New York - Actress and singer, Cynthia Basinet petitions the United Nations Sixty-second General Assembly Fourth Committee on behalf of issues facing the Western Sahara.

From the UN official site:

CYNTHIA BASINET, singer and actress, said that the international community had a moral responsibility as steward of the Saharawi people, and that a shift in heart and not just policy was required. Anemia, diabetes, tuberculosis, stunting and acute malnutrition were plaguing the Saharawi population, and yet 90 per cent of the population had attended school and were literate, according to a 1998 study.

She expressed deep concern over land mine explosions, such as that which had claimed the life of 8 year-old Fatima Bent Ibrahim this past year. Food prices rivaled those of Europe, with camel meat costing about €4 and the price of potatoes and milk equally prohibitive. Finally, refugees living abroad were unable to bring relatives with them because Western Sahara was not recognized by the United Nations, nor were documents and passports.

It took all facets to make the world a diamond, she said, and the international community must look beyond traditional methods of aid to consider public-private partnerships and microlending, among other forms of assistance, so that Saharawis were not “slowly delineated from the human map of the world”.

Cynthia visited the W. Sahara in ‘01 in efforts to raise awareness for the Saharwian refugees living in self-determination.

She was later nominated for a shared Nobel Peace Prize as part of the “1000 PeaceWomen Across the Globe”.

The singer is best known for hits “Santa Baby” and “Tea For Two” .

For more visit:
www.cynthiabasinet.com

Featuring 5 Remixes from the hottest DJ’s and the fierce radio edit from Producer Eve Nelson.

Larry Flick from Sirius Satellite Radio and host of OUT Q in the Morning with Larry Flick says “Sandra Bernhard’s [Perfection] is a slammin’blend of banging beats and Sandra’s astute view of pop-culture. Equally nutritious to the brain and the booty.”

ALL MUSIC GUIDE reports “PERFECTION, a strange club track best suited for sardonic Dance floors”.

The Perfection EP includes 6 remixes of the original dance single “Perfection” that will knock you onto the dance floor!

Perfection (DJ Lunic’s Minimal Dub) – dark & minimal, very moody percussions
Perfection (DJ Balo & Trakkula’s Dub) – sizzly, big room after hours dub
Perfection (DJ Balo & Trakkula’s Dance Dub) – dance floor filler, dance radio favorite!
Perfection (DJ Balo & Trakkula’s Hard Dub) – arms will fly! crunchy, hard floor, high energy dance dub
Perfection (DJ Balo & Trakkula’s Club Dub) – sexy, gritty, full club dub with room to mix and out.

You can find the EP for download on Amazon.com, Emusic.com and Rhapsody.com soon to be available on iTunes!

Hear it on the radio! The radio debut of Perfection was October 10th, 2008.
Listen for the re-mixes on the following stations:
Pulse 87
WBZC
Hot 97.com
I Party Radio
Music Choice
AOL Radio
Party Radio USA

The September 30th, 2008 deadline for submissions to the New York Songwriters’ Circle’s (NYSC) annual Songwriting Contest is quickly approaching.

For over 18 years such notable artists as Vanessa Carlton, Norah Jones, Gavin DeGraw, Jesse Harris, Lisa Loeb, Charlotte Sometimes, Avril Lavigne, John Oates and Chris Barron (of the Spin Doctors) have all been a part of this legendary circle. This year’s grand prize winner will take home over $15,000 in cash and prizes, including a performance spot at the world renowned Madison Square Garden, The Live Nation - Jones Beach Concert Series, recording sessions with Grammy award winning producer Glenn Barett and so much more. The contest winner will also be featured on Jonathan Clarke’s highly rated “Out of the Box” radio show on New York’s most popular classic Rock station, Q104.3. For the first time ever, the NYSC will present two additional awards at the contest finale, an International award to an outstanding songwriter from anywhere outside the US, and a Young Writer award, for songwriters ages 8 to 18.

The New York Songwriters Circle contest annually gives performers the rare opportunity to perform their music live in front of top music industry professionals and excited music fans as part of the New York Songwriters Circle’s ongoing showcases series in Philadelphia (at World Café Live), Boston (at Johnny D’s in Somerville), and the legendary Bitter End in New York’s Greenwich Village. Past contest winners include Kate Voegele, (currently starring in the hit TV Show “One Tree Hill”) and “Company of Thieves,” (recently featured as a breaking artist on Billboard Magazine).

