Will Downing is amazing

Een heerlijke voice om naar te luisteren en weg te dromen.

After Tonight (2007)

“Fantasy” (Spending Time With You) Spend a little time with you, baby (Spending time, spending time, spending time with you, baby) That’s all I wanna do (Spending time, spending time, spending time with you, honey) Spend a little time with you, honey (Spending time, spending time, spending time with you, baby) That’s all I wanna do, yeah Holding …

View After Tonight (2007)

Published on Oct 19, 2010
Filed under: 2000s | Albums

Will Downing (b. 1963, Brooklyn, New York), is an American singer-songwriter and producer. Downing’s recording career has won a loyal audience of contemporary jazz and R&B fans with albums and concerts that have showcased his rich baritone vocals and unique interpretations of R&B and pop classics that stretches back to the early 1980s.

Downing enrolled in the famed performing arts high school Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, New York. The high school had one of the strongest performing arts programs in the city and included among its alumni singers Barbra Streisand and Stephanie Mills, and record company executives Clive Davis, who founded Arista Records, and Kedar Massenburg, who later became president of Motown Records. Downing, who eventually recorded for Motown, graduated with Massenburg in the class of 1981. Downing then attended college at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia. In the mid-1980s he moved back to New York City worked on albums by Jennifer Holiday, Kool & the Gang, sax maestro Gerald Albright, Billy Ocean, Regina Belle, Mica Paris and others. Later he went onto singing with Arthur Baker’s group, Wally Jump Junior, Downing then used Baker as a producer after he signed with Island Records.
In 1988 Downing signed a recording contract with 4th & Broadway Records, and his first solo album, Will Downing, was released that same year. The critics singled out Downing’s version of the John Coltrane classic jazz piece A Love Supreme as one of its highlights. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Charts. Downing stayed with 4th & Broadway for just one album and switched to Island Records for his second release, Come Together As One, in 1989. Like his first album, Come Together As One was a pop- and dance-oriented collection of R&B songs that also reflected Downing’s love of jazz.
Switching labels to Mercury Records for his fourth outing, 1993′s Love’s the Place to Be, Downing scored his best-selling album to date with about 235,000 copies sold in the United States and over 300,000 copies in Great Britain. He remained with Mercury for two more albums, Moods in 1995 and Invitation Only in 1997, both of which sold well to Downing’s core fan base. The CD All the Man You Need received a Grammy Awards nomination for Best Traditional R&B Album in 2000.
In 2002 he received the International Association of African-American Music Diamond Award.
Since December 2006 Will has been suffering with a muscle disorder called polymyositis that has left him unable to walk and confined to a wheel chair.

Release Elvis Presley – Stage Rehearsal

Stage Rehearsal

I was pleased to notice that one of the upcoming releases from the FTD collectors label will be a CD titled Stage Rehearsal. Dealing mainly with Elvis’ show rehearsal at the International Hotel in Las Vegas on August 10, 1970, it offers a couple of bonus rehearsal tracks recorded on the same stage during other engagements as well.

The Canadian Rockies

Canadian Rocky's

Christina Aguilera and Rihanna

Return of the hype factor: We’ve got to cut raunchy routines that upset
viewers, says judge Gary Barlow

By Liz Thomas and Paul Revoir

Last updated at 2:15 AM on 20th August 2011

 

When Christina Aguilera and Rihanna performed
in last year’s X Factor final, thousands complained about their raunchy costumes
and lewd routines.

ITV stood by the show and watchdog Ofcom
failed to censure it – but now even new judge Gary Barlow has conceded the
displays were ‘too much’.

The appearances by Miss Aguilera and Rihanna,
which were branded ‘disgusting’ by viewers, sparked a backlash as they were
aired before the watershed. Despite 4,500 complaints, Ofcom ruled that the
scenes were ‘at the limit’ of acceptability for broadcast before 9pm for a
family audience.

Raunchy: Christina Aguilera caused a storm of controversy
when she appeared on the show

But in a move that will embarrass his bosses,
Barlow – who replaces Simon Cowell as head judge – said: ‘I was watching the
show last year and had a ten and an eight-year-old with me, Christina Aguilera
was too much for me.’

 

But despite show bosses having met with Ofcom
about avoiding a repeat of last year’s controversy, the first episode of the new
series looks to be just as low brow.

Viewers will see one contestant call a judge a
‘bitch’, a teenager baring his tattooed bottom and a woman being sick into a bag
before performing an erotic routine.

