Having engineered on Dizzee Rascal’s Mercury Prize winning album, Boy In Da Corner, remixed for Reverend And The Makers, and signed over 100 records to down-tempo compilations, Leigh Devlin’s career goes back some years. Living Life In Phases is an electronic album exuding a colourful mix of influences and a wealth of experience from a 30 year musical history.

As co-founder of the legendary Kenwood Studios in Sheffield where the likes of Dizzee Rascal, Fila Brazilia and Groove Armada all recorded, Leigh Devlin is a master engineer at the sound desk. His technical wizardry saw him run Sheffield practice studio Bok Studios where the likes of Roots Manuva and Phil Oakley (Human League) were regulars, to tutoring at the Sheffield College of Music alongside fellow heavyweights, Simon Stafford and Sarah Jay, who’ve worked with Joe Strummer and Massive Attack respectively.

It’s this musical background that inspired Living Life In Phases, the second studio album from MinusBlue and the result of a three year hiatus travelling Europe. In comparison to its 2009 self-titled predecessor, Life In Stages drifts from MinusBlue’s previous chilled out sounds into a stripped back affair of lush eighties and nineties influenced sounds with simple drums and synths and airy production.

Leigh said, “I wanted to move away from being tarred with the 'chillout' brush. I wanted to make a poppy/Balearic/electronic sound that was a bit of a look back through my musical background. That's why there is an 80s and 90s feel to some of the tracks. I had got to the point with the previous album, and working on other peoples music down the years, that I needed a break from writing and producing, hence the trip around Europe. I also needed something to write about, and life kind of gives you that, if you let it. I had plenty to write about by the time I started again. That's why the album is called Living Life In Phases”.

The first single to be released from the album, Don’t Give Love Away, was an international hit, played on rotation on the likes of Kiss FM Australia, Billboard USA and multiple stations across Europe.

Living Life In Phases was built from the ground up to be a live project and, along with the band’s talented singer songwriters, will be toured later this year in the UK and Ibiza.

Vocalists on the album include Justin Lewis who, with his critically acclaimed Justin Lewis Orchestra, performed at Glastonbury and signed to Beastie Boys label, Grand Royale; plus Grammy Award winning guest vocalist Keithen Carter who’s written with everyone from Chaka Khan to Philip Bailey (Earth Wind & Fire).

Fans of the Human League, Joy Division, Warp Records and Orbital are bound to enjoy this album. It’s a rich tapestry of musical influences and a rare opportunity to hear an LP reflecting so many years of experience. Leigh Devlin’s ongoing love for music shines throughout.

- ENDS –

For media enquiries contact Sliding Doors Publicity: Nicola Freitas or James Hamilton – T: 020 8585 0404

Living Life In Stages - Track List

1. Don’t Give Your Love Away - Vocals Justin Lewis

2. Stone Cold - Vocals Tom Sanderson

3. Watching The Sky - Vocals Emma Saville

4. You’re Not Alone - Vocals Alex Michailidis

5. Breath - Vocals Emma Saville

6. Too Far To Speak - Vocals Alex Michailidis

7. Speak In Words - Vocals Tom Sanderson

8. Trying To Connect - Vocals Justin Lewis

9. Love Is Gone Away - Vocals Keithen Carter

10. Be Kind To Yourself

Links

www.minusblue.co.uk

www.facebook.com/MinusBluemusic

www.seamlessrecordings.com

See how Chromatone tells a tale of unrequited love through a witty, twisted concept film, accompanied by his soulful rendition of Emeli Sandé's hit single "My Kind of Love". Mixed by Guy Katsav (David Guetta, Akon, Groove Armada) at Soho Recording Studios and arranged for beatbox and acoustic guitar by Chromatone, the track sparkles with Chromatone's smooth vocals and musical finesse. Filmed by House of Alt (That Grape Juice, Josh Osho, Shakka), the video captures the music as a voicemail, sent to an unwilling lover within a funny, but equally abstract storyline.