The Live Finale events on November 5th and 6th at the Bitter End in New York will spotlight the twelve contest finalists and include rare special guest appearances by Grammy Award winning Singer/Songwriter Marc Cohn and Indie music sensation Dave Barnes. Aside from his own impressive music catalog, Marc Cohn has worked with such notable artists as Tracy Chapman, Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Shawn Colvin and many more. Currently, Dave Barnes is touring with “Los Lonely Boys” and has achieved both critical and commercial success as an indie recording artist.

The panel of judges includes Grammy-Award winning producer Russ Titelman, 785 Records/Publishing and Denise Rich Songs President Mark Eichner, Rolling Stone and New York Magazine contributor and author John Colapinto and many more. Sponsors include 785 Records, Denise Rich Songs, Ascap, Bmi, Sesac, MorningStar Studios, Broadjam.com, SongU.com, Dubway Studios and Sam Ash Music.

For more information and to submit your music please visit http://www.songwriters-circle.com

A Review by Mark Kirby

Over a decade ago, rappers Chuck D and Public Enemy asked, “Who Stole the Soul?” Today, after Christina Aguilera’s R&B-infused Back To Basics double CD and the Amy Winehouse soul explosion, the real question is, “Who stole it back?” Part of the answer can be found in Lorraine Reid’s single “How Can I Keep Him Lovin’ Me?“

It always comes as a surprise when I hear a modern R&B singer who has both the pipes to belt out with intensity and the good taste to let the song tell the story, choosing to not over-saturate a classic melody with vocal gymnastics. Reid dazzles her listeners with the perfect balance of vocals, just like the classic soul, rock and pop singers did back in the day. This timeless track by the Canadian, 7-time Juno nominee would fit right in with the best of soul and funk in any age.

“How Can I Keep Him Lovin’ Me?” begins to amaze listeners with its instrumentals — the keyboard starts with mellow soul chords and is followed by gently plucked guitar and sparse bass that flows with restrained energy even while in ballad mode. The drums play a beat that has previously anchored old pop and soul songs as well as bawdy stripper show tunes; it’s a beat that is part-waltz, part-easy-going phat back groove. While this stew is bubbling, Ms. Reid tells the story: “No more than 15 but grown before her time / This young girl was seekin’ love from men who would dim the lights / How can I keep him lovin’ me? / Here she was still seeking love / it was no where to be found.” Aside from the modern beat of the drums and the contemporary soul sound, the track is undeniably old school because it deals with real people and real-life issues, concepts that are often lost in mainstream music today.

The sales of R&B records — as with those of hip-hop and most other genres — continue to slump. Illegal downloads aside, the vast majority of these records deal with unattainable fantasies of sex, glamour, white linen suits and matching Bentleys. People who have just been laid off, had their benefits run out, or their home foreclosed don’t want to hear about such lavish topics. And they can’t even afford to buy overpriced CDs, anyway. That’s why real people, especially women, like Mary J. Blige’s tales of being a survivor. Like Blige, Reid tells a tale of survival and, like the best soul and gospel singers, past and present, she goes beyond this simple tale: “At 22, a mom of two, but she was still a child / Her mama’s advice to her was a message meek and mild / what this baby boy sees in you I tried my whole life to find / so dry your tears, my baby girl, you’re lookin’ at piece of mind.” Throughout the song, Reid’s vocals follow the lyrics and melody on a rollercoaster of emotion, saving the soaring peaks of her sweet yet powerful voice for the pinnacles of the song, especially the last lines. By the end of “How Can I Keep Him Lovin’ Me?”, the sadness becomes both redemption and a spiritual epiphany — all because of the power of love. Now ain’t that what soul music is all about?

www.myspace.com/lorrainereid

Polarity/1, the multi-genre artist best known for bold, honest, hard-hitting songs, is re-releasing his hit album, Yankin’ the Food Chain, now with re-mastered tracks. Polarity/1’s music has been incorporated by dance theaters and documentarists, including Danny Schechter’s feature-length film documentary ‘In Debt We Trust’ and Battery Dance Company’s 26th Annual Downtown Dance Festival last year.