Clean-cut: new judge Gary Barlow says the programme needs
to clean up its act

 

Contestant George Gerasimou, 19, had already
auditioned in 2009, when he had to be escorted off the stage after losing his
temper when he was unsuccessful. In tonight’s show, he launches a volley of
abuse at new judge Tulisa Contostavlos after she says he cannot sing and was
behaving aggressively.

Lewd: Rihanna in last year’s final

He says: ‘You are just some scumbag from the
block replacing Cheryl. Shut up you bitch.’

A female friend joins him on stage shouting
down the audience, before the pair are escorted off.

Take That star Barlow also admitted he was
fighting to stop the number of ‘ridiculous’ novelty contestants being put
through.

In previous years acts such as Jedward and
Wagner have remained in the competition, creating the suspicion that the show
was ‘fixed’ to ensure those who would draw in audiences stayed in.

Barlow, interviewed at Wembley Arena, said:
‘You know the TV companies are always going to push for the ridiculous acts to
get through and I am hoping we can resist as many as possible this year. It’s
because it is Saturday night entertainment. People want something to love, to
hate, to laugh at.’

Barlow insisted the money made by Sony Music
from the show kept ‘credible acts’ in work.

He added: ‘This show has probably kept Sony
Music alive with the sales of their acts which means it can reinvest into new
acts, credible acts, or whatever you want to call it.

‘This show has probably funded ten credible
acts’ careers, they wouldn’t want to admit it, but that is the truth behind it.

‘You know that this music industry, we’re in a
bad way, we need stuff like this, we need music on TV.

‘If this show was to go down, you would have
every label crying out for opportunities for their artists to get on TV. This is
a massive institution for our industry.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2028127/Return-hype-factor-Weve-got-cut-raunchy-routines-upset-viewers-says-judge-Gary-Barlow.html#ixzz1Vae9uHYT

James McCartney is stepping into the spotlight

Macca’s prodigal son: Why James McCartney is stepping into the
spotlight

 

James McCartney is making an album with his father, music legend Sir Paul

He was the one member of the family who shunned the limelight,working as
a waiter to make ends meet. Then he fell out with his father over Heather. Now
James McCartney is living in a £1m flat and making an album with a pop
legend…his Dad…

Rippingly shy, deeply introspective and terrified about being compared with
his legendary father, James McCartney has spent most of his life trying to hide
from his showbusiness heritage.

While his sisters, Stella and Mary, have prospered from their father’s fame,
Sir Paul McCartney’s only son often refused to tell new friends his surname,
lived a meagre student existence in Brighton (complete with long hair and worn
clothes) and even waited on tables in a restaurant to earn his keep.

But over the past few months something has dramatically changed.

Now aged 30, James is happily mingling with A-list stars at exclusive London
parties with either his father or his glamorous sisters.

He has lost more than two stone in weight, cropped his hair and is wearing
designer clothes. He is living in a £1 million mansion flat in London and gets
around town by driving his dad’s Mercedes.

What is more, he has a smile on his face.

“Wow, this guy has really changed,” said one society photographer who has
bumped into James several times over the past few months.

“I used to see him around a bit with his dad and he was really reclusive.

“He seems totally different. He looks good and even engaged in a bit of
banter with me. He doesn’t look like an outsider any more.”

Now James has made the biggest leap of all.

The talented guitarist, who was terrified of trying to live up to his
father’s extraordinary output, is to work on an album with the one man who can
help him banish those fears: his dad.

“I’m actually doing some recording with my son, James,” Paul told music
magazine Billboard, with obvious excitement.

“We’re looking at the idea of him making an album. He’s doing it all. He’s
writing it all.

“It’s sensational.

“There’s nothing set in stone yet – the plan is for me just to do some
recording with him. But it’s really exciting.”

Scroll down for more…

Family affair: James with big sister Stella and her husband Alasdhair
Willis

Read more…

• Sir
  Paul’s reclusive son James steps out of the shadows

There is even talk that Paul and James – who looks like a blond version of his father – will do some of the recording at the Abbey Road studios, still revered as a shrine by Beatles fans who turn up in their droves every day to scrawl graffiti and have their picture taken on the famous zebra crossing.

“It’s early days, but Paul is really excited by this project,” one aide said
yesterday.

“It is going to be really good.”

But what an extraordinary turnaround for James. Recording an album with Paul
is going to involve a huge amount of pressure. The album will be talked about
around the world.

And unless it really is very, very good, James is likely to come out bloodied
like his contemporary Sean Lennon, whose own music has been compared
unfavourably with that of his father, John.

Indeed, James’s decision is one that has stunned some of the McCartney family
circle who recall a man so morbidly shy he can sometimes barely talk.

“He is incredibly quiet and unassuming,” said one friend of Stella.

