany, New York
July 30 2007 Mohegan Sun Uncassville, Connecticut
July 31 2007 Wachovia Arena Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
August 3 2007 Giant Center Hershey, Pennsylvania
August 4 2007 Mellon Arena Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
August 5 2007 Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center Westhampton Beach, New York
August 6 2007 Washington Park Ampitheater Albany, New York
August 7 2007 Bradely Center Milwaukee, Wisconsin
August 8 2007 Resch Arena Green Bay, Wisconsin
August 10 2007 Xcel Center St Paul, Minnesota
August 12 2007 Summerstage New York, New York
August 14 2007 Rexcell Arena Edmonton, Canada, Alberta
August 15 2007 Pengrowth Saddledome Calgary, Alberta
August 17 2007 GM Place Vancouver, British Columbia
August 18 2007 Key Arena Seattle, Washington
August 21 2007 The Idaho Center Boise, Idaho
August 22 2007 Rose Garden Arena Portland, Oregon
August 24 2007 Stockton Arena Stockton, California
August 25 2007 The Honda Center Anaheim, California
August 28 2007 Delta Center Salt Lake City, Utah
August 29 2007 Pepsi Center Denver, Colorado
August 31 2007 Qwest Center Omaha, Nebraska

Angelique Kidjo is a Special Representative for UNICEF

More information about Live Earth
Information about Live Earth on Band Weblogs
Angelique Kidjo on Myspace
Angelique Kidjo Official Website