Yankin’ the Food Chain fuses electronica, acid jazz, alternative and electro-folk to create a set of funky-fresh beats infused with crucial political messages to future generations. The serious issues covered on Yankin’ force listeners to reanalyze their own ethics, especially when cornered with their own self-images in “Look at Your Shoeshine”: “Can you see yourself in your shoeshine?/ Step back!”

From the excitingly chilly vocals of “Salesman,” to the persuasive political raps found in “News Goo,” to the astoundingly real lyrics of “Di Hard” (”The good die young/ and the bad get paid”), Yankin’ has something to offer every music-lover. Perhaps most notable, though, are the album’s funky, upbeat tracks, such as “Boomers Blues,” “Jam Inya Jimmies” and “Cincinnati Pink.” With lyrics like “She’s catchin’ the groove and won’t let go,” it’s obvious that once you put on this Polarity/1 record, you won’t be letting go of the groove either.

Buy Yankin’ The Food Chain:

But don’t take our word for it; here’s what others have to say:

“Polarity/1 is a musical force unleashing some of the hippest beats and timely lyric[s] on the scene” (MediaChannel.org).

“‘Di Hard’ is a medium tempo groove with rapped and sung vocals, everything done by Polar except for exquisite backing vocals by Scott Parker Allen and Sabina Sciubba. The song is a comment on Princess Di’s demise, the role of the media, and the times we live in, serious without becoming sentimentalized or preachy. An interesting exercise in a style that’s very hard to pull off” (Recording Magazine).

“Polar succeeds in his mission of forcing you to pay attention and not lull into the sounds you ‘expect’ to hear” (StarPolish.com).

The music of Polarity/1 is exactly what the name suggests—”conjoined opposites,” including the new (cutting-edge electronica, hip-hop and nu-jazz) and the old (roots music of America, including blues, funk, country and early jazz, Brazil (samba, pagode, etc.) and West African groove science).

After a few years of playing percussion in samba bands at S.O.B.’s and other venues. Polar landed in hip hop which combined his interests in grooves, samples and wordplay into one form. He and rapper D.A.V. became Medicine Crew. In the aftermath of 9/11, Polar was asked to do a remix of Nile Rodgers’ We Are Family Project released on a compilation by Tommy Boy Records. His experience of 9/11 which was perpetrated in his neighborhood led to a collaboration with multi-platinum Pakistan rock band Junoon resulting in their hit song ‘No More’. John Hollander has choreographed four Polarity/1 compositions for New York’s Battery Dance Company’s fall season opening in November 2006 and has been touring extensively with the piece. In 2008, he scored “The Other Side” for the Quorum Ballet from Lisbon Portugal. P/1’s new collaboration, Koko Dozo, released their first album Illegal Space Aliens in February 2008.

And you can check out Polarity/1 for yourself and learn how to purchase Yankin’ the Food Chain by heading to www.musicdish.net/polarity1/

PHOENIX, AZ — FROM THEIR HIGH-POWERED CD — “UN NUEVO ESTILO”….. International Latin sensation STILL ALIVE, the Colombian family group who cuts and creates their own style and version of Hip-Hop, Reggaeton, R&B, and too many other music styles to count, are now in Phoenix, AZ- home site of their indie label, Patrón Records…. Members include: SUNDAY, brother MAKLIKY, and cousins, BIGDAY and RJ. Just weeks after entering Miami, FL (the USA) STILL ALIVE has managed to heat-up and shake up the clubs…. continues to create a big buzz in the media. The group was recently seen on the set of Telemundo taping for the CADA DIA show…. “We are all fired-up and hyped-up, we are always ready to perform and we go 150% each time we hit the stage,” states STILL ALIVE. The group’s hot Single Debut- “Lady” has recently hit the Top 10 on the ‘AC Top 100 charts’ with the Spins Tracking System and continues to gain huge reviews from national and world radio stations. The group’s next stop has now landed them in Phoenix, Arizona- home site of their Indie label- Patrón Records.

“We are knocking the door down, our marketing and promotions is right on,” states Abel Romero, CEO of Patrón Records.

