Search Results for: chamber

A musician left his $3 million violin on an Amtrak train, but a quick-acting baggage handler retrieved the instrument and it was returned to its grateful owner. Gidon Kremer, who is performing as a guest artist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra through Saturday, took the train from New York to Baltimore’s Penn station on Wednesday. Before heading to Baltimore, Kremer learned that a violinist in the Kremerata Baltica, a chamber orchestra he founded in 1996, was sick and couldn’t make an Asian tour scheduled to start in a few days. “I was preoccupied with that from the moment I sat… Read more »

It’s been 2-1/2 years since the Island Def Jam Music Group acquired a 50% stake in Roadrunner Records. However, the longtime rock-metal independent label still feels like an indie despite its major label parent, president Jonas Nachsin says. “In terms of the Roadrunner’s indie spirit, I don’t think we’ve lost any of that,” Nachsin says. “When the partnership was done, I think the first thing that was decided was not to do anything, which was a very sage and important game plan because when something is working, the last thing you want to do is start to mess with it.”… Read more »

Ozzy Osbourne will not receive the Freedom Of Birmingham, the highest honor that can be awarded to a citizen of the British city, according to the icbirmingham.co.uk website. City Councillor Tony Kennedy led a campaign to bestow the award upon Ozzy by claiming that his battle to overcome drug and alcohol addiction could be a model for residents of the city. But other councillors shot the idea down, saying they wouldn’t vote for the heavy metal legend. Councillor Coun John Hemming said, “Frankly, the idea of Osborne as a role model is laughable. I can’t see many parents wanting their… Read more »

Britney Spears, Kevin Costner and Halle Berry are getting stars on Hollywood’s celebrated Walk of Fame. Glenn Close, Anthony Hopkins, John Singleton, Ted Turner, Journey and 17-year-old twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen will also get the sidewalk honor next year. The new inductees were announced Thursday by Johnny Grant, chairman of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. “There’s a favorite on this list for everybody. We have both young and veteran performers and local, national and international stars,” Grant said. “The induction ceremonies will generate a lot of excitement for our residents and visitors from around the world.” The inductees represent… Read more »

Zwan has canceled its entire world tour, due to what the band termed “family reasons” on its official website, zwan.com. The canceled tour was to start in Imola, Italy on June 15, and end at the famed Fuji Festival in Japan on January 25. Glastonbury, T In The Park, and the Witnness Festival were among the European festivals Zwan will miss. The band is touring in support of its debut album, Mary Star Of The Sea, and it features former Smashing Pumpkins members Billy Corgan on guitar and vocals and Jimmy Chamberlin on drums. Also in the band are ex-Tortoise… Read more »

Southern rock outfit Kings Of Leon will release its RCA debut, “Youth and Young Manhood,” July 7 internationally and July 22 in North America. The group completed a U.K. tour last week at London’s tiny Madame Jo Jo’s Club in front of a packed audience that included members of Australian rock quartet the Vines. Kings Of Leon, now based in Nashville, features the brothers Nathan, Caleb, and Jared Followill and cousin Matthew. The foursome hails from an itinerant Pentecostal church family background. “We tell everybody we’re from Memphis, because that’s the only place we had as a home,” drummer Nathan… Read more »

Billy Corgan’s post-Smashing Pumpkins group Zwan has signed to Reprise and will release its debut album in late January or early February, a spokesperson confirms. The group features Corgan on guitar and vocals, former Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, former Chavez guitarist Matt Sweeney, ex-Slint guitarist David Pajo, and bassist Paz Lenchantin, previously a member of A Perfect Circle. Before the release of the as-yet-untitled album, Zwan has lined up several performances at radio station-sponsored holiday concerts, as well as a Dec. 5 club date at the Joint in Las Vegas. The group will then play Dec. 11 in Boston with… Read more »

A California lawmaker investigating record company accounting heard one sad song after another on Tuesday as high-profile musicians from the Backstreet Boys to Bing Crosby’s widow accused labels of robbing them of past royalty payments. At a state hearing in Los Angeles, the musicians said they had sold millions of songs or albums only to receive sparse royalties or to be told they actually owed their respective record labels money to recoup advances. State Sen. Kevin Murray, who called the hearing along with fellow Democrat Sen. Martha Escutia, called it a fact-finding event but chided record companies for not making… Read more »

A day after the body of Drowning Pool frontman Dave Williams was discovered on the band’s tour bus, details remained scarce but memories of Williams as a fun-loving, kind-hearted character abounded. The 30-year-old singer was found in his bunk by members of Drowning Pool’s touring crew Wednesday afternoon, their publicist said. The band was in Manassas, Virginia, on its way to Thursday’s Ozzfest show in Bristow. An autopsy conducted Thursday morning proved inconclusive, according to a Prince William County police spokesperson. A cause of death is expected to be determined from toxicology tests, which generally take four to six weeks.… Read more »

Jennifer Lopez wants to put “Dirty Girls” on the big screen. Lopez is teaming up with producer Laura Ziskin to make the novel “Dirty Girls Club” into a movie. J. Lo hopes to co-produce the picture through her Nuyorican production company, a spokesperson for Lopez said, though he could not confirm whether or not the multitasking diva would star. “Dirty Girls Club” is by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, a former features writer for the Boston Globe and Latin pop music critic for the Los Angeles Times. The book is about six Latinas from different backgrounds who become friends in college, reunite 10… Read more »