#debut album

#debut album

Juan Carlos Formell, an acclaimed singer-songwriter who settled in New York after defecting from Cuba and eventually took over as bassist for his famous father, Juan Formell, in Los Van Van, one of the most influential bands of post-Revolutionary Cuba, died on Saturday during a performance in New York City.

Picking an album title is one of the most sacred decisions a musician can make.While some artists think deeply on the matter, coming up with a poetic turn of phrase that captures the essence of the songs held within - and which may even enter the popular lexicon to signify a certain type of project for decades to come (i.e., "it's their Tusk," "this is my Blood on the Tracks") - others just go ahead and call it ... The Album.

NASHVILLE The spoils of fame are coming fast for the emerging country star Bailey Zimmerman.The Texas singer-songwriter Cody Johnson gave him a standing offer to come ride horses at his ranch.The Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger flew him on a private plane to his home in Canada to spend some time writing songs.

Over the past few months, The New York Times has asked experts to answer the question, What would you play a friend to make them fall in love with jazz?We've explored artists like Ornette Coleman and Mary Lou Williams, and styles ranging from bebop to modern.Now, we're turning to Herbie Hancock, the groundbreaking pianist and composer who emerged in jazz as something of a prodigy.

Harry Belafonte, the singer, actor and wide-ranging activist, has died aged 96.The cause of death was congestive heart failure, his spokesman told the New York Times.As well as performing global hits such as Day-O (The Banana Boat Song), winning a Tony award for acting and appearing in numerous feature films, Belafonte spent his life fighting for a variety of causes.

COMEDY
The silliness continues!This edition of Butter, a recurring comedy show that churns out open-minded laughs at Funhouse Lounge, features funny fiends David Kildal, Anthony Robinson, Nate Hart, Bernice Ye, and Drew Grizzly.Brett "Breadstick" Sisun will turn up for some groovy tunes, too.