**Note– We are now open for investment opportunities/business deals from all major labels and companies! Please check our info and links on our high-powered group - “STILL ALIVE.”

We are currently booking clubs and events in Phoenix, AZ and surrounding areas….
To all clubs and venues– if you are interesested in booking this amazing, highly charged, and stylish group, hit us up at our (booking) email and contact information.

2008 NEW LATIN ARTIST HITTING THE USA CHARTS WITH A BANG !
HUGE RAVES: ORIGINAL, EXPLOSIVE, DYNAMIC, UNIQUE-STYLE, CUTTING-EDGE
FEATURING THE 2008 SUMMER CLUB-BANGER “Lady” with their remix video !!
Check out our “LADY” video at
http://www.blastro.com/player/stillaliveladyremix.html
Preview the CD at http://www.cdbaby.com/stillalive
Check the charts at http://www.newmusicweekly.com

Patrón Records LLC
Abel Romero
1877-7-Patron ext #1
http://www.myspace.com/patronrecordsinc
http://www.patronrecords.com
http://www.shop.patronrecords.com
P.O. Box 8803 Phoenix, AZ 85066
Bookings/General info, via email at: info@patronrecords.com

Hit songwriter Craig Bickhardt has released a song written for his son, Jake, who has Cerebral Palsy. The song was posted this week on his popular blog, Ninety Mile Wind — www.ninetymilewind.blogspot.com. It is also available for free download from his website at www.craigbickhardt.com, or it can be streamed from his My Space page — www.myspace.com/craigbickhardt — where it has been garnering a lot of listener response. The song, titled “Giant Steps”, speaks inspiringly about the father-son relationship and the challenges both face as they tackle life with a disability.

“You’re just a little boy clinging to your father’s hand
Your legs are working hard keeping up with your old man”

But Bickhardt’s confidence in his son’s future carries the song to an optimistic conclusion.

“Soon the day will come when you’ll run ahead of me
Certain of yourself and what you’re gonna be
But whenever you stumble and lose your stride
May you never lose the boy down inside
Taking Giant Steps”

He posts an accompanying journal entry in his blog further highlighting the difficulties of life with a Special Needs child.

“There are days when life with my son is challenging, and a dark horizon looms three hundred and sixty degrees around me. And then there are those days of singing blue sky, when I know I’m a lucky to have him. On those days my heart is an eagle’s feather and I am made for rough winds.”

Bickhardt, a former Nashville resident who has written award winning songs for Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, B. B. King, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, Art Garfunkel, David Wilcox, Tony Rice, Pam Tillis (#1 song, “Between Dances”) and many others, is currently on tour in the north east. He will be appearing in at The Sellersville Theater with Beth Nielsen Chapman, and also at The Philadelphia Folk Festival in August. His other music is available through itunes, CD Baby.com, Amazon.com, and his website www.craigbickhardt.com

Leon Newton is considered a new songwriter while actually he has been writing songs for over ten years. It was only a couple of years ago that he decided his talent for writing could lead to commercial success.

It all started when he began entering songwriting contest and the recognition and encouragement he received motivated him to seriously consider songwriting as more than a hobby.

Although Leon has written in various genres of music; such as folk, blues, rock, rap and Christian, his main forte is country music. Leon says “I write country music because you can tell stories about life and the struggles that we all go through. In fact, if you take time to listen, you can learn a lot from country songs.”

Someone must be listening as Leon was named a top finalist in the 2007 SongOfTheYear.com competition in the country music category with his song, “Love Story.” In 2006, he received recognition for two songs he entered in the competition, “Cintia” and “Global Warming.”

Leon says of his song “Global Warming,” I wrote the song because this is a serious matter not to be taken lightly. I feel that I, as a songwriter, and including other music artists, have a responsibility to help raise public awareness on such issues. Music is an art form that can touch us and actually cause people to act.”

To Leon songwriting is more than just writing words and composing and arranging music to go with the lyrics, it is the ability to infuse life into the words and paint a picture with the music. He believes it is what we visualize and hear that makes people want to dance, act for a social cause or sit back and listen to the lyrics and enjoy the beat.

To emphasize his writing talent, Leon recently scored 8 out of 10 possible for his song, “Country On My Mind.” The honor was for evoking an emotional response from listeners and it was bestowed by CMT’s (Country Music Television) 8th Annual Nashville Songwriters Association International Song Contest.

