Michael Feinstein Headlines the 2007 Music Has Power Award Benefit

http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/22619/



The power of music to help healing joins with the power of musicians in funding that healing on September 10th when Michael Feinstein – New York’s consummate cabaret star and an iconic interpreter of American popular music – headlines the seventh annual Music Has Power™ awards benefit at his Park Avenue nightclub, Feinstein’s at Loews Regency – The Nightclub of New York.

The Music Has Power™ benefit and awards ceremony is presented by the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF), a member of the Beth Abraham Family of Health Services. The IMNF’s groundbreaking and internationally recognized programs use music therapy to assist in the “awakening and healing” of individuals with a wide-range of conditions including strokes, trauma, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s diseases. The IMNF plans to expand its work in music therapy for childhood developmental conditions including autism.

“I’ve always believed that music has a unique way of tapping into our emotions and memories in a very profound way,” says Feinstein, “I am honored to be involved in supporting the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function in their mission to raise awareness about the power of music.”

The Music Has Power Awards was established seven years ago to celebrate and recognize the significant accomplishments of the men and women who have supported and brought new understanding to the use of the power of music to awaken and heal. Through this celebration, funds raised will support music therapy programs, along with clinical and scientific research. Previous recipients of the Music Has Power Awards include Dr. Oliver Sacks, Mickey Hart, Remo Belli, moby, and Henry Z. Steinway.

Los Angeles DJ

DIVA!

At a point in her career when she should be little more than a nostalgic memory, Dame Shirley Bassey remains on the cutting edge. Long before there was a Shania, Whitney, Mariah or Christina, Shirley Bassey was belting out powerhouse anthems with an unabashed conviction that has become her trademark.

From her James Bond theme songs to sweet ballads to contemporary hits, this woman's ability to interpret and cover songs are unmatched. And, at the age of 70, she still has the pipes to stun listeners with her delivery and ability to sustain notes that many younger singers strive just to hit.

Contemporary DJs are in love with her as witnessed by their devoted remixes of many of her catalogue's past glories.

Check out her new cover of Pink's "Get The Party Started" below. While Pink made a huge hit out of it, Bassey now OWNS it!

TOMorrow

A TV legend passed away this week. SNL's Dan Akroyd may have goofed on him for being out of touch but Tom Snyder was way ahead of his time in booking cutting edge musical acts. Check out this DVD offered by The NBC Universal Store:



The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder began in October 1973 in the late-night time slot following Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show and continued in one form or another until January 1982. As the punk and new wave music of the late 1970s emerged, The Tomorrow Show welcomed many of its key figures for interviews as well as live performances.

Snyder, admittedly blissfully ignorant of the music, was, at times, so obviously out of his element that the inspiration for Dan Aykroyd’s classic Saturday Night Live Snyder impersonation could not be more clear. But whether Snyder got it or not, The Tomorrow Show featured seminal performances by some of the genres’ early legends.


8 Episodes of The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder Featuring Interviews and Live Performances by:
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Iggy Pop
The Plasmatics
The Jam
The Ramones

And Interviews With:
Joan Jett
Paul Weller
Kim Fowley
Patti Smith
John Lydon

Running Time +/- 5 Hours

New Releases from New Wave Heroes

iTunes Originals - Elvis Costello- Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Don't know enough about early Elvis to know if it's a remake but "Riot Act" sounds like it came right out of 1978- and that's a good thing!

Red Hot & Live!- Brian Setzer & The Nashvillains
Features live Rockabilly takes on oldies like "Red Hot" and Stray Cats songs.

"#9 Dream"- R.E.M.
A respectable remake of the Lennon tune.

Sunday Girl - EP- Erasure
Don't these guys ever slow down?

Time On Earth- A pretty tame album even by Crowded House standards features "Don't Stop Now".

Greatest Hits- Social Distortion
For those that already have the catalogue, the new single "Far Behind" is the highlight here.

Dylanesque- Bryan Ferry
Surprisingly refreshing takes on Dylan songs including a rock solid "All Along the Watchtower".





DJ Craig

Hootenanny!

Highlights from The 11th annual Hootenanny at Oak Canyon Ranch in Irvine, CA on July 7.



Big Sandy

Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys' swing-a-billy charmed the crowd with upbeat ditties like "Feelin' Kinda Lucky" and "The Greatest Story Ever Told".



Deke Dickerson

Mad Marge and company played on the smaller stage and had a nice mosh pit going. Deke Dickerson would later take this stage, covering Buck Owens and ending his set with favorite, "Muleskinner Blues".



The Blasters

80's rockabilly pioneers, The Blasters, played an energetic set including classics like "American Music", and "Long White Cadillac". Phil Alvin, as ever, seemed about to pop a vein as his contorted face displayed a trademark mix of agony and ecstasy. Phil would later join his brother Blaster, Dave, during his set for a rocking "Marie Marie".



John Doe Band

John Doe kicked off with "The Golden State", a sentimental ode to love and imperfection from his new album. Doe and his band sounded and looked vibrant. His red haired, female backup singer bearing more than a bit of a resemblance to longtime band mate, Exene, in both looks and voice.

Doe then launched into "The New World", a song by his old band, X. Though originally written during the Reagan era, the similarities to the current state of affairs were not lost on Doe. "Don't forget to vote next time", Doe chided his audience before starting. Halfway through, the song unexpectedly morphed into The Beatles' "Revolution". Nice touch.


John Doe


Nekromantix thrashed their way through a psychobilly caucophony of noisy dissonance. Then Squirrel Nut Zippers played their quirky brand of Dixie inspired swing, including "Prince Nez" and "Hell".



Hootenanny Fan

Headliners and crowd faves, "Social Distortion" capped off the show. Their set included a cover of Chuck Berry's "Maybeline" and "Far Behind" from their Greatest Hits release. Social D sounded as good as ever, Mike Ness admitting between songs that it's a good thing music became their vocation as he and his band mates "didn't make very good criminals."