“It doesn’t seem like he has a lot of friends, although he is very sweet and
polite.

“I think there was a girlfriend on the scene at one point, but I haven’t seen
her around recently. His sisters seem to be his best friends.

“He has always avoided the limelight and is a bit introverted.

“He is the antithesis of all those kids who become D-list celebrities simply
because their dad is famous.

“I’ve always admired him for that and I am surprised that he is doing this
album.”

A former aide of McCartney added: “He is very much like his mother Linda.

“He has her gentleness and sensitivity and is a deep thinker.

“From his dad he has his witty and slightly sarcastic sense of humour – and
his musical talent. He really is a very good guitarist.

“Ironically, he first wanted to learn after seeing Michael J Fox playing a
guitar in Back To The Future, and not because his dad was in the world’s biggest
band.

“He has never wanted to trade on the McCartney name, although it seems it is
impossible to avoid.”

Scroll down for more…

Turning 30 may have been part of the reasoning behind James’ choice to work
with his father – to whom he bears an uncanny resemblance. (Right: Sir Paul in
his Beatles heyday)

The youngest of Paul and Linda’s children – Mary and Stella are eight years
and six years older respectively while stepsister Heather, from Linda’s previous
marriage, is 15 years his senior – James has always been the baby of his
family.

“His sisters have always been incredibly protective of James,” continued
Stella’s friend.

“They still talk about him like he is a child – even though he is a grown
man.”

Reaching the landmark age of 30 in September may have been part of the
reasoning behind this album, say sources close to the family.

“James has realised that he needs to do something with his life,” said
one.

“He has seen Stella become a massive success in the fashion world, Mary
become an accomplished photographer and their stepsister Heather is also doing
really well with pottery exhibitions in the States.

“And what has he done?

“James has trained as an architect and is also a skilled potter, but hasn’t
really pursued a career.

“For the past few years he seems to have been drifting. He has even become a
glorified babysitter for his sisters’ children.

“When Mary split from her husband, he was around a lot to help with her two
boys.

“He has been playing the guitar since the age of six and that has always been
where his heart lies.

“And after four difficult years – when Paul’s relationship with his children
was strained by his marriage to Heather Mills – James and his dad are now really
close again. It is inevitable that talk should turn to working together.”

Scroll down for more…

Like all the McCartney children, James instantly took against his father’s
second wife, Heather Mills

Indeed, it seems the biggest spur for this new father-and-son love-in is the
incredibly bitter divorce battle still raging between Paul and Heather.

Since the pair announced their separation in May last year, what was supposed
to be an amicable break-up has become increasingly acrimonious. Paul’s family
have rallied around the star as he has put up with allegations that he was a
cruel drunk and dopehead who tried to choke his wife.

Paul recently said: “I’m going through great struggles, but I’m feeling
pretty good.

“I have a lot of good support, particularly from my family. In difficult
moment like this, it’s when a loving family shines through.”

His children famously struggled to get on with their stepmother, a former
soft-porn star and alleged high-class call girl.

“James hated, really hated, Heather,” Paul’s former aide said.

“He disliked her even more than his sisters. I’m not sure whether he even
went to their wedding.

“Understandably, it caused a lot of friction with his father, who was
desperate for his family to like Heather.

“And Paul was really hurt by James’ attitude as – being the only boys – they
were particularly close.

“But once Paul’s marriage started breaking up – and Paul realised just what
Heather really is – he has needed the support of his family.

“He was really, really hurt by everything that has happened and James, in
particular, has been his rock.”

James was just 19 when his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. He was
the only one of the McCartney children still living with his parents at their
rural hideaway in Peasmarsh, East Sussex, during her three-year battle with the
disease.

He found therapy in playing guitar with his father and features on Paul’s
Flaming Pie album which was released in 1997.

Despite being an art student at Bexhill College, on the south coast, he
continued to work on his music with his parents and recorded a track with Linda,
The Light Comes From Within, a month before her death in 1998. The whole family
came together at their ranch in Arizona for Linda’s final few weeks.

But after her death, while they were still grieving, James’s sisters all
returned to their lives in London. Only Paul and James returned to live in
Peasmarsh, where they scattered Linda’s ashes on one of her favourite walks.

The two devastated McCartney men slept in the same room for weeks as they
struggled to get over her loss. They sought solace in writing a song about
her.

But Paul admits he found it so hard to cope that he cried every day. James
wasn’t doing much better, although he decided to do something positive in memory
of his mother, an animal rights activist, and pledged to become completely
vegan.

“I’ll never forget seeing James after Linda died,” said one of Stella’s
friends.