WATCH THE CONCEPT VIDEO >> http://youtu.be/uidcdYgNK1A

ABOUT CHROMATONE

Of Czech, Dutch, Croatian and Italian origins (that's the short rundown), Chromatone eventually found his chosen home in London. After over 4,000 sales of his debut EP, he was soon signed to management company CDC Music, played sell-out shows in London's greatest venues, such as the IndigO2, Jazz Café, Scala and many others, worked with Chaka Khan's MD Kuno Schmid and received massive radio support in the UK and Europe, including Germany's largest private radio station Charivari 95.5, as well as launching his very own dance series on SB.TV with Jamal Edwards.

Often likened to Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson, and rightly called a genuine triple threat, he earns his living as a session singer, guitarist and break-dancer in Europe's most competitive artistic scene. Needless to say Chromatone is geared for a massive 2013 and has brand new original material in the pipeline for summer. Watch this space!

LISTEN + DOWNLOAD "MY KIND OF LOVE" ON SOUNDCLOUD >> http://snd.sc/ZZRa1Y

MEDIA & BOOKINGS:
 Please direct all media and booking inquiries to Ralf Behrens (artists@cdc-music.com)

MORE CHROMATONE:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chromatonemusic

Twitter: http://twitter.com/chromatone

- Mike Foster, PP

Boston MA, USA, March 20, 2013.  Berklee College of Music president Roger Brown will present Carole King, Willie Nelson, and Annie Lennox with honorary doctor of music degrees at Berklee's commencement ceremony, Saturday, May 11, at the 7,000-seat Agganis Arena at Boston University. Commencement speaker Annie Lennox will address more than 900 Berklee graduates, their parents, and invited guests. 

This year's honorary doctorate recipients are being recognized for their achievements and influence in music, and for their enduring contributions to American and international culture. Past recipients include Duke Ellington (the first, in 1971), Dizzy Gillespie, Smokey Robinson, Steven Tyler, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Juan Luis Guerra, Loretta Lynn, Paco de Lucía, David Bowie, the Edge, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Chaka Khan, Bonnie Raitt, George Clinton, Alison Krauss, Kenneth Gamble, and Leon Huff. 

On commencement eve, as is Berklee's tradition, students will pay tribute to the honorees by performing music associated with their careers at the Agganis. The concert and ceremony are not open to the public. 

Carole King, a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is the most successful female songwriter in pop music history. King penned dozens of hit songs in the 1960’s with then-husband Gerry Goffin, including “One Fine Day,” “The Loco-Motion,” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” It was 1971’s Tapestry that took her to the pinnacle. Tapestry won three key Grammy Awards—record, song and album of the year—a first for a female artist, sold more than 25 million copies, and remained the best-selling album by a female artist for 25 years. She has amassed three additional platinum and seven gold albums. King reunited with James Taylor – who hit #1 with her song “You’ve Got a Friend” – for Live at the Troubadour, resulting in a 2010 world tour and documentary. More than 400 of her compositions have been recorded, by over 1,000 artists, resulting in 100 hit singles. King is also actively involved with environmental organizations in support of forest wilderness preservation. She released her memoir, A Natural Woman, in 2012.

Willie Nelson has earned every conceivable award as a musician in his six-decade, 200-plus album career. He has also amassed reputable credentials as an author, actor and activist. The iconic Texan is the creative genius behind historic recordings like “Crazy,” “Red Headed Stranger,” and “Stardust.”  In 2010, he released Country Music, produced by T Bone Burnett. The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album. Nelson’s 2011 albums included Here We Go Again: Celebrating the Genius of Ray Charles and Remember Me Vol. 1. In 2012, Heroes, his first album for Legacy Recordings, spent five weeks at #1 on the Americana Radio Chart. His book Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die hit the Top 10 on The New York Times Best Sellers list. Written in his inimitable, homespun voice, the book is a deeply personal look into the heart and soul of a unique man and one of the greatest artists of our time. Let's Face The Music And Dance, an album of deep pop country classics performed by Nelson and Family, comes out in April.

