Blige's collaborations with UK singers out Dec. 2
Mary J. Blige has crossed the Atlantic to collaborate with some of this decade's most celebrated UK musical talent—including Disclosure, Eg White, Emile Sandé, Jimmy Napes, Naughty Boy, SAM ROMANS and Sam Smith—and recorded a new studio album, The London Sessions.
This new collection will be released Dec. 2 on Capitol Records.
According to a release, "The London Sessions is, number one, the bravest thing, and number two, just so honest," said out singer Smith, who co-wrote lead single, "Therapy," with Blige and Eg White ( Adele, Florence + The Machines, James Blunt ).
Blige will perform songs from the album at the iTunes Festival at London's Roundhouse on Sept. 25.
Streisand releasing 'Partners' Sept. 16
Columbia Records has announced the release of Barbra Streisand's Partners album as Sept. 16. The album features 12 new Streisand duets with a variety of male vocalists.
Among the duet partners on this CD are Michael Bublé, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, her son Jason Gould, Josh Groban, Billy Joel, Blake Shelton, John Legend, Andrea Bocelli, Babyface—and Elvis Presley. Just a few of the songs include "Somewhere" ( with Groban ), "Love Me Tender" ( with Presley ) and "People" ( with Wonder ).
'True Trans with Laura Jane Grace' on AOL
AOL Originals announced True Trans with Laura Jane Grace, a 10-episode series following the transgender pioneer and lead singer of the punk band Against Me! who publicly came out as a transgender woman at the height of her music career in 2012.
Each episode will follow Grace and other trans* individuals as they share stories about the harsh realities of growing up anxious about their own identities. Additional episodes will feature life after transition, showcasing Grace's life as a parent and her day job being a rock star.
The first four episodes of the series will be available Friday, Oct. 10, in a special advance celebration of National Coming Out Day on the AOL On Originals home page: on.aol.com/show/518250660-true-trans/518387725. Additionally, the series will be available on mobile devices through the AOL On app.
La Roux at Concord Music Hall on Oct. 1
On Wed., Oct. 1, English Synthpop act La Roux ( best known for the pop hit "Bulletproof" ) will perform in Chicago with Midnight Magic at Concord Music Hall, 2047 N. Milwaukee Ave.
La Roux's latest CD, Trouble in Paradise, was released on Cherrytree/Interscope Records July 22.
Tickets are available in advance for $28; doors open at 7 p.m. and the show is open to all ages.
Pussy Riot panel in Humboldt Park on Sept. 12
For the 10th Anniversary of Riot Fest, founder Michael Petryshyn is realizing a long-held idea of staging a socio-political discussion within the confines of his music festival—and such a forum will take place Friday, Sept. 12, 5:45-7 p.m. in Humboldt Park.
Henry Rollins will moderate a panel that will consist of Nadya Tolokonnikova ( Pussy Riot ), Masha Alekhina ( Pussy Riot ), Greg Graffin ( Bad Religion, vocalist/professor of geology at UCLA ), Tim McIlrath ( Rise Against ) and Marcelle Karp ( writer/activist ) .
Riotfest will take place Sept. 12-14. Among a few of the musical acts performing are Jane's Addiction, GWAR, Dashboard Confessional, Say Anthing, Wu-Tang Clan, The Flaming Lips, Tegan and Sara, Andrew W.K., Mudhoney and Patti Smith. See www.riotfest.org .
LGBT singer Aaron Paul releases 'Raw' CD
London-born, Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Aaron Paul—a member of the LGBT community—has released the new CD Raw.
Raw is Paul's first solo album after leaving the boy band Worlds Apart. Worlds Apart racked up several top 30 U.K. singles.
One single is "I Don't Care," and there is Reginald Todd's "I Don't Give A F*ck" remix. ( Todd is also the album's executive producer. ) See the video of the single at youtu.be/nPVeOpX2UMk .
Nick Jonas releasing new CD; will be in Chicago Oct. 2
Artist/actor Nick Jonas will release his self-titled album Nov. 11 via Island Records.
The album will be available both as a standard ( 10 songs ) and a deluxe with three bonus songs.
The first single off the record, "Jealous," is available via digital retailers. With each album pre-order on NickJonas.com, tickets to his intimate, upcoming club-tour dates will be available exclusively to fans who reserve exclusive packages.
Jonas is slated to perform at The Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m. See bottomlounge.com/events/ . Also, see www.nickjonas.com .
Mavis Staples to receive Sandburg Award Oct. 22
Grammy Award-winning singer and civil-rights activist Mavis Staples will receive the inaugural Carl Sandburg Award in the Arts from the Chicago Public Library and Chicago Public Library Foundation at the upcoming 14th annual Carl Sandburg Literary Awards Dinner on Wed., Oct. 22, at The Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Rd.
Two Carl Sandburg Literary Awards for career achievement in literature will be presented to Doris Kearns Goodwin ( author of best-selling biographies of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson and the Kennedy family ) and Larry McMurtry ( Terms of Endearment, Lonesome Dove, Brokeback Mountain screenplay ). The 21st Century Award, encouraging new talent, will be given to Chicago author Veronica Roth ( Divergent series ).
Guests will have the opportunity to share a table with a featured writer or artist who has contributed to enriching the Chicago community, including Sara Paretsky, Scott Turow, Julia Sweeney and others.
Reservations are strictly limited. For information or to purchase tickets, tables or sponsorships, visit cplfoundation.org, or contact Louis Schermerhorn at 312-201-9830, ext. 25, or email lschermer@cplfoundation.org .