“You just wanted to reach out and hold him. He seemed lost.”

One can only imagine how James must have felt when Paul met Heather little
more than 12 months after Linda’s death.

Like all of the McCartney children, he instantly took against her.

She was loud and bossy. She was extremely self-important. She was no
Linda.

And her attempts to try to win him over – by taking his side in family
disputes, for example – only increased his dislike.

Knowing how his son felt, Paul practically moved out of Peasmarsh when he was
wooing Heather. He bought a house in nearby Hove, where the two of them would
spend most of their time.

But Paul never stopped trying to get his children to like Heather and, for a
while, father and son continued to jam together, with James contributing to
Paul’s 2001 Driving Rain album.

Then in 2004 James left home altogether, renting a small flat while he
attended a college in Brighton to work on his music.

Determined not to live on his father’s £725 million fortune, he waited on
tables to pay the rent.

The arrival of Beatrice, Paul’s daughter with Heather, four years ago, did
mean James visited his father more often – even now, all the siblings adore
their half-sister.

But it was only when the marriage broke down that Paul’s relationship with
his older children was truly repaired.

Bitterly bruised by the break-up, he needed their support. And none was more
supportive than the caring James.

Now, as a sign of his father’s gratitude, James lives in a sprawling
four-bedroom, £1 million flat Paul bought him in a mansion block near his own
London house. (Paul also bought one each for his other children.)

He also has keys to his dad’s house and to his car – frequently using the
Mercedes estate that Paul has owned for the past 11 years. The two also enjoy
weekends in Peasmarsh together.

And Paul, as well as Stella and Mary, have introduced James to the London
party scene where he appears to have finally come out of his shell.

At one such party last month, held by Stella’s husband Alasdhair Willis,
James enjoyed talking to the ravishing actress Thandie Newton and catching up
with old friend Dhani Harrison, son of Paul’s bandmate George.

A few days later he was happily gossiping with Kate Moss at his father’s BBC
concert at the Roundhouse in North London.

“I saw him at one party and he seemed to be in good spirits,’ said a friend
of Stella’s.

“His shyness was still there, but he seemed somehow happier and more content
with himself.”

There is only one cloud on the horizon. Having decided to expose himself to
the world with the new album, it would be horrible if it all backfires.

“It is a brave thing to do and I can only hope he will cope,” added the
friend.

“He has had long enough to work out who he is, to come to terms with what he
is.

“He has been around fame all his life and is aware of all the pitfalls.

“But the bar has been set so high around him – not just with Paul but his
sisters too – that it could devastate him if it fails.”

 

Explore more:

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-498874/Maccas-prodigal-son-Why-James-McCartney-stepping-spotlight.html#ixzz1VadJYLKl

Elvis – CD Desert Serenade

Touchdown Productions  announced their next CD Desert Serenade. It contains the former unreleased Midnight Show from August 16, 1972 in Las Vegas. The source for this release is of very good quality!

[01] Also Sprach Zarathustra [02] See See Rider [03] Johnny B. Goode [04] Proud Mary [05] Until It’s Time For You To Go [06] You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me [07] You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling [08] Polk Salad Annie [09] Elvis Welcomes The Audience [10] What Now My Love Love [11] Fever [12] Love Me [13] Blue Suede Shoes [14] Heartbreak Hotel [15] All Shook Up [16] Love Me Tender [17] Little Sister/ Get Back [18] Hound Dog [19] I’ll Remember You [20] Suspicious Minds [21] Band Introductions [22] My Way [23]A Big Hunk O’ Love [24] American Trilogy [25] Can’t Help Falling In Love/ Closing Vamp
BONUS-Tracks: [26] You Gave Me A Mountain [27] Mystery Train / Tiger Man [28] For The Good Times

Tracks 1-25 recorded August 16, 1972 Midnight Show
Tracks 26-27 recorded August 28, 1972
Track 28 recorded September 1, 1972 Dinner Show

CB Band & Joe Esposito eregasten op 7 januari?

CB Band & Joe Esposito eregasten op 7 januari?