Annie Lennox, singer, songwriter, activist, and one of the finest musical voices of our time, is celebrated as an innovator and icon. Born in Scotland, she studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she met Dave Stewart and formed Eurythmics. The duo sold over 75 million albums, with over 20 international hits. In 1990, Lennox’s solo debut, Diva, entered the UK charts at #1, selling 6 million copies worldwide. Lennox is an Ambassador for UNAIDS, Oxfam, Amnesty International and The British Red Cross. After witnessing the plight of women and children struggling with HIV in South Africa, she founded the SING campaign to help prevent the spread of the virus. Her accolades include 8 BRIT Awards, 10 Grammy nominations and 4 Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe, an Academy Award, the American Music Awards Lifetime Achievement, Billboard's Century Award, the Nobel Peace Laureates ‘Woman of Peace’ Award, and a ‘Lifetime Achievement’ from the ‘Inspiration Awards’ for women. In 2011 she was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in recognition of her humanitarian work. 

Berklee College of Music, for over 65 years, has evolved to support its belief that the best way to prepare students for careers in music is through contemporary music education. The college was the first in the U.S. to teach jazz, the popular music of the time. It incorporated rock n’ roll in the 1960s, created the world's first degree programs in film scoring, music synthesis, and songwriting, and, in recent years, added world music, hip-hop, electronica, and video game music to its curriculum. With a diverse student body representing over 80 countries, a music industry "who’s who" of alumni that have received 229 Grammy Awards, Berklee is the world’s premier learning lab for the music of today – and tomorrow. 



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Margot EdwardsManager, Media RelationsBerklee College of Music1140 Boylston St., MS - 1126 MRBoston, MA, 022151- 617-747-2004

medwards@berklee.eduhttp://twitter.com/BerkleeNews

International Icon Continues Year-long Celebration of 40 Years in Music and Entertainment

Ten-time GRAMMY® Award winner Chaka Khan will introduce two of her signature products in the GRAMMY® Gift Lounge today, Thursday, February 7, Friday, February 8, and Saturday, February 9, in conjunction with the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards® Ceremony on February 10, 2013 in Los Angeles and broadcast on the CBS network from 8:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). GRAMMY performers and presenters will be treated to gifts of Chaka's gourmet chocolates, Chakalates, and her Khana Sutra candles. The international music icon and entrepreneur will be in the lounge during GRAMMY Week to meet and gift talent.

Chakalates and Khana Sutra candles are available to the general public online at www.chakakhan.com. Chaka's sweet and sexy gourmet chocolate line is a reflection of the legendary singer, who knows her chocolate.  And befitting a chocolate that bears Chaka's name, it's a "sweet thing" for your heart and your soul. Through this relaunch of her chocolate line, which was previously sold exclusively in Neiman Marcus stores around the country, she invites people from around the globe to "eat something good." Chakalates are gourmet delights from Chaka's recipe of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate, with velvety bass notes.  It's a quiet storm of flavors and textures, garnered from the four corners of the world. The health-conscious diva, who recently combatted diabetes and high blood pressure by losing 75 pounds and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, lets us know that these 12 sumptuous candies are not as guilty a pleasure as one might expect. Dark chocolate, she notes, is good for our hearts and brains, help lower blood pressure, and, can help control blood sugar. But her chocolates are still candy, so indulge in these sweets in moderation, she advises. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the chocolates will benefit the Chaka Khan Foundation, which supports women and children in crisis.

Whether Chaka is in a different country, an unfamiliar hotel, or a new venue, candles are what make every new and unique place "home."  The first thing she does when entering her hotel or dressing room is light a candle to "purify" the space. With this in mind, Khana Sutra by Chaka Khan was born to soothe the mind, relax the senses, and center the body. Khana Sutura candles are formulated with natural soy wax and the highest quality lead-free wicks for long lasting and lean burning candles. The nature-inspired fragrance of pine is made with the highest-grade essential oils and natural ingredients, concentrated perfectly to quickly scent your space without overpowering. Fragrances are compounded with the ultimate combination of top, middle, and bottom notes to ensure that the "warm throw" (scent while burning) matches the "cold throw" (scent while cold).