On another note, Leon wrote a song titled “Race Car Junky” out of respect for the drivers of NASCAR and motor sports around the world, and the fans that love the sport.

Leon’s goal is to be a respectable songwriter who can create music that will inspire people, music that will move the listener. Music, that when people hear it, will recognize it as a Leon Newton song. Samples of Leon’s songs can be heard at www.cdbaby.com/cd/leonnewton and www.phonesherpa.com/leonnewt

http://www.songfacts.com/writing/2008/04/american-idol-song-selection.html

Make It Your Own - you probably don’t know who sang “I Can Dream About You,” which makes it a perfect choice.

Futz With The Arrangement - It worked for David Cook with “Billie Jean,” and it can work for lots of other songs, including “Torn” and “Bizarre Love Triangle.”

Avoid The Overdone - “Unchained Melody” has run its course.

Does a great Karaoke song translate to Idol? Not according to the folks who do it for a living. Kimberly Starling of The Karaoke Informer explains: “The typical good karaoke songs tend to lack the uniqueness needed for an Idol contestant to stand out.” Her list of songs that work in Karaoke but would bomb on Idol include “Friends In Low Places,” “Santeria,” and a surprising choice by The Ramones that works every time.

http://www.songfacts.com

Sponsored by online music giant Broadjam, prizes include iPods, royalty advances, CD Players, USB Key Drives, Music Industry Books, and of course, a slot on Kent’s next record. Entrants new to Broadjam also receive a free music web site, and free help placing their music online. Entries may be entered by mail or online, and anyone is welcome to enter. There is also a special section for lyric-only entries.

The owner of Goodnight Kiss, Janet Fisher, listens to every submission. “So many times in music competitions, there are outside judges who listen to the first rounds of music. I like to hear everything that might be appropriate for my own label. Sometimes raw talent or a raw song can be honed into a brilliant, refreshingly original gem. I don’t want to miss anyone’s potential,” says Fisher. “It takes a lot of hours to go through all of the songs, but there’s no other way to make sure I don’t miss anyone’s inspired work. This year Cathy and I will both be listening to find the perfect songs for her new release.”

Goodnight Kiss has created numerous CDs from contests, including a CD about addiction, an original Christmas collection, and a CD of songs written about the military by those serving or who have served. They pay traditional real-world royalties to their writers and artists.

“One of the best parts of owning an independent company is that we are never stuck on one flavor. Each project can be individually created with unique goals in mind. Cathy is an amazing artist which makes this project very inspiring, and I love it,” says Fisher. The song contest runs through July 31, 2008.

The label is hoping to receive both up-tempo songs and ballads in the style of music that could crossover in Country, Rock, and Pop venues. When asked what specific type of songs she is looking for, artist Kent replies, “I’m looking for great, memorable crossover-country songs with interesting melodies, and surprises. Mid to up-tempo is favored for this project, but I also love great meaningful ballads. I also enjoy big powerful choruses with wide vocal range.”

Kent’s vocal range covers three octaves, so she can certainly handle the big-range material, and her songs on iTunes shows her love of melody. She continues, “As an artist, I will be singing many of these songs for years to come, so songs of substance, that have timeless, sincere messages, are what I really seek. Fun or serious, a great song is a great song!”

Fisher’s company has worked on various projects with Broadjam.com over the past nine years, and is highly impressed with their contest delivery system. She refers to the process as flawless. “Every year we discover new artists and songwriters from all sorts of places. Broadjam is key to this, as everyone from anywhere in the country or the world, can get their songs online via their delivery system.”

Besides the plethora of prizes, winners and runners up in the song contest will also receive some nice promotion via Broadjam’s news and the Goodnight Kiss Music News and their respective web sites. In addition to Broadjam.com, sponsors include The Music Registry, Celebrity Black Book, FreeEarbuds.com, and others.

To enter the “Songs For Cathy Kent” Song Contest, see below:

Rules and Entry information at: http://www.goodnightkiss.com/contest.html
Online entries: http://www.broadjam.com/goodnightkiss

For information about Goodnight Kiss Music, see: http://www.goodnightkiss.com