Zoals bekend, pakt ElvisMatters op de 77ste verjaardag van Elvis (zondag 8 januari 2012) uit met een weergaloze ELVIS STERRENPARADE (zie website onderaan)… JAMES BURTON, GLEN HARDIN, PAUL LEIM, NORBERT PUTNAM, JOE ESPOSITO… en MEER NAMEN VOLGEN NOG! Maar omdat de TCB Band en special guests zoals Joe Esposito en anderen reeds op zaterdag al bij ons te gast zijn én omdat we fans de kans willen geven deze mensen persoonlijk te ontmoeten bij een heerlijk buffet, willen we ook op ZATERDAG 7 JANUARI een Birthday Buffet-avond houden MET deze Elvis-toppers erbij! Van een feestje gesproken! Meer details volgen, maar duid alvast ZATERDAG 7 JANUARI en ZONDAG 8 JANUARI op de kalender aan!Alle info volgt later deze maand – maar doe jezelf een plezier en blokkeer beide avonden in je agenda… want dit wil geen enkele fan missen! STERRENPARADE op ELVIS’ VERJAARDAG STERRENPARADE op 8 januari 2012! De ‘toppers’ van de Elvis-wereld komen op 8 januari 2012 naar ElvisMatters. We maken er een super-dag van. Mis dit feest niet! Iedereen weet wellicht al dat 2012 een groot Elvis-jaar wordt. Het wonderjaar 2012 begint op zondag 8 januari, wanneer Elvis 77 (!) zou worden. Die dag halen we de grote Elvis-namen weer naar België voor een unieke sterrenparade. Op algemeen verzoek maken we er net zoals vroeger een ELVIS DAG van, in de meest comfortabele zaak van het land: “onze’ zaal Vito in Mol, op de grens met Nederland. 13.30 u: opening van de deuren met DOORLOPEND: The Presley Radio Live: verzoeknummers van bezoekers *** Workshop + expo Ton Van Herwaarde *** Bill Belew Expo *** Tombola *** Extra grote shopstand *** Drank & eetkraampjes 14 u: Fotosessie met Tourmanager Joe Esposito Joe Esposito werkte voor en woonde bij Elvis vanaf begin jaren ’60. Hij bleef de ‘voorman’ van de Memphis Maffia en was ook degene die Elvis op 16 augustus 1977 tegen beter weten in bleef beademen. Joe is een zeer gerespecteerde naam in de Elvis-wereld, maar ook daarbuiten, als gewezen manager van ondermeer the Bee Gees en Michael Jackson. 15 u: Interview met Elvis’ studiobassist Norbert Putnam Norbert Putnam is de meest onderschatte bassist op Elvis-platen. Zijn samenwerking met Elvis begon in augustus 1968 bij de gospel-sessies die ondermeer “Where No One Stands Alone” opleverden. Hij is ook te horen op de LP’s That’s The Way It Is, Elvis Country en Love Letters. Norbert speelt de bass die je hoort op wereldklassiekers als I’ve Lost You, Just Pretend, Amazing Grace, I’m Leaving, My Boy, Promised Land, Hurt, Moody Blue en talloze andere. Norbert is een fan van Elvis in hart en nieren en heeft fantastische verhalen te vertellen. 17 u: Onthulling grootste Elvis-verjaardagskaart ter wereld Voor de grootste artiest ter wereld is enkel het grootste goed genoeg. Daarom stellen we op 8 januari de grootste Elvis-verjaardagskaart ter wereld voor. Iedereen die aanwezig is, krijgt de kans deze kaart persoonlijk te signeren! Het ondertekenen van deze kaart luidt meteen de officiële start van het Elvis-jaar 2012 in! 20 u: Birthday Concert met: JAMES BURTON – RONNIE TUTT of PAUL LEIM – NORBERT PUTNAM – GLEN HARDIN – DENNIS JALE – JOE ESPOSITO Afhankelijk van de beschikbaarheid van Ronnie Tutt en zijn tourschema met Neil Diamond worden de drums door Ronnie Tutt OF Paul Leim bespeeld: Paul is geboekt maar als zijn schema het toelaat, vervoegt ook Ronnie Tutt deze Elvis-Sterrenparade. Het hoogtepunt van deze Elvis-dag is uiteraard het live concert in de luxe-podiumzaal. De rockende TCB Band neemt je mee langsheen bekende en onbekende Elvis-hits. Want met Dennis Jale op het podium weet je met zekerheid dat er een aantal “nieuwe” nummers aan de setlist toegevoegd worden. 22.15 u: Signeersessie met Elvis-artiesten Een traditie bij alle ElvisMatters-shows: na afloop nemen de artiesten de tijd om de fans te groeten en foto’s of LP’s te signeren. PRAKTISCH Zondag 8 januari 2012 Zaal VITO MOL (B) Boeretang 200 2400 Mol Deuren: 13.30 u Concert: 20 u Tickets: 45 euro – 55 euro (VIP) Bezoek de ‘Elvis Sterren Parade ‘site Bestel tickets INFO OVER DE SHOWAVOND VAN HET JAAR (8 januari 2012) vind je onder deze link:

Elvis STERRENPARADE Tickets!