This year, 2013, marks the 40th anniversary of Chaka's career in music and entertainment. The year-long celebration will include the release of a series of new albums, titled the iKhan Project.  The first installment will be released on March 19, 2013, and will coincide with her 60th birthday celebration.  The iKhan Project: Commemorative Limited Edition will feature her new single, "It's Not Over" and some favorite classics.  The anniversary celebration will include a US and international tour and several other surprises.

www.chakakhan.com
twitter: @chakakhan

Contact:
Gwendolyn Quinn 
GwendolynQuinn@aol.com
718.622.4100/917.769.7808

Although the chart-topping recording artist has a long standing relationship with ESSENCE, this year marks the first timeUSHER will grace the stage as a headliner at the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL, the largest African-American music and culture event in the U.S. Attracting an estimated 400,000 attendees, the 17th annual ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL continues to be the only music and empowerment festival in the U.S., in addition to a hallmark of New Orleans tourism.

"We are honored to bring the incredible USHER to the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL to headline opening night," says ESSENCE Communications President Michelle Ebanks.  "Fans can look forward to an incredible line-up this 4th of July weekend-- with more than 40 of the world's best performers on 5 stages – as a once in a lifetime experience!"

Also joining the line-up are Morris Day & The Time, Loose Ends, Noel Gourdin, and Timothy Bloom.

The 2011 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL night-by-night line-up (updated as of 5/18) is as follows:

Friday, July 1: Usher, Charlie Wilson, Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia, Boyz II Men, Macy Gray, Dwele, Alexander O'Neal and Cherrelle, Mint Condition, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Tank, Miguel, Noel Gourdin, Mavis Staples, Irma Thomas

Saturday, July 2: Kanye West, Jill Scott, Chaka Khan, El Debarge, Eric Benet, Timothy Bloom, Morris Day & The Time, Shamarr Allen and The Underdawgs, Stephanie Mills, Charmaine Neville Band, Naughty by Nature, To Be Continued Brass Band

Sunday, July 3: Mary J Blige, New Edition, Trey Songz, Kem, Loose Ends, Hal Linton, Kourtney Heart, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Rebirth Brass Band, Kelly Price, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Trin-i-Tee 5:7, Brian Courtney Wilson, MC Lyte, Doug E. Fresh, Hot 8 Brass Band

What began in 1995 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of ESSENCE magazine has now grown into one of the country's "Top 10 Leading Brand Events" by Advertising Age.  The ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL is the nation's largest annual gathering of African-American music and culture.  Throughout its history, the Festival has featured an array of performers including Alicia Keys, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Beyonce, Chaka Khan, Destiny's Child, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gladys Knight, LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx, John Legend, The Isley Brothers, Lionel Richie, Luther Vandross, Maxwell, The O'Jays, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Toni Braxton, Patti LaBelle and Yolanda Adams, among others.

For information about ticket sales, accommodations and the latest updates and to sign up for the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL newsletter, visit http://www.essencemusicfestival.com.  Join the Festival community: follow us on Twitter @essencemusic #EMF2011 and become a fan of 2011 Essence Music Festival on Facebook.

The presenting sponsor for the 2011 Essence Music Festival is Coca-Cola.  Major sponsors include Coors Light, CoverGirl Queen Collection, Ford, McDonald's, Olay, Pantene, Tide, U.S. Army, Verizon and Wal-Mart; official sponsors include CNN,My Black is Beautiful, State Farm, TNT and Visa Pre-Paid.

The 2011 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL is executive produced by Essence Festivals LLC, a division of Essence Communications Inc. (ECI).